Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support older people without internet access to (a) apply for and (b) access eVisas.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Home Office is committed to ensuring everyone, including the elderly, those who hold legacy documents and the most vulnerable, are properly supported as we transform our immigration system. I have recently met with Age UK and other stakeholders to discuss how we can ensure support is reaching those who need it.
People can nominate a ‘helper’ and give them limited access to their account, so that they can assist with creating a UKVI account, completing details to access an eVisa, and with any immigration application. Where a person is unable to manage their own affairs due to, for example, age or disability, a ‘proxy’, who is authorised, can create and manage the account on behalf of the person. People can also contact the UK Visas and Immigration Resolution Centre (https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk) for support via email and webchat, and telephone. They can also support people through the online process by helping them to access or recover their account, update their personal details and assisting them with technical issues with their online immigration status, and where necessary, verify the person’s status through alternative means.
For those inside the UK our Assisted Digital service is available to provide support by phone and email to those who need help with IT-related aspects of creating a UKVI account. Access needs can include any disability that requires support to use online services, a lack of device or a lack of internet access. More information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/assisted-digital-help-online-application.
We are also developing services to make the relevant immigration status information available automatically through system to system checks with other government departments and the NHS.
On 18 September 2024, we announced that the Government is providing up to £4m in dedicated grant funding to a UK wide network of voluntary and community sector organisations to deliver valuable support to those who need it, during the transition from physical immigration documents to eVisas. The list of organisations is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evisa-community-support-for-vulnerable-people.
We encourage holders of legacy paper documents, including passports that contain an ink stamp or vignette sticker (for those with Indefinite Leave to Enter or Indefinite Leave to Remain), to transition to an eVisa given the benefits this offers. They can do this by making a free ‘No Time Limit’ application via: GOV.UK - The best place to find government services and information (homeoffice.gov.uk). However, Legacy document holders can prove their rights as they do today using their physical documents where these are permitted. This includes for proving the right to rent, or for travel to the UK.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many Paper Check and Send for (a) new and (b) renewal Passports appointments were made at Crown Post offices in the last year for which figures are available.
Answered by Gareth Thomas
As it is not possible to categorise Paper Check & Send applications by whether they are ‘New’ or ‘Renewal’, the Post Office have also shared their statistics for Digital Check & Send applications.
The number of Passport Paper Check & Send applications made at Directly Managed Branches for the 2023/2024 Financial Year was 16,733. Across the total network, the number of Passport Paper Check & Send applications made for the same Financial Year was 175,924
Comparatively, the number of Passport Digital Check & Send applications made at Directly Managed Branches for the 2023/2024 Financial Year was 60,253. Across the total network, the number of Passport Digital Check & Send applications made for the same Financial Year was 430,755.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to provide students with support in place of the Erasmus+ programme.
Answered by Janet Daby
The Turing Scheme is the UK government’s global programme to provide grants for students to do study and work placements anywhere in the world, including in the EU. Students can develop new skills, gain international experience and boost their employability. Since its introduction following the UK’s departure from the Erasmus+ programme, the Turing Scheme has provided funding to support more than 160,000 international placements. In addition to travel and living costs, for students from disadvantaged backgrounds the Turing Scheme covers items that students may need to be able to travel, including vaccinations, visa applications, passports and insurance costs.
For the 2024/25 academic year, over £105 million has been allocated to send more than 43,000 students from across the UK on study and work placements around the world.
Asked by: Richard Baker (Labour - Glenrothes and Mid Fife)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help support students to study in the EU.
Answered by Janet Daby
The Turing Scheme is the UK government’s global programme to provide grants for students to study and work anywhere in the world, including in the EU. Students can develop new skills, gain international experience and boost their employability. For the 2024/25 academic year, education providers and other eligible organisations from across the UK have been allocated over £105 million to send more than 43,000 students on study and work placements across the globe.
Countries in the EU are popular destinations for UK students supported by the Turing Scheme, with EU countries making up five out of the top ten most popular destinations across both the 2022/23 and 2023/24 academic years.
The Turing Scheme breaks down barriers to opportunity by prioritising the most disadvantaged students, requiring education providers to demonstrate how their project will support them and provide additional grant funding for participants from disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition to travel and living costs, this funding covers items that students may need to be able to travel, including vaccinations, visa applications, passports and insurance costs.
