Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 70 of the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, published in July 2021, whether she plans to consult (a) victims of and (b) experts on public sexual harassment when reviewing where there may be gaps in existing legislation on public sexual harassment.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Sexual harassment in public places is an appalling practice, which the Government is absolutely committed to tackling. It is not acceptable that so many women and girls do not feel safe on our streets as a result of this behaviour.
As set out in the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, the Government is looking carefully at where there may be gaps in existing law and how a specific offence for public sexual harassment could address those. This is a complex area, and it is important that we take the time to ensure that any potential legislation is proportionate and reasonably defined. We will publish updates on this work in due course.
The Tackling VAWG Strategy also sets out the non-legislative work which the Government is taking in this area. A national communications campaign will challenge this type of behaviour, and ensure victims know how and where to report it. We will ensure police and prosecutors are confident about how to respond to public sexual harassment, and as such the College of Policing will provide new guidance for police officers and the Crown Prosecution Service will update its legal guidance on public order offences to add specific information on public sexual harassment. And to prevent this behaviour from happening in the first place, we will deepen our understanding of who commits these crimes, why they do so, and how it may escalate, for example through our new funding for what works to tackle violence against women and girls.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 70 of the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, published in July 2021, what her Department's timeframe is for reviewing where there may be gaps in existing legislation on public sexual harassment.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Sexual harassment in public places is an appalling practice, which the Government is absolutely committed to tackling. It is not acceptable that so many women and girls do not feel safe on our streets as a result of this behaviour.
As set out in the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, the Government is looking carefully at where there may be gaps in existing law and how a specific offence for public sexual harassment could address those. This is a complex area, and it is important that we take the time to ensure that any potential legislation is proportionate and reasonably defined. We will publish updates on this work in due course.
The Tackling VAWG Strategy also sets out the non-legislative work which the Government is taking in this area. A national communications campaign will challenge this type of behaviour, and ensure victims know how and where to report it. We will ensure police and prosecutors are confident about how to respond to public sexual harassment, and as such the College of Policing will provide new guidance for police officers and the Crown Prosecution Service will update its legal guidance on public order offences to add specific information on public sexual harassment. And to prevent this behaviour from happening in the first place, we will deepen our understanding of who commits these crimes, why they do so, and how it may escalate, for example through our new funding for what works to tackle violence against women and girls.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 70 of the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, published in July 2021, what steps her Department is taking to identify gaps in existing legislation on public sexual harassment; and if she will set out the terms of reference for conducting such a review.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Sexual harassment in public places is an appalling practice, which the Government is absolutely committed to tackling. It is not acceptable that so many women and girls do not feel safe on our streets as a result of this behaviour.
As set out in the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, the Government is looking carefully at where there may be gaps in existing law and how a specific offence for public sexual harassment could address those. This is a complex area, and it is important that we take the time to ensure that any potential legislation is proportionate and reasonably defined. We will publish updates on this work in due course.
The Tackling VAWG Strategy also sets out the non-legislative work which the Government is taking in this area. A national communications campaign will challenge this type of behaviour, and ensure victims know how and where to report it. We will ensure police and prosecutors are confident about how to respond to public sexual harassment, and as such the College of Policing will provide new guidance for police officers and the Crown Prosecution Service will update its legal guidance on public order offences to add specific information on public sexual harassment. And to prevent this behaviour from happening in the first place, we will deepen our understanding of who commits these crimes, why they do so, and how it may escalate, for example through our new funding for what works to tackle violence against women and girls.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to increase the availability of volume of adequate accommodation for people seeking asylum.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The current global pandemic has presented significant challenges when it comes to the provision of asylum accommodation, including sourcing sufficient suitable accommodation to meet demand. The use of hotels and wider government facilities is a short-term measure and we are working with our accommodation providers to move people to longer-term dispersal accommodation as soon as it becomes available.
The Home Office has been working with asylum accommodation providers, Local Authorities and Strategic Migration Partnerships to increase the amount of accommodation available for asylum seekers so we can eliminate the need for the use of contingency accommodation.
We are grateful to those local authorities who participate in the dispersal scheme and will continue to work in partnership with them to procure suitable accommodation.
Sadly, many local authorities do not currently participate in the dispersal scheme, making it harder to procure sufficient dispersal accommodation. I would encourage them to step up and play their part in the UK-wide effort to provide accommodation to those seeking asylum who would otherwise be destitute.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to ensure that asylum cases are determined on the basis of need without consideration of the route of arrival to the UK.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
We are clear that those in genuine need of protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach where they have that opportunity, rather than choosing to make further unnecessary and dangerous journeys to the UK. Where appropriate, we will apply the provisions in the Immigration Rules to declare such claims inadmissible for consideration in the UK asylum system.
