Human Provenance Pilot Project: Resource Page

We have created this webpage on the ‘Human Provenance Pilot Project’ at the UK Border Agency as a resource for all interested parties, in response to the public debate that has taken place about this initiative. The page aims to present a rapidly accessible overview of key available information and discussion on this controversial initiative.

We aim would like to keep this page as up-to-date as possible. If you want to suggest additional links and comments to be added to this page, please email Dr Richard Tutton

Background

In September 2009, the UK Border Agency announced that it would be undertaking the 'Human Provenance Pilot Project' for the next ten months. The project was described as a 'proof of concept' pilot for assessing whether the Border Agency could use both genetic and isotope analysis to help determine asylum applicants' 'true country of origin' and familial relationships. [1]

These techniques are meant to help identify 'nationality-swapping' when individuals present themselves to immigration officials as being from one country when they are in fact from another. The adoption of a false nationality is reported to be a particular problem with asylum seekers from the East African region. To combat this, the Border Agency already uses language analysis in interviews with applicants but wishes to trial genetic and isotope analysis alongside this established and reportedly effective technique. [1]

For the isotope analysis, the Border Agency anticipates taking samples of hair and nails and using 'internationally recognised isotope comparison methods' to see whether they match those associated with the country from which asylum applicants claim to originate. A similar technique has been employed before, albeit using bone samples, by the Forensic Science Service in the UK on the 'Adam Torso' case.

The genetic analysis will employ mitochondrial (mtDNA), Y chromosome and ancestry informative markers (single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs) to assist in identifying an individual's country of origin. The Agency acknowledges that this form of DNA testing will only provide 'a clue to the person's ancestral lineage' [2]. While tests for acnestry testing and ethnic and regional belonging are currently sold profitably to consumers worldwide, accompanied by criticism from some scientists, academics and regulators, this is the first time that a state agency has considered that these genetic tests are potentially useful in the context of making decisions about a person's citizenhip or asylum status.

Responses to the Human Provenance Pilot Project

Scientists, journalists, and parliamentarians have responded publicly to the announcement of this pilot project.  

Geneticists and isotope specialists have expressed serious doubts about the validity and reliability of applying these techniques to asylum cases in order to help determine country of origin. Population geneticists have both highlighted the problems of using genetics to identify ancestry with any degree of accuracy and the danger that in using these techniques, the Agency conflates nationality with ancestry and treats it as if nationality were a 'genetic category'. [3] The use of isotope analysis is also considered problematic since there is no conclusive evidence that the isotope 'signatures' remain stable throughout life from childhood to adulthood especially in nails and hair. Moreover, it is not clear that there are notable differences in isotope signatures between neighbouring countries that share a number of similar environmental or climatic conditions.

Scientists have also expressed concerns about the lack of supporting scientific evidence for the planned use of these techniques and which labs in the UK will be responsible for undertaking the genetic and isotope analyses on behalf of the Border Agency. [3]

Frances Webber at the Institute of Race Relations has commented on this development, seeing it in the context of previous controversial attempts to use science 'to enforce legal distinctions between people' [4] in the immigration context. She argues that past and present population movements in East Africa amongst countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia would render such techniques unreliable. She also questions whether, in effect, participation in this 'pilot project' would be voluntary and whether refusal would be construed as a sign of guilt. Other refugee and migrant organisations have expressed similar concerns about the pilot project and dissatisfaction that they were not consulted at an earlier stage [5].

The journalist Henry Porter commented in the Guardian newspaper [6] and the MSP (Member of Scottish Parliament) Christina McKelvie has tabled a motion at the Edinburgh parliament calling for the pilot project to be abandoned.[7]

On 5 October, the UK Home Office's chief scientific officer issued a statement to say that during the life of the pilot project the samples would be collected for later analysis but would not be used to inform decisions on asylum applications. The statement noted that the pilot project 'will test whether there is the potential [italics original] for … wider use of DNA and isotope analysis' [8]. At its conclusion, the efficacy and ethics of this approach will be assessed and referred to the Forensic Science Regulator before it is considered for adoption by the UK Border Agency as a routine tool in assessing asylum applications.

Richard Tutton, Christine Hauskeller, Steve Sturdy and Gill Haddow

ESRC Genomics Network Genomics and Identity Politics Workstream Group

References Cited:

1. UK Border Agency

2. 'nationality-swapping'

3. Scientists Decry "Flawed" and "Horrifying" Nationality Tests - Travis, John, Science Insider, 29th September 2009

4. Bad Science? Webber, Frances, Institute of Race Relations, 24th September 2009

5. DNA Tests for Asylum Seekers 'Deeply Flawed' - Doward, Jamie, The Observer, 20th September 2009

6. A Deeply Flawed DNA Test - Porter, Henry, The Guardian blog, 2nd October 2009

7. Bad Science at the UK Border Agency - McKelvie, Christina, 30th October 2009

8. UK Backing Away From DNA, Isotope Nationality Tests?   Travis, John, Science Insider, 5th October 2009

Further Reading

Genetics Without Borders Nature Journal, (461, 697) 8th October 2009