Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 13 December 2023 to Question 5408, if he will publish his Department's communications with the Hong Kong authorities on facilitating early drawdown of pension funds.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The UK firmly opposes the discrimination that British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) status holders are facing in applying for early withdrawal of their pension funds held by the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) in Hong Kong.
All representations to the Hong Kong authorities have been made via the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office or the Department for Business and Trade.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 5 December 2023 to Question 3839 on Dangerous Dogs, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on resourcing for the implementation of the ban on American Bully XL type dogs.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
My Department continues to work closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure the successful implementation of the ban on XL Bully type dogs.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his proposal to increase the income thresholds for spousal visas would apply to renewals of existing visas.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The revised minimum income requirement will be implemented in spring 2024.
The Government will set out any transitional provisions associated with the increase in the minimum income requirement in due course.
Any applications already submitted will be considered in line with the existing policy.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will have discussions with LGBT (a) community organisations and (b) charities on steps to help prevent homophobic and transphobic hate crimes.
Answered by Sarah Dines
The Government is clear that all forms of hate crime - including homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate crime - are completely unacceptable.
We have a robust legislative framework in place and expect the police fully to investigate these abhorrent offences and make sure those who commit them feel the full force of the law.
Whilst part of the increase in transgender hate crime may be due to a genuine rise, the biggest driver is likely to be general improvement in police recording and identification of a hate crime, along with increased victim willingness to come forward. This is positive and reflects the hard work that has gone in to ensuring that police can target their resources, understand the scale of the challenge and ensure that victims get the support they need.
Our absolute priority is to get more police into our streets, cut crime, protect the public and bring more criminals to justice. We are supporting police by providing them with the resources they need, including having recruited 20,000 additional police officers by March 2023. We also engage with relevant stakeholders when appropriate to do so.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to reinstate capital grants for police forces in England.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
From 2022/23 all forces received their core funding as resource grant. This provides maximum flexibility and options for investing in critical infrastructure and is in line with funding for local authorities as set out at the Local Government Finance Settlement.
We will consider these funding arrangements at the next Spending Review.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending visit visas for Sudanese nationals who are in the UK.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Those wishing to come to the UK for a short time to stay with family can apply for a visit visa which allows them to stay in the UK for up to six months. Further details about visiting the UK are available here: https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor
Immediate family members of British citizens, and those settled in the UK, who wish to come and live in the UK can apply under one of the existing family visa routes. Further details are available here: https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa
Applications can be made at any Visa Application Centre (VAC) and we will accept applications which would normally have to be made in the country where the person is living at any VAC from someone who has been evacuated, or self-evacuated, from Sudan. Each case is treated fairly and judged on merit, taking into account the individual circumstances of the case.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 December 2022 to Question 111599 on Mears Group and Migrant Help: Contracts, whether her Department has attributed any ODA costs to (a) organisations or (b) projects and programmes under its contracts with (i) Mears Group and (ii) Migrant Help.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
I refer my Hon. Friend to my answer on 21 December to Question 111599: Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will set out the responsibilities of the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority for monitoring compliance with (a) recruitment to and (b) employment within the agricultural Seasonal Worker visa scheme.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Seasonal Worker scheme is an ‘operator led’ immigration route, with four scheme operators selected to manage the placement of workers on UK farms and to ensure their welfare in the UK. This includes ensuring that workers are aware of their employment rights.
The Seasonal Worker scheme operators are responsible for managing all aspects of the recruitment and placement of workers on UK farms, and ensure workers have sufficient work as part of their sponsorship duties. The Home Office closely monitors the scheme operators to ensure they are complying with their sponsor duties. Non-compliance with the guidance could result in the revocation of their sponsor license.
Seasonal workers receive the same protections under UK law as resident workers, including employment laws. The Home Office and Defra maintain regular contact with scheme operators to ensure that they adhere to the stringent requirements set for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the seasonal workers. All Seasonal Worker Scheme operators are also required to hold a Gangmasters Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) licence, as a condition of maintaining their role as a scheme operator. The responsibilities and remit of the GLAA are set out on their website.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what redress to recoup migration costs is available to workers who enter the UK on the scheme to be told there is no work available for them.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Seasonal Worker scheme is an ‘operator led’ immigration route, with four scheme operators selected to manage the placement of workers on UK farms and to ensure their welfare in the UK. This includes ensuring that workers are aware of their employment rights.
The Seasonal Worker scheme operators are responsible for managing all aspects of the recruitment and placement of workers on UK farms, and ensure workers have sufficient work as part of their sponsorship duties. The Home Office closely monitors the scheme operators to ensure they are complying with their sponsor duties. Non-compliance with the guidance could result in the revocation of their sponsor license.
Seasonal workers receive the same protections under UK law as resident workers, including employment laws. The Home Office and Defra maintain regular contact with scheme operators to ensure that they adhere to the stringent requirements set for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the seasonal workers. All Seasonal Worker Scheme operators are also required to hold a Gangmasters Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) licence, as a condition of maintaining their role as a scheme operator. The responsibilities and remit of the GLAA are set out on their website.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that work is available for workers who migrate to the UK on the Agricultural Seasonal Workers visa.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Seasonal Worker scheme is an ‘operator led’ immigration route, with four scheme operators selected to manage the placement of workers on UK farms and to ensure their welfare in the UK. This includes ensuring that workers are aware of their employment rights.
The Seasonal Worker scheme operators are responsible for managing all aspects of the recruitment and placement of workers on UK farms, and ensure workers have sufficient work as part of their sponsorship duties. The Home Office closely monitors the scheme operators to ensure they are complying with their sponsor duties. Non-compliance with the guidance could result in the revocation of their sponsor license.
Seasonal workers receive the same protections under UK law as resident workers, including employment laws. The Home Office and Defra maintain regular contact with scheme operators to ensure that they adhere to the stringent requirements set for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the seasonal workers. All Seasonal Worker Scheme operators are also required to hold a Gangmasters Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) licence, as a condition of maintaining their role as a scheme operator. The responsibilities and remit of the GLAA are set out on their website.