Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the eligibility criteria will be for the Windrush advocacy support fund; and whether Windrush groups providing advocacy will be able to apply.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

This Government is determined to put right the appalling injustices caused by the Home Office’s treatment of members of the Windrush community, making sure that those affected receive the compensation they deserve quickly, and ensuring cultural change is embedded permanently into the fabric of the department.

The new Windrush Unit in the Home Office is undertaking a careful and detailed review of all 30 recommendations in the Windrush Lessons Learned Review to assess how far the department has come and identify those recommendations which require more work. We recognise that people have waited far too long for action, and we are making progress to put things right.

Recruitment for the Windrush Commissioner has closed and the successful candidate will be in post by the summer. Once appointed, the Commissioner will advise on the Home Office’s response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, driving improvements and promoting lasting change across the whole Department. The Commissioner will also assure the Home Office’s delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme, providing advice to Ministers on the scheme’s effectiveness in achieving its objectives.

In the interim, the Government is working to ensure that Windrush victims and their families get the maximum support and compensation they are entitled to quickly and efficiently, as we promised in our manifesto.

The Windrush Compensation Scheme has been designed to be as simple as possible to access, and existing caselaw has underlined that while the application process can be emotionally complex, individuals are not required to argue complex points of law. It is not therefore our intention to introduce legal aid support for individuals to complete their claims.

Nevertheless, we have recognised the need for additional advocacy support, we are working at pace to develop a program of £1.5 million grant funding for organisations to provide advocacy and support with the application process.

This assistance will be offered alongside - but separate from - existing claims support, so that potential claimants have maximum flexibility and choice regarding the type of help they want and where they can access it. This is designed to make the prospect of making a claim more accessible for each person, keeping the needs of the individual at the heart of everything we do and keeping our support programmes under review.

We also continue to engage with community representatives and victims to ensure their voices are heard in this area. So far, officials have spoken with and listened to over 30 stakeholders, advocates and community representatives to inform the structure of the advocacy support fund.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her planned timeline is for the implementation of the Windrush lessons learned review recommendations.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

This Government is determined to put right the appalling injustices caused by the Home Office’s treatment of members of the Windrush community, making sure that those affected receive the compensation they deserve quickly, and ensuring cultural change is embedded permanently into the fabric of the department.

The new Windrush Unit in the Home Office is undertaking a careful and detailed review of all 30 recommendations in the Windrush Lessons Learned Review to assess how far the department has come and identify those recommendations which require more work. We recognise that people have waited far too long for action, and we are making progress to put things right.

Recruitment for the Windrush Commissioner has closed and the successful candidate will be in post by the summer. Once appointed, the Commissioner will advise on the Home Office’s response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, driving improvements and promoting lasting change across the whole Department. The Commissioner will also assure the Home Office’s delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme, providing advice to Ministers on the scheme’s effectiveness in achieving its objectives.

In the interim, the Government is working to ensure that Windrush victims and their families get the maximum support and compensation they are entitled to quickly and efficiently, as we promised in our manifesto.

The Windrush Compensation Scheme has been designed to be as simple as possible to access, and existing caselaw has underlined that while the application process can be emotionally complex, individuals are not required to argue complex points of law. It is not therefore our intention to introduce legal aid support for individuals to complete their claims.

Nevertheless, we have recognised the need for additional advocacy support, we are working at pace to develop a program of £1.5 million grant funding for organisations to provide advocacy and support with the application process.

This assistance will be offered alongside - but separate from - existing claims support, so that potential claimants have maximum flexibility and choice regarding the type of help they want and where they can access it. This is designed to make the prospect of making a claim more accessible for each person, keeping the needs of the individual at the heart of everything we do and keeping our support programmes under review.

We also continue to engage with community representatives and victims to ensure their voices are heard in this area. So far, officials have spoken with and listened to over 30 stakeholders, advocates and community representatives to inform the structure of the advocacy support fund.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) increasing the level of legal aid provision and (b) providing alternative funding for legal representation to support Windrush compensation claimants; and if she will make a comparative assessment of the level of funding available to support applicants to the (i) Infected Blood Compensation, (ii) Horizon Convictions Redress and (iii) Windrush Compensation Schemes.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

This Government is determined to put right the appalling injustices caused by the Home Office’s treatment of members of the Windrush community, making sure that those affected receive the compensation they deserve quickly, and ensuring cultural change is embedded permanently into the fabric of the department.

