Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to notify asylum seekers in (a) Scotland and (b) Northern Ireland of the decisions on their applications.

The UK has a proud history of providing protection to those who need it, in accordance with our international obligations. All asylum claims are considered on a case by case basis and in line with published policy, which applies across the UK.

The Home Office is committed to ensuring asylum claims are considered without unnecessary delay. We have already made significant progress in prioritising claims with acute vulnerability and those in receipt of the greatest level of support, including Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children. Additionally, we are prioritising older claims and those where an individual has already received a decision, but a reconsideration is required.

The Home Office are pursuing a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives which will speed up decision making, reduce the time people spend in the system and reduce the numbers who are awaiting an interview or decision. This includes almost doubling decision makers number to c.1,000 and providing improved training and career progression opportunities to aid retention of staff. This investment in our people will speed up processing times and increase the throughput of asylum decisions.

One a decision has been reached on an asylum application, the Home Office will endeavour to serve the decision as soon as possible, either in person where there is a need to safeguard, via the legal representatives or to the applicant themselves.