Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many asylum seekers in the British Indian Ocean Territory have received medical treatment in the last three years; in what countries that treatment was provided; and at what cost.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO provides funding to the BIOT Administration for the good governance of the Territory, which includes the costs of supporting the migrants there, whose welfare and safety is paramount, as well as their rights to patient confidentiality. They have access to 24/7 medical care from a team of doctors, paramedics, registered nurses and mental health practitioners, contracted by the BIOT Administration. Where treatment cannot be provided in the BIOT, urgent medical transfers organised or specialists can be brought to the island. Given the broad range of medical services provided in a number of different locations over a three-year period, the detailed information requested cannot be provided except at a disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the memorandum of understanding with the Government of St Helena, agreed on 15 October 2024, if he will publish (a) the accounting officer’s advice on the scheme, (b) the costings of the scheme, (c) the details of the accommodation that will be provided and (d) the assessment of the potential merits of using St Helena.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We do not routinely publish policy advice and assessments from officials. The UK Government has agreed to a one-off funding of £6.65million with the Government of St Helena for initiatives to improve public health and education outcomes, and also local IT systems. The UK Government will support the Government of St Helena to care for and process any potential migrants. The St Helena Government will be responsible for determining what accommodation should be provided to any migrants transferred, with technical support from the UK Government.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the interim arrangements set out in the memorandum of understanding between the UK Government and the Government of St Helena on migrant arrivals on (a) the number of migrants, (b) the cost per migrant and (c) the estimated time that migrants covered by this provision will stay on St Helena.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
No new migrants have arrived on the British Indian Ocean Territory since 2022. The UK will support the Government of St Helena to care and process any potential migrants. Each case will be unique and the UK will provide the necessary support to the Government of St Helena.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Polish counterpart on international parental child abduction.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This Government takes International Parental Child Abduction (IPCA) extremely seriously and I recognise the impact that it has on families, particularly the affected children. I raised the issue with my Polish counterpart, Deputy Foreign Minister Prawda, during a meeting on 12 July. IPCA remains a priority for this government and we will continue to use every available opportunity to register our serious concerns and seek updates on the steps the Polish government are taking to address outstanding issues.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his counterpart in Hong Kong on the process of securing a Certificate of No Criminal Conviction for people residing in the UK under the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government will continue to stand with, and support members of the Hong Kong community and we continue to engage with the Hong Kong authorities on a range of issues. We encourage all those seeking to apply for a CNCC to follow the process as set out by the Hong Kong Police Force, for which further information can be found on their website.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in forced marriages his Department has helped to repatriate in each of the last ten years broken down by country; and how many of those people have (a) signed emergency loan agreements, (b) been given financial assistance without needing to sign emergency loan agreements.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
Repatriation data was not recorded separately prior to 2016. Estimates for 2016 and 2017 (latest year for which estimates are available) are as follows:
2016: Forced Marriage Unit assisted 57 repatriations: 21 from Pakistan; 8 from Bangladesh; remaining 26 from 16 different countries. 17of those who were assisted signed an emergency loan agreement.
2017: Forced Marriage Unit assisted 29 repatriations: 12 from Pakistan; 12 from Somalia; remaining 5 from 4 different countries. 9 of those who were assisted signed an emergency loan agreement.
There are different routes available for funding repatriation costs which differ according to age and individual circumstances, including whether a Forced Marriage Protection Order has been made. The Forced Marriage Unit do not keep a record of the different funding routes used by victims. Prior to 9 January 2019, emergency loans were offered to some adults to assist with repatriation costs as a last resort. As from 9 January, no victim of forced marriage helped to return to the UK by the Forced Marriage Unit will be asked to take out a loan for their repatriation costs. The Government has agreed to ensure that those victims who have outstanding loans will have no further cost fall to them.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the total cost to the Official Development Assistance budget of supporting UK nationals who are victims of forced marriages.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
No Official Development Assistance budget is used to support UK nationals who are victims of forced marriages.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish the Government policy on assistance available to repatriate British nationals who have been the victims of forced marriages; on what date it was decided that those people should enter into emergency loan agreements if they do not have the resources to fund travel themselves; and if he will change the policy to ensure that victims of forced marriage are exempt from reliance on emergency loan agreements.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The UK is a world-leader in the fight to tackle out the brutal practice of forced marriage, with our joint Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) which leads efforts to combat it both at home and abroad. After careful consideration, the Foreign Secretary has decided that victims of forced marriage who are helped to return to the UK by the FMU will no longer be asked to take out a loan for their repatriation costs.
From now on, none of those who are assisted by the FMU - and would previously have been offered a loan - will have to cover the costs of their repatriation. Where possible, the Government will continue to seek to ensure the costs fall on the perpetrators by means of Forced Marriage Protection Orders.
The Government has also agreed to ensure that those victims who have outstanding loans will have no further cost fall to them. Their passports will also be unblocked.
The FMU provides support and advice for victims, those at risk, and professionals, through its public helpline. The support offered ranges from providing information and guidance to organising rescue and repatriation to the UK for victims overseas.
Between 2012-2017, the FMU supported almost 1,500 victims of forced marriage who were overseas, of whom 52 took loans. There were nine cases where surcharges were added. The total value of the surcharges was £588.26.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of victims of forced marriages who have signed emergency loan agreements in each of the last 10 years; and of those people how many have (a) not repaid within six months and (b) been charged the additional 10 per cent surcharge; and what the total value of those surcharges is.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The UK is a world-leader in the fight to tackle out the brutal practice of forced marriage, with our joint Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) which leads efforts to combat it both at home and abroad. After careful consideration, the Foreign Secretary has decided that victims of forced marriage who are helped to return to the UK by the FMU will no longer be asked to take out a loan for their repatriation costs.
From now on, none of those who are assisted by the FMU - and would previously have been offered a loan - will have to cover the costs of their repatriation. Where possible, the Government will continue to seek to ensure the costs fall on the perpetrators by means of Forced Marriage Protection Orders.
The Government has also agreed to ensure that those victims who have outstanding loans will have no further cost fall to them. Their passports will also be unblocked.
The FMU provides support and advice for victims, those at risk, and professionals, through its public helpline. The support offered ranges from providing information and guidance to organising rescue and repatriation to the UK for victims overseas.
Between 2012-2017, the FMU supported almost 1,500 victims of forced marriage who were overseas, of whom 52 took loans. There were nine cases where surcharges were added. The total value of the surcharges was £588.26.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2018 to Question 129007, if he will meet with the family of Asa Hutchinson.
Answered by Alistair Burt
I have offered to meet with the family of Asa Hutchinson as Minister responsible for relations with the Middle East and North Africa and did so on 21 March 2018.