Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what evidence base was used to determine the projected efficacy of the policy proposals outlined in her Department's New Plan for Immigration policy paper in (a) limiting irregular arrivals and (b) breaking the business model of people smugglers.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office draws on various sources of analysis and insight to support policy development. A consultation and engagement exercise is underway to further inform these considerations.
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 March 2021 to Question 157144 on Emergency Services Network: Strathconon, for what reason her Department is unable to accelerate the process for activating extended area service masts.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
We expect the contract for connecting all 292 EAS masts to the network to be awarded in Autumn 2021. We do need to follow government procurement processes fully in this award and are unable to accelerate this aspect of the process. Each site has to be individually designed, with planning approval granted, built and then integrated into the EE/ESN network. By default, EAS masts are in the most remote and rural areas of the country, situated in difficult terrain and with accessibility issues. After the award of the contract we anticipate that a survey of each site will result in activation timelines varying depending on the work involved. We will then complete the physical work to connect the mast to the network and, separately, activate the mast. Although we cannot give firm dates for the final activation of masts at this stage, we expect this work to commence in 2022 and complete towards the end 2024.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the publication of site inspection findings by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of waiving the 1 per cent threshold requirement for special grant funding for policing costs relating to the temporary asylum accommodation sites at Penally training camp and Napier barracks.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
All police forces should have reasonable contingency within their budgets for unplanned or unexpected events, but in some cases we recognise that these events may place force finances under additional pressure, and in those instances the Police and Crime Commissioner may apply for additional funding through the Police Special Grant. Any force applying for Special Grant funding must meet the criteria set out in the published guidance.
We continue to work closely with the local police forces at Penally training camp and Napier barracks, and have provided £2.5m of funding to Dyfed Powys and £1m to Kent police for costs incurred to date.
The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration announced an inspection of contingency asylum accommodation on 25 January 2021. The department acknowledges the ICIBI’s decision to publish on 8 March the initial findings from site visits to Napier Barracks and Penally. The ICIBI’s inspection continues and a full inspection report will follow. The duration of the inspection is a matter for the ICIBI and upon its conclusion, following standard procedure set out in the UK Borders Act 2007, the Department will issue a formal response alongside the inspection report as it is laid before Parliament and published on 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 estimate her Department has made of the number of foreign or commonwealth citizens residing in the UK who have not made an application for indefinite leave to remain despite being eligible upon their discharge from HM forces since 2000.
Answered by Kevin Foster
This Government hugely values every member of our outstanding Armed Forces and we are humbled when non-UK nationals choose to serve our country. It is for these reasons we explicitly provide for non-UK veterans discharged from HM Forces to obtain settlement in the UK.
Home Office guidance gives caseworkers the flexibility to consider cases outside the Immigration Rules for discharged members of HM Forces who have not yet regularised their immigration status:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hm-forces-applications-on-discharge
It is not possible to estimate the number of non-UK former members of HM Forces living in the UK who have not made an application for indefinite leave to remain despite being eligible to do so, as there are other options available to those who discharge. Some may choose to return to their country of nationality, while others may naturalise as British citizens during their service.
The Home Office is engaging with MPs, campaigners and members of the public to assess whether those who have served in the Armed Forces should continue to pay settlement fees. The Home Secretary recently met the Defence Secretary to consider how we can offer greater flexibility and support for such people, and their families, in future. Subject to collective agreement, the Ministry of Defence will be launching a public consultation on this issue in due course.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department is providing to otherwise eligible foreign or commonwealth citizens who apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK at least 28 days after their discharge from HM Forces.
Answered by Kevin Foster
This Government hugely values every member of our outstanding Armed Forces and we are humbled when non-UK nationals choose to serve our country. It is for these reasons we explicitly provide for non-UK veterans discharged from HM Forces to obtain settlement in the UK.
Home Office guidance gives caseworkers the flexibility to consider cases outside the Immigration Rules for discharged members of HM Forces who have not yet regularised their immigration status:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hm-forces-applications-on-discharge
It is not possible to estimate the number of non-UK former members of HM Forces living in the UK who have not made an application for indefinite leave to remain despite being eligible to do so, as there are other options available to those who discharge. Some may choose to return to their country of nationality, while others may naturalise as British citizens during their service.
