Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will publish the outcome of the 2014 public consultation on section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The Government intends to bring forward proposals and engage with stakeholders this year on transparency and the protection of confidential information regarding the regulation of the use of animals in science.
By doing so the Government intends to clarify Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, taking account of the previous consultation.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on improving visas processes; and what steps he is taking to (a) lower costs and (b) increase the efficiency of visa processes for specialists from abroad.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
UK Visas and Immigration has faced a number of pressures over the last two years and have seen high demand following the easing of travel restrictions as well as the crisis in both Afghanistan and Ukraine.
UKVI are committed to ensuring that its operational teams have the resources they need to run an efficient and effective system, and actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand, increasing our use of contingent labour where necessary.
UK Visas and Immigration continue to regularly update their guidance on expected waiting times so that customers have a realistic indication of how long their applications will take to be processed and can plan accordingly.
Service standards are the official timeframes that UKVI work towards
Priority services have also been reinstated across our key visa routes which enables customers to receive a decision within 5 days for Priority Visa Services (PV) and the next working day for Super Priority Visas (SPV).
The Home Office keeps fees under review. Fees for migration and borders products and services play a vital role in our country’s ability to run a sustainable system. We believe it is right that those who use the systems should contribute to its cost, thereby reducing the burden on the UK taxpayer.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the adequacy of the Skilled Worker visa for increasing the level of labour in key sectors in the context of a decline in immigration from Europe since the UK left the EU.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Home Secretary has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of subjects, including immigration. Discussions among Cabinet colleagues are considered confidential. Any policy changes will be announced to Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the impact points-based immigration system on availability of labour in (a) manufacturing, (b) transport and (c) other sectors; and if she will take steps to help tackle these skills shortages.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Visa routes under the points-based immigration system allow firms to attract skilled workers across a range of sectors including manufacturing and transport.
However, labour market issues should not be resolved through Government intervention alone. Immigration must be considered alongside investment in, and development of, the UK’s domestic labour force.
An early insights evaluation of the Skilled Worker route was published on 15 July 2022: Skilled Worker visa: early insights evaluation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Home Office is continuing to develop plans to evaluate immigration routes introduced under the points-based immigration system.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on the adequacy of the regulation of nitrous oxide.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
Cabinet colleagues and other ministers meet regularly to discuss a wide range of matters. The Government takes the supply of substances for their psychoactive effect very seriously. There are legitimate uses for nitrous oxide, such as in medicine, dentistry and as a propellant for whipped cream canisters, but those who supply nitrous oxide who know, or who are reckless as to whether, it will be used for its psychoactive effect may be subject to a maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. On 3 September, the Government asked the independent statutory advisory body, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, to provide an updated assessment of the harms of nitrous oxide and adequacy of controls.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to accelerate the provision of visas to the 35 Afghan Chevening scholarship students.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government worked tirelessly to support the evacuation from Afghanistan, up until the UK’s final withdrawal on 28 August. All 35 Chevening scholars were contacted and the Afghan Chevening Scholars who arrived in the UK were given conditions of permission which allow them to start their course of study.
We are aware that there a small number of scholars who are currently in a third country overseas and we are working to find the best solution for them to come to the UK to start their course, unless they choose to defer their studies until next year. Those overseas in a third country can make a visa application as normal.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to deploy additional staff to the EU Settlement Scheme Resolution Centre Helpline in response to the high volume of calls being made to that helpline as the deadline for applications approaches.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Resource for the EUSS Resolution Centre is kept under close review and additional resource has been made available to support call handling.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has provided the Department for Work and Pensions on the continued payment of universal credit to people who are (a) awaiting a decision about their EU Settled Status applications or (b) appealing a rejection of their EU Settled Status application.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Citizens’ Rights (Application Deadline and Temporary Protection) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 protect existing relevant EU law rights. EEA citizens and their family members who were lawfully resident in the UK at the end of the transition period and apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) by the 30 June deadline, have their rights protected until the final determination of an application, including through any appeal.
