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Written Question
Visas: Palestinians
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of calls for a Palestinian visa or Gaza family scheme to enable Palestinians in Gaza to be reunited with relatives in the UK and access temporary sanctuary.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The UK Government is monitoring the situation in Israel and Gaza closely to ensure that it is able to respond appropriately. UKVI is working closely with the FCDO in supporting family members of British nationals evacuated from Gaza who require a visa, signposting the necessary steps and expediting appointments at the Visa Application Centre.

British citizens and those with settled status in the UK, together with their foreign national dependants, (spouse, unmarried/civil partner, child under 18), may come to the UK provided that they have valid travel documents and existing permission to enter or remain in the UK; or are non-visa nationals. They must also pass appropriate security checks.

The Government allows individuals with protection status in the UK to sponsor their partner or children to stay with or join them here through our refugee family reunion policy, provided they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country of origin to seek protection.

There are additional safe and legal routes for people to come to the UK should they wish to join family members here, work or study. They would need to meet the requirements of the relevant Immigration Rule under which they were applying to qualify for a visa.


Written Question
Asylum: MOD Wethersfield
Wednesday 13th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 14 February (HL2168), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, what assessment they have made of the findings of the report Ghettoised and traumatised: the experiences of men held in quasi-detention in Wethersfield, published by the Helen Bamber Foundation and Humans for Rights Network on 15 December 2023, and their implications for housing asylum seekers at MDP Wethersfield.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office dispute the findings of the report. Many of the points raised in the report are factually incorrect and the report has not been written following an ‘inspection’ or visit of the site to gain first-hand experience/evidence/knowledge.

The site at Wethersfield provides safe and secure non detained accommodation for asylum seekers who are free to come and go.

The welfare of asylum seekers is our utmost priority. The Home Office ensures that accommodation provided is adequate and meets the regulatory standards. The Home Office assesses an individual’s suitability to reside at the sites and only accommodates single adult males who are considered suitable to reside there. Guidance on the suitability criteria used can be found here: Allocation of accommodation.

An allocation policy and suitability criteria will ensure that no one is housed in accommodation that does not suit them or their needs. If, during their stay, it emerges that an asylum seeker is no longer suitable for the site, they will be moved to different accommodation. The service provider who is running the site on behalf of the Home Office is responsible for the safeguarding of migrants. Our service providers are experienced in managing asylum seeker accommodation in an orderly and secure manner.

The Home Office operates a Safeguarding Hub to support vulnerable individuals. Both the Home Office and its accommodation providers have robust processes in place to ensure that where someone is at risk, they are referred to the appropriate statutory agencies of the police, NHS, and social services, to promote appropriate safeguarding interventions.

As well as making safeguarding referrals to the appropriate statutory agencies, other actions include attendance at adult protection meetings with the police, and the Home Office liaise with external and internal partners to share information. The statutory agencies retain responsibility for all decisions on intervention activity.

All asylum seekers in the UK may contact Migrant Help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year if they need help, advice, or guidance; that includes raising issues relating to safeguarding.


Written Question
Asylum: Mental Health Services
Wednesday 14th February 2024

Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to (1) monitor the mental health of residents, and ongoing safeguarding concerns, and (2) reduce the risk of further suicides, on the Bibby Stockholm and at MDP Wethersfield; and what assessment they have made of the findings of the report Ghettoised and traumatised: the experiences of men held in quasi-detention in Wethersfield, published by the Helen Bamber Foundation and Humans for Rights Network on 15 December 2023, and their implications for housing asylum seekers at MDP Wethersfield.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The welfare of asylum seekers is our utmost priority. The Home Office ensures that accommodation provided is adequate and meets the regulatory standards.

The Home Office assesses an individual’s suitability to reside at the sites and only accommodates single adult males who are considered suitable to reside there. Guidance on the suitability criteria used can be found here: Allocation of accommodation.

Each person’s suitability is assessed at regular intervals and if they are no longer suitable for any reason, they will be moved to alternative accommodation.

The Home Office operates a Safeguarding Hub to support vulnerable individuals. Both the Home Office and its accommodation providers have robust processes in place to ensure that where someone is at risk, they are referred to the appropriate statutory agencies of the police, NHS, and social services, to promote appropriate safeguarding interventions.

As well as making safeguarding referrals to the appropriate statutory agencies, other actions include attendance at adult protection meetings with the police and the Home Office liaise with external and internal partners to share information. The statutory agencies retain responsibility for all decisions on intervention activity.

All asylum seekers in the UK may contact Migrant Help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year if they need help, advice, or guidance. This includes raising issues relating to safeguarding.


Written Question
Domestic Abuse
Friday 29th December 2023

Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 4 April (HL6672 and HL6673), and further to the remarks by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 12 July (HL Deb cols 1727–1730), whether they have now published (1) their response to the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s report Safety before status: the solutions, published on 13 December 2022, (2) their decision on the reservation on Article 59 of the Istanbul Convention, and (3) the migrant victims’ protocol.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government’s response to the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s report Safety Before Status: The Solutions was published in July 2023 and can be found at Gov.UK.

The reservation on Article 59 of the Istanbul Convention will be kept under review as policies which address support for migrant victims of domestic abuse develop. Official advice will be provided to Ministers on the reservation, in due course.

