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Campaigners have warned that the government’s plans to electronically tag asylum seekers and failed asylum seekers could breach their human rights, writes Amy Taylor.

Ministers are planning to run tagging pilots in England, Wales and Scotland starting in the Autumn but this timescale could shift depending on progress with the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill, which contains the measures, becomes law.

The bill had its third reading in the House of Lords last week.

Asylum seekers who could be tagged are those who are waiting for a decision on their asylum claim who the immigration authorities believe may abscond. Failed asylum seekers waiting to be deported or sent home could also be tagged. A Home Office spokesperson said that plans only applied to adults.

“We have got very serious human rights concerns on tagging asylum seekers,” said Shami Chakrabarti director of human rights organisation Liberty. She added that as well as the interference with asylum seekers’ liberty the tags would be stigmatising.

Chakrabarti went on to highlight that the pilots would be the first time that tagging would be used outside the criminal justice system in the UK.