Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2021 to Question 155387, how private individuals or households can employ skilled childcare workers from overseas since they are unable to register as approved UK employers.
Answered by Kevin Foster
It is possible for skilled professional childcare workers to be employed through the Skilled Worker route. This would require the salary to reach a sufficient threshold, along with the employment structure of such roles to be facilitated through a registered company, whom holds a valid sponsor licence.
In addition, there are other immigration routes which lead to general work rights in the UK, such as those who arrive under our family routes or our Youth Mobility Schemes (YMS). Although it should be noted our YMS is primarily an exchange system based on reciprocal arrangements, it is not intended as a one-way route to sourcing labour overseas.
While I recognise the importance of childcare for many people, immigration cannot be the first recourse for employers, especially at a time when many UK based workers are facing uncertainty due to the economic impact of the global pandemic. There are many childcare options available from within the resident labour market which should be considered in the first instance.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to launch the new UK Resettlement Scheme; whether the scheme includes the Government's current ambition to resettle 5,000 refugees in its first year; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK will continue to welcome refugees through resettlement following the completion of the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS). We continue to work closely with domestic and international partners on plans to complete the VPRS and to assess the UK’s capacity for resettlement activity, as we recover from the pandemic.
Resettlement will continue to play a primary role, alongside a reformed asylum system, which will see us continue to offer safe and legal routes to the UK for vulnerable people in need of protection.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how private individuals and households can register as an approved UK employer for the purposes of employing an au pair, child care assistant, child minder or nanny under the Skilled Worker visa scheme.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The sponsorship system is designed to ensure employers fulfil specific duties to confirm those who apply for permission to enter or stay in the UK to work are eligible and will comply with the conditions of their visa.
Businesses are able to comply with these duties and demonstrate a verifiable track record of operating lawfully in the UK, both within the immigration system and the wider employer regulatory regime, in a way individuals or households cannot. Individuals cannot therefore be licensed to sponsor workers. This approach ensures the integrity of the immigration system from abuse and safeguards migrants from exploitative practices.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to set up a serial number registration scheme to tackle the theft of catalytic converters from cars.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government recognises the negative impact this crime has on industry and the public, causing distress and disruption to victims. We continue to work closely with police and motor manufacturers through the National Vehicle Crime Working Group, established by the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime and overseen by the Government’s Crime and Justice Taskforce, to understand what more can be done to tackle the theft of catalytic converters.
The Government is committed to reducing both the opportunity for these crimes to occur and the ability to profit from acquisitive crime. We are working with the police to identify where and how stolen goods are sold and are examining ways to ensure property is identifiable and traceable.
We are committed to providing funding to set up the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership, ensuring national co-ordination of policing and law enforcement partners to tackle metal theft. Through this, the partnership has already started sharing intelligence and providing training to police forces, and the partnership will also enable intelligence sharing between police and industry partners such as transport, power, and telecommunications, to target offenders and implement crime prevention measures.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued on which calibres (a) qualify firearms for antique status and (b) are to be amended due to their usage by criminals so that antique dealers and military collectors can ensure they take the correct action to comply with changes in the law.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Home Office Guide on Firearms Licensing Law includes guidance on which firearms can currently be regarded as antique. The Guide can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/518193/Guidance_on_Firearms_Licensing_Law_April_2016_v20.pdf.
Since 2007, the number of antique firearms recovered in criminal circumstances has increased significantly as criminals have taken advantage of the lack of a legal definition of ‘antique firearm’ to obtain old, but functioning, firearms for use in crime.
That is why on 9 November, the draft Antique Firearms Regulations 2020 were laid before Parliament. They will define ‘antique firearm’ in law, thereby providing legal clarity on which firearms can safely be regarded as antique, and therefore exempt from most firearms controls, and those which must be subject to licensing.
We will further strengthen the controls by removing from the definition of ‘antique firearm’ seven cartridges which have regularly been used in crime. This will mean that firearms chambered for use with those seven cartridges will become subject to licensing. However, owners will be able to keep such firearms on a firearm certificate. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/policing-and-crime-bill-proposals-to-implement-legislation-to-define-antique-firearms.
Subject to the regulations being approved by Parliament, we will publicise the changes in the law on gov.uk and through the media. We are also working closely with representatives of collectors, museums, dealers and shooting organisations on other ways of reaching people – for example, through their websites and newsletters.
Asked by: Nickie Aiken (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the Public Order Act 1986 in relation to social-media-driven protest with limited organisational structure.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Home Office continues to monitor developments in relation to demonstrations and are working closely with the relevant national police leads to review current public order powers to ensure that they are fit for purpose.