Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number of migrants that attempted to enter the UK illegally in trucks and other motor vehicles in each of the last five years.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office publish data on the number of detected attempts to enter the UK irregularly, by selected methods of entry since 2018. The latest publication can be found at: Gov.uk Irregular migration to the UK data page.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will appoint the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner.
Answered by Sarah Dines
The role of the Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) as set out in the 2015 Modern Slavery Act is to encourage good practice in the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of slavery and human trafficking offences and the identification of victims.
The process to recruit a new IASC follows the principles set out within the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments.
A decision on the appointment is under consideration.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional resources she will provide to the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority for inspection and enforcement activities from 1 January 2021 to help tackle abuses of the new points-based immigration system.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
As we replace freedom of movement with the Points-Based System, we remain committed to preventing any abuse of the system, including by protecting individuals from modern slavery and exploitation by criminal traffickers and unscrupulous employers.
The Government spends £33m a year on state enforcement of employment rights to support the work of the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), HMRC’s National Minimum Wage Team and the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate. GLAA resources for 2021/2022 have not yet been agreed.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to intercept criminals at the point of entry ahead of the implementation of the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office takes the issue of preventing foreign criminals entering the UK extremely seriously.
Using advance passenger information Border Force operates an Authority to Carry “No Fly” Scheme.? Foreign national offenders previously deported from the UK and individuals excluded from the UK on the grounds that their presence would be non-conducive to the public good due to their involvement in serious criminality are among those who carriers are refused authority to carry to UK. ?This action is disrupting criminals from even arriving into UK ports of entry.
In addition to our pre-travel checks every passenger arriving in the UK at passport control is checked in order to identify criminal, security and immigration concerns.. Where we are aware of individuals who pose a risk, Border Force officers can, and do, refuse them entry.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her policy is on joining (a) Europol, (b) Eurojust, (c) the Schengen Information System (SIS II), (d) the European Criminal Records Information System and (e) Passenger Name Records Data on 1 January 2021; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The safety and security of our citizens is the Government’s top priority.
We’ve been negotiating an agreement with the EU on law enforcement and criminal justice to equip operational partners on both sides with capabilities to protect citizens and bring criminals to justice.
As set out in the UK’s published Approach to Negotiations, we believe an agreement in this area should include: arrangements that support data exchange for law enforcement purposes; operational cooperation between law enforcement authorities; and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. We have therefore proposed this agreement should include capabilities similar to those provided by SIS II, ECRIS and PNR.
The UK is not seeking membership of either Europol or Eurojust – that is not how third country arrangements with these agencies work. In line with the UK Approach, our legal text provides for cooperation between the UK and Europol and UK and Eurojust to facilitate multilateral law enforcement and criminal justice cooperation.
The UK will continue to be a global leader on security and one of the safest countries in the world.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to establish the electronic travel authorisation scheme; and whether that scheme will be operational by 1 January 2021.
Answered by Kevin Foster
We intend to introduce legislation to establish the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme next year. Until this legislation is passed the scheme cannot be introduced.
This scheme will be developed for delivery as part of the wider multi-year programme of change to the UK’s Points-Based Border and Immigration system.