|
Enquiries to: Wendy Twigge Your Ref: 62596 Our Ref: FOI/WT/62596 |
Ms. J Cassidy |
|
|
|
|
|
Email: [FOI #12475 email] |
Date: 04 June 2009 |
Dear Ms Cassidy,
Freedom of Information Request 62596
I refer to your request made under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000 in which you requested the following information:
Confirmation or denial that it is the practice of your local authority to always send the United Kingdom Borders Agency (UKBA)/Home Office a full copy of the Age Assessment (AA) and that doing so complies with your confidentiality and Data Protection Act duties and policies and is done so with the informed consent of the person age assessed or with the written agreement of the assessed person's legal representative.
Liverpool City Council does not send a full copy of the AA until UKBA have made a decision regarding the applicants' asylum claim. However, the back page of the AA is provided. This indicates the assessed age of the client
If you do send the UKBA/Home Office a full copy of the age assessment, but only in certain circumstances, can you give details of these circumstances and that doing so complies with your Confidentiality and Data Protection Act duties and policies and is done so with the informed consent of the person age assessed or with the written agreement of the assessed person's legal representative.
UKBA will have disputed the client's age and are therefore requesting confirmation that a Merton compliant AA has been completed by the Local Authority
Confirmation or denial that it is the practice of your local authority to always only send the UKBA/Home Office a summary of the outcome of the age assessment and that doing so complies with your Confidentiality and Data Protection Act duties and policies and is done so with the informed consent of the person age assessed or with the written agreement of the assessed person's legal representative.
The client is informed that the outcome to the AA i.e. the back page of the document will be given to UKBA. The clients' verbal agreement is obtained
In connection with (1), (2) and (3) above can you please provide copies of any procedures, operational policy or guidance that explains the manner by which these age assessments or summaries are shared with the UKBA/Home Office and that doing so is perfectly legal and professionally ethical. Together with copies of the relevant age assessment forms or summaries you currently use.
The request for policy/procedure regarding the sharing of information between LA and UKBA may be requested from the HO.
I have attached a copy of the AA document currently in use by Local Authorities conducting AA as devised by the Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS)
I trust this information satisfies your enquiry.
Yours sincerely
W Twigge (pp)
Information Manager
Liverpool City Council
Wendy Twigge Information Manager Legal Services
Municipal Buildings, Dale Street, Liverpool, L2 2DH
tel: 0151 225 3132 fax: 0151 225 2392 email: [email address]
