Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2023 to Question 6871 on Bibby Stockholm, if he will publish the Maritime and Coastguard Agency inspection report; and when this inspection took place.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
Appropriate inspections have been conducted by Plymouth Marine Office on behalf of Maritime & Coastguard Agency (PSC Inspection) and report issued on the 8th July 2023. In accordance with sec 197 of the Shipping Act 1994, Barbados Maritime Ship Registry duly inspected the vessel and found it to comply with the provisions of the said Act, Certificate of Inspection (03 Flag Safety Inspection) was issued on the 1st September 2023, and is valid for 12 months.
We have no plans to publish the inspection reports and the documents are used and held for internal purposes only.
The medical facility on the barge is staffed 5 days a week to provide an onsite primary healthcare service with which the asylum seekers will register; this means individuals will not need to register with a local GP practice. The medical team has previous experience of working with asylum seekers.
This team will provide care to the asylum seekers either on the vessel itself between the hours of 9am-5pm, or remotely (including outside of these hours).
Medical provision will include:
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Maritime Coastguard Agency has made an assessment of the (a) accommodation standards and (b) staff accreditation on the Bibby Stockholm barge.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Bibby Stockholm has been subject to certification and regulatory inspection by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency in order to fulfil its permitted purpose.
Accommodation providers ensure that guidance and training provided to staff regarding the identification and management of vulnerable asylum seekers with specific needs, or at risk asylum seekers, is kept up to date and aligns with best practice.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is his Department's policy that victims of (a) torture, (b) modern slavery and (c) trafficking will be housed on the Bibby Stockholm.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office assesses an individual’s suitability to reside at Portland and will only accommodate single adult males who are considered suitable to reside there. Guidance on the suitability criteria used can be found here: Allocation of accommodation (publishing.service.gov.uk).
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department became aware of legionnaire's disease on the Bibby Stockholm.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
As a temporary precaution to reduce the health risk as much as possible, on 11 August the Home Office went beyond the UKHSA advice and disembarked all 39 asylum seekers from the vessel to contingency asylum accommodation.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Home Office response to report on the re-inspection of family reunion applications published on 21 February 2023, what recent progress her Department has made towards (a) implementing the recommendations made by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration and (b) ensuring that family reunion applications are processed within the service standard of 12 weeks.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Government’s refugee family reunion policy provides a safe and legal route to bring families together. The Secretary of State for the Home Department has fully accepted all the recommendations made in the report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration regarding family reunion applications.
Following the recommendations made, the department has undertaken a review of its’ resourcing for consideration of Family Reunion visa applications and is increasing staffing levels. We have also reviewed processes and are developing our work in this area to enable us to provide a better service to our customers.
We prioritise all applications where the application has been made by an unaccompanied child, under the age of 18. We will also prioritise applications where there is an evidenced urgent or compelling reason.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration on a date for publication of his inspection of her Department's Afghan resettlement schemes.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Department is considering the ICIBI's findings and recommendations.
The Secretary of State for the Home Department has not discussed a date for publication with the ICIBI, but the report will be laid before Parliament as soon as the consideration has been completed.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is working with the Linda Norgrove Foundation to enable Afghan medical students to study in the UK.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
As has been the practice under successive Governments the Home Office does not routinely comment on individual cases.
We remain committed to providing protection for vulnerable and at-risk people fleeing Afghanistan and so far have brought around 24,600 people impacted by the situation back to the UK.
We continue to work with likeminded partners and countries neighbouring Afghanistan on resettlement issues, and to support safe passage for eligible Afghans. We also continue to welcome individuals to the UK through the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP).
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to regulate the prices and standards of companies providing Schengen visas.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Schengen Visa Fees are a matter for the European Union.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of the introduction of a recognition of service medal for police officers injured on duty and unable to continue service.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
We owe a tremendous gratitude to dedicated police officers for their continued hard work and sacrifice. There is no doubt that police officers who have their service cut short through injury have made, and in many cases will continue to make, an invaluable contribution to the emergency services.
It is right that there are provisions to support police officers who are injured in the line of duty, through the provision of paid leave, the injury benefit scheme and medical retirement where appropriate. Alongside the existing Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, and the King’s Police Medal, work is continuing on an appropriate way to mark the contribution of emergency workers and other public servants who are killed while serving the public. If they are injured or killed while attempting to save the life of another, they may be eligible for a gallantry award.
The Government has no plans currently to introduce a medal specifically for police officers who are injured on duty.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Family Reunion visa applications from 2022 are outstanding.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The number of outstanding applications are published in quarterly transparency data. The most recent data can be found at Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The next data is due to be published in or around September 2023.
We prioritise all applications where the application has been made by an unaccompanied child under the age of 18. We will also prioritise applications where there is an evidenced urgent or compelling reason.