There is a system-to-system service between the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Home Office, which will in most cases confirm a pending application to the EUSS automatically.
We continue to work closely with DWP to ensure anyone whose rights are protected by making an in-time application to the EUSS will continue to receive benefits. DWP have provided staff with guidance.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the (a) number and (b) location of mobile sites EE will build using state aid under the Emergency Services Network contract in North Ayrshire and Arran constituency; how many such sites have received planning approval; how many such sites have entered the build phase; how many such sites were live as of 1 February 2018; how many such sites are being built with the capacity for multi-occupancy; how many such sites have a confirmed second tenant; and how much money from the public purse has been allocated for each such site.
Answered by Nick Hurd
I can confirm there will be 3 new EE sites and 5 Extended Area Service (EAS) sites located in the constituency of North Ayrshire and Arran.
All new EE sites are being built and delivered to agreed Home Office timeframes and where possible will go live earlier to support commercial coverage. All 3 new sites in North Ayrshire and Arran have planning permission. None of the three new sites are commercially available at present.
In respect of EAS sites I can confirm that there are currently 5 sites proposed on Arran and 1 has planning permission approved (or 1 HoTs signed – as none have yet entered the build phase).
Of the c.500 new sites EE is building, 291 will transfer over to the Home Office at the end of the contract term. EE is making available details of all shareable new sites to other mobile network operators proactively both directly and through an existing website used by the industry to arrange site sharing. EE has made available the details of 350 sites. EE is confident that the 291 sites which will transfer to the Home Office will be selected from this portfolio, and the Home Office and EE have now agreed 104 of these sites (and are working on confirming on which of the remainder will make up the rest of the 291). These will be shareable in accordance with the terms of the EC Decision in relation to State aid for this Programme.
Separately the Home Office, through the EAS project, are delivering circa 292 individual sites. I would also like to reassure you that the Home Office has been proactive in seeking to build masts that support multi-operator use where practicable.
Finally I thought it helpful to remind you that the Emergency Services Network is designed to, first and foremost, deliver a ‘blue-light’ communications service.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the (a) number and (b) location of new mobile sites under the Emergency Services Network contract that will be constructed in North Ayrshire and Arran constituency; how many of those sites have gained planning approval; how many sites in that same area have entered the build phase; how many sites in that same area were live as of 1 February 2018; how many sites in that same area are being built with the capacity for multi-occupancy; and how many sites in that same area have a confirmed second tenant.
Answered by Nick Hurd
I can confirm there will be 3 new EE sites and 5 Extended Area Service (EAS) sites located in the constituency of North Ayrshire and Arran.
All new EE sites are being built and delivered to agreed Home Office timeframes and where possible will go live earlier to support commercial coverage. All 3 new sites in North Ayrshire and Arran have planning permission. None of the three new sites are commercially available at present.
In respect of EAS sites I can confirm that there are currently 5 sites proposed on Arran and 1 has planning permission approved (or 1 HoTs signed – as none have yet entered the build phase).
Of the c.500 new sites EE is building, 291 will transfer over to the Home Office at the end of the contract term. EE is making available details of all shareable new sites to other mobile network operators proactively both directly and through an existing website used by the industry to arrange site sharing. EE has made available the details of 350 sites. EE is confident that the 291 sites which will transfer to the Home Office will be selected from this portfolio, and the Home Office and EE have now agreed 104 of these sites (and are working on confirming on which of the remainder will make up the rest of the 291). These will be shareable in accordance with the terms of the EC Decision in relation to State aid for this Programme.
Separately the Home Office, through the EAS project, are delivering circa 292 individual sites. I would also like to reassure you that the Home Office has been proactive in seeking to build masts that support multi-operator use where practicable.
Finally I thought it helpful to remind you that the Emergency Services Network is designed to, first and foremost, deliver a ‘blue-light’ communications service.