Ms Oonagh McPhillips:

Yes. It is quite a detailed answer, though, because we work closely with the UNHCR training and people are not allowed to make a decision until they have received that training. We also do resilience training and trauma-informed practice training as much as we can. It is difficult work and they need to be able to assimilate that. We are very happy with the quality of the staff we have. They are doing well. We have also taken the opportunity to redeploy staff from across the immigration service into the International Protection Office, IPO, because it is good to have a blend of new and experienced people. When you are trying to ramp up quickly, it can be tricky if you have a bunch of new people and nobody with experience. We have doubled it over the past year or so and want to add just over another 100. Maintaining that trajectory will be a real challenge in the current employment market but we are prioritising that area for staffing. It has to be said it is at a cost to other areas of the Department, including immigration.