Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Iranian citizens have applied for (1) visitor, (2) student, and (3) settlement, visas since the opening of the British Embassy in Tehran; and how many of those applications in each category were successful.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The number of visa applications made in Iran since the opening of the British Embassy in Tehran for 1) visitor, 2) student, and 3) settlement and the number of successful applications made in each of these categories is contained in the attached Table:
| Table 1 - No. of Applications Processed in Abu Dhabi where Mobile Biometrics have been taken in Tehran between 01/01/16 and 31/03/2016 for Iranian Nationals | ||||||||
| Number of applications by Iranian nationals under Visitor Category made in Tehran | 175 | |||||||
| Of which issued | 50 | |||||||
| Number of applications by Iranian nationals under Student Category made in Tehran | 10 | |||||||
| of which issued | 5 | |||||||
| Number of applications by Iranian nationals under Settlement Category made in Tehran | 20 | |||||||
| of which issued | 5 | |||||||
| Notes | ||||||||
| Applications considered as made in Tehran when biometrics taken by Abu Dhabi Mobile Biometrics Units in Tehran Applications submitted to Tehran have a decision made by a different post For the purpose of this data Iranian Citizens have been classed as Iranian by nationality The figures reported are based only on considerations made against the specific named nationality requested, this does not account for applications made by non-nationals at this post For the purpose of this data successful applications have been classed as those issued The figures reported are calculated based on the number of application outcome events, rather than the number of individuals considered All figures rounded to nearest 5. | ||||||||
| This is provisional management information that is subject to change. It has not been assured to the standard of Official Statistics. | ||||||||
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 21 March (HL7044), whether (1) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (2) the Prime Minister’s Office, or (3) any other government institution, have received any representations from the government of India about not pursuing the money-laundering case against MQM.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the noble Lord to the answer given by my noble Friend Lord Bates, of 21 March 2016 [HL7024]. I am informed that no records have been identified by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury and No 10 of any such representations.
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will reply to the letter from Lord Ahmed to the Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Theresa May, dated 9 February 2016.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
I must apologise for the delay in responding to your letter. The response was sent on 29 March.
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total number of visitor visa applications received from (1) India, and (2) Pakistan, in the last six months; and what was the success rate in each case.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
For July to December 2015, there were 155,928 and 40,985 Entry clearance visitor visa applications from Indian and Pakistani nationals. Of the cases resolved (granted, refused, withdrawn or lapsed) in the same period, the proportion granted was 86% and 47% respectively. The information is provided in the table.
The latest quarterly Home Office immigration statistics on entry clearance visas are published in ‘Immigration Statistics, October-December 2015’, available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-statistics
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to investigate further the allegations of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham as covered by the Jay Report to establish more precisely the number of children involved.
Answered by Lord Bates
Professor Alexis Jay’s report into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham provided a terrible account of the appalling failures by the Council, the police and other agencies to protect vulnerable children. Following publication of the Jay report the Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, David Crompton, asked the National Crime Agency (NCA) to carry out an independent investigation into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham over the period covered by the Jay report (1997-2013). In response the NCA launched Operation Stovewood which has three priorities. They are to deliver a victim-focused investigation, to work to identify and bring all offenders to justice and, thirdly, to work with partners and help to build confidence in local agencies. Operation Stovewood is ongoing and has a number of designated suspects and hundreds more potential suspects still to investigate.
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have received any representations from the government of India about not pursuing the money-laundering case against MQM.
Answered by Lord Bates
The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK has a robust but proportionate anti-money laundering regime. The UK’s first National Risk Assessment of money laundering was published on 15 October 2015. It identified the threats and vulnerabilities faced in this area, and an Action Plan will be published shortly, clearly setting out the steps that will be taken to address them.
The Prime Minister made clear in his Singapore speech on corruption last year that the Government is determined to make sure the UK does not become a safe haven for corrupt money. The Prime Minister's Anti-Corruption Summit in May will also consider what more the UK and our international partners can do to tackle flows of illicit finance at home and abroad.
Any investigation is an operational matter for the police and the prosecution authorities. The decision on whether to investigate a case, and then take forward a prosecution, will depend on the evidence available. The Home Office has not received representations from the Government of India in relation to allegations of money laundering offences by the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM).
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of why the Metropolitan Police took over a year to investigate the case against MQM.
Answered by Lord Bates
The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK has a robust but proportionate anti-money laundering regime. The UK’s first National Risk Assessment of money laundering was published on 15 October 2015. It identified the threats and vulnerabilities faced in this area, and an Action Plan will be published shortly, clearly setting out the steps that will be taken to address them.
The Prime Minister made clear in his Singapore speech on corruption last year that the Government is determined to make sure the UK does not become a safe haven for corrupt money. The Prime Minister's Anti-Corruption Summit in May will also consider what more the UK and our international partners can do to tackle flows of illicit finance at home and abroad.
Any investigation is an operational matter for the police and the prosecution authorities. The decision on whether to investigate a case, and then take forward a prosecution, will depend on the evidence available. The Home Office has not received representations from the Government of India in relation to allegations of money laundering offences by the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM).
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the evidence found against MQM regarding allegations of money laundering, and of the comments made by senior members of that organisation in the media about those allegations.
Answered by Lord Bates
The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK has a robust but proportionate anti-money laundering regime. The UK’s first National Risk Assessment of money laundering was published on 15 October 2015. It identified the threats and vulnerabilities faced in this area, and an Action Plan will be published shortly, clearly setting out the steps that will be taken to address them.
The Prime Minister made clear in his Singapore speech on corruption last year that the Government is determined to make sure the UK does not become a safe haven for corrupt money. The Prime Minister's Anti-Corruption Summit in May will also consider what more the UK and our international partners can do to tackle flows of illicit finance at home and abroad.
Any investigation is an operational matter for the police and the prosecution authorities. The decision on whether to investigate a case, and then take forward a prosecution, will depend on the evidence available. The Home Office has not received representations from the Government of India in relation to allegations of money laundering offences by the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM).
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are aware of any political parties or foreign nationals using London for money laundering purposes, and if so, what actions they are taking against them.
Answered by Lord Bates
The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK has a robust but proportionate anti-money laundering regime. The UK’s first National Risk Assessment of money laundering was published on 15 October 2015. It identified the threats and vulnerabilities faced in this area, and an Action Plan will be published shortly, clearly setting out the steps that will be taken to address them.
The Prime Minister made clear in his Singapore speech on corruption last year that the Government is determined to make sure the UK does not become a safe haven for corrupt money. The Prime Minister's Anti-Corruption Summit in May will also consider what more the UK and our international partners can do to tackle flows of illicit finance at home and abroad.
Any investigation is an operational matter for the police and the prosecution authorities. The decision on whether to investigate a case, and then take forward a prosecution, will depend on the evidence available. The Home Office has not received representations from the Government of India in relation to allegations of money laundering offences by the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM).
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the rate of allegations against a spouse of domestic violence or rape by women who have entered the UK on a spousal visa in each of the last five years.
Answered by Lord Bates
Allegations of rape or domestic violence are a matter for individual police forces and not recorded in statistics relating to immigration control.
Information on grants of settlement due to domestic violence after leave to remain granted as a spouse, is given in the link below, table se_04, Immigration Statistics July-September 2015) and are available from the library of the House: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2015/list-of-tables#settlement