Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate her Department has made of the cost to the public purse of the UK and Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The UK has provided Rwanda with an initial investment of £120m as part of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership. The UK will also be funding the processing costs for each person relocated, such as caseworkers, legal advice, translators, accommodation, food, healthcare, and for those granted protection, a comprehensive integration package to help them put down roots and start a new life.
Costs and payments will depend on the number of individuals relocated, the timing of when this happens, and the outcomes of individual cases. Actual spend will be reported as part of the annual Home Office Reports and Accounts in the usual way.
Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a visa scheme for Rohingya people to relocate to the UK.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The UK already welcomes refugees and people in need through the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Community Sponsorship, the Mandate Resettlement Scheme Under these schemes, refugees are assessed and referred by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) according to their submissions criteria, which are based on at-risk people’s needs and vulnerabilities. In addition to this, the Government provides a safe and legal route to bring families together through its refugee family reunion policy. The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people fleeing war and persecution. Between 2015 and December 2022, just under half a million (481,804) people were offered safe and legal routes into the UK. This allows immediate family members as defined in the Immigration Rules of those granted protection in the UK to join them here, if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country.
Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a temporary visa scheme to allow people affected by the earthquake in (a) Syria and (b) Türkiye to travel to the UK.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Government has no plans to implement specific schemes for those impacted by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Existing visa routes for those wishing to come to the UK are available.
The UK continues to provide lifesaving and emergency support, coordinating closely with the Turkish government and United Nations in Syria to ensure our support meets the needs on the ground and that we can stay responsive to emerging needs.
Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her proposed arrangements to send asylum seekers to Rwanda on the level of risk to women and children's safety whilst travelling to or entering the UK; and what equality impact assessment her Department conducted with regard to the potential impact of that proposal on the (a) availability of safe routes for women and children to reach the UK and (b) risk to women and children of exploitation, violence or harm whilst travelling to or entering the UK.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation
Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the impact of the Government's immigration policies on acute labour shortages.
Answered by Kevin Foster
My Officials and I work closely with colleagues across Government to coordinate the Government’s response to labour market issues, including potential skills and labour shortages.
The UK Government’s focus is on ensuring immigration policies are considered alongside and as part of our strategy for the UK Labour market, not as an alternative to investing in training for our domestic workforce or to offering our key workers the rewarding packages they deserve.