Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Margaret Ferrier Excerpts
Monday 8th February 2021

(3 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lindsay Hoyle Portrait Mr Speaker
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I am sorry about that. We will now go to Margaret Ferrier.

Margaret Ferrier Portrait Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)
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Will the Home Office exercise discretion and flexibility for current UK-based Hongkongers by incorporating the time they have already spent in the UK under a tier 4 or tier 5 visa, should they wish to apply for the new British national overseas scheme?

Priti Patel Portrait Priti Patel
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The scheme has only just been launched. I reassure the hon. Lady that we are working with all sorts of civil society organisations, and I have spent a lot of time in dialogues and roundtables with a range of representatives. Therefore, having just launched the scheme, which is a bespoke humanitarian route created for BNOs, we are absolutely looking at how we can ensure that the route works well. We are also engaging with non-governmental organisations and civil society to ensure that we do not miss people.