asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Evans of Temple Guiting on 26 February (WA 292), what instructions or advice are available to an Immigration and Nationality Department caseworker who receives a report from a medical practitioner expressing concern that a detained asylum applicant may have suffered torture; and what steps the caseworker is expected to take. [HL3096]

The current asylum policy instruction and the asylum process manual instruction dealing with the involvement of the medical foundation are available to caseworkers and case owners on the Border and Immigration Agency's internal asylum website. These documents set out the steps that caseworkers and case owners need to follow. They are published on the external website at www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/asylumpolicyinstructions/and www.ind.home office.gov.uk/documents /chapter2/.

Work is under way to draw up a combined policy and process instruction for asylum caseworkers and case owners on medical evidence, including allegations of torture.