Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what risk assessment has been conducted on the requirement of the Home Office for asylum seekers to report in person.

Immigration Enforcement recommenced face to face reporting in July and August for limited priority cohorts. We have implemented Safe Systems of Working (SSOW) and Risk Assessments in all our Reporting Centres. We have put in place robust social distancing measures, health screening questions as you enter, face masks offered to those without, one-way systems and sanitiser stations throughout our public areas.

We continue to review our current reporting arrangements in line with any new local and national COVID restrictions that are put in place. Before inviting individuals into reporting, case owners will assess cases based on the persons harm they pose to the public, their vulnerability and personal circumstances. We continue to keep in contact with the overall reporting population by telephone to update individuals on the current reporting position.

An SMS text or email/letter is sent to those required to recommence reporting detailing the date and time they should report along with relevant advice on COVID. We have also updated the reporting pages of GOV.UK for those who report and their representatives. This information includes travelling safely on public transport avoiding busy transport hubs, revised opening times to avoid travel at peak times, advice on reporting alone where possible and what to do if those reporting have symptoms or are shielding.