Asked by: Owen Thompson (Scottish National Party - Midlothian)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to put in place extra levels of protection for people holding refugee status or subsidiary status in Ukraine fleeing that country to the UK.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. However, we do not allow asylum claims from abroad, nor facilitate individuals to travel to the UK for the purposes of claiming asylum. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach, as this is the fastest route to safety.
Where an asylum claim is properly made in the UK and admitted to the UK asylum system, it will be given full and careful consideration, and we will grant protection where this is appropriate. We will not remove anyone to their country of origin or any other country where they would face persecution or serious harm. Due to the recent events, we have removed our country policy and information notes for Ukraine from gov.uk as they no longer reflect the current country situation.
We have, therefore, temporarily paused asylum decision making to ensure our decision makers are only considering claimants’ protection needs in the light of relevant and up-to-date country information. We are reviewing the country situation and will issue updated country policy and information notes shortly reflecting revised assessments of risk of persecution.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to allow Russians who oppose the current regime in that country who are (a) already in the UK and (b) currently outside the UK to seek long-term sanctuary in the UK.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Whilst we sympathise with people in many difficult situations around the world, including those individuals in Russia who are opposing the current regime, we are not bound to consider asylum claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might like to come here. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach, as this is the fastest route to safety.
There are a range of safe and legal routes for individuals to come to the UK should they wish to join family members here, or to work or study. They would though need to meet the requirements of the relevant Immigration Rule under which they were applying to qualify for a visa.
While we do not allow asylum claims from abroad, all asylum claims lodged from within the UK are given full and careful consideration so we do not remove anyone who faces persecution or serious harm on return to their country of origin. Protection is normally granted where a claimant has a well-founded fear of persecution under the Refugee Convention, or their circumstances engage our obligations under Article 3 ECHR.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she made of the impact on (a) children aged five to 11 who are clinically extremely vulnerable or who have a close relative who is immunosuppressed and (b) the staff working with those children who are either clinically extremely vulnerable or have a close relative who is immunosuppressed, of allowing children aged five to 11 in families where there is a confirmed covid-19 case to continue attending school; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
The department will always prioritise the health and welfare of staff, pupils and students.
At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, shielding was introduced as one of the few ways to support those who, at the time, were considered clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV).
The situation is now very different to when shielding was first introduced. We know a lot more about COVID-19 and what makes someone more or less vulnerable to the virus. The vaccine continues to be successfully rolled out, and other treatments and interventions are becoming available.
We are committed to protecting education, which is why the safety measures are based on the latest scientific advice and strike a balance between managing transmission risk with measures such as regular testing, enhanced ventilation and hygiene, and reducing disruption to face-to-face learning.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) have not advised people to shield since 1 April 2021, and people previously identified as CEV were advised to follow the same guidance as the general population. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do.
All children and young people previously considered CEV were advised to return to childcare and education provision when shielding paused on 1 April. The decision to include children as part of the CEV group was based on the information that we had at the time. Now that we have more evidence, the clinical review panel has been able to recommend that all children and young people are no longer considered to be CEV and have been removed from the Shielded Patient List. However, if a child or young person has been advised to isolate or reduce their social contact by their specialist, due to the nature of their medical condition or treatment, they should continue to follow the advice of their specialist.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that children aged 5 to 11 in a clinical risk group, and household contacts of individuals who are immunosuppressed, should be offered 2 10mcg doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, with an interval of 8 weeks between the first and second doses. The NHS is working through updated guidance and will set out how this is going to be operationalised in due course.
Vaccines remain an effective measure against COVID-19. We recommend all school staff take up the offer of a vaccine.
Education providers should continue to ensure good hygiene for everyone, maintain appropriate cleaning regimes, keep spaces well ventilated and follow public health advice on testing, self-isolation and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19. They should continue to conduct risk assessments for their particular circumstances and take appropriate action in line with our guidance, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak.
It is important that we reduce the disruption to children and young people’s education, particularly given that the direct clinical risks to children are extremely low. The evidence is clear that being out of education causes significant harm to educational attainment, life chances, mental and physical health, which is why children should continue to attend their education provision, unless they are symptomatic or test positive for COVID-19. All students and pupils aged 5 and above are strongly advised to take seven daily lateral flow device tests if they are identified by Test and Trace as a close contact of a confirmed positive case.
Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review entitled First Do No Harm, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure greater transparency of the reporting of research and sponsorship payments made by medical device manufacturers to (a) doctors, (b) teaching hospitals, (c) research institutions and (d) charities; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Government’s response to the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review was published on 26 July 2021. The Government accepted in principle the recommendation on the ‘mandatory reporting for the pharmaceutical and medical device industries of payments made to teaching hospitals, research institutions and individual clinicians'. The Department is exploring options in relation to expanding and reinforcing current industry schemes and making reporting mandatory through legislation. We aim to publish an update on progress in summer 2022.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to provide assistance to LGBTQI+ Afghans seeking asylum.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Whilst we acknowledge the increasingly complex situation in Afghanistan, we are not bound to consider asylum claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might like to come here. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.
While we do not allow asylum claims from abroad, all asylum claims that are lodged from within the UK, including those from Afghan nationals that are based on sexual orientation or gender identity, will be carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Those who need protection will normally be granted five years’ limited leave, have full access to the labour market and mainstream benefits, and can apply for settlement after five years.
We do not remove asylum seekers who have had to leave their countries because their sexuality or gender identity has put them at risk of persecution and no one who is found to be at risk of persecution or serious harm in Afghanistan will be expected to return there. Enforced returns of those who have been refused asylum and have exhausted all rights of appeal are also currently paused while we consider the situation.
The UK’s new resettlement scheme will, however, offer a route welcoming Afghans most at risk who have been forced to flee the country. We will work with UNHCR and partners in the region to prioritise those at risk, such as women and girls at risk, and ethnic, religious and LGBT+ minority groups at risk.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reconsider their response to the recommendation in the report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review First do no harm, published on 8 July 2020, that separate schemes should be set up to meet the cost of providing additional care and support to those who have experienced avoidable harm from hormone pregnancy tests, valproate and pelvic mesh interventions.
Answered by Lord Kamall
The Government did not accept this recommendation and there are no plans to reconsider this response. Our priority is to make medicines and devices safer and we are pursuing a wide range of activity to further this aim. The response explains the changes that have been put in place since the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review report’s publication and the further action the Government will take to implement the recommendations accepted and to improve patient safety.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to allow members of the LGBT community in Afghanistan to seek asylum in the UK.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Whilst we acknowledge the increasingly complex situation in Afghanistan, we are not bound to consider asylum claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might like to come here. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.
While we do not allow asylum claims from abroad, all asylum claims that are lodged from within the UK, including those from Afghan nationals that are based on sexual orientation or gender identity, will be carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Those who need protection will normally be granted five years’ limited leave, have full access to the labour market and mainstream benefits, and can apply for settlement after five years.
We do not remove asylum seekers who have had to leave their countries because their sexuality or gender identity has put them at risk of persecution and no one who is found to be at risk of persecution or serious harm in Afghanistan will be expected to return there. Enforced returns of those who have been refused asylum and have exhausted all rights of appeal are also currently paused while we consider the situation.
The UK’s new resettlement scheme will, however, offer a route welcoming Afghans most at risk who have been forced to flee the country, prioritising resettling women, girls and children to the UK. Further details on the scheme will be published in due course.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to offer asylum to civilians fleeing from Afghanistan following the Taliban's recent ascent to power in that country.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Whilst we acknowledge the increasingly complex situation in Afghanistan, we are not bound to consider asylum claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might like to come here. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.
While we do not allow asylum claims from abroad, all asylum claims that are lodged from within the UK, including those from Afghan nationals, will be carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Those who need protection will normally be granted five years’ limited leave, have full access to the labour market and mainstream benefits, and can apply for settlement after five years.
No one who is found to be at risk of persecution or serious harm in Afghanistan will be expected to return there, and enforced returns of those who have been refused asylum and have exhausted all rights of appeal are currently paused.
The UK’s new resettlement scheme will, however, offer a route welcoming Afghans most at risk who have been forced to flee the country, prioritising resettling women, girls and children to the UK. Further details on the Scheme will be published in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Cumberlege (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review First do No Harm, published on 8 July 2020, what negotiations have taken place between the Department of Health and Social Care and Her Majesty’s Treasury about redress for those who have suffered harm from (1) Primodos, (2) sodium valproate, and (3) pelvic mesh.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Department engaged with HM Treasury on redress prior to cross-Government approval of the response to the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review entitled First Do No Harm published in July 2020, what recent steps he has taken to progress implementation of the recommendation for a redress agency for people harmed by medicines and medical devices.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
The Government response to the Report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review was published on 21 July. The Government stated that it did not accept recommendation three to establish a redress agency as set out in the report. The Government and others have previously established redress schemes without the need for an additional agency.