Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will assist the hon. Member for West Lancashire in securing a response from the Director General of UK Visas and Immigration to a letter dated 19 February 2021, on an asylum application, reference ZA55642.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Department works to a target of responding to 95% of MPs written correspondence within 20 working days. Performance has been impacted by a very significant increase in the volume of correspondence received, alongside the need for Ministers and officials to instigate a remote process for drafting and signing correspondence during the period of COVID-19 restrictions.
The Department recognises that it has not been able to meet service standard in some cases but have implemented an action plan to clear backlogs and drive up performance.
UK Visas and Immigration, MP Account Management team responded on 23 April 2021
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Home Secretary on 24 March (HC Deb, cols 921–36), what are the (1) family reunion rights, (2) associated timescales, for asylum seekers who are granted asylum, and (3) the family reunion rights for illegal arrivals from a safe country.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The current family reunion policy allows a partner and children under 18 of those granted protection in the UK to join them here, if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country. Over 29,000 visas have been issued under this route in the last 5 years.
Currently, a person is eligible to sponsor a family reunion application as soon as they have been granted refugee status or humanitarian protection. There is no limit or timescale when they stop becoming eligible, other than if they become naturalised and obtain British citizenship. Once someone overseas applies for a family reunion visa, our customer service standard is 60 UK working days for straightforward cases.
As set out in the New Plan for Immigration policy statement published on 24 March, we are committed to review the refugee family reunion routes available to refugees who have arrived through safe and legal routes. Subject to considering consultation responses, those who are granted the new temporary protection status are proposed to have limited family reunion rights.
We have initiated a comprehensive consultation and engagement process which is open now until 6 May. We will use this opportunity to listen to a wide range of views from stakeholders across the sector, as well as members of the public. All policy development will be undertaken in line with the law, including our equalities duties and international obligations.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration findings in his inspection of the use of contingency hotel accommodation and from site visits to Penally Camp and Napier Barracks of 15 February 2021, what mental health support is being provided to asylum seekers who are or were residents of either of those sites.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The use of contingency accommodation continues to be essential as we work to fix the broken asylum system. We must ensure our statutory obligations can always be met and ensuring we treat all asylum seekers humanely and with the dignity they deserve.
Penally provided emergency capacity in response to pressures put on the asylum estate during the pandemic. As those pressures have eased, we have decided not to extend emergency planning permission beyond six months and close Penally. Napier Barracks will remain in operation in accordance with current needs.
The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration announced an inspection of contingency asylum accommodation on 25 January 2021. The department acknowledges the ICIBI’s decision to publish on 8 March the initial findings from site visits to Napier Barracks and Penally.
The ICIBI’s inspection continues and a full inspection report will follow. The duration of the inspection is a matter for the ICIBI and upon its conclusion, following standard procedure set out in the UK Borders Act 2007, the Department will issue a formal response alongside the inspection report as it is laid before Parliament and published on Gov.UK.
Napier is being used to accommodate single, adult males. All asylum seekers are subject to an initial screening process by UK Visas and Immigration, which includes security and safeguarding checks and we are taking great care to ensure those with identified vulnerabilities are moved to appropriate accommodation. We will also take swift action in relation to any new safeguarding issues as they emerge (for example the identification of previously unknown vulnerabilities). Further checks are made, to confirm suitability for transfer to the accommodation, before individuals are moved to sites and asylum seekers will be briefed by the accommodation provider in advance of their move.
We work closely with our accommodation providers to ensure all asylum seekers in supported accommodation are aware of, and have access to, Migrant Help’s helpline. This service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, if individuals need help, advice or guidance, including signposting to relevant mental and medical health services.
Regular welfare checks are conducted on individuals, including behavioural monitoring of those who show signs of vulnerability, and where appropriate safeguarding referrals are made to relevant bodies.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration's key findings from site visits to Penally Camp and Napier Barracks on 15 February 2021, what the safeguarding procedures and requirements are for housing asylum seekers in contingency accommodation.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The use of contingency accommodation continues to be essential as we work to fix the broken asylum system. We must ensure our statutory obligations can always be met and ensuring we treat all asylum seekers humanely and with the dignity they deserve.
Penally provided emergency capacity in response to pressures put on the asylum estate during the pandemic. As those pressures have eased, we have decided not to extend emergency planning permission beyond six months and close Penally. Napier Barracks will remain in operation in accordance with current needs.
The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration announced an inspection of contingency asylum accommodation on 25 January 2021. The department acknowledges the ICIBI’s decision to publish on 8 March the initial findings from site visits to Napier Barracks and Penally.
