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, for what reason international students who graduated from British universities prior to September 2020 are unable to apply for the UK post-study work visa.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Graduate route demonstrates our commitment to attract the brightest and best talent from around the world to study and work in the UK.
The route was introduced in 2021 to help new graduates who have successfully completed a relevant qualification in eligible UK universities get a head-start on their career by allowing these graduates to work or look for work for up to three years immediately following their graduation.
Those who graduated and whose leave expired before the Graduate route was introduced do not meet the requirements of the route. Most of these students had commenced their course prior to the announcement of the route, and therefore had no expectation of benefitting from such a route when they applied to study in the UK. However, these students are able to apply for other routes from overseas, including the Skilled Worker route, if they meet the requirements.
The expansion of the Skilled Worker route to include roles at RQF3 and above in December 2020 significantly increased the number of roles they could consider applying for in the UK which would qualify.
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 (a) overnight allowance for police officers working away from home overnight, and (b) additional hardship allowance for those without proper accommodation is provided to forces as a taxable benefit.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
Police officers in the federated ranks may be entitled to an away from home overnight allowance and an additional hardship allowance when the eligibility criteria set out in determinations made under the Police Regulations 2003 is met. Allowances are subject to taxation rules made by HM Revenue and Customs.
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 proportion of Afghans who arrived under Operation Pitting have received Indefinite Leave to Remain.
Answered by Kevin Foster
In view of the urgency of the situation the majority of those who entered the UK during the evacuation phase were initially granted limited leave to enter with access to public funds and employment. This status is not a bar to them being permanently housed or to starting their life in the UK, including taking employment.
The Home Office has now started the process to support them in applying for and being granted Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). Our aim is to conclude this process before individuals’ leave to remain expires. All those evacuated will be provided with ILR.
Communications have been issued advising individuals of next steps to progress permanent residence in the UK. They also provide links to guidance and information on how prospective employers and landlords can contact the Home Office to confirm individuals’ right to take employment and rented accommodation.
More information can be found in the Afghanistan Resettlement and Immigration Policy Statement
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 Afghans who arrived under Operation Pitting and given six months Leave To Remain will have their status converted to Indefinite Leave to Remain in an appropriate immigration category by the end of their six month period.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Following the policy statement, the Government published on 13 September, we will be working through the cases of those who have recently arrived from Afghanistan and will be processing them in line with the published policy.
The Home Office is contacting those here in the UK under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy and those moving onto the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, in order to assist them to obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain status.
No one will be required to leave the United Kingdom, or be disadvantaged in any way, while we work through their cases.
More information can be found in the Afghanistan Resettlement and Immigration Policy Statement
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 much revenue her Department received from visa fees in the 12 months to October 2021.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Home Office records and publishes data on a financial year basis. Please refer to page 161 of the Home Office 2020-21 Annual Report and Accounts, which contains data from April 2020 to and including March 2021, for the most recent disclosure of visa and immigration income.
HO annual report and accounts 2020-21 (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Data relating to the current financial year has yet to be published but will be made available in the 2021-22 Home Office Annual Report and Accounts.
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 ensure that (a) if drones are used by the police to monitor protests that protesters are aware that aerial surveillance will be taking place, and (b) should government agencies wish to use drones for covert surveillance that authorisation will only be given when necessary and proportionate.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
Decisions to use drones and in what circumstances, are operational matters for police forces who, when operating drones, are subject to the requirements of the Air Navigation Order and data protection law, including the need to provide data protection impact assessments.
Covert surveillance activities of public authorities are governed by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) 2000 and Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act (RIPSA) 2000. Authorisation for using drones for covert surveillance is therefore considered by agencies on a case by case basis, in accordance with the requirements of RIPA.
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 ensure that LGBTQ+ individuals seeking asylum in the UK from homophobic, biphobic or transphobic persecution abroad are (a) treated fairly and with dignity and (b) protected from persecution and harassment during their application.
Answered by Kevin Foster
All LGBTQ+ individuals seeking asylum in the UK are given every opportunity to disclose information relevant to their claim before a decision is taken, including where it may be sensitive or difficult to disclose.
Each case is considered on its individual merits by caseworkers who receive extensive training. All available evidence is carefully and sensitively considered in light of published country information ensuring all individuals are treated fairly and with dignity.
The Home Office work closely with a range of organisations specialising in asylum and human rights protection to trans and LGB communities.
We ensure LGBTQ+ asylum seekers are signposted to relevant NGOs specialising in the support of these individuals. This is done through an information leaflet given to all asylum claimants at the point of claim which includes sections on legal advice, additional help and assistance with links to relevant legal bodies and support organisations.
LGBTQ+ claimants can access specialist support upon claiming asylum from Rainbow Migration (formerly known as the UK Lesbian & Gay Immigration Group (UKLGIG)) who will guide them through the asylum procedure, including providing relevant information. They also offer one-to-one and group peer support to claimants.
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 tackle rising homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate crimes and hate incidents in the UK.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
All forms of abuse and hatred are unacceptable.
The UK has a robust legislative framework to respond to hate crimes, which target race, religion, sexual orientation, disability and transgender identity. The Government published the hate crime action plan (Action Against Hate: The UK Government’s plan for tackling hate crime) in 2016 and refreshed this Plan in October 2018.
The Government has commissioned a Law Commission review of the adequacy of current hate crime legislation. The review will report this year and we will respond to it when it is complete.
Also, the Home Office has funded multiple projects aimed at tackling homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate crime including:
Government action to tackle broader discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people includes:
The Government will continue to work with relevant stakeholders, including Galop and Stonewall, to ensure that these actions are having a positive impact on the range of LGBTQ+ communities affected by hate crime and wider discrimination.
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 legislative and other steps she is proposing to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate crimes in the UK ahead of the UK’s Safe To Be Me international LGBT+ conference in 2022.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
All forms of abuse and hatred are unacceptable.
The UK has a robust legislative framework to respond to hate crimes, which target race, religion, sexual orientation, disability and transgender identity. The Government published the hate crime action plan (Action Against Hate: The UK Government’s plan for tackling hate crime) in 2016 and refreshed this Plan in October 2018.
The Government has commissioned a Law Commission review of the adequacy of current hate crime legislation. The review will report this year and we will respond to it when it is complete.
Also, the Home Office has funded multiple projects aimed at tackling homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate crime including:
Government action to tackle broader discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people includes:
The Government will continue to work with relevant stakeholders, including Galop and Stonewall, to ensure that these actions are having a positive impact on the range of LGBTQ+ communities affected by hate crime and wider discrimination.
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 her Australian counterpart on new reciprocal visa access.
Answered by Kevin Foster
As part of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks with Australia, led by the Department for International Trade, Home Office officials have been involved in discussions in line with the government’s published objectives for a UK-Australian FTA on enhanced opportunities for business travel, and Australian proposals on other aspects of UK-Australian mobility, including youth mobility.