Asked by: Heidi Allen (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent representations she has received on the level of visa fees for Commonwealth UK Armed Forces personnel applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain; and if she will (a) review and (b) undertake a public consultation on the current policy.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
The Home Office has listened closely to representations made by a variety of campaigns and MPs on immigration issues affecting Commonwealth members of HM Forces and their families.We have received recent representations from the Royal British Legion “stop the service charge” and are aware of a public e-petition to waive settlement fees for Commonwealth nationals who served in HM Forces.
While there are no current plans to offer an exemption from paying a settlement fee to former military personnel, this specific area of policy is regularly reviewed. There are no plans to launch a public consultation on the question of waiving settlement fees.
The Home Office remains committed to upholding our obligations under the Armed Forces Covenant. The Home Office, along with all Government Departments, recognises the outstanding service of all members of the Armed Forces, including the many service personnel who are foreign and Commonwealth nationals.
Asked by: Heidi Allen (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to provide feedback to labour providers on the effectiveness of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Pilot Scheme.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Seasonal Workers Pilot will test the effectiveness of our immigration system at alleviating seasonal labour shortages during peak production periods, whilst looking at the wider impacts of such a scheme.
The pilot will start in the spring of this year and will run until the end of December 2020. It will be fully evaluated.
Asked by: Heidi Allen (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the effect a seasonal agricultural workers scheme would have on small labour providers.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Seasonal Workers Pilot will test the effectiveness of our immigration system at alleviating seasonal labour shortages during peak production periods, whilst looking at the wider impacts of such a scheme.
The pilot will start in the spring of this year and will run until the end of December 2020. It will be fully evaluated.
Asked by: Heidi Allen (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to extend the Youth Mobility Scheme to additional non-EEA countries after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
We have proposed a UK-EU Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) as part of our Mobility Framework to ensure that young people can continue to enjoy the social, cultural and educational benefits of living in the EU and the UK.
We will ensure that our future immigration system continues to support the thriving cultural exchanges that the YMS cultivates.
Asked by: Heidi Allen (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the powers available to the police to tackle hare coursing.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The police have a range of powers to tackle hare coursing through the game acts and the Hunting Act 2004. How these powers are used are operational matters for the police. In light of concerns raised, Home Office officials are engaging with relevant police forces to understand more about the issues.
Asked by: Heidi Allen (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of whether there is a need to review current immigration policy on extended family reunification applications which are rejected because they do not meet financial or accommodation thresholds.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
There are no financial or accommodation requirements for family reunion applications to join immediate family members who are refugees in the UK. You can find guidance on Family Reunion for refugees on GOV.UK.https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/541818/Family_reunion_guidance_v2.pdf
Extended family members can also sponsor refugee children to join them in the UK under the Immigration Rules. Those applying must show that they can provide adequate maintenance and accommodation that is suitable for the child’s care. This is set out in the Immigration Directorate Instructions on GOV.UK:
Where an application fails under the Immigration Rules, including where an applicant is unable to meet financial or accommodation thresholds, our policy requires caseworker to consider whether there are any exceptional circumstances for granting a visa outside the Rules.
Asked by: Heidi Allen (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people seeking family reunion with extended family members in the UK have (a) applied for and (b) been granted asylum in exceptional circumstances in each of the last three years.
Answered by Amber Rudd
The Home Office does not record information in such a way to be able to report on the number of people seeking family reunion with extended family members in the UK and an individual cannot apply to be considered for family reunion under the exceptional circumstance arrangements. Instead, they would apply for Family Reunion under the Immigration Rules but, if they are refused under the Rules, the Home Office would then go on to consider whether there are exceptional circumstances.
As such, the figures for applications and visas issued under the Rules and under the exceptional circumstances arrangements are as follows:
| Total number of Family Reunion applications – age at the date of application -under 18 | Total number of Family Reunion applications – age at date of application - over 18 | Total number of Family Reunion visas issued (‘Family Other’ category) | Total number of Family Reunion visas issued under exceptional circumstances arrangements |
2015 | 4,980 | 3,220 | 4,887 | 21 |
2016 | 4,811 | 3,701 | 6,098 | 49 |
2017 (up to 30 September 2017) | 2,625 | 2,821 | 3,801 | 49 |
All those issued a family reunion visa are granted leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, not asylum. The family reunion application process does not require an assessment of the applicant’s international protection needs. It is the family member in the UK that is required to have been granted refugee status or Humanitarian Protection.
Asked by: Heidi Allen (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many parents have been (a) granted and (b) refused a visa to join their child with either refugee leave or humanitarian protection in the UK in (i) 2015, (ii) 2016 and (iii) 2017.
Answered by Amber Rudd
The specific information you have requested is not currently published.
Published statistics on visa applications in the Family category can be found online at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/662518/entry-visas1-jul-sep-2017-tables.ods
Asked by: Heidi Allen (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's timetable is for implementing the recommendations of the Human Trafficking Foundation's Trafficking Survivor Care Standards, published in June 2015, for shelters caring for victims of modern day slavery in the UK.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The recent announcements on National Referral Mechanism (NRM) reform indicate the Government’s commitment to markedly improve the identification of, and support provided to, victims of modern slavery. This includes the adoption of the Human Trafficking Foundation’s Trafficking Survivor Care Standards as a minimum standard of victim support in all future contracts providing support to adult victims of modern slavery.
The Government is working with key stakeholders to ensure the standards reflect current best practice and to look at options for monitoring compliance. These will then be incorporated into the retendering of the Victim Care Contract in due course.
Asked by: Heidi Allen (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions her Department has had with its French counterpart on plans in place to provide shelter and help to refugees who may have a legal right to claim asylum in the UK who are currently residing in the Grande Synthe refugee camp in Dunkirk.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The provision of accommodation for asylum-seekers in France is a matter for the French authorities. The UK has regular engagement at ministerial and senior official level with the French authorities regarding the situation in Northern France, including the provision of accommodation for asylum-seekers. French officials are clear that everyone has the right to claim asylum in France.
In addition to the existing welcome centres across France, France has recently opened four new centres, away from the Grande Synthe area, where those wishing to claim asylum will be supported through the asylum process. There is regular transportation from Grande Synthe to these centres for those wishing to claim asylum.
Under the Dublin Regulation, France may make a request to the UK to take responsibility for an asylum claim where the relevant criteria are met. This requires an asylum claim to first be made in France and a take charge request made of the UK. We continue to work closely with the French authorities to ensure the quick and effective operation of the Dublin Regulation.