Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what legislative action they plan to take to prevent the creation and distribution of deepfake non-consensual intimate images online, and to prevent the distribution of other AI-generated content that propagates hate speech or incites violence, including gender-based violence.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Women and children receive a disproportionate amount of online abuse and the exponential rise of AI has further exacerbated this threat. That is why tackling child sexual abuse and violence against women & girls (VAWG), including when these crimes take place online, remains a top priority for this government.
Under the Online Safety Act 2023, it is an offence to share or threaten to share intimate images without consent and this includes “deepfake” images. In September 2024, this Government made the sharing of intimate images without consent a ‘priority offence’ - the most serious class of online crime under the Online Safety Act. Companies in scope of the Act’s duties will now be required to proactively tackle this content on their platforms. This Government has also committed to banning the creation of sexually explicit “deepfake” images and is working at pace to identify a suitable legislative vehicle.
With regards to child sexual abuse imagery, UK law is very clear that it is an offence to produce, store, share or search for any material that contains or depicts child sexual abuse. This prohibition also includes pseudo-imagery that may have been generated by artificial intelligence. Possession of indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children carries a maximum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment. In addition, the offence of taking, making, distribution and possession with a view to distribution of any indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a child under 18 carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.
Technology companies, including those developing generative artificial intelligence products, have a duty to ensure their products are designed with robust guardrails in place that prevent them from being misused by offenders to create artificially generated child sexual abuse material. This Government is fully committed to tackling the creation of CSAM online and will use every lever possible to prevent it.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to the respond to the letter from Professor Brian Bell of the Migration Advisory Committee requesting data for a rapid review of the Graduate Route.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
We provided the requested data to the Migration Advisory Committee by 26 March 2024.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how initial safeguarding judgments are used by (1) Home Office staff, and (2) contractors, when deciding on the treatment of asylum-seekers, in particular of unaccompanied children.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth - Shadow Minister (Home Office)
The Home Office and its accommodation providers have robust processes in place to ensure that where someone is at risk they are referred to the appropriate statutory agencies of police, NHS and social services to promote appropriate safeguarding interventions.
All contingency sites have security staff and providers liaise closely with local police to ensure the welfare and safety of vulnerable residents. However, the statutory agencies retain responsibility for all decisions on intervention activity.
We have safeguarding procedures in place to ensure all unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in emergency interim hotels are as safe and supported as possible whilst we seek urgent placements with a local authority. Young people are supported by team leaders and support workers who are on site 24 hours a day. Further care is provided in hotels by teams of social workers and nurses.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) international organisations, and (2) NGOs, they are working with as part of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
We are working across government and with partners such as UNHCR to design the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), amidst a complex and changing picture. We are committed to working in step with the international community to get this right, and we will set out more details soon.
The first to be resettled through the ACRS will be some of those who arrived in the UK under the evacuation programme, which included individuals who were considered to be at particular risk.
The ACRS will be focused on people affected by events in Afghanistan, who are located in Afghanistan or in the region.
Eligible people will be prioritised and referred for resettlement to the UK as set out in the policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme places have been allocated to those who have already evacuated to EU member states.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
We are working across government and with partners such as UNHCR to design the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), amidst a complex and changing picture. We are committed to working in step with the international community to get this right, and we will set out more details soon.
The first to be resettled through the ACRS will be some of those who arrived in the UK under the evacuation programme, which included individuals who were considered to be at particular risk.
The ACRS will be focused on people affected by events in Afghanistan, who are located in Afghanistan or in the region.
Eligible people will be prioritised and referred for resettlement to the UK as set out in the policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme; and when the scheme will open.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
We are working across government and with partners such as UNHCR to design the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), amidst a complex and changing picture. We are committed to working in step with the international community to get this right, and we will set out more details soon.
The first to be resettled through the ACRS will be some of those who arrived in the UK under the evacuation programme, which included individuals who were considered to be at particular risk.
The ACRS will be focused on people affected by events in Afghanistan, who are located in Afghanistan or in the region.
Eligible people will be prioritised and referred for resettlement to the UK as set out in the policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will open the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme, announced in August.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme is not yet open and remains under development. However, the first to be resettled through this scheme will be some of those who arrived in the UK under the evacuation programme, which included individuals who were considered to be at particular risk – including women’s rights activists, prosecutors and journalists.
Further information on the eligibility, prioritisation and referral of people for the ACRS is set out in the policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what the application process and fees, including a possible NHS health surcharge, will be for British National (Overseas) status holders from Hong Kong and their dependants if they wish to apply for an extension of their leave for a further 12 months.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The UK will continue to defend the rights & freedoms of the people of Hong Kong. Should China push ahead and impose national security legislation on Hong Kong then we will provide a generous offer to BN(O)s of a bespoke immigration route providing unrestricted access to work and study with a pathway to apply for citizenship.The Home Office is working closely with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and domestic departments on the offer to British Nationals (Overseas) and will set out more detail in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether British National (Overseas) status holders and their dependants are required to make any additional applications after their arrival before they will be allowed to apply to work or study in the UK; and whether such people will be subject to restrictions including (1) shortage of occupation professions, (2) minimum salary requirements, or (3) any other restrictions on the work for which they can apply.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The UK will continue to defend the rights & freedoms of the people of Hong Kong. Should China push ahead and impose national security legislation on Hong Kong then we will provide a generous offer to BN(O)s of a bespoke immigration route providing unrestricted access to work and study with a pathway to apply for citizenship.
The Home Office is working closely with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and domestic departments on the offer to British Nationals (Overseas) and will set out more detail in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, under the new scheme proposed for a possible pathway to citizenship for British National (Overseas) (BNO) status holders and their dependants, whether there will be a dedicated route to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR); and if so, how many years it is proposed that BNO status holders and their dependants will have to be continuously resident in the United Kingdom before being eligible to apply for ILR.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The UK will continue to defend the rights & freedoms of the people of Hong Kong. Should China push ahead and impose national security legislation on Hong Kong then we will provide a generous offer to BN(O)s of a bespoke immigration route providing unrestricted access to work and study with a pathway to apply for citizenship.
The Home Office is working closely with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and domestic departments on the offer to British Nationals (Overseas) and will set out more detail in due course.