PQs - August 2018

Parliamentary Questions asked of Government and answered in August 2018:

30 August 2018: HC 137666 (Undocumented Migrants)

Shadow Minister for Immigration Afzal Khan (Labour) asked what steps the Home Secretary is taking to ensure that immigration enforcement operations and subsequent detentions are compliant with all equality legislation (pursuant to questions 121760, 128606 and 128605 from January and February). Minister for Immigration Caroline Nokes replied, saying that Policy guidance for Immigration Enforcement "covers all equalities considerations" and pointed towards publications from the Government website on operational planning, identifying people at risk, search and seizure, pregnant women in detention and adults at risk in immigration detention. Nokes also referenced equalities training and how policy is reviewed to reflect changes to legislation.

2 August 2018: HL 9680 (Immigration: Windrush Generation)

Lord Beecham (Labour) asked the Government whether those affected by the Home Office's wrongful detention of Windrush immigrants who have received compensation have been required to sign non-disclosure agreements. Baroness Williams of Trafford replied that "There has been a single payment of compensation for unlawful detention in a Windrush generation case and this was subject to a confidentiality agreement." She said this was "long-standing Home Office practice under successive governments" but that they intend to take a different approach in setting up the Windrush compensation scheme. "Nobody who receives compensation through the Windrush compensation scheme will be bound by any condition of confidentiality, unless requested by the individual in question."