The United Kingdom Home Office has issued a call for evidence from those people affected by the Windrush scandal. The update also relates to compensation for those affected.
Below is the text in full:
“The Prime Minister and the Home Secretary have made a pledge to support those of the Windrush generation who have faced difficulties in establishing their status under the immigration system. They have committed to do right by those who have contributed so much and are such an integral part of the country.
The Government has announced a series of measures to help put things right. We are supporting those affected directly to gain confirmation of their immigration status. We have announced a lessons learned review, with independent oversight and challenge, to look at what happened, why and whether the right corrective measures are now in place. And we have already announced that a compensation scheme will be put in place for those who have suffered loss as a result of these difficulties, and that we will consult on the design of this scheme – such as the shape it should take, what it should cover, and how long it should be for.
As a first step to establishing the compensation scheme the Home Office is launching a Call for Evidence that is addressed to those who have been affected by this situation and to their families.
It is always important for government to listen, and it is especially important to do so now. To put things right we need your help to understand more about what happened.
This is an opportunity for you to tell us what happened, how it has affected you and what you believe the compensation scheme needs to address. We want to engage with the individuals and communities most closely affected, listen to your concerns and, in particular, understand properly how we might address them through a compensation scheme.
We need to move at pace. Once we have listened and reflected on what you have told us, we will then shortly afterwards consult on the detail of this scheme, and use the further understanding gained from that to design a compensation scheme as quickly as we can that will help us redress what has gone wrong.
We want to make sure that the compensation scheme meets the needs of those affected. We will appoint an Independent Person to oversee the running of the scheme. As a first step, we have asked Martin Forde QC to advise us on the design of the scheme. Martin will help us to understand the experience of people who have been affected and how this should be reflected in the scheme.
Who this call for evidence is for
• Those of the Windrush generation who have faced difficulties in establishing their status under the immigration system;
• Any other interested organisations and individuals.
The Windrush generation is generally taken to refer to those who arrived in the UK lawfully from Commonwealth countries before 1 January 1973. However, we would welcome responses from anyone who feels they have been affected by this situation, whether they fit that description or not.
This call for evidence was issued on May 10, 2018.
This call for evidence process will run until 8 June 2018. As well as welcoming written comments during that time, we will be reaching out to community groups and those who represent affected people. We want to get the best possible understanding of what has happened.
This is the first step in making sure that the Government provides redress for your financial losses, as part of making sure we do whatever it takes to put this right. The Home Office is planning to introduce a compensation scheme for those of the Windrush generation who have faced difficulties in establishing their status under the immigration system.
In your response to each of the questions below, please be as concise as possible.
We want to hear your thoughts on the following questions:
1. Please can you tell us something about your personal background and what went wrong for you?
2. How did that affect you, both in practical terms and more generally?
3. When did you first know there was a problem?
4. What kinds of losses did you experience, as a direct or indirect result of the problems you encountered?
5. What do you think we need to do, in terms of a compensation scheme, to put it right?
We will study and read carefully everything that you tell us, and we will seek your views on the detail of the scheme. We do want your experiences to be at the heart of our approach to putting a compensation scheme in place. We will then come out and invite individual compensation claims under the scheme.
To help us analyse the responses please send them to us by email if possible to Windrushcompensation@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk or by post to:
Windrush Compensation Scheme team
Home Office
2nd Floor Peel
2 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DF
Deadline for responses
This call for evidence closes at 11:59 p.m. on June 8, 2018.
Information provided in response to consultations may be subject to publication or disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.
The Home Office will only process any personal data received as part of this consultation (e.g. any identifying material) in accordance with data protection law. This means that your personal data will only be used for the purpose of the call for evidence, it will not be disclosed to third parties unless the law requires it, and you will not be identifiable from any published reports.
If you want all, or any part, of a response to be treated as confidential, please explain why you consider it to be confidential.
If a request for disclosure of the information you have provided is received, your explanation about why you consider it to be confidential will be taken into account, but no assurance can be given that confidentiality can be maintained. Thank you very much for completing the call for evidence. The results will be used to help us better understand your experiences.” (PR)
