Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they can provide an update on their process of considering a reclassification of the drug ketamine.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government wrote to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) on 14 January to commission updated advice on ketamine, including whether it should be reclassified to become a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
This letter is published on GOV.UK. Updated harms assessment of ketamine: commissioning letter - GOV.UK
We will carefully consider the ACMD’s recommendations before making any decision.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government why they have not proscribed the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
While the UK Government keeps the list of proscribed organisations under review, we do not routinely comment on whether an organisation is or is not being considered for proscription.
The UK Government has long been clear about our concerns over the malign activity of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The UK maintains sanctions on over 400 Iranian individuals and entities covering human rights abuses and nuclear proliferation. The Government has also imposed sanctions on the IRGC in its entirety and on several senior security and political figures in Iran, including senior commanders within the IRGC and its Basij force.
On 24 January 2024, we took coordinated action with the US and imposed sanctions on several members of the IRGC for their involvement in plots to assassinate individuals on UK soil. Following Iran’s attack against Israel on 13 April, the UK has sanctioned a number of individuals and companies with links to Iran’s UAV and missile industries, as well as leading Iranian military figures and entities that have enabled Iran’s destabilising regional activity.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to take steps, either judicial or legislative, to ensure that the decision of the Northern Ireland High Court disapplying certain provisions of the Illegal Migration Act 2023 is reversed.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government is considering the judgment carefully before deciding on next steps.
The Government has consistently made clear that the provisions in the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement referred to in the Windsor Framework were developed specifically against the background of Northern Ireland's unique circumstances. They do not concern and should not be brought into the complex legal debate concerning illegal migration. The Government will take all steps to defend that position, including through appeal.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that immigration rules will apply equally across the whole of the UK and that there will be no internal UK immigration borders.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Immigration is a reserved matter and the Government has consistently applied immigration law on a UK-wide basis.
Tackling illegal migration is a top priority for the Government and preparatory work continues to enable flights to Rwanda to begin in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many asylum applicants have been returned to the UK from the EU in the last 12 months.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
There have been no returns from the EU to the UK.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have received any formal request or demand from the government of Ireland to send any asylum applicants back to the UK from the Republic of Ireland.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Irish Department of Justice for information sharing to preserve and enhance the operation of the Common Travel Area. This enables data sharing about asylum seekers.
In addition to this, in 2020 we agreed operational arrangements which allow for the return and readmission of asylum seekers where this is agreed by both participants. This is not a legally binding agreement and Ireland has not returned anyone to the UK under these arrangements.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what occupations are covered by the new Immigration Salary List.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Immigration Salary list can be found on page 230 to 232 of the statement of changes laid in Parliament on 14 March. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65f18e57ff11701fff6159bb/E03091226_-_HC_590_-_Immigration_Rules_Changes__Web_Accessible_.pdf.
The Government consult regularly with a broad range of stakeholders, including those in social care, on a regular basis.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the health and social care sectors regarding the implications for those sectors of the proposed new net migration measures, since the announcement of those measures on 4 December 2023.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Immigration Salary list can be found on page 230 to 232 of the statement of changes laid in Parliament on 14 March. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65f18e57ff11701fff6159bb/E03091226_-_HC_590_-_Immigration_Rules_Changes__Web_Accessible_.pdf.
The Government consult regularly with a broad range of stakeholders, including those in social care, on a regular basis.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consultations they had with devolved administrations before they proposed new immigration rules preventing carers and senior carers from bringing their dependents to the UK.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
As the Home Secretary outlined on 4 December 2023, a care worker or senior care worker issued with a visa prior to the net migration measures coming into force on 11 March would not be restricted from bringing dependents to the UK.
Details of the net migration measures announced in December, are available here: https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2024/02/01/reducing-net-migration-factsheet-december-2023/. As outlined by the Home Secretary on 4th December, visas issued prior to the changes are not impacted.
Immigration is a reserved matter. In general, the Government engages regularly with the devolved administrations through advisory groups when developing all its policies.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many people currently working in healthcare provision who fall under Standard Occupational Code (SOC) 6145, or senior carers who fall under SOC 6146, are migrant workers who would fall under the ambit of new restrictions preventing their dependents moving to the UK.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
As the Home Secretary outlined on 4 December 2023, a care worker or senior care worker issued with a visa prior to the net migration measures coming into force on 11 March would not be restricted from bringing dependents to the UK.
Details of the net migration measures announced in December, are available here: https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2024/02/01/reducing-net-migration-factsheet-december-2023/. As outlined by the Home Secretary on 4th December, visas issued prior to the changes are not impacted.
Immigration is a reserved matter. In general, the Government engages regularly with the devolved administrations through advisory groups when developing all its policies.