Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Independent Review into the Boohoo Group PLC’s Leicester supply chain, published on 24 September 2020, what recent steps he has taken to tackle modern slavery.
Answered by Laura Farris
Operation Tacit was set-up in July 2020 to investigate allegations of widespread exploitation and modern slavery in Leicester, and to take appropriate action where non-compliance was found. The issues uncovered included health and safety breaches, illegal working and risk of underpayment of national minimum wage.
The Director of Labour Market Enforcement (DLME) has undertaken an independent review of Operation Tacit and will publish her findings in due course.
The Home Office sponsored Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) and other labour market enforcement bodies continue to work in the sector, and across the economy, to prevent, detect and investigate non-compliance.
Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has plans to negotiate an agreement with the Republic of Ireland on the return of asylum seekers (a) from Ireland to the UK and (b) from the UK to Ireland.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
In 2020, we agreed with Ireland bilateral non-legally binding operational arrangements which allows for the return and readmission of asylum seekers when agreed by both participants.
We will only make agreements that are in the interests of the UK, and will not accept any future deals which might increase the significant burdens already placed on the UK by the level of illegal migration.
Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many requests have been made by the Irish government for the UK to accept an asylum seeker since 2016.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Prior to leaving the EU, the UK participated in the Dublin Regulation which allowed us to return third country nationals to other Member States, using the first safe country principle. Our statistics on Dublin III returns requests are published online and can be found here: (Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).
Following our departure from the EU, we agreed to an operational arrangement with Ireland which allows for the return and readmission of asylum seekers. We do not routinely publish any statistics regarding the returns requests made under our operational arrangements.
Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been returned to the UK from Ireland since 2016.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Prior to leaving the EU, the UK participated in the Dublin Regulation which allowed us to return third country nationals to other Member States, using the first safe country principle. Our statistics on Dublin III transfers are published online and can be found here: (Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).
Following our departure from the EU, we agreed to an operational arrangement with Ireland which allows for the return and readmission of asylum seekers. Ireland has not returned anyone to the UK under these arrangements.
Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) safe and (b) peaceful protests can take place outside the Envigo laboratory in Loughborough.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary
It is a long-standing tradition in this country that people are free to gather together and to demonstrate their views, provided that they do so within the law. This government supports these rights, including the right of individuals to engage in peaceful protest. However, a balance must be struck between the rights of protesters and the rights of others to go about their lives without serious disruption or intimidation.
The management of protests is an operational matter for the police. The government expects the police to act where necessary to maintain public safety. In certain circumstances, the police will have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect those who want to exercise their rights peacefully.
Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the UK-Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership, whether his Department has held recent negotiations on a similar deal with other countries.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
We are unable to comment on discussions or negotiations that may be being held with other countries at this time.
Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on including student visas for Indian nationals in a future free trade agreement with India.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
It is not government policy to comment on live negotiations. Trade and immigration are separate policy areas. Any trade agreement we conclude with other countries must be consistent with the UK’s points-based immigration system and the government’s commitment to bring down net migration to sustainable levels.
Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she will take steps to provide further Safer Street funding for investment in CCTV.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Since the Safer Streets Fund was established in 2020, we have invested £70 million through three rounds – funding a range of evidence-based situational crime prevention measures, including CCTV.
Through Round Four of the Fund, which launched in March, we are investing a further £50 million to tackle and prevent not only neighbourhood crime, but also violence against women and girls and anti-social behaviour. 111 successful projects were announced at the end of July and projects, which include delivery of improved and increased CCTV, will run over the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years.
Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what analysis her Department has undertaken to support its position that the seasonal worker visa route may no longer be needed past 2024.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Seasonal Worker visa route has been extended until the end of 2024, at which point the position will be reviewed. This does not mean we expect there to be no reliance on overseas labour at this point, but the sector cannot be in the same position as it is now.
The number of visas will begin to taper down from 2023, as 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.
To help with these efforts, Defra is working with industry and DWP to raise awareness of career opportunities within the horticulture sector among resident workers.
This year will see up to 30,000 temporary visas available, but this will be kept under review with the potential to increase by 10,000 if there is strong evidence to do so. Releasing additional quota places does not require a legislative change.
There are no plans to extend the grant period for Seasonal Workers to nine months.
Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the seasonal worker visa scheme from six to nine months.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Seasonal Worker visa route has been extended until the end of 2024, at which point the position will be reviewed. This does not mean we expect there to be no reliance on overseas labour at this point, but the sector cannot be in the same position as it is now.
The number of visas will begin to taper down from 2023, as 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.
To help with these efforts, Defra is working with industry and DWP to raise awareness of career opportunities within the horticulture sector among resident workers.
This year will see up to 30,000 temporary visas available, but this will be kept under review with the potential to increase by 10,000 if there is strong evidence to do so. Releasing additional quota places does not require a legislative change.
There are no plans to extend the grant period for Seasonal Workers to nine months.