Home Office

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Oakington

Oakington Reception Centre, Oakington Barracks, Longstanton, Nr Cambridge, CB4 5EJ

Switchboard 01954 783000 Fax 01954 782863 Direct Line 01954 783128

Mobile 07765 221179 E-mail [email protected] www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Our Ref IM/SL/CD150502

Chris Daly Your Ref

Head of Casework Date 15 May 2002

Refugee Legal Centre

Nelson House

153 -157 Commercial Road

London

El 2EB

Dear Chris

Thank you for your letter of the 4th April concerning the asylum decision making process undertaken here and the way in which further representations are handled. We spoke on the telephone and I am sorry it has taken me longer than anticipated to provide this reply.

I can assure you that the decision on an asylum claim is not made until the RLC and its clients have had the opportunity to submit further representations (2 days) and also that all available information is taken into account when a decision is made. Where the application is to be considered in Croydon, the SEF interview is sent directly to Croydon following the interview. Those in Croydon with direct responsibility for handling Oakington cases have developed processes that ensure further representations reach the caseworker within a given time, prior to their consideration of the claim. All caseworkers in Croydon who deal with Oakington cases, and those at Oakington itself have recently been reminded of the necessity of checking to see if further representations have been received prior to making a decision. Please rest assured that any further representations that your caseworkers make on behalf of their clients, provided they are lodged within the given time limits, are considered fully prior to the making of a decision on the case.

I hope that this has clarified our procedure further. As ever, I am always willing to discuss this and any other Oakington related issues.

Yours sincerely

Ian Martin

Group Leader / Assistant Director

cc Mary Holloway-Neville

Ruth Harrison

Christine Overal