The new Windrush Unit in the Home Office is undertaking a careful and detailed review of all 30 recommendations in the Windrush Lessons Learned Review to assess how far the department has come and identify those recommendations which require more work. We recognise that people have waited far too long for action, and we are making progress to put things right.

Recruitment for the Windrush Commissioner has closed and the successful candidate will be in post by the summer. Once appointed, the Commissioner will advise on the Home Office’s response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, driving improvements and promoting lasting change across the whole Department. The Commissioner will also assure the Home Office’s delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme, providing advice to Ministers on the scheme’s effectiveness in achieving its objectives.

In the interim, the Government is working to ensure that Windrush victims and their families get the maximum support and compensation they are entitled to quickly and efficiently, as we promised in our manifesto.

The Windrush Compensation Scheme has been designed to be as simple as possible to access, and existing caselaw has underlined that while the application process can be emotionally complex, individuals are not required to argue complex points of law. It is not therefore our intention to introduce legal aid support for individuals to complete their claims.

Nevertheless, we have recognised the need for additional advocacy support, we are working at pace to develop a program of £1.5 million grant funding for organisations to provide advocacy and support with the application process.

This assistance will be offered alongside - but separate from - existing claims support, so that potential claimants have maximum flexibility and choice regarding the type of help they want and where they can access it. This is designed to make the prospect of making a claim more accessible for each person, keeping the needs of the individual at the heart of everything we do and keeping our support programmes under review.

We also continue to engage with community representatives and victims to ensure their voices are heard in this area. So far, officials have spoken with and listened to over 30 stakeholders, advocates and community representatives to inform the structure of the advocacy support fund.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her planned timeline is for the review of the Windrush compensation scheme.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

This Government is determined to put right the appalling injustices caused by the Home Office’s treatment of members of the Windrush community, making sure that those affected receive the compensation they deserve quickly, and ensuring cultural change is embedded permanently into the fabric of the department.

The new Windrush Unit in the Home Office is undertaking a careful and detailed review of all 30 recommendations in the Windrush Lessons Learned Review to assess how far the department has come and identify those recommendations which require more work. We recognise that people have waited far too long for action, and we are making progress to put things right.

Recruitment for the Windrush Commissioner has closed and the successful candidate will be in post by the summer. Once appointed, the Commissioner will advise on the Home Office’s response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, driving improvements and promoting lasting change across the whole Department. The Commissioner will also assure the Home Office’s delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme, providing advice to Ministers on the scheme’s effectiveness in achieving its objectives.

In the interim, the Government is working to ensure that Windrush victims and their families get the maximum support and compensation they are entitled to quickly and efficiently, as we promised in our manifesto.

The Windrush Compensation Scheme has been designed to be as simple as possible to access, and existing caselaw has underlined that while the application process can be emotionally complex, individuals are not required to argue complex points of law. It is not therefore our intention to introduce legal aid support for individuals to complete their claims.

Nevertheless, we have recognised the need for additional advocacy support, we are working at pace to develop a program of £1.5 million grant funding for organisations to provide advocacy and support with the application process.

This assistance will be offered alongside - but separate from - existing claims support, so that potential claimants have maximum flexibility and choice regarding the type of help they want and where they can access it. This is designed to make the prospect of making a claim more accessible for each person, keeping the needs of the individual at the heart of everything we do and keeping our support programmes under review.

We also continue to engage with community representatives and victims to ensure their voices are heard in this area. So far, officials have spoken with and listened to over 30 stakeholders, advocates and community representatives to inform the structure of the advocacy support fund.

Found: ); Danny Beales; Ben Coleman; Dr Beccy Cooper; Jen Craft; Josh Fenton-Glynn; Andrew George; Paulette Hamilton

Found: Q225 Paulette Hamilton: My next question follows on quite easily.

Found: Presented by Dawn Butler supported by Paulette Hamilton, Tulip Siddiq, Mrs Sharon Hodgson, Barry Gardiner

Found: Not called_96 Mr James Cleverly Antonia Bance Paulette Hamilton Danny Kruger Ms Diane Abbott Sir

Found: _100 Mr James Cleverly Antonia Bance Paulette Hamilton Danny Kruger Ms Diane Abbott Sir Julian