Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any detention capacity for women is currently available at Yarl’s Wood immigration removal centre; if not, whether they plan to make such capacity available; and if so, when.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The immigration removal estate is kept under ongoing review to ensure that the Home Office has sufficient capacity, in the right places and that it provides value for money.
The Home Office opened Derwentside immigration removal centre (IRC) for women in November 2021. We plan to supplement the new IRC by continuing to provide some detention capacity for women at Colnbrook, Dungavel and Yarl’s Wood IRCs. We have already completed design work to ensure the women’s space at Yarl’s Wood will be entirely separate from male resident space and we are planning to transition part of the Yarl’s Wood site back to an immigration removal centre for around 60 women. We will open the refurbished accommodation in late summer.
In order to meet operational needs and demands, we will continue to operate the immigration removal estate, including Yarl’s Wood, in a flexible manner and in line with the STHF Rules 2018 and the Detention Centre Rules 2001, as appropriate.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much revenue they have raised in total from the fee charged to children to register their entitlement to citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981 in each year since the current fee level was set.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office does not hold the information in the format requested. Fees received from citizenship applications are not differentiated between the various categories in which they are received.
We do not have a separate code or field for fees collected for children’s citizenship applications.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government by how much the revenue raised from the fee charged to register children's entitlement to citizenship exceeds the administrative costs of processing such applications for (1) looked after children, and (2) those who are not looked after, for each year since the current fee level was set.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office does not hold the information in the format requested. We do not have a separate code or field for fees collected for children registering their entitlement to citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981.
Details of the fee payable and estimated unit cost from the date the current fees to register as a British citizen became effective, (from 8th October 2018) can be accessed via the following link: Visa fees transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the costs of (1) abolishing the fee charged for looked after children to register their entitlement to citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981, and (2) charging other children a fee equivalent to the average administrative cost of processing applications.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Secretary of State is considering her policy response to a review of the fee for a child to register as a British Citizen.
The review, which was undertaken in line with duties under Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009, takes into account a number of factors. We expect to provide a further update shortly.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much revenue they have raised above the relevant administrative costs from the fee charged to adults to register their entitlement to citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981, for each year since the current fee level was set.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office does not hold the information in the format requested.
We do not have a separate code or field for fees collected for adults to register their entitlement to citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 13 December 2021 (HL4899), what assessment they have made of how the creation of an Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority will streamline decision making with regard to the identification of victims of trafficking through the National Referral Mechanism.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority (IECA) was created to streamline decision-making and ensure, wherever possible, that the various factors which may be pertinent to decisions about an individual are taken by those who can consider their circumstances most fully.
The data on decisions taken by the IECA will be set out in the quarterly publication of NRM statistics and a breakdown by competent authority will be published once there is sufficient data to ensure individuals are not identifiable. We will regularly review this data to understand the impact of the change and ensure polices are being applied consistently.
The creation of the IECA was an internal restructure within the Home Office. A full assessment of the Public Sector Equality Duty was undertaken and, in line with our ongoing duty, will be kept under review.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the creation of the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority, what training has been delivered to First Respondents to ensure that all adults identified as potential victims of trafficking are able to give informed consent to a referral.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority (IECA) will streamline decision-making and ensure, wherever possible, that the various factors which may be pertinent to decisions about an individual are taken by those who can consider their circumstances most fully. IECA decision makers will receive the same training as the Single Competent Authority (SCA) on National Referral Mechanism (NRM) decision making.
Both competent authorities will be held to account through existing quality assurance processes and the Multi-Agency Assurance Panels will continue to quality assure all negative conclusive decisions. Decisions will continue to be made in line with the definitions and standards of proof in the published Modern Slavery Statutory Guidance.
The data on decisions taken by the IECA will be set out in the quarterly publication of NRM statistics and a breakdown by competent authority will be published once there is sufficient data to ensure individuals are not identifiable. Naturally, we will regularly review this data to understand the impact of the change and ensure polices are being applied consistently.
This Government remains committed to identifying victims quickly, enhancing the support they receive and improving the training given to First Responders, who are responsible for referring potential victims into the NRM.
The Home Office has produced e-learning to help First Responders to identify potential victims of modern slavery and make referrals into the NRM when appropriate to do so. The e-learning is available through the Modern Slavery Organised Immigration Crime (MSOIC) website.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the existence of two trafficking and slavery decision makers (the Single Competent Authority and the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority) does not result in differences in decision making based on immigration status.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority (IECA) will streamline decision-making and ensure, wherever possible, that the various factors which may be pertinent to decisions about an individual are taken by those who can consider their circumstances most fully. IECA decision makers will receive the same training as the Single Competent Authority (SCA) on National Referral Mechanism (NRM) decision making.
Both competent authorities will be held to account through existing quality assurance processes and the Multi-Agency Assurance Panels will continue to quality assure all negative conclusive decisions. Decisions will continue to be made in line with the definitions and standards of proof in the published Modern Slavery Statutory Guidance.
The data on decisions taken by the IECA will be set out in the quarterly publication of NRM statistics and a breakdown by competent authority will be published once there is sufficient data to ensure individuals are not identifiable. Naturally, we will regularly review this data to understand the impact of the change and ensure polices are being applied consistently.
This Government remains committed to identifying victims quickly, enhancing the support they receive and improving the training given to First Responders, who are responsible for referring potential victims into the NRM.
The Home Office has produced e-learning to help First Responders to identify potential victims of modern slavery and make referrals into the NRM when appropriate to do so. The e-learning is available through the Modern Slavery Organised Immigration Crime (MSOIC) website.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they created the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority on 8 November; what were the reasons for the timetable for its creation; and what plans they have to monitor its activity to ensure there are no inconsistencies in decision making based on immigration status.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority (IECA) will streamline decision-making and ensure, wherever possible, that the various factors which may be pertinent to decisions about an individual are taken by those who can consider their circumstances most fully. IECA decision makers will receive the same training as the Single Competent Authority (SCA) on National Referral Mechanism (NRM) decision making.
Both competent authorities will be held to account through existing quality assurance processes and the Multi-Agency Assurance Panels will continue to quality assure all negative conclusive decisions. Decisions will continue to be made in line with the definitions and standards of proof in the published Modern Slavery Statutory Guidance.
The data on decisions taken by the IECA will be set out in the quarterly publication of NRM statistics and a breakdown by competent authority will be published once there is sufficient data to ensure individuals are not identifiable. Naturally, we will regularly review this data to understand the impact of the change and ensure polices are being applied consistently.
This Government remains committed to identifying victims quickly, enhancing the support they receive and improving the training given to First Responders, who are responsible for referring potential victims into the NRM.
The Home Office has produced e-learning to help First Responders to identify potential victims of modern slavery and make referrals into the NRM when appropriate to do so. The e-learning is available through the Modern Slavery Organised Immigration Crime (MSOIC) website.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Home Secretary has (1) received, and (2) is complying with, advice from the UK Health Security Agency, regarding (a) the ongoing use of Napier Barracks, (b) the current COVID-19 outbreak in Napier Barracks, and (c) the current cases of active tuberculosis in Napier Barracks.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We have not received any advice from UK Health Security Agency on the ongoing use of Napier however we continue to engage with UK Health Security Agency to ensure that COVID 19 is managed effectively on site.
I am not aware of any known COVID positive people at Napier.
There are no known cases of active tuberculosis at Napier, the one person identified by the NHS with active TB was, on the advice of UK Health Security Agency, moved to alternative accommodation on 14 December 21.