Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to review their policy on accepting asylum seekers from Syria in the light of the current safety situation in that country.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office acted swiftly to pause decisions on Syrian asylum claims whilst we assess the current situation.
We keep all country guidance relating to asylum claims under constant review so we can respond to emerging issues.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce illegal immigration.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Since entering office, we have already launched the Border Security Command (BSC), led by Martin Hewitt CBE QPM, to strengthen our approach to prevent illegal migration. The Home Secretary recently announced investment of an additional £75 million for the BSC. This brings investment up until the end of the next financial year up to £150 million. This will help to build capability, taking the fight to criminals in Europe and beyond and directly targeting the criminal gangs behind small boat crossings.
The BSC will provide strategic direction across the relevant agencies and partners, drawing together the work across the border security system. It will also work with international partners to disrupt the activity of criminal smuggling gangs and ensure those profiting from people-smuggling are brought to justice.
As set out in the King’s speech, this government will introduce new legislative measures to restore order to our border.
The proposed new legislation will include provisions to give the border security system stronger powers to disrupt, investigate and prosecute facilitators of organised immigration crime.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to enhance support for cyber crime agencies in combating the misuse of artificial intelligence.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
We are determined to keep the public and businesses safe from the ever-evolving threat of cyber crime, and other online crimes, including where criminals seek to do harm by exploiting artificial intelligence.
HMG will continue to ensure that Law Enforcement have the capabilities they need to tackle the perpetrators of cyber crime, including where perpetrators exploit the use of artificial intelligence, while working closely with international partners and in partnership with the tech industry to build resilience and protect UK public and businesses.
We will continue to ensure we work with partners to understand the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and how that may change, while pursuing cyber criminals, and working with industry to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that companies providing accommodation for asylum seekers are not profiteering from them.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
All Home Office commercial contracts are designed to ensure the best value for taxpayers and the Home Office closely monitors its contractors’ performance, including financial results. All accommodation contracts contain a profit share clause, meaning that any profits above the agreed contractual mark-up are returned to the Home Office.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the increasing number of migrant deaths when attempting to cross the English Channel.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Channel crossing attempts by migrants in small boats have always been lethally dangerous, with the Channel being a very busy shipping lane. The first recorded fatalities occurred in August 2019. Since the start of 2024, there have been 12 fatal incidents involving the deaths of 37 people. Crossings are getting more and more dangerous as time goes on, with the danger and the risk rising as quality of boats deteriorates and more people are crammed on board.
The ‘vessels’ used to make these crossings are not of commercial manufacture. They are poorly constructed, from cheap and flimsy materials, are unseaworthy, underpowered, and lack safety equipment. They founder frequently, and for each fatal incident there are plenty of other near misses where boats have begun to deflate and people have gone in the water.
The criminal gangs who facilitate these crossings have no interest in the welfare of their clients, only in the pursuit of profit. It is for this reason that boats are increasingly seen to be overcrowded, with the most vulnerable packed into the middle of the boat where crushing and other injuries, such as fuel burns, become more likely.
We are working closely with the French to reduce the risk to life from these crossings and with partners across Europe to bring the evil people smuggling gangs to justice.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation of the Migration Advisory Committee, in its Review of the Seasonal Worker Visa, published on 16 July, that the UK food industry should cover the upfront costs faced by migrant farm workers.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is carefully considering the Migration Advisory Committee’s review of the Seasonal Worker route and will announce a detailed response in due course.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to (1) monitor, and (2) evaluate, the long-term impacts of immigration on (a) innovation, (b) productivity, and (c) public finances.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government has an ongoing programme of work to monitor and evaluate the impact of migration, including the impact of the package of net migration reforms implemented in Spring 2024. Statistics, research and analysis published by the Home Office on migration can be found here: Migration analysis at the Home Office - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Economic and fiscal forecasts are made by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility.
With a joined-up approach across government to reform the points-based immigration system, we will ensure that migration to address skills shortages triggers a plan to upskill workers and improve working conditions in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they are considering implementing to (1) monitor, and (2) evaluate the progress of the post-Brexit border strategy, and what steps they are taking to share new information with affected companies and organisations across the UK.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Progress against delivery of the 2025 UK Border Strategy can be seen through publication and subsequent implementation of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM). This has enabled us to bring together policy and process improvements through better use of technology and data, most notably with the development of a Single Trade Window.
We have continued to explore innovation at the border through our Ecosystem of Trust Pilots. The BTOM also outlines our plans for improving border processes for exporters. The Government will continue to monitor progress on specific BTOM policies in line with Magenta Book guidance on evaluation.
The Government worked extensively with traders to ensure current and future changes at the border are clear and that they have ample time to prepare. Engagement with businesses has been extensive, including: 10,000 participants registering for Government-led events before final BTOM publication; regular contact with around 30,000 importers to provide up-to-date information; the delivery of over 50 webinars to thousands of businesses; engagement with major supermarkets and their suppliers to provide training, and communication to 150k businesses in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support businesses in understanding and navigating the changes to visa eligibility rules, particularly in sectors heavily reliant on international talent.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office regularly engages with a range of stakeholders across the labour, education and legal sector to ensure they understand any changes that the department are making to the immigration system.
The Government is encouraging all sectors to adapt and make employment more attractive to UK domestic workers through offering training, career options, wage increases and to invest in increased automation technology.
We keep all our immigration policies under constant review to ensure they best serve the UK and reflect the public’s priorities, including filling skills gaps and growing the economy.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the proposed new police powers concerning protests (1) maintain public order and, (2) protect the right to peaceful protest; and what steps they are taking to address concerns of potential misuse of those new powers against specific groups or causes.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Due to the announcement of a general election by the Prime Minister on 22nd May 2024 and the prospective dissolution of Parliament, the Criminal Justice Bill will not be progressed in this Parliamentary session.