Asked by: Kevin McKenna (Labour - Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the £10 million allocated to the MHRA in March 2023, what progress has been made on accelerating routes for bringing innovative medical products developed onto the market.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) greatly welcomed the £10 million of funding announced by HM Treasury in March 2023, which has enabled the MHRA to make progress on the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP).
The ILAP harnesses the collective expertise of the regulatory and health technology assessment systems and National Health Service bodies, with the aim of supporting medicines from an early stage through to patient access more quickly. Since its launch in 2021, 166 Innovation Passports have been awarded.
The United Kingdom’s life sciences ecosystem within which the ILAP sits has evolved, with new regulatory initiatives such as the international recognition procedure. On Wednesday 6 November 2024, the ILAP partner organisations published a statement of policy intent on the relaunch of the ILAP. The new ILAP will continue to target timely patient benefit, take forward lessons learnt from the ILAP to date, and respond to the needs of our fast-paced life sciences sector by providing a more compelling offer of support to the medicine developer. The new ILAP will open to applications in March 2025, with full details of the pathway to be published in January 2025.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of funding allocations made so far for the Turing Scheme; and whether they have any plans to change the criteria used for the scheme to increase its effectiveness.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In line with the department’s aims of advancing social justice and opportunity for young people, in 2024/25 the department has allocated funding by using the relative proportion of disadvantaged students in the application, with those applications with the highest proportion of disadvantaged students having their requested funding scaled down the least compared to those with the lowest proportion of disadvantaged students. All successful applicants received all the funding they had requested to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds with essential travel costs such as passports and visas, and for the extra costs faced by students with special educational or additional needs or disabilities.
The department will continue to keep the approach to funding under review, subject to future Spending Review allocations.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to (a) minimise disruption resulting from the transition to e-Visas and (b) ensure that older applicants are not disadvantaged by the move to an online system.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
An extensive communications campaign is being delivered in support of the transition from physical immigration documents to eVisas, to raise awareness of eVisas, build understanding of how it applies to visa holders and checkers, and encourage them to take action. This includes activity and messaging specifically targeting biometric residence permit (BRP) holding customers to register for a UKVI account by the end of 2024, when most BRPs expire, if they were not automatically provided with a UKVI account and eVisa when their most recent immigration application was approved.
We continue to take steps to reduce the number of circumstances where individuals need to provide evidence of their immigration status, by making relevant immigration status information available automatically through system to system checks with public authorities and government departments. Organisations with access currently include the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), DVLA, Social Security Scotland, NHS England and Wales, Border Force, and some local authorities.
In addition to these organisations, we have also developed technology to enable airline carriers to check immigration status automatically via systems checks. If for any reason the carrier does not receive confirmation of the passenger’s immigration status, they will be able to check this using the ‘view and prove’ service, or the carrier can contact the 24/7 Carrier Support Hub for advice.
Our communications explain that customers with older forms of evidence of immigration status, such as ink stamps in passports, will still be able to use their legacy document where permitted to prove their rights and when travelling, as they do today. However, we encourage those individuals to transition to an eVisa, which offers a range of benefits to customers and status checkers.
All communications activity has directed visa holders to www.gov.uk/eVisa, and, where appropriate, has highlighted the range of available support.
The Home Office is committed to ensuring everyone, including the elderly and the most vulnerable, are properly supported as we transform our immigration system. We have a range of support in place. This includes our Assisted Digital service (https://www.gov.uk/assisted-digital-help-online-applications) which is available in the UK to provide support by phone and email to those who need help with IT-related aspects of creating a UKVI account.
Customers can also contact the UK Visas and Immigration Resolution Centre (https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk) for support via email and webchat, and telephone. They also support people through the online journey by:
The UK Visas and Immigration Resolution Centre can also help people with any technical issues with their online immigration status, and, where necessary, verify the person’s status through alternative means.
On 18 September 2024, we announced that the Government is providing up to £4m in dedicated grant funding to a UK wide network of voluntary and community sector organisations to deliver valuable support to those who need it, during the transition from physical immigration documents to eVisas.
