Asked by: Chloe Smith (Conservative - Norwich North)
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 asylum seekers who are unaccompanied minors are (a) supported and (b) kept safe during temporary placements in hotels.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The UK is experiencing an unprecedented increase in the number of people making life-threatening journeys to cross the Channel. These boats are often carrying unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and this has placed unprecedented pressure on the National Transfer Scheme. Out of necessity and with the children’s best interests in mind, we have arranged for them to be accommodated on an emergency and temporary basis in hotels whilst placements with local authorities are being vigorously pursued.
We have safeguarding procedures in place to ensure all unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in emergency interim hotels are as safe and supported as possible whilst we seek urgent placements with a local authority. Young people are supported by team leaders and support workers who are on site 24 hours a day. Further care is provided in hotels by teams of social workers and nurses.
The Home Office has no power to hold children or adults in contingency hotels if they wish to leave. To minimise the risk of a child going missing, records of children leaving and returning to the hotel are kept and monitored. Support workers accompany children off site on activities and social excursions, or where specific vulnerabilities are identified.
All asylum seekers, including children, have an interview on arrival in the UK which includes a series of questions specifically designed to understand whether there are any potential indicators of trafficking. A referral is made to the National Referral Mechanism if indicators are noted. In the case of children a safety plan is put in place by social services, whilst adults identified as potential victims of modern slavery are entitled to care and support provided by the Salvation Army.
The Home Office and its accommodation providers have robust processes in place to ensure that where someone is at risk they are referred to the appropriate statutory agencies of the police, NHS and social services, to promote appropriate safeguarding interventions. All contingency sites have security staff and providers liaise closely with local police to ensure the welfare and safety of vulnerable residents.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has made an assessment of the impact of trends in the levels of covid-19 infections on the ability of students to take (a) GCSE and (b) A-Level examinations.
Answered by Robin Walker
Exams and other formal assessments are the best way of judging students’ performance. By sitting exams, students have a fair chance to show their knowledge and understanding of a subject. The government is fully committed to exams going ahead this summer and does not expect that to change, except in the very unlikely case of a public health emergency which would prevent students being able to physically sit exams.
If a student due to take their exams has tested positive for COVID-19 or is unwell with relevant symptoms, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance is clear that they should stay at home. The guidance is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19#what-to-do-if-you-have-a-positive-covid-19-test-result. They should not attend examinations for the time-period recommended by UKHSA. This is 3 days for children and young people who are 18 years old and under, or 5 days for adults 19 and over. UKHSA guidance covers what to do if someone has symptoms of a respiratory infection at the end of this period.
If someone is staying at home in line with UKHSA guidance, they are considered to have an acceptable reason for absence for the special consideration process. Their centre will provide them with a self-certification form which they or their parent/carer/guardian should complete. Provided they meet the criteria for special consideration, their grade can then be calculated based on the exams and assessments they have already completed, and the exams they complete once they recover.
To address the risk of students missing all their exams, the exam boards have spaced out the exam timetable so that there are at least ten days between the first and last exam, with most subjects having more than 10 days and some quite substantially more. Exceptionally for this year, the Joint Council for Qualifications has confirmed that eligible students can access the special consideration process where they complete at least one whole component within the specification, rather than the usual requirement to cover at least 25% of the total assessment.
In all cases, students, teachers, and schools should adhere to the guidance on living with COVID-19 and candidates are expected to attend their exams wherever possible, and school and college staff should encourage them to do so.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance his Department is providing to (a) parents and (b) schools on children who miss exams due to covid-19 infection.
Answered by Robin Walker
Exams and other formal assessments are the best way of judging students’ performance. By sitting exams, students have a fair chance to show their knowledge and understanding of a subject. The government is fully committed to exams going ahead this summer and does not expect that to change, except in the very unlikely case of a public health emergency which would prevent students being able to physically sit exams.
If a student due to take their exams has tested positive for COVID-19 or is unwell with relevant symptoms, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance is clear that they should stay at home. The guidance is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19#what-to-do-if-you-have-a-positive-covid-19-test-result. They should not attend examinations for the time-period recommended by UKHSA. This is 3 days for children and young people who are 18 years old and under, or 5 days for adults 19 and over. UKHSA guidance covers what to do if someone has symptoms of a respiratory infection at the end of this period.
If someone is staying at home in line with UKHSA guidance, they are considered to have an acceptable reason for absence for the special consideration process. Their centre will provide them with a self-certification form which they or their parent/carer/guardian should complete. Provided they meet the criteria for special consideration, their grade can then be calculated based on the exams and assessments they have already completed, and the exams they complete once they recover.
To address the risk of students missing all their exams, the exam boards have spaced out the exam timetable so that there are at least ten days between the first and last exam, with most subjects having more than 10 days and some quite substantially more. Exceptionally for this year, the Joint Council for Qualifications has confirmed that eligible students can access the special consideration process where they complete at least one whole component within the specification, rather than the usual requirement to cover at least 25% of the total assessment.
