Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency

The role of Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency was created to provide an independent, external assessment of the agency, both in the UK and abroad. The Chief Inspector is independent of both the agency and the Home Office, and reports directly to the Home Secretary.

The role and its responsibilities

Individual cases or complaints are not handled by the Chief Inspector. The role is to review the agency's procedures, such as:

• the availability of ways to make a complaint;
• ensuring that queries are responded to within published service standards; and
• ensuring that any actions taken to improve the organisation are effective.

The Chief Inspector reports on efficiency and effectiveness, with particular focus on:

• the consistency of approach within the agency;
• the agency's performance compared with other bodies carrying out similar ranges of activity;
• the quality of decision-making and the use of enforcement powers;
• the provision of information to the public, applicants and claimants;
• the treatment of individuals, including the handling of complaints; and
• how the agency meets its commitments on UK discrimination law.

Inspections of the agency

Inspections are intended to drive improvements in the agency's performance, and to identify and promote best practice.

The Chief Inspector adopts a variety of approaches to inspections, including:

• site visits;
• review of sample case files;
• interviews with staff, stakeholders and the public; and
• other methods such as 'mystery shoppers', as appropriate.

Inspections may be planned (from a published list) or unannounced.

Inspection reports

Following an inspection, a report is published identifying strengths and weaknesses. All good practice identified in reports becomes recommendations to be adopted by the agency as a whole. The agency is expected to make an action plan to tackle any shortfalls identified by the report.

To view all the Chief Inspector's reports published prior to May 2010, and the agency's responses to them, see the UK government web archive.

The agency also provides regular updates to the Chief Inspector to demonstrate continuous development in meeting its challenges.

