Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish the Wendy Williams' report on the Windrush lessons learned review.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
The Home Secretary has not yet received the final report from Wendy Williams. On receipt, it will be published as soon as practicable.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of agreeing a two-year, multi-entry touring visa on a reciprocal basis with the EU in order to preserve touring as economically viable for UK musicians.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
We will announce the details of the UK’s future immigration system early next year.
We recognise that international collaboration plays a vital part in the contribution that the creative industries make to the UK’s rich culture and economy. The future system will work in the best interests of the whole of the UK, including that of the creative sector.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what preparations her Department for policing operations in relation to traffic management in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
Ministers and officials have been working closely with the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and the National Police Coordination Centre (NPoCC) alongside the Department for Transport and Highways England to determine the role of the police in supporting the delivery of traffic management plans in the event of a No Deal. Highways England are responsible for the strategic road network.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether freedom of movement for EU nationals to and from the UK will end if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Government has been clear that freedom of movement will end after the UK leaves the European Union. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, it will end when the Immigration and Social Security Coordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill is commenced following Royal Assent.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding the Government has allocated to the Metropolitan Police Service in each year since 2015.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The 2019/20 police funding settlement provides the biggest increase in police funding since 2010, with more money for local police forces, counter terrorism and tackling serious and organised crime
Total funding is increasing by over £1 billion in 2019/20, including council tax, extra funding for pensions costs, and the serious violence fund.
The Metropolitan Police Service are receiving £2,735.4m in total funding (including council tax) in 2019/20, an increase of £175.3m on 2018/19 and a total of £224.6m compared to 2017/18.
The table below sets out the core grant funding figures for the Metropolitan Police Service each year since 2015 including the National, International and Capital City Grant:
Core grant funding | 2015/2016 | 2016/2017 | 2017/2018 | 2018/2019 | 2019/2020 |
| £m | £m | £m | £m | £m |
MPS | 2,087.5 | 1,904.6 | 1,882.1 | 1,882.1 | 1,927.1 |
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the need for safeguarding policies to support child asylum seekers erroneously placed in adult removal centres.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Government ended the routine detention of children in immigration removal centres in 2010. Individuals under the age of 18 are not detained for consideration of their asylum claim.
In cases where new information comes to light or concerns are raised, which indicate that a person who has been detained as an adult may be a child, we would seek to release them into the care of local authority children’s services at the earliest safe opportunity for an age assessment.
Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 and published guidance in the form of Detention Services Order (DSO) 19/2012 “Safeguarding Children Policy” and DSO 14/2012 “Care and Management of Age Dispute Cases” set out the legal duties and guidance for staff in the immigration removal estate. This ensures that the welfare of children and their safeguarding is at the forefront of every interaction and decision.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate his Department has made of the number of child asylum seekers living in adult accommodation.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Child asylum seekers housed in asylum accommodation only if they are part of a family group. Unaccompanied asylum seeking children are housed by the local authorities.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many successful appeals on grounds of age were made by asylum seekers who were found to be juveniles in (a) 2016, (b) 2017 and (c) 2018.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The exact information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his Department’s policy to end the cap on Tier 2 visas for highly skilled migrants.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Government published “The UK Future Skills-Based Immigration System” White Paper in December 2018. The White Paper set out the Government’s intention to have a route for skilled migrants and that the route would not be capped.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his Department’s policy to exclude scientific research occupations from proposals in the immigration White Paper for a minimum salary threshold.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
On 24 June 2019, the Government asked the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to consider the operation of salary thresholds in the future immigration system, including the impact of exemptions from minimum salary thresholds. The MAC is due to report by January 2020.
We recognise the vital contribution that scientists make to the UK. In his spring statement, my Rt Hon Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, confirmed that PhD level occupations would be exempt from the Tier 2 cap. Additionally, researchers applying for settlement are exempt from the rule which states that, there should be no absence from the UK for 180 days if the absence from the UK is for the purpose carrying out research. A number of research roles also appear on the Shortage Occupation List which also exempts them from the settlement salary threshold
The Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) route is also available for internationally recognised leaders and promising future leaders, including in the science and research sector.