The ICIBI’s inspection continues and a full inspection report will follow. The duration of the inspection is a matter for the ICIBI and upon its conclusion, following standard procedure set out in the UK Borders Act 2007, the Department will issue a formal response alongside the inspection report as it is laid before Parliament and published on Gov.UK.
Napier is being used to accommodate single, adult males. All asylum seekers are subject to an initial screening process by UK Visas and Immigration, which includes security and safeguarding checks and we are taking great care to ensure those with identified vulnerabilities are moved to appropriate accommodation. We will also take swift action in relation to any new safeguarding issues as they emerge (for example the identification of previously unknown vulnerabilities). Further checks are made, to confirm suitability for transfer to the accommodation, before individuals are moved to sites and asylum seekers will be briefed by the accommodation provider in advance of their move.
We work closely with our accommodation providers to ensure all asylum seekers in supported accommodation are aware of, and have access to, Migrant Help’s helpline. This service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, if individuals need help, advice or guidance, including signposting to relevant mental and medical health services.
Regular welfare checks are conducted on individuals, including behavioural monitoring of those who show signs of vulnerability, and where appropriate safeguarding referrals are made to relevant bodies.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made in ending the use of former barracks to accommodate people seeking asylum.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The use of contingency accommodation continues to be essential as we work to fix the broken asylum system. We must ensure our statutory obligations can always be met and ensuring we treat all asylum seekers humanely and with the dignity they deserve.
Penally provided emergency capacity in response to pressures put on the asylum estate during the pandemic. As those pressures have eased, we have decided not to extend emergency planning permission beyond six months and close Penally. Napier Barracks will remain in operation in accordance with current needs.
The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration announced an inspection of contingency asylum accommodation on 25 January 2021. The department acknowledges the ICIBI’s decision to publish on 8 March the initial findings from site visits to Napier Barracks and Penally.
The ICIBI’s inspection continues and a full inspection report will follow. The duration of the inspection is a matter for the ICIBI and upon its conclusion, following standard procedure set out in the UK Borders Act 2007, the Department will issue a formal response alongside the inspection report as it is laid before Parliament and published on Gov.UK.
Napier is being used to accommodate single, adult males. All asylum seekers are subject to an initial screening process by UK Visas and Immigration, which includes security and safeguarding checks and we are taking great care to ensure those with identified vulnerabilities are moved to appropriate accommodation. We will also take swift action in relation to any new safeguarding issues as they emerge (for example the identification of previously unknown vulnerabilities). Further checks are made, to confirm suitability for transfer to the accommodation, before individuals are moved to sites and asylum seekers will be briefed by the accommodation provider in advance of their move.
We work closely with our accommodation providers to ensure all asylum seekers in supported accommodation are aware of, and have access to, Migrant Help’s helpline. This service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, if individuals need help, advice or guidance, including signposting to relevant mental and medical health services.
Regular welfare checks are conducted on individuals, including behavioural monitoring of those who show signs of vulnerability, and where appropriate safeguarding referrals are made to relevant bodies.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will provide assistance in securing a response from the Director General of UK Visas and Immigration, to the letter dated 3 December 2020 from the hon. Member for West Lancashire, regarding an asylum claim, reference ZA54763.
Answered by Kevin Foster
UK Visas and Immigration, MP Account Management team responded on 16 April 2021
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of decisions made by the UK on applications for family reunification with a beneficiary of international protection in 2020 were (a) accepted and (b) rejected.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Home Office publishes data on Family Reunion in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’.
Data on grants of Family Reunion visas are published in table Fam_D01 of the asylum and resettlement detailed datasets. Data on applications and outcomes of Family Reunion visas by nationality are included in the ‘Family: other’ visa subgroup in tables Vis_D01 and Vis_D02 of the entry clearance visas detailed datasets. Although ‘family reunion’ visas are not separately available, the vast majority of ‘Family: other’ visas are family reunion.
Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relates to year ending December 2020. Additionally, the Home Office publishes a high-level overview of the data in the asylum summary tables and entry clearance summary tables. The ‘contents’ sheet contains an overview of all available data on asylum and entry clearance visas.
Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what process her Department uses to assess asylum seekers to determine whether they have particular vulnerabilities which mean they cannot be housed in either Penally or Napier Barracks.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The sites at Penally and Napier are being used to accommodate single, adult males. All asylum seekers are subject to an initial screening process by UK Visas and Immigration, which includes security and safeguarding checks and we are taking great care to ensure that those with identified vulnerabilities are moved to appropriate accommodation. We will also take swift action in relation to any new safeguarding issues that emerge (for example the identification of previously unknown vulnerabilities).
