Asked by: Baroness Gohir (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many applications were received for transitioning from a student visa to a spousal visa each year from 2018 to 2022, and what percentage of the applicants were male.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes data on how people move through the immigration system in the Migrant Journey report. The report contains information on the number of people starting a journey each year broken down by immigration route (e.g. study) and how many extend into other categories (e.g. family) at the end of each year, following their initial leave. The latest report covers up to the end of 2022.
The Home Office publishes data on grants of extensions of stay in the UK, in the Immigration system statistics quarterly release.
Table Exe_D02 shows the number of grants of extensions of stay in the UK, by current and previous category of leave, available from Immigration system statistics data tables. Data on extensions by previous category is available for main applicants and calendar year 2020 only. This data will be updated for 2021 onwards in future Immigration system statistics publications.
Please note, the published statistics relate to the number of grants, not applications.
Asked by: Baroness Gohir (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the success rate of applications for transitioning from a student visa to a spousal visa each year from 2018 to 2022.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes data on how people move through the immigration system in the Migrant Journey report. The report contains information on the number of people starting a journey each year broken down by immigration route (e.g. study) and how many extend into other categories (e.g. family) at the end of each year, following their initial leave. The latest report covers up to the end of 2022.
The Home Office publishes data on grants of extensions of stay in the UK, in the Immigration system statistics quarterly release.
Table Exe_D02 shows the number of grants of extensions of stay in the UK, by current and previous category of leave, available from Immigration system statistics data tables. Data on extensions by previous category is available for main applicants and calendar year 2020 only. This data will be updated for 2021 onwards in future Immigration system statistics publications.
Please note, the published statistics relate to the number of grants, not applications.
Asked by: Baroness Gohir (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government between 2018 and 2022 how many British citizens, if any, have reported being in a forced marriage to individuals in the UK who have students visas.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Since April 2019, police forces in England and Wales have been required to provide quarterly data returns to the Home Office on so-called ‘honour’-based abuse offences, including forced marriage. The most recent data show 172 forced marriage related offences recorded in the year ending March 2023.
In addition, the joint Home Office and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) also publishes statistics on forced marriage cases reported to the unit. The most recent statistics show the FMU provided support in 280 cases of forced marriage in 2023.
The Home Office does not hold data on forced marriages relating to individuals with student visas.
Asked by: Baroness Gohir (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the numbers of asylum seekers who have (1) self-harmed, (2) attempted suicide, or (3) died by suicide, who are currently either living or lived in initial and dispersed asylum accommodation provided by the Home Office via contracts.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
The Home Office operates a Safeguarding Hub to support vulnerable individuals. Both 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 police, NHS, and social services to promote appropriate safeguarding interventions.
As well as making safeguarding referrals to the appropriate statutory agencies other actions include attendance at child/adult protection meetings with police and social workers and liaising with both external and internal partners to share information. The statutory agencies retain responsibility for all decisions on intervention activity.
Asked by: Baroness Gohir (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to reduce the risk of self-harm amongst asylum seekers living in initial and dispersed asylum accommodation provided by the Home Office via contracts.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
The Home Office operates a Safeguarding Hub to support vulnerable individuals. Both 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 police, NHS, and social services to promote appropriate safeguarding interventions.
As well as making safeguarding referrals to the appropriate statutory agencies other actions include attendance at child/adult protection meetings with police and social workers and liaising with both external and internal partners to share information. The statutory agencies retain responsibility for all decisions on intervention activity.
Asked by: Baroness Gohir (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that the food provided to asylum seekers living in initial and dispersed asylum accommodation provided by the Home Office via contracts (1) is adequate, (2) meets minimum quality standards, (3) meets basic nutritional needs, and (4) is culturally appropriate.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
Asylum seekers in initial accommodation are provided with three meals a day with a choice of at least one hot, one cold selection and a vegetarian option. Babies and small children are also provided with appropriate foodstuffs and can be fed whenever necessary. Options are provided for any asylum seeker with special dietary, cultural or religions requirements where specified. Food service meets appropriate nutritional standards and accommodation providers ensure that each varied menu is validated by a suitably qualified nutritionist or health professional as being appropriate.
Those in dispersal accommodation are provided with £47.39 per week, to meet essential living needs including food provision.
There are additional payments for pregnant women, children and babies as follows:
Extra payments | Pregnant mother | Baby under 1 | Child aged 1-3 |
Pregnancy payment (per week) | £3 | £5 | £3 |
|
|
|
|
| S95 Applicants | S4 applicants |
|
Maternity Payment (per month) | £300 | £250 |
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Asked by: Baroness Gohir (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) adequacy, (2) quality, (3) nutritional content, and (4) cultural appropriateness, of the food being provided to asylum seekers living in initial and dispersed asylum accommodation provided by the Home Office via contracts.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
Asylum seekers in initial accommodation are provided with three meals a day with a choice of at least one hot, one cold selection and a vegetarian option. Babies and small children are also provided with appropriate foodstuffs and can be fed whenever necessary. Options are provided for any asylum seeker with special dietary, cultural or religions requirements where specified. Food service meets appropriate nutritional standards and accommodation providers ensure that each varied menu is validated by a suitably qualified nutritionist or health professional as being appropriate.
Those in dispersal accommodation are provided with £47.39 per week, to meet essential living needs including food provision.
There are additional payments for pregnant women, children and babies as follows:
Extra payments | Pregnant mother | Baby under 1 | Child aged 1-3 |
Pregnancy payment (per week) | £3 | £5 | £3 |
|
|
|
|
| S95 Applicants | S4 applicants |
|
Maternity Payment (per month) | £300 | £250 |
|