Oral Answers to Questions Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Alison Thewliss Excerpts
Monday 29th October 2018

(6 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Sajid Javid Portrait Sajid Javid
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I dare not heed Pound, but the hon. Gentleman makes an important point. The consultation’s purpose is to look not just at what is happening at the moment, but at what new powers and sensible policies should follow to deal with this issue.

Alison Thewliss Portrait Alison Thewliss (Glasgow Central) (SNP)
- Hansard - -

8. What progress his Department is making on establishing the new UKVI service and support centres.

Caroline Nokes Portrait The Minister for Immigration (Caroline Nokes)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

On 30 November, UKVI’s existing premium service centres will close to undergo refurbishment and conversion to service and support centres. Home Office staff will be given tailored training sessions, enabling them to best serve customers’ needs when the centres reopen in January 2019.

Alison Thewliss Portrait Alison Thewliss
- Hansard - -

Delays in Home Office decision making have been a feature of just about every surgery that I have ever held. Given the recent announcement that some services will be outsourced to Sopra Steria—the same company that managed to lose half a million NHS documents—and the experience that we have had with Serco in Glasgow, will the Minister tell me how on earth this privatisation agenda will help my constituents?

Caroline Nokes Portrait Caroline Nokes
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

It will help the hon. Lady’s constituents by providing a transformed experience for those who may need more face-to-face interaction or help with their applications. At the free appointments, customers will meet experienced frontline staff to help UKVI better to understand their circumstances, take appropriate safeguarding action and validate their documents.