The Home Office is engaging with MPs, campaigners and members of the public to assess whether those who have served in the Armed Forces should continue to pay settlement fees. The Home Secretary recently met the Defence Secretary to consider how we can offer greater flexibility and support for such people, and their families, in future. Subject to collective agreement, the Ministry of Defence will be launching a public consultation on this issue in due course.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of waiving visa fees for otherwise eligible foreign or commonwealth citizens who apply for indefinite leave to remain at least 28 days after their discharge from HM Forces.
Answered by Kevin Foster
This Government hugely values every member of our outstanding Armed Forces and we are humbled when non-UK nationals choose to serve our country. It is for these reasons we explicitly provide for non-UK veterans discharged from HM Forces to obtain settlement in the UK.
Home Office guidance gives caseworkers the flexibility to consider cases outside the Immigration Rules for discharged members of HM Forces who have not yet regularised their immigration status:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hm-forces-applications-on-discharge
It is not possible to estimate the number of non-UK former members of HM Forces living in the UK who have not made an application for indefinite leave to remain despite being eligible to do so, as there are other options available to those who discharge. Some may choose to return to their country of nationality, while others may naturalise as British citizens during their service.
The Home Office is engaging with MPs, campaigners and members of the public to assess whether those who have served in the Armed Forces should continue to pay settlement fees. The Home Secretary recently met the Defence Secretary to consider how we can offer greater flexibility and support for such people, and their families, in future. Subject to collective agreement, the Ministry of Defence will be launching a public consultation on this issue in due course.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that police firearms licensing services are adequately resourced.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Home Office does not hold data on the proportion of firearms licensing applications and renewals that are completed within eight weeks of being received. Under the Firearms Act 1968, firearm and shotgun certificate administration is a matter for the chief officer of police for the area in which the applicant lives. The time taken to process a firearm or shotgun application can vary between forces as the respective chief officer must take into account the need to manage risk and ensure public protection in their respective force area.
In respect of applications for renewal of firearm certificates, the Policing and Crime Act 2017 added provisions to the Firearms Act 1968 which
automatically extend the validity of firearm and shotgun certificates for a
limited period of up to eight weeks where the application for renewal has been made at least eight weeks prior to the expiry of the certificate. This allows the police extra time to complete all the necessary checks without it impacting on a certificate holder’s activities through the expiry of the certificate. The Home Office does not collect data on the number of applications which have
benefitted from these provisions since they were introduced on 17 April 2018 but the table below provides statistics on the number of new and renewal
applications processed by Dyfed-Powys police firearms licensing department since 2008/09.
Firearm certificates by police force area: applications, revocations, certificates on issue and firearms covered by certificates, 2009/10 to 2018/19 | |||||||||
New applications | Renewal applications | ||||||||
Year | Region | Police force area | Granted | Refused | Total | Granted | Refused | Total | |
2008/09 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 222 | 10 | 232 | 190 | 0 | 190 | |
2009/10 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 223 | 8 | 231 | 285 | 0 | 285 | |
2010/11 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 315 | 3 | 318 | 777 | 7 | 784 | |
2011/12 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 391 | 3 | 394 | 901 | 4 | 905 | |
2012/13 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 317 | 9 | 326 | 871 | 0 | 871 | |
2013/14 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 284 | 7 | 291 | 394 | 0 | 394 | |
2014/15 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 230 | 0 | 230 | 443 | 0 | 443 | |
2015/16 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 269 | 4 | 273 | 796 | 0 | 796 | |
2016/17 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 309 | 4 | 313 | 1,008 | 3 | 1,011 | |
2017/18 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 249 | 10 | 259 | 884 | 1 | 885 | |
2018/19 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 190 | 7 | 197 | 451 | 1 | 452 | |
Note: The police force area recorded on the NFLMS for a certificate holder relates to the holders primary address, therefore this may not necessarily be where their weapon(s) is held. | |||||||||
The resourcing of police firearms licensing departments is a matter for chief constables. Monitoring the efficiency and effectiveness of police firearms licensing departments is carried out by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services. In 2015 HMICFRS carried out a thematic inspection of police firearms licensing departments and recommended that chief constables should assess the demand placed on their firearms licensing department and ensure it has the capacity to meet this demand and provide an efficient and effective service at all times.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of firearms certificates whose life has been extended by Dyfed–Powys police firearms licensing department.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Home Office does not hold data on the proportion of firearms licensing applications and renewals that are completed within eight weeks of being received. Under the Firearms Act 1968, firearm and shotgun certificate administration is a matter for the chief officer of police for the area in which the applicant lives. The time taken to process a firearm or shotgun application can vary between forces as the respective chief officer must take into account the need to manage risk and ensure public protection in their respective force area.