In all cases, students, teachers, and schools should adhere to the guidance on living with COVID-19 and candidates are expected to attend their exams wherever possible, and school and college staff should encourage them to do so.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 12 September 2017 to Question 7781, if she will provide an updated timeline for the publication of her Department's Missing Children and Adults Strategy.
Answered by Priti Patel
People that go missing include some of the most vulnerable in our society. The Government is determined that missing people and their families receive the best possible protection and support; from Government, statutory agencies and the voluntary sector.
While the majority of incidents of children going missing result in no harm, missing incidents can be associated with a number of criminal harms. The Home Office does not hold missing persons data centrally, but the NCA compiles missing persons statistics from police forces in the Missing Persons Unit Data report, published annually at
https://missingpersons.police.uk/cy-gb/resources/downloads/missing-persons-statistical-bulletins
Asked by: Rehman Chishti (Conservative - Gillingham and Rainham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the Government’s progress on meeting the objectives of the Missing Children and Adults Strategy 2011.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
People who go missing include some of the most vulnerable people in our society and the Government will do all it can to ensure those people are protected from harm.
The 2011 Missing Children and Adults Strategy provided a framework for local and national action to protect children and vulnerable adults who go missing. The Government has made significant progress in meeting the objectives of the strategy including by issuing new statutory guidance on missing children, placing new requirements on local authorities on the reporting of missing incidents, working with the College of Policing to develop new risk-based professional practice for police, and funding support for missing people and their families through charities like Missing People.
While plans to update the 2011 strategy are under consideration, we can and will go further to protect and support people who go missing. The Department for Education is working with the police, local authorities and the voluntary sector to consider how its statutory guidance is supporting local authorities and their partners to prevent children from going missing from home or care, and the Home Office is working with the national policing lead for Missing Persons and the NCA’s UK Missing Persons Unit to deliver a National Register for Missing Persons (NRMP) which will provide new functionality around the reporting of missing and associated found incidents across police force boundaries.
Protecting and supporting vulnerable missing people is also a key element of our action to tackle exploitation and abuse, including sexual abuse and county lines exploitation, given the clear links between people who go missing and these broader harms. This includes funding Missing People’s SafeCall service, a specialist 24/7 helpline which provides advice and support to children, young people and parents/carers concerned about county lines exploitation.
Asked by: Rehman Chishti (Conservative - Gillingham and Rainham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to update the Missing Children and Adults Strategy 2011.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
People who go missing include some of the most vulnerable people in our society and the Government will do all it can to ensure those people are protected from harm.
The 2011 Missing Children and Adults Strategy provided a framework for local and national action to protect children and vulnerable adults who go missing. The Government has made significant progress in meeting the objectives of the strategy including by issuing new statutory guidance on missing children, placing new requirements on local authorities on the reporting of missing incidents, working with the College of Policing to develop new risk-based professional practice for police, and funding support for missing people and their families through charities like Missing People.
While plans to update the 2011 strategy are under consideration, we can and will go further to protect and support people who go missing. The Department for Education is working with the police, local authorities and the voluntary sector to consider how its statutory guidance is supporting local authorities and their partners to prevent children from going missing from home or care, and the Home Office is working with the national policing lead for Missing Persons and the NCA’s UK Missing Persons Unit to deliver a National Register for Missing Persons (NRMP) which will provide new functionality around the reporting of missing and associated found incidents across police force boundaries.
Protecting and supporting vulnerable missing people is also a key element of our action to tackle exploitation and abuse, including sexual abuse and county lines exploitation, given the clear links between people who go missing and these broader harms. This includes funding Missing People’s SafeCall service, a specialist 24/7 helpline which provides advice and support to children, young people and parents/carers concerned about county lines exploitation.
Asked by: Rehman Chishti (Conservative - Gillingham and Rainham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of missing (a) adults and (b) children, were recorded as high risk in each month from 1 April 2020 to 1 September 2020.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Annual missing persons statistics, including analysis of age and risk category, are published by the National Crime Agency’s Missing Person’s Unit. The latest report is for 2018-19 and is available at https://www.missingpersons.police.uk/en-gb/resources/downloads/missing-persons-statistical-bulletins.
The Government recognises the importance of accurate and timely data on both current and historic missing incidents. We are working with the national policing lead for Missing Persons and the NCA’s UK Missing Persons Unit through the Home Office National Law Enforcement Data Programme (NLEDP) to deliver a National Register for Missing Persons (NRMP). The NRMP will provide a snapshot of live missing incidents across police forces in England and Wales.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government under what circumstances would an absconding process be triggered when a person is held at (1) the Napier Barracks in Folkestone, and (2) the Penally Barracks in South Pembrokeshire; and what are the consequences of that process being implemented.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Napier and Penally Barracks are accommodation centres and not detention centres. The people who are supported there are able to leave the site and complete a register when leaving or entering.
The Home Office has established absconder policies and procedures for use across the asylum accommodation estate which we will apply in Napier and Penally.
