Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many biometric residence permits were delayed due to technical issues in each of the last three years, broken down by month.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
At the point that a decision is made to grant permission to remain, a BRP is automatically requested by the case working system and data is sent to the DVLA for the BRP to be produced. Any automatic requests that become "stuck" when sent to the DVLA are targeted and proactive reporting is being developed to identify such cases earlier.
During 2024, DVLA produced 100% of BRPs within 24 hours of this automatic request process.
During 2023, DVLA produced 99.6% of BRPs within 24 hours of this automatic request process and 100% within 48 hours.
During 2022, DVLA produced 97.2% of BRPs within 24 hours of this automatic request process and 100% within 48 hours.
During 2021, DVLA produced 75.1% of BRPs within 24 hours of this automatic request process and 100% within 48 hours.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the development of intelligent liver function tests by the University of Dundee; and if she will make it her policy to increase the rollout of these tests in areas with the highest levels of liver disease in England.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is working with the National Health Service to support earlier diagnosis of liver disease, and to identify patients at risk. This includes plans agreed as part of the £2.3 billion diagnostics transformation programme, to upgrade the digital capabilities of laboratories across the country and ensure that they have the capability required to offer Intelligent Liver Function Tests (iLFTs).
NHS England is reviewing the liver fibrosis pathways, and looking at developing a diagnosis pathway starting in primary care that will make use of both laboratory-based tests, such as iLFTs, and community diagnostic centres. The Government will make a further assessment of this work once it is complete, including the benefits of an increased rollout of iLFTs across England.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent discussions he has had on progress on the introduction of public registers of beneficial ownership in the (a) Crown Dependencies and (b) Overseas Territories.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 14 March 2024, the FCDO co-hosted, with the British Virgin Islands (BVI) Government, the inaugural UK-OT Joint Ministerial Dialogue on Illicit Finance. We discussed, among other areas, beneficial ownership transparency. I [Minister Rutley] re-stated the UK's expectation that access for those with a legitimate interest, including media and civil society, will be established by the end of 2024 as an interim step to full public accessibility. Overseas Territory Governments re-affirmed the commitments outlined in the Statement that I laid in December (HCWS150). The Home Office continue to lead engagement with the Crown Dependencies.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department plans to publish guidance on the operation of section 8AA of the Immigration Act 1971.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
Guidance on the operation of section 8AA of the Immigration Act 1971 will be published in due course.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department plans to publish draft guidance on the family reunion route for Afghan nationals under pathway one of the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
We committed to opening the route for separated families under Pathway 1 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) for referrals in the first half of this year and we remain on track to meet that deadline. Guidance will be published when the route is opened.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what entitlements and restrictions will be attached to leave granted under section 8AA of the Immigration Act 1971 prior to the commencement of section 2(1) of the Illegal Migration Act 2023.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The length and conditions associated with leave granted under section 8AA of the Immigration Act 1971 prior to commencement of section 2(1) of the Illegal Migration Act 2023 will be set out in full by Ministers in due course.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the press statement by the Prime Minister of 22 April 2024, with which airline commercial charter planes for specific slots to remove people to Rwanda have been booked.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
The Department engages with commercial partners where required to deliver on its responsibilities. The details of any such discussions are both operationally and commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the start and end times were of the two day-time and one night-time lock-in periods at Brook House IRC as of (a) 12 April 2024 and (b) 1 November 2023.
Answered by Michael Tomlinson - Minister of State (Minister for Illegal Migration)
The dignity and welfare of residents across the entire immigration detention estate is of the utmost importance and the use of periods of time where individuals’ freedom of movement is restricted contributes to the maintenance of a safe and secure environment in our centres.
From 4 December 2023 the Home Office changed the lock-in times from 12.00pm-12:30pm and 5.00pm-5:30pm to 11:30am-12:30pm and 4:30pm-5:30pm. All residents need to be in their rooms for one hour between 11:30-12:30 and 4:30pm-5:30pm, with meal services provided at the end of these times. The Home Office requested this change to ensure that all residents are accounted for, that staff can conduct welfare checks on vulnerable residents, and that planned discharges can be carried out safely.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of reports of electoral irregularities in the Pakistani general election of 8 February 2024; and whether he has had discussions with his Pakistani counterpart on allowing an impartial and fair investigation of such irregularities.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has a longstanding and close relationship with Pakistan. Following the general election in Pakistan on 8 February, the Foreign Secretary issued a statement which recognised the serious concerns raised about the fairness and lack of inclusivity of the elections. He underlined these points in a call with Pakistan's new Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, on 25 March. The UK encourages Pakistani authorities to examine all allegations carefully and take steps to address any irregularities.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if his Department will issue guidance on the exceptional circumstances that would permit an asylum or human rights claim made by a national of a country listed under section 80AA of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 to be declared admissible.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Section 80A(5) of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 and section 6(5) of the Illegal Migration Act 2023 set out some examples of what may constitute exceptional circumstances, relevant to the substantive consideration of asylum claims and to removal under the Illegal Migration Act to s.80AA(1) listed states (respectively). These examples are neither exhaustive nor relevant to all cases, and do not purport to be.
Exceptional circumstances are not defined or limited in legislation, but will be considered and applied on a case-by-case basis where it is appropriate.
When we commence and implement the wider measures as set out in section 59 of the Illegal Migration Act 2023, we will provide updated guidance to assist caseworkers in their consideration of exceptional circumstances, and the wider provisions.