UK appoints new Director General of Immigration and Nationality

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Lin Homer has been appointed the new Director General of the UK's Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), Home Office Permanent Secretary John Gieve announced on June 6.

Homer was selected following an open competition. She is expected to take up her post in August. Currently Homer is Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council where she has been responsible for 57,000 staff.

The Immigration and Nationality Directorate has responsibility for the areas of managed migration, border control, asylum, citizenship and nationality. The role of Director General is one of the most senior and challenging posts in the Civil Service.

Homer will be tasked with implementing the next stage of the Government's comprehensive reform of the UK's immigration and asylum system as set out in the five-year strategy 'Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain', published earlier this year.

"Making immigration and border controls work effectively is important to the whole country and to the people who use those services," Homer said. "I am looking forward to building on the significant improvements that have already been made and ensuring that we take the service forward efficiently and confidently."

A qualified solicitor, Homer has been Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council since October 2002 and was previously Chief Executive of Suffolk County Council (1997-2002) and Deputy Chief Executive at Hertfordshire County Council during her last three years with them.