To date, grant funding agreements are in place with four organisations that will provide national coverage.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support will be in place for the 200,000 people, as estimated by the Home Office, with old paper legacy documents to make a 'no time limit' application, taking into account the particular needs of elderly and vulnerable individuals who may struggle to provide evidence of their residence or navigate the process without legal advice.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
As part of our move to a ‘digital by default’ border and immigration system, physical immigration documents are being replaced by fully digital eVisas (an online record of the person’s immigration status).
We understand some customers may feel apprehensive about transitioning to and navigating a digital system. We have already put a range of measures in place to support vulnerable and digitally excluded customers, including Assisted Digital support for account creation; ‘helper’ and ‘proxy’ roles who can assist with specific tasks or manage an account for the customer; and a dedicated contact centre that can help customers to access or recover their account, update their personal details or share immigration status information on their behalf if they are unable to do so.
In addition, we have a dedicated programme of grant funding, which will enable organisations to support vulnerable people, including those experiencing homelessness, to create UKVI accounts and accessing their eVisas. We expect these grant funded organisations to be operational by Autumn. Further details about the organisations will be published on gov.uk in due course.
We are working collaboratively with a range of third-party stakeholders who offer support to people requiring assistance in creating a UKVI account and accessing their eVisa. Information on accessing this support is available on gov.uk.
We will not curtail a person’s permission to stay in the UK if they fail to create a UKVI account before their BRP expires. For many, the end 2024 deadline will have no impact; most people don’t need to prove their immigration status on a day-to-day basis, and many of the checks performed will be unaffected by the expiry of Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs). BRP holders will still be able to use the online right to work and rent services to prove their rights once their BRP expires – provided they still have valid status – although we will encourage them to register for a UKVI account to access those services instead. If a customer cannot create an account before their BRP expires at the end of 2024, they will still be able to create a UKVI account quickly and easily after that date, using their expired BRP if needed.
While we are encouraging people who were issued with older forms of evidence of immigration status, such as ink stamps in passports, to transition to eVisas, they will still be able to prove their rights as they do today, using their legacy documents where these are permitted. That will not change at the end of the year.
The No Time Limit (NTL) process is for people with historic (legacy) status who want to upgrade to a modern, digital product and take advantage of its benefits, as well as for those who have lost their BRP or whose BRP has expired. Currently, we give them a BRP at the end of the process, whereas in the future they will be issued an eVisa, which will streamline the process.
Requests for evidence in such cases are an opportunity for the person to show that their leave has not lapsed and are conducted in line with the existing published guidance. We apply a balance of probabilities approach and exercise discretion where appropriate. We will also continue to support customers, especially those who may be vulnerable, including via our Assisted Digital service which is available in the UK to provide individual support by phone and email to individuals who require assistance with IT-related aspects of transitioning to eVisas.
Further information about eVisas and future updates will be available at www.gov.uk/evisa.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they can provide an update on what provisions will be in place to support people experiencing homelessness in navigating the transition to eVisas, including whether discretion will be given to those who miss application deadlines because of difficulties stemming from the digital transition.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
As part of our move to a ‘digital by default’ border and immigration system, physical immigration documents are being replaced by fully digital eVisas (an online record of the person’s immigration status).
We understand some customers may feel apprehensive about transitioning to and navigating a digital system. We have already put a range of measures in place to support vulnerable and digitally excluded customers, including Assisted Digital support for account creation; ‘helper’ and ‘proxy’ roles who can assist with specific tasks or manage an account for the customer; and a dedicated contact centre that can help customers to access or recover their account, update their personal details or share immigration status information on their behalf if they are unable to do so.
In addition, we have a dedicated programme of grant funding, which will enable organisations to support vulnerable people, including those experiencing homelessness, to create UKVI accounts and accessing their eVisas. We expect these grant funded organisations to be operational by Autumn. Further details about the organisations will be published on gov.uk in due course.
We are working collaboratively with a range of third-party stakeholders who offer support to people requiring assistance in creating a UKVI account and accessing their eVisa. Information on accessing this support is available on gov.uk.