The Migrant Victims Protocol is in the final stages of development. The Department expects this to be published in early 2024.


Written Question
British Nationality: Ilois
Tuesday 19th December 2023

Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the proposed increase in the minimum income threshold for family visas on Chagossians granted citizenship under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

A Chagossian who has been granted British citizenship under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 will be in the same position as any other British citizen with regard to bringing family members to the UK. Where the family member is a non-Chagossian, they will be required to make an application under Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules and meet all of the requirements of the chosen route. As a result, the impact of the proposed change to the Minimum Income Requirement element of the family rules will be no different for Chagossians than for other individuals in a similar position.


Written Question
Visas: Families
Tuesday 19th December 2023

Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 5 December (HL Deb col 1464), whether the family test was applied before the decision was made to raise the minimum income threshold for family visas to £38,700; and if so, whether they will now publish the outcome; or if it was not applied, why.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Family Test (The Family Test - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) ) helps ensure that the impacts on family relationships and functioning, both positive and negative, are recognised in the process of policy development, and helps inform the policy decisions made by Ministers. Whilst there is no statutory requirement to explicitly undertake a Family Test for all policy changes, as with all policy development the impact on families was considered as part of the development of changes to the minimum income requirement, and will continue to be as we work through the further policy details which will be announced in due course.


Written Question
Mistreatment of Detainees at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre Inquiry
Monday 18th December 2023

Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to respond to the letter from the Chair of the Brook House Inquiry to the Home Secretary dated 19 October, which asked what steps they are taking to review and respond to the inquiry’s recommendations and which requested a response by 9 November.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government is carefully considering the findings of the Brook House Inquiry in its detailed report, including the recommendations and the Chair’s letter, in relation to the management of the immigration detention estate and the welfare of detained individuals.


Written Question
Undocumented Migrants: Deportation
Tuesday 28th November 2023

Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Murray of Blidworth on 7 June (HL Deb col 1439), whether they can now provide details on (1) how the scheme under section 2 of the Illegal Migration Act 2023 will work in practice, and (2) the arrangements for implementing provisions relating to the section 4 application form, including any changes that may have been made to that form.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

As is standard practice for any legislation, commencement of the wider measures in the Illegal Migration Act, will be implemented in due course.


Written Question
Asylum: Biometric Residence Permits
Wednesday 25th October 2023

Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remark by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 3 February 2022 (HL Deb col 1070) that the 28-day moving-on period "does not start until refugees have been issued with a biometric residence permit", why they have changed their policy towards the moving-on period; and, following the policy change, what actions they will take to ensure that people granted refugee status receive their Biometric Residence Permit at the same time they are informed that their claim for asylum has been granted.

Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth

To reduce the number of people currently accommodated in hotels and other accommodation types, and therefore reduce costs and limit the burden on the taxpayer, we are reliant upon people who are no longer eligible for asylum support leaving the asylum accommodation estate as quickly as possible. This number is increasing due to significant efforts underway to clear the asylum backlog.

An individual remains eligible for asylum support for a prescribed period from the day they are notified of the decision on their asylum claim. Where someone is given notice that their asylum claim has been granted, their appeal has been allowed or their asylum claim has been refused but they have been given leave to enter or remain, the prescribed period in legislation is 28 days. There has been no change to the prescribed period.

Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as quickly as possible. We offer support through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing. Newly recognised refugees are entitled to housing assistance from their local authority and are treated as a priority need if they have children or are considered vulnerable. Individuals do not need to wait for their BRP to make a claim for benefits and are encouraged to do so as early as possible if they require them.

We are engaging the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, as well as our accommodation and support contractors including Migrant Help, on ensuring individuals can move on from asylum support as smoothly as possible.

We will consider evidence received from voluntary sector organisations and local authorities and will respond to them via the usual routes.

A notice to quit (NTQ) will only be issued once a person has been issued a biometric residence permit (BRP).


Written Question
Migrant Help
Wednesday 25th October 2023

Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their change of policy around the moving-on period for migrants in August 2023, what assessment they have made of the capacity of Migrant Help to provide support to refugees to navigate the move-on period through the Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility contract.

Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth

To reduce the number of people currently accommodated in hotels and other accommodation types, and therefore reduce costs and limit the burden on the taxpayer, we are reliant upon people who are no longer eligible for asylum support leaving the asylum accommodation estate as quickly as possible. This number is increasing due to significant efforts underway to clear the asylum backlog.

An individual remains eligible for asylum support for a prescribed period from the day they are notified of the decision on their asylum claim. Where someone is given notice that their asylum claim has been granted, their appeal has been allowed or their asylum claim has been refused but they have been given leave to enter or remain, the prescribed period in legislation is 28 days. There has been no change to the prescribed period.

Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as quickly as possible. We offer support through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing. Newly recognised refugees are entitled to housing assistance from their local authority and are treated as a priority need if they have children or are considered vulnerable. Individuals do not need to wait for their BRP to make a claim for benefits and are encouraged to do so as early as possible if they require them.

We are engaging the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, as well as our accommodation and support contractors including Migrant Help, on ensuring individuals can move on from asylum support as smoothly as possible.

We will consider evidence received from voluntary sector organisations and local authorities and will respond to them via the usual routes.

A notice to quit (NTQ) will only be issued once a person has been issued a biometric residence permit (BRP).