News Brief

A progress report has praised the UK Border Agency for making significant reforms to the asylum system since the publication of the Independent Asylum Commission's recommendations last year, but urges the Agency to raise its game in 2010.

The first Annual Audit and Report Card of the implementation of the Independent Asylum Commission's recommendations by the UK Border Agency has been produced by CITIZENS for Sanctuary, the body charged with ensuring the Commission’s recommendations are implemented.

The Audit and Report Card measures the UK Border Agency’s progress in implementing the Commission’s 180 recommendations and updates the stories of people seeking sanctuary in the UK who gave their testimony to the Commission.

The Audit and Report Card, entitled 'Shows promise - must try harder in 2010' is based on the American system soon to be applied to help parents assess British schools.

The Report Card awards the UK Border Agency a 'C' grade for progress made in the last year, and a '2' grade for effort.

The UK Border Agency is praised for progress in expanding the provision of early access to legal advice for people seeking sanctuary, ending its reservation to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and developing a pilot to provide voluntary sector caseworkers to work with those refused sanctuary in the UK. The Agency is also commended for agreeing a protocol to negotiate on the outstanding recommendations.

The Audit found that some of the people who gave testimony to the Independent Asylum Commission have been granted refugee status and are rebuilding their lives. Others remain in limbo, and have waited years for a final decision from the UK Border Agency.

One of those included in the report is Germain, who fled to the UK from the Democratic Republic of Congo after his father was beheaded and he was imprisoned for opposing the regime. Germain has waited four years already and has been told his case may not be resolved until 2011. Another, Jeff from Zimbabwe, has been in limbo for eight years - unable to work, unable to access benefits, and unable to return to Zimbabwe.

The Audit says that the UK Border Agency needs to try harder to get to grips with the remaining recommendations in 2010. It particularly highlights the many destitute Zimbabweans who remain in a grave situation a full year after Gordon Brown pledged to Parliament that he would look into ways of addressing their plight.

Further targets and priorities for 2010 set out in the Audit include making progress on the Commission's recommendations in relation to women, children and the detention process. The Audit also draws attention to the cases of two Congolese men who were recently returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo and detained by the authorities. It calls for independent monitoring of people returned to countries with poor human rights records.

Bruce Stokes, Chair of the CITIZENS for Sanctuary Negotiation Team, said: "The message of this first Annual Audit is simple: the UK Border Agency has taken a few significant steps to implement the Commission’s recommendations. However, there is a long way to go and the UK Border Agency must try harder in 2010 to engage with the remaining recommendations. We are pleased that senior officials at the UK Border Agency have recently signed a Protocol for Negotiation with CITIZENS for Sanctuary, which sets out a process for considering the Commission’s remaining recommendations."

Katie Ghose, a Commissioner on the Independent Asylum Commission, said: "This report includes an audit of human outcomes too. Many of those who shared their testimony with the Independent Asylum Commission have experienced little or no change in their situation since July 2008. Their stories demonstrate the need for change more eloquently than any statistics. We will judge the UK Border Agency's success not only by what they agree to implement, but also by how that implementation affects real people."