Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications under the (a) Homes for Ukraine scheme and (b) Ukrainian Family Scheme were awaiting a decision as of 13 April 2023.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
UKVI aims to assess Ukraine Schemes visa applications as quickly as possible. Straightforward applications are processed within days. Visas are only issued after all necessary checks have been completed which may take longer in some cases.
The latest published figures, including the number of outstanding applications for each route, can be found here:
Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) and Ukraine Extension Scheme visa data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time it takes her Department to process applications submitted to (a) the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and (b) the Ukrainian Family Scheme.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
UKVI aims to assess Ukraine Schemes visa applications as quickly as possible. Straightforward applications are processed within days. Visas are only issued after all necessary checks have been completed which may take longer in some cases.
The latest published figures, including the number of outstanding applications for each route, can be found here:
Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) and Ukraine Extension Scheme visa data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with (a) the Cabinet colleagues and (b) her global counterparts on the potential merits of proscribing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation; and if she will take steps to undertake a review with her global counterparts of that potential proscription.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
Whilst we keep the list of proscribed organisations under review, it is Government policy not to comment on whether a group is under consideration for proscription.
To proscribe an organisation, the Home Secretary must have a reasonable belief that it is concerned in terrorism. This means the organisation participates or commits; prepares for; promotes, encourages or unlawfully glorifies; or is in some way otherwise concerned in terrorism. As well as considering whether the statutory test for proscription has been satisfied, the Home Secretary’s decision to proscribe must be necessary and proportionate, having taken into account all relevant factors.
The UK Government has long been clear about its concerns over the continued destabilising activity of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The UK is committed to working with the international community to ensure Iran is held to account.
There UK has close to 300 sanctions in place against Iran, including on the IRGC in its entirety. We will continue to use all tools at our disposal to protect the UK and our interests from any Iran-linked threats.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long on average it takes her Department to implement appeals that have been allowed by the First-tier Tribunal, Immigration and Asylum Chamber.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The requested information cannot be accurately extracted from our internal systems. To provide this information would require a manual trawl of successful appeals and to do so would incur disproportionate cost.
Where an appeal has been allowed in favour of the appellant, and is not subject to onward appeal, we take all reasonable steps to implement the allowed appeal in a timely manner.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of appeals allowed by the First-tier Tribunal, Immigration and Asylum Chamber up to 4 November 2022 have not yet been implemented.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The requested information cannot be accurately extracted from our internal systems. To provide this information would require a manual trawl of successful appeals and to do so would incur disproportionate cost.
Where an appeal has been allowed in favour of the appellant, and is not subject to onward appeal, we take all reasonable steps to implement the allowed appeal in a timely manner.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2022 to Question 97679 on Animals in Science Regulation Unit, if she will commission an independent review of the potential benefits of increasing the fees payable for licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to generate additional income to increase inspector numbers and reduce cases of non-compliance.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has no plans to commission an independent review.
The Regulator regularly assesses its requirement for fee income for the delivery of protections to animals in compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
The Regulator’s capacity and capability for service delivery and compliance assurance purposes is aligned with the requirements defined in the legislation.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the fees payable for licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to generate additional income for employing inspectors within the Animals in Science Regulation Unit.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Animals in Science Regulation Unit regularly assesses its requirement for fee income for the delivery of protections to animals in compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA).
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what financial support is available for individuals who enter the UK under the Ukraine Family Visa Scheme and their UK based families.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Ukrainian nationals coming to the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme are given access to work, benefits and public services as laid down in the Appendix Ukraine to the Immigration Rules, details of which can be found at:
Immigration Rules Appendix Ukraine Scheme - Immigration Rules - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of enabling the registration of deaths to take place remotely, rather than requiring attendance at a register office to formally register a death.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Regulations have been introduced which will allow information to be collected by telephone before attendance at a register office to formally register a death.
The General Register Office for England and Wales is exploring options to bring forward amendments to primary legislation which would allow for registration to be completed by telephone in the future.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing and funding a route for Ukrainian scientists to travel to and work in the UK.
Answered by Kevin Foster
We have established the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine scheme which allow those from Ukraine to come to the UK for a period of up to 36 months.
Those arriving under these schemes will have full unrestricted work rights, allowing them to work for any employer, in any sector and in any role. People on both schemes will have full and unrestricted access to benefits, healthcare, employment and other support. Both schemes are free to apply and there will be no limit to the number of Ukrainians who can benefit.
Separately, other routes continue to exist such as Skilled Worker and Global Talent which would allow Ukrainian scientists to come to the UK using the points-based system.