In respect of applications for renewal of firearm certificates, the Policing and Crime Act 2017 added provisions to the Firearms Act 1968 which
automatically extend the validity of firearm and shotgun certificates for a
limited period of up to eight weeks where the application for renewal has been made at least eight weeks prior to the expiry of the certificate. This allows the police extra time to complete all the necessary checks without it impacting on a certificate holder’s activities through the expiry of the certificate. The Home Office does not collect data on the number of applications which have
benefitted from these provisions since they were introduced on 17 April 2018 but the table below provides statistics on the number of new and renewal
applications processed by Dyfed-Powys police firearms licensing department since 2008/09.
Firearm certificates by police force area: applications, revocations, certificates on issue and firearms covered by certificates, 2009/10 to 2018/19 | |||||||||
New applications | Renewal applications | ||||||||
Year | Region | Police force area | Granted | Refused | Total | Granted | Refused | Total | |
2008/09 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 222 | 10 | 232 | 190 | 0 | 190 | |
2009/10 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 223 | 8 | 231 | 285 | 0 | 285 | |
2010/11 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 315 | 3 | 318 | 777 | 7 | 784 | |
2011/12 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 391 | 3 | 394 | 901 | 4 | 905 | |
2012/13 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 317 | 9 | 326 | 871 | 0 | 871 | |
2013/14 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 284 | 7 | 291 | 394 | 0 | 394 | |
2014/15 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 230 | 0 | 230 | 443 | 0 | 443 | |
2015/16 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 269 | 4 | 273 | 796 | 0 | 796 | |
2016/17 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 309 | 4 | 313 | 1,008 | 3 | 1,011 | |
2017/18 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 249 | 10 | 259 | 884 | 1 | 885 | |
2018/19 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 190 | 7 | 197 | 451 | 1 | 452 | |
Note: The police force area recorded on the NFLMS for a certificate holder relates to the holders primary address, therefore this may not necessarily be where their weapon(s) is held. | |||||||||
The resourcing of police firearms licensing departments is a matter for chief constables. Monitoring the efficiency and effectiveness of police firearms licensing departments is carried out by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services. In 2015 HMICFRS carried out a thematic inspection of police firearms licensing departments and recommended that chief constables should assess the demand placed on their firearms licensing department and ensure it has the capacity to meet this demand and provide an efficient and effective service at all times.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the proportion of firearms licensing applications and renewals completed within eight weeks of the applications being received, by constabulary.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Home Office does not hold data on the proportion of firearms licensing applications and renewals that are completed within eight weeks of being received. Under the Firearms Act 1968, firearm and shotgun certificate administration is a matter for the chief officer of police for the area in which the applicant lives. The time taken to process a firearm or shotgun application can vary between forces as the respective chief officer must take into account the need to manage risk and ensure public protection in their respective force area.
In respect of applications for renewal of firearm certificates, the Policing and Crime Act 2017 added provisions to the Firearms Act 1968 which
automatically extend the validity of firearm and shotgun certificates for a
limited period of up to eight weeks where the application for renewal has been made at least eight weeks prior to the expiry of the certificate. This allows the police extra time to complete all the necessary checks without it impacting on a certificate holder’s activities through the expiry of the certificate. The Home Office does not collect data on the number of applications which have
benefitted from these provisions since they were introduced on 17 April 2018 but the table below provides statistics on the number of new and renewal
applications processed by Dyfed-Powys police firearms licensing department since 2008/09.
