Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
What recent assessment he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on his Department’s priorities.
Answered by Sajid Javid
My Department’s priority will always be the safety and security of the nation.
The Home Office has sufficient resources in place, through external recruitment and internal redeployment to support the delivery of a smooth and orderly exit from the EU and continue to keep the nation safe and secure.
We conduct regular reviews of our total resource demand for both deal and no deal to support this.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for the UK Government to ratify the Istanbul Convention.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government signed the Istanbul Convention to signal the UK’s strong commitment to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG). As the recently published progress report sets out, in most respects the UK already complies with, or goes further than the Convention requires. We have significantly strengthened the legislative framework; introduced new protective tools; and issued a range of guidance and support for frontline professionals.
We have always been clear on our commitment to ratifying the Convention. The Domestic Abuse Bill will be another step towards meeting that commitment by extending extraterritorial jurisdiction over offences required by the Convention which, for England and Wales, is the final legislative step necessary for ratification. We are committed to consulting widely as we develop the proposals for the draft Domestic Abuse Bill. We are keen to hear from experts, including charities, service providers and legal experts, to understand their views and ensure that the voices of domestic abuse victims and survivors are heard. This will take place shortly.
As the criminal law and the majority of the areas covered by the Convention are devolved to Scotland and Northern Ireland, the Devolved Administrations are considering what legislative or other changes are necessary for compliance with the Convention in their territories. The Government liaises regularly with the Devolved Administrations on VAWG issues and we will continue working closely with the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to ensure we are taking a coordinated approach on this agenda.
We are also in ongoing discussions with the voluntary and community sector on these issues, and in line with the requirement of section 2 of the Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Ratification of Convention) Act 2017, we will set out a timetable for ratification in due course.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Government's policy paper entitled Ratification of the Council of Europe convention on combating violence against women and domestic violence, published on 1 November 2017, what discussions she has had with the devolved administrations on extra-territorial jurisdiction in respect of that convention.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government signed the Istanbul Convention to signal the UK’s strong commitment to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG). As the recently published progress report sets out, in most respects the UK already complies with, or goes further than the Convention requires. We have significantly strengthened the legislative framework; introduced new protective tools; and issued a range of guidance and support for frontline professionals.
We have always been clear on our commitment to ratifying the Convention. The Domestic Abuse Bill will be another step towards meeting that commitment by extending extraterritorial jurisdiction over offences required by the Convention which, for England and Wales, is the final legislative step necessary for ratification. We are committed to consulting widely as we develop the proposals for the draft Domestic Abuse Bill. We are keen to hear from experts, including charities, service providers and legal experts, to understand their views and ensure that the voices of domestic abuse victims and survivors are heard. This will take place shortly.
As the criminal law and the majority of the areas covered by the Convention are devolved to Scotland and Northern Ireland, the Devolved Administrations are considering what legislative or other changes are necessary for compliance with the Convention in their territories. The Government liaises regularly with the Devolved Administrations on VAWG issues and we will continue working closely with the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to ensure we are taking a coordinated approach on this agenda.
We are also in ongoing discussions with the voluntary and community sector on these issues, and in line with the requirement of section 2 of the Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Ratification of Convention) Act 2017, we will set out a timetable for ratification in due course.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what meetings she had with Women’s Aid, IC Change and other women's organisations before publishing the Government's policy paper entitled Ratification of the Council of Europe convention on combating violence against women and domestic violence on 1 November 2017.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government signed the Istanbul Convention to signal the UK’s strong commitment to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG). As the recently published progress report sets out, in most respects the UK already complies with, or goes further than the Convention requires. We have significantly strengthened the legislative framework; introduced new protective tools; and issued a range of guidance and support for frontline professionals.
We have always been clear on our commitment to ratifying the Convention. The Domestic Abuse Bill will be another step towards meeting that commitment by extending extraterritorial jurisdiction over offences required by the Convention which, for England and Wales, is the final legislative step necessary for ratification. We are committed to consulting widely as we develop the proposals for the draft Domestic Abuse Bill. We are keen to hear from experts, including charities, service providers and legal experts, to understand their views and ensure that the voices of domestic abuse victims and survivors are heard. This will take place shortly.
As the criminal law and the majority of the areas covered by the Convention are devolved to Scotland and Northern Ireland, the Devolved Administrations are considering what legislative or other changes are necessary for compliance with the Convention in their territories. The Government liaises regularly with the Devolved Administrations on VAWG issues and we will continue working closely with the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to ensure we are taking a coordinated approach on this agenda.
We are also in ongoing discussions with the voluntary and community sector on these issues, and in line with the requirement of section 2 of the Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Ratification of Convention) Act 2017, we will set out a timetable for ratification in due course.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's policy is on allowing unaccompanied refugee children to sponsor their parents for the purpose of family reunion.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
Under the Family Reunion Rules, children cannot sponsor family members. Where an application does not meet the Immigration Rules, we consider whether there are exceptional or compassionate reasons for granting a visa outside the Rules.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied children have been transferred under section 69 of the Immigration Act 2016 in the last six months.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The National Transfer Scheme was launched on 1 July 2016 and has been working to ensure a fairer allocation of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) across the UK. A significant number of local authorities have participated in the scheme and enabled the transfer of children away from local authorities with a disproportionate number of UASC in their care.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many non-EU international students left the UK three months after completing their course in each of the last eight years.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
This data is not available.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the letter from the Minister for Immigration to the Home Affairs Select Committee of 18 November 2016, what review of detention needs is taking place; and what the timescale is for that review.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
Following Renfrewshire Council’s refusal of planning permission for a short term holding facility near Glasgow airport the Government is considering its position in relation to the right of appeal and any subsequent review of detention needs in Scotland.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of Renfrewshire Council's refusal to grant planning permission for a short-term immigration detention centre near Glasgow Airport.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
Following Renfrewshire Council’s refusal of planning permission for a short term holding facility near Glasgow airport the Government is considering its position in relation to the right of appeal. The intended closure of Dungavel immigration removal centre is dependent upon a successful planning application for a new short term holding facility.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans to build another short-term detention facility in Scotland as a result of the decision by Renfrewshire Council to refuse planning permission for a short-term immigration detention facility.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
Following Renfrewshire Council’s refusal of planning permission for a short term holding facility near Glasgow airport the Government is considering its position in relation to the right of appeal.
The intended closure of Dungavel immigration removal centre is dependent upon a successful planning application for a new short term holding facility.