Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make a comparative assessment of the potential merits of a charging structure for citizenship applications based on recovering the full costs for processing them rather than a full-profit model.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review and are set taking account of the charging powers provided by Section 68(9) of the Immigration Act 2014, which include the ability to set fees based on: the cost of processing the application, the benefits and entitlements provided by a successful application and the wider cost of the Migration and Borders system. Full details of which can be reviewed via the following link: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/22/section/68.
The Home Office does not make a profit from fees and any income from fees set above the cost of processing are utilised for the purpose of running the Migration and Borders system. Taking this approach helps to meet the costs of maintaining an effective Migration and Borders system which benefits everyone and reduces reliance on taxpayer funding.
The Home Office offers fee exemptions and waivers for citizenship applications in limited circumstances. These circumstances relate to righting historical anomalies in nationality law and, in relation to children who are applying to register as a British citizen, there is a fee exception for those who are in local authority care and a fee waiver based on affordability grounds, which were introduced on 16th June 2022.
Please find a previously published Equality Impact Assessment which includes considerations in respect of citizenship fees: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/1004/pdfs/uksiod_20231004_en_001.pdf.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the savings to (a) local councils and (b) other public bodies of ending No Recourse to Public Funds restrictions on parents of dependent children.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
It is a well-established principle that migrants coming to the UK should be able to maintain and support themselves and their families without creating a burden on the welfare system. That is the purpose of the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition and there are no plans to remove that condition.
Some temporary migrants are granted access to public funds, and in recognition of the fact that some individuals may need support despite being subject to an NRPF condition, safeguards exist.
Local authorities may also provide basic safety net support, regardless of immigration status, if it is established either that there is a risk to the wellbeing of a child or there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution, for example, where a person has community care needs or serious health problems. Support provided to a child by local authorities is not dependent on the immigration status of the child or their parent(s).
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her planned timetable is for implementing Respect Orders; and when decisions will be taken on pilot areas.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.
The Government recently announced Respect Orders which will be introduced through the Crime and Policing Bill. Respect Orders can be applied for by the police and local councils and are issued by the courts. They will enable courts to place wide-ranging restrictions on the behaviour of the most persistent and disruptive ASB offenders.
Respect Orders will be piloted prior to national rollout to make sure they are as effective as possible. Consideration will be given to where the pilots will take place in due course.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support she is providing to help ensure the Imperial War Museum’s Second World War Centenary Digitisation Project is able to upload and make accessible to the public photographs and reels of film.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Officials in my Department have been holding discussions with the Museum on this project as we value the Museum’s work marking significant national occasions, including the 80th anniversaries of Victory in Europe Day and Victory in Japan Day later this year. I am also delighted that we were able to confirm a Grant in Aid uplift for all national museums at the recent Budget which will support the Museum’s overall financial position.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department last reviewed the level of fees for citizenship applications.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under regular review.
The Home Office this week announced its intention to increase the fee to naturalise as a British Citizen to £1,605, and £1,070 for British Overseas Territories citizens, subject to Parliamentary approval.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the potential economic benefits of entering European Union customs union membership.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
No. The Government is working with the EU to identify areas where we can strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit, such as the economy, energy, security and resilience. There will be no return to the customs union. We are committed to finding constructive ways to work together and deliver for the British people.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to allow not-for-profit Community Interest Companies to receive the associated advantages of non-profit organisations.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
While Community Interest Companies (CICs) must satisfy the Regulator that their primary purpose is to benefit a community, they can still generate profit, albeit with restrictions on profit distribution and as long as profits are primarily used to benefit the community.
CICs occupy a middle-ground between private enterprises and charities, providing unique advantages and opportunities. Compared to non-profit organisations, CICs have greater flexibility, no trustees, and can pay directors. CICs benefit from the risk-taking features of a company and access the debt market for loans. The Secretary of State does not intend to change the associated advantages of CICs.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will undertake a review of the (a) funding model and (b) role of community pharmacies.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system. The Government is committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and to better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. That includes making prescribing part of the services delivered by community pharmacists.
By 2026 all newly qualified pharmacists will have a prescribing qualification, with additional investment in upskilling the existing workforce to also become independent prescribers. NHS England is currently piloting how prescribing can work in community pharmacy in all integrated care boards, supporting a range of conditions. These pathfinders will then inform any future decisions about the service.
We will shortly be resuming our consultation with Community Pharmacy England regarding the funding arrangements for community pharmacy.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her Department's target response time to Freedom of Information requests is; and when she plans to respond to Case NC39961.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The statutory timescale for responding to FOI requests is 20 working days. A response to the Honourable Gentleman was issued by MHCLG’s correspondence team on 10 January 2025. I hope that he will accept my apologies for any inconvenience caused by the delay to this response.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure almshouse providers who do not have 1,000 homes but are willing to become registered social landlords are able to do so.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As part of the recent consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework, the government sought views on whether changes were needed to the definition of ‘affordable housing for rent’ to make it easier for organisations that are not Registered Providers, including almshouses, to develop new affordable homes.
While the government are committed to making it easier for almshouses to develop new affordable homes, we ultimately decided against extending the definition to capture almshouses for the reasons set out in our response to the consultation which can be found on gov.uk here.
Informed by the points raised in the consultation, the government will actively explore options in future changes to national policy related to decision making.
For those landlords who wish to register with the Regulator of Social Housing, there is no bar to registration because of size. Registered providers of social housing must meet standards that ensure tenants live in homes that are good quality and well-maintained and that landlords are well-managed and remain financially viable. The Regulator is operationally independent and has designed a registration process that seeks to ensure providers are able to meet its standards once registered.