Firearm certificates by police force area: applications, revocations, certificates on issue and firearms covered by certificates, 2009/10 to 2018/19 | |||||||||
New applications | Renewal applications | ||||||||
Year | Region | Police force area | Granted | Refused | Total | Granted | Refused | Total | |
2008/09 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 222 | 10 | 232 | 190 | 0 | 190 | |
2009/10 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 223 | 8 | 231 | 285 | 0 | 285 | |
2010/11 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 315 | 3 | 318 | 777 | 7 | 784 | |
2011/12 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 391 | 3 | 394 | 901 | 4 | 905 | |
2012/13 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 317 | 9 | 326 | 871 | 0 | 871 | |
2013/14 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 284 | 7 | 291 | 394 | 0 | 394 | |
2014/15 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 230 | 0 | 230 | 443 | 0 | 443 | |
2015/16 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 269 | 4 | 273 | 796 | 0 | 796 | |
2016/17 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 309 | 4 | 313 | 1,008 | 3 | 1,011 | |
2017/18 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 249 | 10 | 259 | 884 | 1 | 885 | |
2018/19 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 190 | 7 | 197 | 451 | 1 | 452 | |
Note: The police force area recorded on the NFLMS for a certificate holder relates to the holders primary address, therefore this may not necessarily be where their weapon(s) is held. | |||||||||
The resourcing of police firearms licensing departments is a matter for chief constables. Monitoring the efficiency and effectiveness of police firearms licensing departments is carried out by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services. In 2015 HMICFRS carried out a thematic inspection of police firearms licensing departments and recommended that chief constables should assess the demand placed on their firearms licensing department and ensure it has the capacity to meet this demand and provide an efficient and effective service at all times.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the practice of extending the life of firearms certificates by Dyfed–Powys police firearms licensing department.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Home Office does not hold data on the proportion of firearms licensing applications and renewals that are completed within eight weeks of being received. Under the Firearms Act 1968, firearm and shotgun certificate administration is a matter for the chief officer of police for the area in which the applicant lives. The time taken to process a firearm or shotgun application can vary between forces as the respective chief officer must take into account the need to manage risk and ensure public protection in their respective force area.
In respect of applications for renewal of firearm certificates, the Policing and Crime Act 2017 added provisions to the Firearms Act 1968 which
automatically extend the validity of firearm and shotgun certificates for a
limited period of up to eight weeks where the application for renewal has been made at least eight weeks prior to the expiry of the certificate. This allows the police extra time to complete all the necessary checks without it impacting on a certificate holder’s activities through the expiry of the certificate. The Home Office does not collect data on the number of applications which have
benefitted from these provisions since they were introduced on 17 April 2018 but the table below provides statistics on the number of new and renewal
applications processed by Dyfed-Powys police firearms licensing department since 2008/09.
Firearm certificates by police force area: applications, revocations, certificates on issue and firearms covered by certificates, 2009/10 to 2018/19 | |||||||||
New applications | Renewal applications | ||||||||
Year | Region | Police force area | Granted | Refused | Total | Granted | Refused | Total | |
2008/09 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 222 | 10 | 232 | 190 | 0 | 190 | |
2009/10 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 223 | 8 | 231 | 285 | 0 | 285 | |
2010/11 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 315 | 3 | 318 | 777 | 7 | 784 | |
2011/12 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 391 | 3 | 394 | 901 | 4 | 905 | |
2012/13 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 317 | 9 | 326 | 871 | 0 | 871 | |
2013/14 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 284 | 7 | 291 | 394 | 0 | 394 | |
2014/15 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 230 | 0 | 230 | 443 | 0 | 443 | |
2015/16 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 269 | 4 | 273 | 796 | 0 | 796 | |
2016/17 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 309 | 4 | 313 | 1,008 | 3 | 1,011 | |
2017/18 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 249 | 10 | 259 | 884 | 1 | 885 | |
2018/19 | Wales | Dyfed-Powys | 190 | 7 | 197 | 451 | 1 | 452 | |
Note: The police force area recorded on the NFLMS for a certificate holder relates to the holders primary address, therefore this may not necessarily be where their weapon(s) is held. | |||||||||
The resourcing of police firearms licensing departments is a matter for chief constables. Monitoring the efficiency and effectiveness of police firearms licensing departments is carried out by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services. In 2015 HMICFRS carried out a thematic inspection of police firearms licensing departments and recommended that chief constables should assess the demand placed on their firearms licensing department and ensure it has the capacity to meet this demand and provide an efficient and effective service at all times.