Where an individual is admitted for consideration to our asylum system, and they did not come directly to the UK or claim asylum without delay once here, they are likely to get a new temporary protection status if they have been recognised as requiring protection. This status will afford basic entitlements whilst still meeting our international law obligations.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to introduce targets for resettling refugees under the new global UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) that will commence on completion of the Vulnerable Persons and Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Schemes, announced in March 2021.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) commenced in March 2021 following the successful completion of the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme through which 20,000 refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria were given sanctuary in the UK. Through the UKRS we continue to welcome vulnerable refugees in need of protection to the UK.
The number of refugees we resettle every year will depend on a variety of factors including local authorities’ capacity for supporting those we resettle and the extent to which Community Sponsorship continues to thrive. This year, the recovery across Government from the pandemic will be a significant factor affecting capacity, along with levels of illegal immigration. We are working closely with our partners to assess the capacity for resettlement in the months ahead and will continue to welcome those in need in the years to come.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle unsolicited goods scams.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Fraudsters are sophisticated and will exploit any vulnerabilities they can, especially as more of us find ourselves at home and online. This includes unsolicited goods scams whereby victims receive a package they did not order nor expect to be delivered, but instead has been sent by fraudsters using publicly available names and addresses.
We continue to encourage anyone who has been targeted by these scams to directly report this to the seller and contact Action Fraud, the national reporting service for fraud and cybercrime. Action Fraud can be contacted by phone on 0300 123 2040 or through their website:
https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/reporting-fraud-and-cyber-crime.
As well as this, Action Fraud also regularly provide fraud alerts via their website, which can help individuals raise their awareness and obtain advice on how to combat these scams. This can currently be accessed at:
https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/news.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing an alternative substantive approach to the EU Settlement Scheme deadline to ensure people who need to make late applications do so.
Answered by Kevin Foster
There are no plans to extend the 30 June deadline for applications to the EU Settlement Scheme by those EU citizens and their family members resident in the UK by the end of the transition period, or to extend the associated grace period during which existing EU law rights remain protected.
The Home Office has invested nearly £8 million in marketing campaigns to encourage EU citizens and their family members to apply to the scheme. We recently launched a new wave of UK advertising to ensure EU citizens and their family members are aware of the deadline and know they need to apply. We are also working closely with employers, local authorities and charities to raise awareness.
In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, we have made clear where a person eligible for status under the scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June deadline, they will be given a further opportunity to apply.
Non-exhaustive guidance on reasonable grounds for submitting a late application was published on 1 April. It includes where there are compelling practical or compassionate reasons why a person may have been unaware of the requirement to apply to the scheme by the deadline or may have failed to do so.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of extending the grace period for EU Settlement Scheme applications for EU citizens who need to make late applications.
Answered by Kevin Foster
There are no plans to extend the 30 June deadline for applications to the EU Settlement Scheme by those EU citizens and their family members resident in the UK by the end of the transition period, or to extend the associated grace period during which existing EU law rights remain protected.
The Home Office has invested nearly £8 million in marketing campaigns to encourage EU citizens and their family members to apply to the scheme. We recently launched a new wave of UK advertising to ensure EU citizens and their family members are aware of the deadline and know they need to apply. We are also working closely with employers, local authorities and charities to raise awareness.
In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, we have made clear where a person eligible for status under the scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June deadline, they will be given a further opportunity to apply.
Non-exhaustive guidance on reasonable grounds for submitting a late application was published on 1 April. It includes where there are compelling practical or compassionate reasons why a person may have been unaware of the requirement to apply to the scheme by the deadline or may have failed to do so.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the ability of au pairs who are EU citizens to continue working in the UK.
Answered by Kevin Foster
EEA and Swiss citizens who were resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 can apply for UK immigration status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), to enable them to continue living and working in the UK after 30 June 2021. Eligibility for the EUSS is not generally concerned with whether the applicant has been engaged in a qualifying activity, such as employment.
Since 1 January 2021, EEA and Swiss citizens newly arriving in the UK and non-EEA citizens are treated equally within the immigration system. As has been the case since 2008, the UK’s points-based immigration system will not offer a dedicated route for au pairs.
Those who have general rights to work in the UK, such as those who arrive under our Youth Mobility Schemes (YMS), would be eligible to undertake such work. We remain committed to operating and expanding our YMS. However, as each YMS is subject to a reciprocal arrangement, we will not add nations to the scheme unilaterally without such an agreement as they are not simply a route for recruiting overseas.