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ICIBI Inspection Plan 2021-22 Published

The Chief Inspector publishes his Inspection Plan 2021-22.

David Neal

Publishing his Inspection Plan, David Neal said:

Having consulted with the Home Secretary, I have published my first Inspection Plan, which outlines the inspections I will look to conduct over the course of this financial year. For completeness, the Plan also includes reports that are with the Home Secretary awaiting publication and inspections that were started in 2020-21 and will report shortly.

My predecessor’s Plan has now largely been delivered, and I have been allowed free rein of topics to inspect. Since my appointment, on 22 March 2021, I have consulted widely with ministers, officials and external stakeholders to inform the design of the Plan and my decisions on new ways of working.

I intend to introduce different types of inspections to deliver a flexible and relevant programme, with increased reach across the areas I am mandated to inspect. I intend to pilot these changes immediately. As the year progresses, I will continue to refine the subjects under inspection as well as conduct short-notice inspections in response to intelligence and changing circumstances.

I intend to commission a piece of analysis after the summer which will inform my 3-5-year inspection programme, re-balanced across Border Force, Immigration Enforcement, Asylum and Protection and UK Visas and Immigration. That strategic inspection programme will be published in 2022, after consultation with the Home Secretary.

In line with the UK Borders Act 2007, it is also open to the Home Secretary during the course of the year to commission me to carry out an inspection on any topic.

ICIBI Inspection Plan 2021-22

David Neal

Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, July 2021

Published 23 July 2021