Asked by: Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what impact the changes to student visa routes introduced in January, which prevent international students studying on undergraduate courses bringing family members to the UK, have had on visa application numbers.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes information on monthly Sponsored Study visa applications in the ‘Monthly entry clearance visa applications release’.
[Monthly entry clearance visa applications - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)]
Data on Sponsored Study visa applications from main applicants and dependants can be found in the accompanying dataset.
[Monthly monitoring of entry clearance visa applications - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)].
The Home Office also publishes quarterly data on Sponsored Study visas in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’ [Immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)]. Data on visa applications, by applicant type and nationality, are published in table Vis_D01 of ‘Entry clearance visas granted outside the UK’ [Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)]. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relates to Q2 (April to July) 2024.
Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’ [immigration - Research and statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)].
Asked by: Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which minister has cross-government responsibility for co-ordinating all matters relating to (1) citizenship, and (2) civic engagement.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Minister Kevin Foster has overall responsibility for matters relating to citizenship in the United Kingdom in the Home Office. This portfolio includes the current and future visa system, as well as immigration casework and nationality.
DCMS is responsible for youth engagement across Government and provides grant funding for the UK Youth Parliament programme and Youth Engagement Grant. These are key programmes through which young people can engage with policy and decision-makers and have a say on issues that matter to them. The lead minister is Nigel Huddleston.
DCMS is responsible for youth volunteering and social action across government, and supports the #iwill movement and the #iwill Fund, both of which aim to get 10 to 20 year-olds involved in volunteering, fundraising and campaigning in local communities
Asked by: Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to update the Life in the UK test; and when the test was last updated.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Life in the UK test is based on the Life in the UK handbook, “Life in the UK: a guide for new residents”. An updated impression of the current edition of the handbook was published in early 2020.
Questions in the test are reviewed on an ongoing basis. New questions were added between October 2020 and January 2021.
The test is kept under review and will be updated further as needed.
Asked by: Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what mechanisms are in place to ensure that the use of drone surveillance technology during the COVID-19 pandemic is necessary and proportionate.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Decisions to use drones and in which circumstances are operational matters for police forces who are subject to the requirements of the Air Navigation Order and Data Protection legislation when operating drones. The Police have not been granted any additional powers to use drones during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Health Protection Regulations 2020 give police the powers they need to enforce compliance with the social distancing measures and all use of police powers must be legitimate, necessary and proportionate.
The Civil Aviation Authority have granted the Emergency Services, including the police, an exemption from some of the requirements contained in the Air Navigation Order 2016, to support the enforcement of Government COVID-19 restrictions. These changes do not grant extra powers to police. They relax restrictions in place for operating drones for the specific case of enforcing Covid-19 restrictions. Mitigation for use of the exemption needs to be written into the Operations Manuals of drone teams and use needs to be reported to the CAA on renewal of the permission.
The Home Office does not hold any information on the use of drones by other public bodies in relation to Covid-19.
The Data Protection Act and the Surveillance Camera Code govern police use of surveillance cameras.
Asked by: Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance has been issued on the collection, use and storage of data collected by drone surveillance technology during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Decisions to use drones and in which circumstances are operational matters for police forces who are subject to the requirements of the Air Navigation Order and Data Protection legislation when operating drones. The Police have not been granted any additional powers to use drones during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Health Protection Regulations 2020 give police the powers they need to enforce compliance with the social distancing measures and all use of police powers must be legitimate, necessary and proportionate.
The Civil Aviation Authority have granted the Emergency Services, including the police, an exemption from some of the requirements contained in the Air Navigation Order 2016, to support the enforcement of Government COVID-19 restrictions. These changes do not grant extra powers to police. They relax restrictions in place for operating drones for the specific case of enforcing Covid-19 restrictions. Mitigation for use of the exemption needs to be written into the Operations Manuals of drone teams and use needs to be reported to the CAA on renewal of the permission.
The Home Office does not hold any information on the use of drones by other public bodies in relation to Covid-19.
