Asylum Update – 23 October 2008

Research

UNHCR has published Asylum Levels and Trends in Industrialized Countries, covering the first half of 2008.

The Home Office has published its immigration statistics including asylum figures for the second quarter of 2008.

What Are They Doing Here? A Critical Guide to Asylum and Immigration by Peter Fell and Debrah Hayes (Venture 2007) is reviewed in Vol 8 No 4 of the Journal of Social Work.

 

Policy and law

The European Council comprised of EU heads of state and the president of the Commission has adopted the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum. See EUObserver coverage.

The UK Border Agency has now awarded contracts for the Refugee Integration and Employment Service (RIES). The service is for over-18s with refugee status or humanitarian protection and started up on 1 October 2008.

See also the Refugee Council’s new Multilingual Leaflets for New Refugees on housing, welfare rights and training and employment. 

The Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, has announced an independent inquiry into claims by asylum seekers that they were mistreated or abused by security and detention centre staff, following publication in July of the Outsourcing Abuse report. See also press coverage

 

Events

Two new research reports into Chinese migration to Britain will be launched on 14 November at Middlesex University’s Hendon Campus. The reports are ‘Cityscapes of Diaspora: Images and Realities of London’s Chinatown’ and ‘The Changing Chinese Community in London’. Further information from Professor Rosemary Sales

News

Following a cabinet reshuffle, Phil Woolas has replaced Liam Byrne as Minister of State for borders and immigration.

 

Resources

A new interactive website developed by the Institute of Community Cohesion (ICoCo) and supported by the Department for Communities and Local Government, brings together practical advice and support for practitioners on how to promote cohesion and integration, based on good practice cases.

Radio 4 interviews with some of the young asylum seekers who contributed to the ‘New Londoners’ book of photographs.