Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress she has made on the full review of hostile environment policies following recommendation 7 of the Windrush: Lessons Learned review.
Answered by Priti Patel
My officials are consulting external experts, community organisations and the very people the Home Office has failed in the past in an extensive programme of engagement to ensure officials understand the change that is needed and that the organisation at every level learns the lessons of what went wrong.
I have accepted the Windrush Lessons Learned review’s important findings and I will be publishing the Government’s response to the review shortly, including how we will take forward a review and evaluation of compliant environment policies.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason there is a requirement to provide biometric data in applications for further leave to remain from applicants for whom biometric data is already held.
Answered by Kevin Foster
We have implemented measures to reduce the impact on people caused by the restrictions which have been necessary to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
As already set out we have introduced reuse of previously enrolled biometrics and published guidance on Gov.UK which sets out the applicable circumstances. The guidance can be found here:
People can still evidence their right to work through the Employer Checking Service after they have submitted an application for a biometric residence permit to ensure there is no impact on their employment.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of delays in renewing biometric residency permits due to the covid-1-9 outbreak on people's ability to prove their right to work.
Answered by Kevin Foster
We have implemented measures to reduce the impact on people caused by the restrictions which have been necessary to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
As already set out we have introduced reuse of previously enrolled biometrics and published guidance on Gov.UK which sets out the applicable circumstances. The guidance can be found here:
People can still evidence their right to work through the Employer Checking Service after they have submitted an application for a biometric residence permit to ensure there is no impact on their employment.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph A3 of the Tier 2 of the Points Based System – Policy Guidance, for what reasons care workers have not been included in that paragraph.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Those currently applying for the Health and Care Visa must meet the Tier 2 (General) immigration route requirements. Under the requirements of the current Tier 2 (General), a migrant worker must be filling a degree level job and meet the relevant salary threshold.
The UK’s new Points-Based Immigration System, which will come into effect from January 2021, will include changing the qualifying skill level – to A level and equivalent and above - and salary requirements.
Senior care workers will qualify under the UK’s Points-Based Immigration System and guidance on occupations eligible for the Health and Care Visa will be updated in line with the launch of the new Skilled Workers route and the expanded skills threshold.
As we implement our new global points-based immigration system we want employers in the care sector to focus on ensuring care workers are offered rewarding packages and career development opportunities which value the vital work they do, rather than the UK’s migration system providing them with an alternative to doing this.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph A3, Tier 2 of the Points Based System – Policy Guidance, whether she plans to add care workers to the list of eligible occupations for the Health and Social Care Visa.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Those currently applying for the Health and Care Visa must meet the Tier 2 (General) immigration route requirements. Under the requirements of the current Tier 2 (General), a migrant worker must be filling a degree level job and meet the relevant salary threshold.
The UK’s new Points-Based Immigration System, which will come into effect from January 2021, will include changing the qualifying skill level – to A level and equivalent and above - and salary requirements.
Senior care workers will qualify under the UK’s Points-Based Immigration System and guidance on occupations eligible for the Health and Care Visa will be updated in line with the launch of the new Skilled Workers route and the expanded skills threshold.
As we implement our new global points-based immigration system we want employers in the care sector to focus on ensuring care workers are offered rewarding packages and career development opportunities which value the vital work they do, rather than the UK’s migration system providing them with an alternative to doing this.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of granting Leave to Remain to people in the UK on a Tier 2 Visa who have been made redundant during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Tier 2 is an employer led route aimed at filling a specific vacancy where the organisation cannot fill it from within the domestic labour market. The Government does not have any plans to grant leave to remain to those made redundant as a result of the Covid pandemic and have no other basis of stay.
However, the Government has put in place measures to support people at this time which people on a Tier 2 visa would be eligible for support from including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (Furlough). This must be part of a company-wide policy, with the relevant visa holders considered as part of this, but this will allow many employers to retain staff rather than making them redundant.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish further details on the Health and Care Visa.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Government laid the “Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) (No.3) Regulations 2020”, in Parliament on 14 July.
We also published updated Tier 2 policy guidance, which includes information on the Health and Care Visa. The updated guidance is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-application-for-uk-visa-as-tier-2-worker.
The Health and Care Visa will open for applications on 4 August.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long it takes on average for someone granted bail from immigration detention to be found an adequate place to be housed.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Providing the information requested would require a manual check of individual records which could only be done at disproportionate cost to the taxpayer.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of availability of adequate hygiene facilities in immigration removal centres.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The safety and health of people in the detention estate are of the utmost importance. We are following all Public Health England guidance on COVID-19 and have robust contingency plans in place, including measures such as shielding and use of personal protective equipment.
Basic hygiene is a key part of tackling COVID-19. Handwashing facilities are available in all immigration removal centres and we are working closely with suppliers to ensure we have an adequate supply of soap and cleaning materials. The arrangements in place are subject to regular review by Home Office staff and suppliers at each IRC.
In addition, each centre has posters and leaflets to inform staff and detainees about the importance of handwashing and social distancing to minimise the risk from COVID-19. Detainees are also able to speak to staff directly for advice on the protective measures in place.
Guidance on managing COVID-19 in immigration removal centres was published on gov.uk on 5 June https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-immigration-removal-centres.
As of 12 June 2020, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in immigration removal centres.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has completed their review of every person detained under immigration powers in relation to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
All individuals in detention from 23 March were reviewed to see if they were at a heightened risk from COVID-19, following guidance setting out the action that case workers should take in response to COVID-19. This reflected Public Health England guidance issued on 16 March 2020.? Detained cases have continued to be reviewed in light of updated guidance, and in accordance with detention guidance and known country situations.
The Government published statistics relating to COVID-19 and the immigration system on gov.uk, on 28 May and the latest Immigration Statistics publication includes the numbers of individuals detained under immigration powers in prisons.