Part 48(2)(j) UK Borders Act 2007 supplies that the Impartial Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) shall:
assessment and make suggestions on … the content material of knowledge on circumstances in international locations apart from the UK which the Secretary of State compiles and makes obtainable, for immigration and asylum functions, immigration officers and different officers.
To help the Impartial Chief Inspector in fulfilling this statutory position, a gaggle of consultants serving as Impartial Advisory Group on Nation Info (IAGCI) usually critiques the Nation of Origin Info (COI) merchandise produced by the House Workplace. The Ministry of the Inside refers to conflicts of curiosity within the procedures for assessing purposes for refugee standing or different types of worldwide and humanitarian safety. IAGCI critiques assess whether or not the content material of the COI is correct, balanced, goal and up-to-date, they usually function the premise for an ICIBI inspection report.
Along with reviewing House Workplace coverage Nation Coverage and Info Notes (CPINs) and responses to Nation of Origin Info Requests (COIRs) regarding particular person international locations, the IAGCI examines how “cross-cutting” themes are addressed in all COIs issued by the division. Previously, thematic stories commissioned by the IAGCI examined protection of matters reminiscent of ladies’s points, baby associated pointsand sexual orientation and gender identification or expression.
At a future assembly, the IAGCI will assessment the protection of statelessness within the COI produced by the House Workplace. Along with reviewing the therapy of statelessness within the INACs of nations the place it’s a important difficulty, the IAGCI can even think about normal suggestions for reporting statelessness info by nation. To tell this dialogue, the IAGCI is searching for to fee a place paper to be ready by an knowledgeable with in-depth information of statelessness, together with the way it arises and which teams are most probably to be affected. As with different critiques, the aim might be to make sure that CPINs comprise probably the most up-to-date, related and helpful info to tell correct decision-making.
The particular person(s) enterprise this venture might be skilled researchers with experience in safety points regarding statelessness and information of asylum and human rights points. They won’t be anticipated to be consultants from all of the international locations involved, however some experience in not less than a number of the international locations the place statelessness is a very necessary drawback might be a bonus.
This tender is reopened because the reviewer chosen following a name launched in early 2022 has since change into unavailable.
Description of labor
The assessment ought to present an evaluation of statelessness protection in current COI merchandise, commenting on:
- Completeness: the extent to which obtainable related info on statelessness has been taken under consideration within the CPIN. Extra publicly obtainable sources needs to be recognized, if obtainable.
- Accuracy and stability: whether or not the related info from the supply materials has been precisely and appropriately mirrored within the CPIN, noting any particular errors or omissions.
The assessment ought to present a comparative abstract, noting the strengths and weaknesses of the completely different stories.
As well as, the assessment ought to establish info on statelessness that’s not coated by any of the stories however is nonetheless related to help selections made by the House Workplace. This will likely contain suggestions for brand spanking new stories on populations vulnerable to statelessness for which no stories at present exist, suggestions for info that might usefully be integrated into CPINs that don’t at present have a bit on statelessness. statelessness, and/or suggestions on different methods to make sure the mandatory info is obtainable to resolution makers.
Though there may be particular person discretion in how the researcher approaches the duty and prepares a assessment, it might be useful for the IAGCI if some particular pointers have been adopted:
- The format and scope of the assessment needs to be agreed with the IAGCI Chair.
- The reviewed COI needs to be assessed primarily based on the scenario within the nation as much as the acknowledged deadline for inclusion of the knowledge within the report.
- Any options for added info (or corrections to info within the doc) needs to be referenced to a supply doc for the House Workplace to make use of. If no revealed supply is obtainable to help the prompt info, the reviewer might present a letter offering the knowledge for use because the supply doc.
The reviewer might be invited to attend the IAGCI assembly the place their assessment might be reviewed. Representatives from the House Workplace can even attend the assembly to offer responses to feedback and proposals made through the assessment.
Opinions commissioned by the IAGCI could also be used as supply paperwork for future CPINs and different COI merchandise.
How you can register
Researchers taken with finishing this assessment ought to submit:
- a letter demonstrating their experience in issues associated to statelessness, human rights and asylum
- their resume
Fee for this work might be set at £5,000. Expressions of curiosity needs to be submitted to [email protected] till the tip of Friday, October 21. We are able to solely settle for expressions of curiosity from people and never from establishments or consulting teams.
The profitable bidder might be knowledgeable no later than Friday, October 28. The finished assessment might be due by the tip of Tuesday, January 3, 2023 and might be mentioned at an IAGCI assembly scheduled for early subsequent 12 months.
