Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury on 5 November (HCWS188), what is the status of the Home Office's Cerberus Project in relation to using safety and security declarations to target Border Force activity.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Safety & Security declarations are a key dataset that will enhance Home Office capability to protect the border. We have already undertaken a discovery exercise on the operationalisation of this data for the purposes of detecting high risk movements of goods. On the basis of that discovery our approach in 2025 will be to:
The Home Office already uses Rest of the World S&S data to risk RoW traffic.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what policy, memorandum of understanding or guidance is held by the Home Office as a public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in relation to the operation of the Special Escort Group’s blue-light policing on public highways.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Special Escort Group (SEG) is part of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and is operationally independent. The policy for the deployment of the SEG is a matter for the MPS.
The government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC) discussed the escorted policing protection to be given to Taylor Swift and her entourage at her concerts this year.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The first job of this Government is to ensure that the British people are safe and we make absolutely no apology to ensure our citizens are protected. As you would expect with events of this size in the capital, there would be meetings between the government, police and the mayor on planning to ensure events happen safely. But decisions on security arrangements are made by the police independent of politicians.
The government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the High Court ruling of [2024] EWHC 418 (Admin) of 28 February, what are (1) the current terms of reference for, and (2) the organisations sitting on, the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC); and how Ministers’ views on (a) policy, and (b) operational matters are represented on the committee by their representatives,
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The current terms of reference for the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC) were agreed in 2021, as set out in the High Court’s judgement.
These terms of reference set out the roles and responsibilities of the Committee, including those of the Committee as a whole and each organisation on the Committee.
The Committee’s membership includes the Home Office, the Cabinet Office, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the Metropolitan Police Service, and the Royal Household.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 8 February (HL Deb cols 1553-1554), why the figures on the number of migrants crossing the English Channel will in future be published on a quarterly, rather than daily basis.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Home Office are currently considering advice from the independent UK Statistics Authority to make sure statistics on small boats crossing are published in an orderly way, which provides a clear picture of the small boats issue to the public. The Home Office has recently announced its intention to publish a quarterly statistics release on irregular migration to the UK, including the number of people arriving across the Channel in small boats. The first release will be on 24 February 2022. This will ensure regular statistics are released in an orderly, transparent way that is accessible to everyone, meeting the principles set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics.
No final decisions have been made in relation to the release of small boat numbers, beyond the quarterly publication, and further details will be confirmed in due course. In the meantime, the Home Office continues to provide these to journalists on days where we see arrivals.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether digital IDs would (1) speed up the process, and (2) create an even playing field, for determining the right to work of (a) UK nationals, and (b) foreign nationals seeking to work in the UK; and what assessment they have made of the potential benefits of digital IDs for UK workers who lack a passport or driver’s licence.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
We recognise the benefits increased digital checking capability could provide as employers move towards an increase in hybrid and remote working business models.
The Home Office’s online right to work checking service has been in operation since April 2018. It enables employers to undertake free digital checks on prospective employees with a valid biometric residence card or permit, status under the EU Settlement Scheme or the new Points-Based System, and those granted a BNO visa.
Since January 2019, employers have been able to rely on the online right to work checking service to check a prospective employee’s immigration status. From then until the end of March 2021, there were over 1.3 million views by individuals and over 390,000 views by employers carrying out right to work checks digitally.
We are currently evaluating the potential for introducing the option for employers to use specialist technology, including identity document validation technology, to support right to work checks. This may provide a permanent digital option for those unable to use the Home Office online checking service, including UK and Irish citizens.
We are discussing with representatives from employer groups the value of such technology, whilst ensuring we maintain the security and integrity of our system in the long-term.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Home Secretary on 24 March (HC Deb, cols 921–36), what are the (1) family reunion rights, (2) associated timescales, for asylum seekers who are granted asylum, and (3) the family reunion rights for illegal arrivals from a safe country.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The current family reunion policy allows a partner and children under 18 of those granted protection in the UK to join them here, if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country. Over 29,000 visas have been issued under this route in the last 5 years.
Currently, a person is eligible to sponsor a family reunion application as soon as they have been granted refugee status or humanitarian protection. There is no limit or timescale when they stop becoming eligible, other than if they become naturalised and obtain British citizenship. Once someone overseas applies for a family reunion visa, our customer service standard is 60 UK working days for straightforward cases.
As set out in the New Plan for Immigration policy statement published on 24 March, we are committed to review the refugee family reunion routes available to refugees who have arrived through safe and legal routes. Subject to considering consultation responses, those who are granted the new temporary protection status are proposed to have limited family reunion rights.
We have initiated a comprehensive consultation and engagement process which is open now until 6 May. We will use this opportunity to listen to a wide range of views from stakeholders across the sector, as well as members of the public. All policy development will be undertaken in line with the law, including our equalities duties and international obligations.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have suspended priority visa services for spouses; and when they plan to reinstate pre-COVID-19 pandemic arrangements and timescales for such visas.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
All priority services were suspended for all application routes as a result of Covid 19 and the closure of application processing centres in the UK and overseas. Priority services will remain suspended until UKVI is able to ensure service standards may be met and that customers receive the services paid for.
39 UKVCAS service points are now open the UK and 198 VACs overseas are now open and being managed as part of business as usual.
The resumption of priority services remains under review and services will be offered where capacity permits and will be reintroduced on a phased basis. UKVI continues to keep this position under review and will publicise any changes to services on GOV.UK.
Information on processing times for visa applications is published as part of the Migration Transparency data, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data .
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average processing time for spouse visa applications from the United States in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
All priority services were suspended for all application routes as a result of Covid 19 and the closure of application processing centres in the UK and overseas. Priority services will remain suspended until UKVI is able to ensure service standards may be met and that customers receive the services paid for.
39 UKVCAS service points are now open the UK and 198 VACs overseas are now open and being managed as part of business as usual.
The resumption of priority services remains under review and services will be offered where capacity permits and will be reintroduced on a phased basis. UKVI continues to keep this position under review and will publicise any changes to services on GOV.UK.
Information on processing times for visa applications is published as part of the Migration Transparency data, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data .