News story: The Independent Chief Inspector invites suggestions for inspection topics in 2019-20

David Bolt writes:

As required by the UK Borders Act 2007, I will be writing to the Home Secretary formally before the beginning of the new business year with my Inspection Plan for 2019-20, with the aim of publishing the Plan on my website on 1 April 2019.

I will be writing shortly to the stakeholders with whom the inspectorate is in regular contact to give them the opportunity, while the Plan is in draft, to suggest any topics they would like to see included or prioritised. However, I would also like to extend that invitation to anyone who wishes to suggest an inspection topic.

This will be the final year of my 2017-18 to 2019-20 3-year Plan, which was last updated in April 2018. From my discussions with the Home Office and with stakeholders, I believe the 3-year Plan’s five themes continue to serve as a useful structure for my work, and therefore I intend to retain them for 2019-20.

However, this still leaves a lot to be decided in terms of the scope and focus of particular inspections, including any new topics, and their timing.

Copies of the inspection reports published during 2018-19 can be found on my website, together with the Home Office’s responses. Also available on my website is a list of the reports that have been submitted to the Home Secretary and are awaiting publication and the inspections that are currently underway.

I am aware that the completed inspections will not have covered every possible issue or angle of concern to stakeholders, because there always has to be a trade-off between scope, resources and time, and, of course, things change.

So, I am happy to receive suggestions to take another look at an area I have already inspected, and I will in any event be carrying out a number of re-inspections to check that the Home Office has implemented my recommendations. But, I am also interested in identifying ‘new’ areas for inspection, drawing on others’ experience and knowledge. The only stipulation is that it falls within my statutory remit.

Please email the Chief Inspector: chiefinspector@icinspector.gsi.gov.uk

or write to:

2019-20 Inspection Plan
ICIBI
5th Floor, Globe House
89 Eccleston Square
London
SW1V 1PN

The closing date for suggestions is 19 March 2019.