Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Nationality and Borders Act to mitigate the risk of indirect discrimination for claims based on protected characteristics, in accordance with paragraph 21 of that Act’s Equality Impact Assessment.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
An Equality Impact Assessment was published on 16 September, as part of the then Nationality and Borders Bill (now Act).
All our policies under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 will be subject to ongoing monitoring and evaluation, with the operation of our policies being kept under close review. The Home Office routinely publishes migration statistics, which forms the basis of our analysis.
We are also committed to engaging with our external stakeholders to explore any trends or issues that they are identifying and any other outputs.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a full welfare assessment was conducted for every Albanian national selected for removal from the UK on 12 October 2022; where the assessment took place; and who undertook the assessment.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We do not routinely comment on individual cases.
All those arriving in the UK by small boat, regardless of nationality, are given the opportunity to raise any protection claims. No one has been removed whilst they had a pending claim for protection or as a potential victim of modern slavery.
Our facilities at Western Jetfoil and Manston both have medical facilities staffed 24/7. Following a full health check by a medical professional, individuals are provided clean dry clothes. Messaging at both sites encourages individuals to make known any medical, welfare or individual needs they may have. Where vulnerable individuals are identified, appropriate care pathways are established.
All individuals arriving in the UK may be examined to establish whether they require leave (permission) to enter the UK, including those arriving via an unauthorised or irregular route. In those circumstances, the presence of a legal representative is not necessary to determine the purpose of an individual’s arrival in the UK, and there is no legal right to such representation. Where an individual is unwilling to answer questions about the purpose of their arrival, the Border Force officer cannot be satisfied of the individuals eligibility to enter the UK and they may be refused.
Where an individual mentions any fear of return to their home country, or indicates they may be a victim of modern slavery or trafficking then officers are required to follow the relevant processes to ensure that those claims are properly considered in line with our international and domestic legal obligations.
Where interviews are being conducted in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE), officers will be compliant with the codes of practice including the right to legal representation.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what legal advice was available to and accessed by the Albanian nationals who were removed from the UK on 12 October 2022.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We do not routinely comment on individual cases.
All those arriving in the UK by small boat, regardless of nationality, are given the opportunity to raise any protection claims. No one has been removed whilst they had a pending claim for protection or as a potential victim of modern slavery.
Our facilities at Western Jetfoil and Manston both have medical facilities staffed 24/7. Following a full health check by a medical professional, individuals are provided clean dry clothes. Messaging at both sites encourages individuals to make known any medical, welfare or individual needs they may have. Where vulnerable individuals are identified, appropriate care pathways are established.
All individuals arriving in the UK may be examined to establish whether they require leave (permission) to enter the UK, including those arriving via an unauthorised or irregular route. In those circumstances, the presence of a legal representative is not necessary to determine the purpose of an individual’s arrival in the UK, and there is no legal right to such representation. Where an individual is unwilling to answer questions about the purpose of their arrival, the Border Force officer cannot be satisfied of the individuals eligibility to enter the UK and they may be refused.
Where an individual mentions any fear of return to their home country, or indicates they may be a victim of modern slavery or trafficking then officers are required to follow the relevant processes to ensure that those claims are properly considered in line with our international and domestic legal obligations.
Where interviews are being conducted in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE), officers will be compliant with the codes of practice including the right to legal representation.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Albanian nationals were originally considered for removal from the UK on 12 October 2022 through the accelerated removals procedure; and how many were taken out of the process as a result of (a) making an asylum claim and (b) being identified as potential victims of modern slavery.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We do not routinely comment on individual cases.
All those arriving in the UK by small boat, regardless of nationality, are given the opportunity to raise any protection claims. No one has been removed whilst they had a pending claim for protection or as a potential victim of modern slavery.
Our facilities at Western Jetfoil and Manston both have medical facilities staffed 24/7. Following a full health check by a medical professional, individuals are provided clean dry clothes. Messaging at both sites encourages individuals to make known any medical, welfare or individual needs they may have. Where vulnerable individuals are identified, appropriate care pathways are established.
All individuals arriving in the UK may be examined to establish whether they require leave (permission) to enter the UK, including those arriving via an unauthorised or irregular route. In those circumstances, the presence of a legal representative is not necessary to determine the purpose of an individual’s arrival in the UK, and there is no legal right to such representation. Where an individual is unwilling to answer questions about the purpose of their arrival, the Border Force officer cannot be satisfied of the individuals eligibility to enter the UK and they may be refused.
Where an individual mentions any fear of return to their home country, or indicates they may be a victim of modern slavery or trafficking then officers are required to follow the relevant processes to ensure that those claims are properly considered in line with our international and domestic legal obligations.
Where interviews are being conducted in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE), officers will be compliant with the codes of practice including the right to legal representation.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the role the Albanian police played during the removal of Albanian nationals on 12 October; and whether the Albanian police had direct contact with those Albanian nationals.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We do not routinely comment on individual cases.
All those arriving in the UK by small boat, regardless of nationality, are given the opportunity to raise any protection claims. No one has been removed whilst they had a pending claim for protection or as a potential victim of modern slavery.
The Albanian police representative working with the Home Office to tackle organised crime groups have no role in UK immigration decisions or the return of individuals to Albania.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any representatives of the Albanian police were present for the handling of Albanian nationals selected for removal on 12 October.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We do not routinely comment on individual cases.
All those arriving in the UK by small boat, regardless of nationality, are given the opportunity to raise any protection claims. No one has been removed whilst they had a pending claim for protection or as a potential victim of modern slavery.
The Albanian police representative working with the Home Office to tackle organised crime groups have no role in UK immigration decisions or the return of individuals to Albania.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the modern slavery variant of the ILLEN or RED form was completed for any of the Albanian nationals removed from the UK on 12 October?
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We do not routinely comment on individual cases.
All those arriving in the UK by small boat, regardless of nationality, are given the opportunity to raise any protection claims. No one has been removed whilst they had a pending claim for protection or as a potential victim of modern slavery.
The Albanian police representative working with the Home Office to tackle organised crime groups have no role in UK immigration decisions or the return of individuals to Albania.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Joint Committee, as described in the Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Rwanda for the provision of an asylum partnership arrangement, is currently operational.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Joint Committee met for the first time on 31 May in Rwanda. More details will be published on the Joint Committee in due course.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Rwanda for the provision of an asylum partnership arrangement, who the UK Co-Chair of the Joint Committee is.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Joint Committee met for the first time on 31 May in Rwanda. More details will be published on the Joint Committee in due course.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her policy to publish all minutes from the meetings of the Joint Committee of the UK-Rwanda partnership.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Joint Committee met for the first time on 31 May in Rwanda. More details will be published on the Joint Committee in due course.