We will not curtail a person’s permission to stay in the UK if they fail to create a UKVI account before their BRP expires. For many, the end 2024 deadline will have no impact; most people don’t need to prove their immigration status on a day-to-day basis, and many of the checks performed will be unaffected by the expiry of Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs). BRP holders will still be able to use the online right to work and rent services to prove their rights once their BRP expires – provided they still have valid status – although we will encourage them to register for a UKVI account to access those services instead. If a customer cannot create an account before their BRP expires at the end of 2024, they will still be able to create a UKVI account quickly and easily after that date, using their expired BRP if needed.
While we are encouraging people who were issued with older forms of evidence of immigration status, such as ink stamps in passports, to transition to eVisas, they will still be able to prove their rights as they do today, using their legacy documents where these are permitted. That will not change at the end of the year.
The No Time Limit (NTL) process is for people with historic (legacy) status who want to upgrade to a modern, digital product and take advantage of its benefits, as well as for those who have lost their BRP or whose BRP has expired. Currently, we give them a BRP at the end of the process, whereas in the future they will be issued an eVisa, which will streamline the process.
Requests for evidence in such cases are an opportunity for the person to show that their leave has not lapsed and are conducted in line with the existing published guidance. We apply a balance of probabilities approach and exercise discretion where appropriate. We will also continue to support customers, especially those who may be vulnerable, including via our Assisted Digital service which is available in the UK to provide individual support by phone and email to individuals who require assistance with IT-related aspects of transitioning to eVisas.
Further information about eVisas and future updates will be available at www.gov.uk/evisa.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, regarding the transition to eVisas, what steps they are taking to ensure that individuals who miss an application deadline due to difficulties in accessing their digital status, will not lose their leave to remain or are otherwise penalised as a result.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
As part of our move to a ‘digital by default’ border and immigration system, physical immigration documents are being replaced by fully digital eVisas (an online record of the person’s immigration status).
We understand some customers may feel apprehensive about transitioning to and navigating a digital system. We have already put a range of measures in place to support vulnerable and digitally excluded customers, including Assisted Digital support for account creation; ‘helper’ and ‘proxy’ roles who can assist with specific tasks or manage an account for the customer; and a dedicated contact centre that can help customers to access or recover their account, update their personal details or share immigration status information on their behalf if they are unable to do so.
In addition, we have a dedicated programme of grant funding, which will enable organisations to support vulnerable people, including those experiencing homelessness, to create UKVI accounts and accessing their eVisas. We expect these grant funded organisations to be operational by Autumn. Further details about the organisations will be published on gov.uk in due course.
We are working collaboratively with a range of third-party stakeholders who offer support to people requiring assistance in creating a UKVI account and accessing their eVisa. Information on accessing this support is available on gov.uk.
We will not curtail a person’s permission to stay in the UK if they fail to create a UKVI account before their BRP expires. For many, the end 2024 deadline will have no impact; most people don’t need to prove their immigration status on a day-to-day basis, and many of the checks performed will be unaffected by the expiry of Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs). BRP holders will still be able to use the online right to work and rent services to prove their rights once their BRP expires – provided they still have valid status – although we will encourage them to register for a UKVI account to access those services instead. If a customer cannot create an account before their BRP expires at the end of 2024, they will still be able to create a UKVI account quickly and easily after that date, using their expired BRP if needed.
While we are encouraging people who were issued with older forms of evidence of immigration status, such as ink stamps in passports, to transition to eVisas, they will still be able to prove their rights as they do today, using their legacy documents where these are permitted. That will not change at the end of the year.
The No Time Limit (NTL) process is for people with historic (legacy) status who want to upgrade to a modern, digital product and take advantage of its benefits, as well as for those who have lost their BRP or whose BRP has expired. Currently, we give them a BRP at the end of the process, whereas in the future they will be issued an eVisa, which will streamline the process.
Requests for evidence in such cases are an opportunity for the person to show that their leave has not lapsed and are conducted in line with the existing published guidance. We apply a balance of probabilities approach and exercise discretion where appropriate. We will also continue to support customers, especially those who may be vulnerable, including via our Assisted Digital service which is available in the UK to provide individual support by phone and email to individuals who require assistance with IT-related aspects of transitioning to eVisas.
Further information about eVisas and future updates will be available at www.gov.uk/evisa.