Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing irregular migrants to make applications for asylum whilst still residing in (a) France and (b) Belgium.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The UK has a proud record of providing protection for those who need it. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Whilst we sympathise with people in many difficult situations around the world, the capacity of the UK is not unlimited, and we could not possibly consider protection claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might like to come here. Those in need of immediate protection should take the fastest route to safety and claim asylum in the first safe country they reach.
There are several powerful reasons why allowing migrants to make applications for asylum from France and Belgium is not a viable option and could actually lead to adverse consequences.
The responsibility for asylum seekers and refugees lies with the authorities of the country in which they are present in accordance with their international obligations – in this case France and Belgium. EU countries operate the Common European Asylum System; a framework of rules and procedures based on the full and inclusive application of the Refugee Convention. The aim of this system is not just to ensure fair and humane treatment of applicants for international protection, but also to discourage secondary movements of people once they have reached safety, acknowledging the many problems that such movements create. There is therefore no reason why an individual who is residing in France or Belgium and who needs protection should not make their claim in France or Belgium and certainly no reasons why they should make the perilous onward journey to the UK. France and Belgium are both safe countries, so the protection they seek is already available to them.
The UK processing asylum claims in France and Belgium would also have the potential to create more harm, and actually support the smugglers. Dangerous journeys and the work of the despicable smugglers are not just confined to routes across the Channel. Vulnerable people, if they have an incentive to aim for France or Belgium as a means of entering the UK, would be encouraged to make dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean and over land to France and Belgium. It would create a new pull factor, motivating people to again entrust themselves to smugglers. Even where they may avoid the danger of a small boat, we know from heart breaking experience that journeys over land, for example in the back of lorries, can be equally as perilous. We cannot, and must not, do anything which supports the smugglers’ business model.
Our focus is on helping people directly from regions of conflict and instability, and we believe that our resettlement programmes are the best way to provide much needed support. Between 2015 and September 2023, over half a million people were offered safe and legal routes into the UK.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that gambling firms support problem gamblers (a) to stop gambling and (b) into recovery.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Gambling White Paper set out a balanced and proportionate set of proposals to protect those at risk of experiencing gambling harm.
There are already a range of obligations on gambling operators to identify and prevent gambling-related harm, which can include signposting to sources of specialist support from organisations who deal with advice and treatment for harmful gambling. Following the white paper, we are introducing a range of new, proportionate controls to further protect vulnerable people from the practices and products which can drive harm. These include new light-touch, frictionless financial risk checks, a stake limit for online slots games, improvements to customer-led tools, and tougher restrictions on bonuses and direct marketing. These measures will be complemented by strengthened messaging about the risks associated with gambling. We are also introducing a new statutory levy paid by operators to fund research, prevention, and treatment of gambling-related harms so that people can access the right help when and where they need it.
We are working with the Gambling Commission and other stakeholders to bring these measures into force as quickly as possible, and have already held consultations on a number of important proposals so we can finalise details ahead of implementation.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 15 March 2024 to Question 18893 on Energy: Meters, whether her Department has had recent discussions with energy providers on the availability of technological solutions for households to replace radio teleswitching meters.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Smart meters are the natural technological solution to replace the Radio Teleswitching Service (RTS) and associated meters.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with Royal Colleges on improving training to support (a) standards and (b) help with the impacts of caring for children in the context of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 26 July 2023, the Department and NHS England participated in a round table with a range of stakeholders with an interest in Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC), including the Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal College of Nursing, and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, focusing on increasing awareness and impactful training to healthcare professionals and improving support to those affected by SUDC.
Healthcare regulators, such as the General Medical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council, are responsible for setting standards for undergraduate education, and medical Royal Colleges set the curriculum for postgraduate medical training.
NHS England provides a range of e-learning resources to help health professionals to support bereaved parents and families.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with Royal Colleges on the (a) standards and (b) impacts of care on Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 26 July 2023, the Department and NHS England participated in a round table with a range of stakeholders with an interest in Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC), including the Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal College of Nursing, and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, focusing on increasing awareness and impactful training to healthcare professionals and improving support to those affected by SUDC.
Healthcare regulators, such as the General Medical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council, are responsible for setting standards for undergraduate education, and medical Royal Colleges set the curriculum for postgraduate medical training.
NHS England provides a range of e-learning resources to help health professionals to support bereaved parents and families.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including hospitality roles on the immigration salary list.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Government intend to commission the MAC to undertake a full review of the Immigration Salary List. The Government will carefully consider their recommendations once received.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing minimum income thresholds for spouse/partner visas.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
We do not intend to remove the Minimum Income Requirement (MIR) for spouse / partner visas under Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules.
The purpose of the MIR, implemented in July 2012 along with other reforms of the family Immigration Rules, is to ensure family migrants are supported at a reasonable level so they do not become a burden on the taxpayer and they can participate sufficiently in everyday life to facilitate their integration into British society.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the permitted working hours criteria for Employment and Support Allowance.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are currently no plans to increase the permitted work hours limit. The ESA permitted work rules strike a balance between encouraging claimants to build their confidence, undertake some part-time paid work, and plan a gradual move to sustained employment, while continuing to receive benefit. The permitted work earnings limit is reviewed annually and uprated in line with the National Living Wage.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to implement the recommendations of the Second interim report of the Infected Blood inquiry on psychological services.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
A bespoke psychological support service for infected blood victims, commissioned by NHS England, is currently being developed, and is planned to go live in early summer 2024.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 22 of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s second Interim Report of the Infected Blood Inquiry, published on 5 April 2023, what steps his Department plans to take to help ensure (a) the independence of and (b) confidence in the arms length body.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The victims of the scandal are at the forefront of my mind, and it is critical to ensure that any scheme works effectively for the victims. The Government will respond in full to Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations following the publication of the Inquiry’s final report. Additionally, we are tabling a Government amendment at Report Stage of the Victims and Prisoners Bill in the Other Place to fix technical deficiencies, while working in the spirit of Dame Diana Johnson’s amendment. The amendment is tabled with the intention of speeding up the implementation of the Government’s response to the Infected Blood Inquiry.