Inspection	Chief Inspector's report	UK Border Agency's response
Entry clearance decision making - A global review (1 December 2010 - 30 June 2011)	Inspection report: Entry clearance decision making - A global review (PDF 1.76MB opens in new window)	Agency response: Entry clearance decision making - A global review (PDF 167KB opens in a new window)
An inspection of the UK Border Agency visa section in New York (January - March 2011)	Inspection report: visa section in New York (PDF 1,015KB opens in new window)	Agency response: visa section in New York (PDF 202KB opens in a new window)
A short notice inspection of a UK Border Agency arrest team (Bexley, Greenwich and Lambeth) (3 August 2011)	Inspection report: Short notice inspection of the arrest team (Bexley, Greenwich and Lambeth) (PDF 578KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: Short notice inspection of the arrest team (Bexley, Greenwich and Lambeth) (PDF 163KB opens in a new window)
A thematic inspection of how the UK Border Agency manages foreign national prisoners (February - May 2011)	Inspection report: A thematic inspection of the management of foreign national prisoners (PDF 725KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: A thematic inspection of the management of foreign national prisoners (PDF 197KB opens in a new window)
The use of country of origin information in deciding asylum applications: a thematic inspection October 2010 - May 2011	Inspection report: The use of country of origin information in deciding asylum applications (PDF 533KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: The use of country of origin information in deciding asylum applications (PDF 196KB opens in a new window)
Inspection of the UK Border Agency in Scotland and Northern Ireland: border operations (August 2010 - January 2011)	Inspection report: Scotland and Northern Ireland border operations (PDF 529KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: Scotland and Northern Ireland border operations (PDF 170KB opens in a new window)
Inspection of the UK Border Agency in Scotland and Northern Ireland: countering abuse of the common travel area (August 2010 - December 2010)	Inspection report: countering abuse of the common travel area (PDF 502KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: countering abuse of the common travel area (PDF 167KB opens in a new window)
Inspection of the UK Border Agency in Scotland and Northern Ireland: representation at first-tier appeals in Scotland (August - November 2010)	Inspection report: representation at first-tier appeals in Scotland (PDF 164KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: representation at first-tier appeals in Scotland (PDF 562KB opens in a new window)
A short-notice inspection of a UK Border Agency arrest team (Croydon) (8 February 2011)	Inspection report: Croydon arrest team (PDF 344KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: Croydon arrest team (PDF 166KB opens in a new window)
Preventing and detecting immigration and customs offences: A thematic inspection of how the UK Border Agency receives and uses intelligence (October-December 2010)	Inspection report: preventing and detecting immigration and customs offences (PDF 506KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: preventing and detecting immigration and customs offences (PDF 232KB opens in a new window)
A short-notice inspection of decision making quality in the Istanbul visa section (24 and 25 November 2010)	Inspection report: decision making quality in the Istanbul visa section (PDF 456KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: decision making quality in the Istanbul visa section (PDF 185KB opens in a new window)
An inspection of the UK Border Agency visa section in Amman, Jordan (August - October 2010)	Inspection report: visa section in Amman, Jordan (PDF 208KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: Inspector report into the visa section in Amman, Jordon (PDF 553KB opens in a new window)
A thematic inspection of the point-based system: Tier 2 (skilled workers) July - August 2010)	Inspection report: Tier 2 (skilled workers) (PDF 652.01KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: Tier 2 (skilled workers) (PDF 217KB opens in a new window)
An inspection of the visa section in Guangzhou (May - August 2010)	Inspection report: visa section in Guangzhou (PDF 1.03MB opens in a new window)	Agency response: visa section in Guangzhou (PDF 196KB opens in a new window)
Local immigration teams: the change management process (May 2010)	Inspection report: local immigration teams (PDF 1.35MB opens in a new window)	Agency response: local immigration teams (PDF 160KB opens in a new window)
An inspection of border control at Manchester Airport (May 2010)	Inspection report: border control at Manchester Airport (PDF 1.06MB opens in a new window)	Agency response: border control at Manchester Airport (PDF 168KB opens in a new window)
UK Border Agency's operations in the North West of England - inspection of the civil penalties compliance team - illegal working (March - April 2010)	Inspection report: agency inspection of North West civil penalties compliance team (PDF 296KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: agency inspection of North West civil penalties compliance team (PDF 164KB opens in a new window)
UK Border Agencys operations in the North West of England - command and control unit (March - April 2010)	Inspection report: North West command and control unit (PDF 182KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: North West command and control unit (PDF 165KB opens in a new window)
UK Border Agency's operations in the North West of England - an inspection of Nationality Group: the management of applications for British Citizenship (March - May 2010)	Inspection report: management of applications for British Citizenship (PDF 159KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: management of applications for British Citizenship (PDF 192KB opens in a new window)
Independent chief inspector's report on the risk and liaison overseas network (RALON) in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (January - April 2010)	Inspection report: RALON in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (PDF 523KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: RALON in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (PDF 204KB opens in a new window)
Inspection of entry clearance in Abu Dhabi and Islamabad (January - May 2010)	Inspection report: entry clearance in Abu Dhabi and Islamabad (PDF 627KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: entry clearance in Abu Dhabi and Islamabad (PDF 209KB opens in a new window)
Loughborough reporting centre: unannounced inspection (January - July 2010)	Inspection report: Loughborough reporting centre (PDF 163KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: Loughborough reporting centre (PDF 445KB opens in a new window)
Family removals: a thematic inspection (January - April 2010)	Inspection report: family removals (PDF 420KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: family removals (PDF 181KB opens in a new window)
An inspection of the UK visa section: Pakistan settlement applications (January - April 2010)	Inspection report: Pakistan settlement applications (PDF 501KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: Pakistan settlement applications (PDF 198KB opens in a new window)
Inspection of UK Border Agency operations in Wales and the South West (November 2009 - January 2010)	Inspection report: Wales and South West (PDF 394KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: Wales and South West (PDF 188KB opens in a new window)
Lessons to learn: the UK Border Agency's handling of complaints and MPs' correspondence (October 2009 - January 2010)	Inspection report: handling of complaints and MPs' correspondence (PDF 479KB opens in a new window)	Agency response: handling of complaints and MPs' correspondence (PDF 180KB opens in a new window)