Minister for Safeguarding (): Today, I am pleased
to announce the publication of the Home Office’s Review into data
sharing arrangements between the Home Office and police on
migrant victims and witnesses of crime with insecure immigration
status.
The Review follows a commitment made in response to
Recommendation 2 of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary
and Fire and Rescue Services ‘Safe to Share’ Report, published in
December 2020.
Having considered the views of domestic abuse and modern slavery
sector groups the Home Office review acknowledges the concerns
raised around the current data sharing arrangements and
recognises that there is room for improvement to give migrant
victims greater confidence to report crimes committed against
them.
The Home Office is committed to supporting the reporting of crime
affecting anyone and this includes migrants who have insecure
immigration status. Current data sharing practices between the
police and the Home Office are essential in protecting those most
vulnerable and protecting the public from individuals who are
considered to pose a risk of harm to communities.
The review recommends establishing an Immigration Enforcement
Migrant Victims Protocol as an alternative to a data sharing
firewall and to give greater transparency to victims on how their
data will be shared. The protocol will set out that no
immigration enforcement action should be taken against that
victim while investigation and prosecution proceedings are
ongoing, and the victim is receiving support and advice to make
an application to regularise their stay. It will set out, in line
with the Code of Practice for Victims rights, what information
and signposting IE could offer to migrant victims to help them
regularise their stay and thereby reduce the threat of coercion
and control by their perpetrators.
The Review sets out a commitment to identify safeguards to
mitigate the deterrence effect of data sharing and explore
analytical options to assess the barriers to reporting crime(s)
amongst migrants with insecure immigration status within the UK,
to identify further initiatives that could encourage reporting.
The police and Home Office will develop and implement a
comprehensive stakeholder and outreach engagement programme
designed to promote reporting of crime amongst migrants with
irregular immigration status. A key component of this work will
focus on building trust and confidence in Immigration Enforcement
and Police activities in supporting migrant victims.
