Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made in reviewing the pause on decision-making for (a) asylum and (b) indefinite leave to remain applications from Syrian nationals; and what her planned timetable is for resuming the processing of such claims.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
Following the fall of the Assad regime, the Home Office has withdrawn the Country Policy Information Notes and Guidance relating to Syria and has temporarily paused all asylum interviews and decisions. However, we continue to register new claims from Syrians in the UK who wish to claim asylum. Settlement Protection applications from Syrian nationals who are trying to obtain indefinite leave to remain in the UK are also subject to the pause.
The Country Policy and Information Team (CPIT) are continuing to monitor and review the situation in Syria. CPIT are gathering evidence from a wide range of reliable sources, including reputable media outlets; local, national and international organisations, including human rights organisations; and information from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The pause is being kept under constant review and when there is a clear basis upon which to make decisions, we will resume the processing of them.
We will not remove anyone to their own or any other country where they would face persecution or serious harm.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of predictive policing methods on freedom of association.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
AI, and other technologies, can provide a wide range of benefits to improve efficiency and productivity in policing, as well as boosting public confidence by improving the prevention, detection and investigation of crime. However, the procurement and deployment of AI technology to assist with forecasting potential areas of crime or disorder, commonly known as 'predictive policing', must always be subject to strong safeguards.
The AI Covenant for Policing was agreed at National Police Chiefs Council in September 2023. This provides practical high-level principles that, if followed, will ensure that the police develop and use AI tools that are lawful, transparent, explainable, responsible, accountable and robust.
The Home Office has provided funding to support the National Police Chiefs Council AI Portfolio to drive consistency and create guidance for forces to develop and deploy AI tools, and we are undertaking further detailed work in this area. There are a number of essential wider protections in place, including the Public Sector Equality Duty, to ensure that all Government policies take account of the human rights impacts on individuals.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to (a) identify and (b) protect survivors of modern slavery in the context of immigration enforcement raids.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer given on 19 February to Question 30592.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the impact of removing the right of appeal for applicants seeking entry to the UK as a family visitor in June 2013 on the families affected; and whether her Department has made a recent estimate of the number and proportion of family visit visa applications that were successful on re-application since June 2013.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
There is no recent assessment of the impact of the removal in 2013 of this right of appeal. Where the application includes a human rights claim, applicants retain the right of appeal against the refusal of the claim. This is in line with the changes made to the appeals system by the Immigration Act 2014.
There is no recent estimate of the number and proportion of successful reapplications.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to allow asylum seekers housed in the Bibby Stockholm barge to enter and leave during the day and night.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
Those accommodated aboard the vessel are not detained and are free to come and go.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's factsheet: asylum accommodation on a vessel in Portland Port, updated on 25 August 2023, what fire safety standards she has applied to the Bibby Stockholm; and to which industry standards the factsheet refers.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
Under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the Home Office has a legal obligation to support asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute.
In the Netherlands and Belgium, the authorities have delivered accommodation for asylum seekers on vessels in a safe and secure manner.
The Bibby Stockholm vessel has been used for decades to provide safe and decent accommodation to oil rig workers and was used between 1995 to 1998 to accommodate refugees in Germany.
Corporate Travel Management (CTM) are responsible for managing the services on the barge. CTM managed two Scottish vessels housing refugees and have a strong track record of providing this kind of accommodation. We are confident that it will continue to manage the vessel and its supporting services. CTM has worked closely and successfully with local authorities and other public and voluntary organisations in Scotland.
The Bibby Stockholm adheres to the Regulatory Reform Order (Fire Safety) 2005 and has an appropriate fire risk assessment that complies to those regulations including safety features such as fire doors, fire detection systems and firefighting equipment at strategic locations.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether there is a functioning sprinkler system on the Bibby Stockholm.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
Under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the Home Office has a legal obligation to support asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute.
In the Netherlands and Belgium, the authorities have delivered accommodation for asylum seekers on vessels in a safe and secure manner.
The Bibby Stockholm vessel has been used for decades to provide safe and decent accommodation to oil rig workers and was used between 1995 to 1998 to accommodate refugees in Germany.
Corporate Travel Management (CTM) are responsible for managing the services on the barge. CTM, who managed two Scottish vessels housing refugees in Edinburgh, has a strong track record of providing this kind of accommodation, and we are confident that it can manage the vessel and its supporting services. CTM has worked closely and successfully with local authorities and other public and voluntary organisations in Scotland.
The Bibby Stockholm adheres to the Regulatory Reform Order (Fire Safety) 2005 and has an appropriate fire risk assessment that complies to those regulations including safety features such as fire doors, fire detection systems and firefighting equipment at strategic locations.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to allow people seeking asylum housed in the Bibby Stockholm barge to enter and leave the barge (a) during the day and (b) at night.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
The statutory inspection was carried out prior to the Home Office taking control of the barge.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 5 July 2023 to Question 191863 on Asylum: Falmouth, if her Department will publish the results of the statutory inspection.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
The statutory inspection was carried out prior to the Home Office taking control of the barge.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2023 to Question 194955 on Asylum: Boats, if her Department will publish the Equality Impact Assessment completed for the Bibby Stockholm.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
Equality Impact Assessment (EqiA) documentation is for internal use and therefore is not routinely published.