How (or indeed whether) to screen for tuberculosis constitutes a major policy issue for inner city public health care. Our work will go some way toward answering this important question and will have local, national and international relevance. There are important benefits for those taking part. First, the project is part of a local health development scheme which encourages GPs to register refugees and asylum seekers. This means that a group of people who find it difficult to get health care will be more likely to be able to find a GP. Second, people registering with general practices who are screening will all have a brief discussion about tuberculosis when they attend a health check at the surgery. This will make people more informed about tuberculosis and help to remove the stigma that attends tuberculosis. Third, screening is likely to identify people with tuberculosis, or who need BCG vaccination to prevent tuberculosis. These people will benefit from early treatment or immunisation.