The Data Protection Act and the Surveillance Camera Code govern police use of surveillance cameras.
Asked by: Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional powers, if any, have been granted to the police and other bodies in relation to the use of drone surveillance technology during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Decisions to use drones and in which circumstances are operational matters for police forces who are subject to the requirements of the Air Navigation Order and Data Protection legislation when operating drones. The Police have not been granted any additional powers to use drones during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Health Protection Regulations 2020 give police the powers they need to enforce compliance with the social distancing measures and all use of police powers must be legitimate, necessary and proportionate.
The Civil Aviation Authority have granted the Emergency Services, including the police, an exemption from some of the requirements contained in the Air Navigation Order 2016, to support the enforcement of Government COVID-19 restrictions. These changes do not grant extra powers to police. They relax restrictions in place for operating drones for the specific case of enforcing Covid-19 restrictions. Mitigation for use of the exemption needs to be written into the Operations Manuals of drone teams and use needs to be reported to the CAA on renewal of the permission.
The Home Office does not hold any information on the use of drones by other public bodies in relation to Covid-19.
The Data Protection Act and the Surveillance Camera Code govern police use of surveillance cameras.
Asked by: Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) public bodies, and (2) private companies assisting public bodies, are using drone surveillance technology in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Decisions to use drones and in which circumstances are operational matters for police forces who are subject to the requirements of the Air Navigation Order and Data Protection legislation when operating drones. The Police have not been granted any additional powers to use drones during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Health Protection Regulations 2020 give police the powers they need to enforce compliance with the social distancing measures and all use of police powers must be legitimate, necessary and proportionate.
The Civil Aviation Authority have granted the Emergency Services, including the police, an exemption from some of the requirements contained in the Air Navigation Order 2016, to support the enforcement of Government COVID-19 restrictions. These changes do not grant extra powers to police. They relax restrictions in place for operating drones for the specific case of enforcing Covid-19 restrictions. Mitigation for use of the exemption needs to be written into the Operations Manuals of drone teams and use needs to be reported to the CAA on renewal of the permission.
The Home Office does not hold any information on the use of drones by other public bodies in relation to Covid-19.
The Data Protection Act and the Surveillance Camera Code govern police use of surveillance cameras.
Asked by: Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they have produced in relation to the use of drone surveillance technology during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Decisions to use drones and in which circumstances are operational matters for police forces who are subject to the requirements of the Air Navigation Order and Data Protection legislation when operating drones. The Police have not been granted any additional powers to use drones during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Health Protection Regulations 2020 give police the powers they need to enforce compliance with the social distancing measures and all use of police powers must be legitimate, necessary and proportionate.
The Civil Aviation Authority have granted the Emergency Services, including the police, an exemption from some of the requirements contained in the Air Navigation Order 2016, to support the enforcement of Government COVID-19 restrictions. These changes do not grant extra powers to police. They relax restrictions in place for operating drones for the specific case of enforcing Covid-19 restrictions. Mitigation for use of the exemption needs to be written into the Operations Manuals of drone teams and use needs to be reported to the CAA on renewal of the permission.
The Home Office does not hold any information on the use of drones by other public bodies in relation to Covid-19.
The Data Protection Act and the Surveillance Camera Code govern police use of surveillance cameras.
Asked by: Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the recommendation of the Select Committee on Citizenship and Civic Engagement that the book Life in the UK should be revised, and to the undertaking by them to do so, when that review will take place; and when they plan to publish the revised text.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Government has announced that it will review and revise the Life in the UK test and associated text to give much greater prominence to and in-formation on the shared values which we believe underpin society here in the UK. We are currently considering how this will be taken forward.
Asked by: Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the undertaking in their response to the report of the Select Committee on Citizenship and Civic Engagement (Cm9629), published on 28 June 2018, that they would respond further on the Committee's recommendations to review the Life in the UK Test, when that further response can be expected.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Government has announced that it will review and revise the Life in the UK test and associated text to give much greater prominence to and information on the shared values which we believe underpin society here in the UK. We are currently considering how this will be taken forward.