If applicants leave the site on their own accord, for more than one day, without having obtained agreement, the Provider shall notify the Home Office with written confirmation of the unauthorised absence using the relevant part of the Service Commission Form.
The Home Office will look into the unauthorised absence by contacting the applicant or their representatives by telephone to determine whether they have moved to an alternative address.
If no contact is made the absconder’s details will be circulated on the Police National Computer (PNC) database by the PNC team. The PNC team will forward details of absconder notifications to the National Absconder Tracing Team (NATT)
The NATT is responsible for initiating tracing action on all absconders, with the exception of Criminal Casework (CC) absconders. Absconder tracing will be prioritised for removable cases, highest harm cases, vulnerable adults and missing children. On identifying a new address, NATT will make a tasking referral to the relevant Immigration Compliance and Enforcement (ICE) team for further action
The majority of the people we house abide by the conditions of their support and life in the United Kingdom and significant incidents are rare.
All asylum seekers moving to Napier and Penally will have security checks on arrival in the United Kingdom, and health screening. In addition, further checks will be conducted prior to arrival on site to ensure that they are suitable for transfer from their previous accommodation. Anyone arriving at this site will have already been in quarantine for 14 days, as per public health guidance.
The safety and wellbeing of those we support, and the local communities are paramount. The Home Office will continue to work closely with the police and other authorities in preparing for and managing the impacts of these processes, with a clear focus on the welfare and wellbeing of both those on sites and local residents.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress she has made on the establishment of the national missing persons database; and what the timeframe is for that database to be operational.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
People that go missing include some of the most vulnerable in our society. The Government is determined that missing people and their families receive the best possible protection and support; from Government, statutory agencies and the voluntary sector.
The Government’s 2011 Missing Children and Adults Strategy highlighted the importance of this issue and provided a core framework for local areas to consider what more can be done to protect children and vulnerable adults who go missing. These measures are kept under constant review. Protecting and supporting vulnerable missing children is also a key element of our action to tackle exploitation and abuse, including sexual abuse and county lines exploitation, given the clear links between children who go missing and these broader harms.
The existing Police National Computer (PNC) already allows police forces to report a person as missing and for that missing report to be visible to all UK police forces. The PNC is being decommissioned as part of the Home Office led National Law Enforcement Data Programme (NLEDP). As part of this process the Programme, working with the national policing lead for Missing Persons and the NCA’s UK Missing Persons Unit will deliver a National Register for Missing Persons (NRMP) which will provide additional functionality around the reporting of missing and associated found incidents across force boundaries.
The NLEDP will be delivered in phases to mitigate the risks of a ‘big bang’ deployment, beginning at the end of 2020, with the early phases focused on the highest priority functions, including replacing the current PNC capabilities. The anticipated delivery date for the phase including the NRMP is early 2022.
The Home Office does not hold data centrally on the number of people reported missing. Individual police forces hold information about current missing persons incidents. Annual missing persons statistics, including how many children are reported missing, are published by the National Crime Agency’s Missing Person’s Unit:
http://missingpersons.police.uk/en-gb/resources/downloads/missing-persons-statistical-bulletins
The NCA intends to publish missing persons data for 2017-18 and 2018-19 later this month (June), with publication of data for 19/20 expected at the end of 2020.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timeframe is for her Department to undertake a review of the 2011 Missing Children and Adults strategy.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
People that go missing include some of the most vulnerable in our society. The Government is determined that missing people and their families receive the best possible protection and support; from Government, statutory agencies and the voluntary sector.
The Government’s 2011 Missing Children and Adults Strategy highlighted the importance of this issue and provided a core framework for local areas to consider what more can be done to protect children and vulnerable adults who go missing. These measures are kept under constant review. Protecting and supporting vulnerable missing children is also a key element of our action to tackle exploitation and abuse, including sexual abuse and county lines exploitation, given the clear links between children who go missing and these broader harms.
The existing Police National Computer (PNC) already allows police forces to report a person as missing and for that missing report to be visible to all UK police forces. The PNC is being decommissioned as part of the Home Office led National Law Enforcement Data Programme (NLEDP). As part of this process the Programme, working with the national policing lead for Missing Persons and the NCA’s UK Missing Persons Unit will deliver a National Register for Missing Persons (NRMP) which will provide additional functionality around the reporting of missing and associated found incidents across force boundaries.
The NLEDP will be delivered in phases to mitigate the risks of a ‘big bang’ deployment, beginning at the end of 2020, with the early phases focused on the highest priority functions, including replacing the current PNC capabilities. The anticipated delivery date for the phase including the NRMP is early 2022.
The Home Office does not hold data centrally on the number of people reported missing. Individual police forces hold information about current missing persons incidents. Annual missing persons statistics, including how many children are reported missing, are published by the National Crime Agency’s Missing Person’s Unit:
http://missingpersons.police.uk/en-gb/resources/downloads/missing-persons-statistical-bulletins
The NCA intends to publish missing persons data for 2017-18 and 2018-19 later this month (June), with publication of data for 19/20 expected at the end of 2020.