Further checks are made, to confirm suitability for transfer to the accommodation, before individuals are moved to sites and asylum seekers will be briefed by the accommodation provider in advance of their move.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of (a) the health of asylum seekers housed at the Penally training camp site and (b) the effect of that site on their health; and what steps she will take with the Welsh Government to protect and maintain the health and safety of the people housed in that camp.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
All asylum seekers are subject to an initial screening process by UK Visas and Immigration, which includes health and safeguarding checks. Further checks are also made, to confirm suitability for transfer to the accommodation. On site, accommodation provider staff are available at all times should health concerns arise, with healthcare arrangements in place, linked to local NHS provision.
Additionally, all asylum seekers have access to the Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility (AIRE) service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help offers support and guidance to vulnerable migrants.
AIRE asylum services provide free independent advice, guidance and information on the asylum process, accommodation, financial support, finding legal representation and any other asylum related matters. AIRE run a national helpline that is free and accessible to all asylum seekers in the UK.
We remain in regular contact and committed to working with the Welsh Government and relevant health bodies in respect of the accommodation of asylum seekers at Penally.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of making (a) asylum and (b) other migration application processes available online during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has worked at pace to ensure the application processes for our routes are Covid safe. Where we can, we have digitised the application process, but in some areas this is not possible.
Asylum in the UK should continue to be sought at the first available opportunity; on arrival, at a port of entry. Those who have failed to claim on arrival, or whose circumstances have changed since arrival, can lodge a claim at an in-country location – this is usually by appointment at the Asylum Intake Unit (AIU) in Croydon. The AIU has continued operate throughout the Covid 19 pandemic, however in line with Government Covid 19 guidance and restrictions, additional regional locations have been temporarily introduced to ensure asylum seekers are able to safely register their claims. In addition, the asylum screening and registration process has been temporarily abridged to minimise in person contact and limit travel required and remains under ongoing review.
Asylum claims registered at these temporary regional locations are processed in accordance with policy, fulfilling the UKs statutory obligations in relation to registering asylum claims in a Covid safe environment. The asylum registration process requires the enrolment of biometrics (photographs and fingerprints) to complete vital immigration and security checks against Home Office systems. This process requires attendance in person and so cannot be turned into an online process.
In relation to in-country further leave applications, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and government and public health restrictions put in place, the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS), which allows customers within the UK to enrol their biometrics, was suspended from the end of March to 1st June 2020.
As the UKVCAS service reopened, in parallel UKVI began reusing existing fingerprint biometrics for some customers which meant that instead of attending a service point in person to re-enrol, UKVI could reuse the fingerprints already recorded against a previous application. Once a customer has submitted their biometrics to UKVI, either through a physical appointment or verifying their identity in order that their existing biometrics can be reused, we are able to make a decision.
Finally, due to the digital nature of the EU Settlement Scheme, it has remained open throughout the pandemic for customers able to apply on line using the EU Exit: ID Document Check app”.
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has worked at pace to ensure the application processes for our routes are Covid safe. Where we can, we have digitised the application process, but in some areas this is not possible.
Asylum in the UK should continue to be sought at the first available opportunity; on arrival, at a port of entry. Those who have failed to claim on arrival, or whose circumstances have changed since arrival, can lodge a claim at an in-country location – this is usually by appointment at the Asylum Intake Unit (AIU) in Croydon. The AIU has continued operate throughout the Covid 19 pandemic, however in line with Government Covid 19 guidance and restrictions, additional regional locations have been temporarily introduced to ensure asylum seekers are able to safely register their claims. In addition, the asylum screening and registration process has been temporarily abridged to minimise in person contact and limit travel required and remains under ongoing review.
Asylum claims registered at these temporary regional locations are processed in accordance with policy, fulfilling the UKs statutory obligations in relation to registering asylum claims in a Covid safe environment. The asylum registration process requires the enrolment of biometrics (photographs and fingerprints) to complete vital immigration and security checks against Home Office systems. This process requires attendance in person and so cannot be turned into an online process.
In relation to in-country further leave applications, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and government and public health restrictions put in place, the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS), which allows customers within the UK to enrol their biometrics, was suspended from the end of March to 1st June 2020.
As the UKVCAS service reopened, in parallel UKVI began reusing existing fingerprint biometrics for some customers which meant that instead of attending a service point in person to re-enrol, UKVI could reuse the fingerprints already recorded against a previous application. Once a customer has submitted their biometrics to UKVI, either through a physical appointment or verifying their identity in order that their existing biometrics can be reused, we are able to make a decision.
Finally, due to the digital nature of the EU Settlement Scheme, it has remained open throughout the pandemic for customers able to apply on line using the EU Exit: ID Document Check app”.