Baroness Hamwee Portrait

Baroness Hamwee

Liberal Democrat - Life peer

Became Member: 6th June 1991


Justice and Home Affairs Committee
14th Apr 2021 - 31st Jan 2024
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Immigration)
17th Jun 2017 - 14th Apr 2021
EU Justice Sub-Committee
2nd Jul 2019 - 23rd Apr 2020
Human Rights (Joint Committee)
19th Jul 2017 - 1st Jul 2019
Human Rights (Joint Committee)
16th Jul 2015 - 27th Apr 2017
Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee
9th Jun 2010 - 30th Mar 2015
Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee
16th May 2012 - 30th Mar 2015
Extradition Law
12th Jun 2014 - 25th Feb 2015
Procedure and Privileges Committee
25th Nov 2009 - 14th May 2014
Inquiries Act 2005 Committee
16th May 2013 - 26th Feb 2014
Inheritance and Trustees’ Powers Bill [HL]
28th Oct 2013 - 16th Dec 2013
Adoption Legislation Committee
29th May 2012 - 26th Feb 2013
Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee
9th Jun 2010 - 15th May 2012
Leader's Group on Working Practices
27th Jul 2010 - 26th Apr 2011
Economic Affairs Committee
15th Dec 2008 - 8th Apr 2010
Procedure and Privileges Committee
9th Jun 1997 - 11th May 2001
House of Lords Offices Committee
22nd Nov 1994 - 7th May 1997
Refreshment Sub Committee
11th Nov 1991 - 3rd Nov 1994


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Baroness Hamwee has voted in 536 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
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Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Baroness Williams of Trafford (Conservative)
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
(81 debate interactions)
Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Conservative)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
(26 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Home Office
(360 debate contributions)
Ministry of Justice
(93 debate contributions)
Scotland Office
(34 debate contributions)
Leader of the House
(12 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Baroness Hamwee's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Baroness Hamwee, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


2 Bills introduced by Baroness Hamwee


A bill to make provision for leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom to be granted to the family members of refugees and of people granted humanitarian protection; and to provide for legal aid to be made available in such cases

Lords - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Thursday 9th January 2020
(Read Debate)

A Bill to make provision for the administration of the affairs of missing persons; and for connected purposes.

Lords - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Lords
Tuesday 14th June 2016

Baroness Hamwee has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
2nd Jun 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in negotiations with the European Union, having regard to law enforcement and internal security, they have referred in the single governance framework to common values including the rule of law and human rights, and to the UK’s continued adherence to the European Convention on Human Rights; and if not, (1) why not, and (2) what assessment they have made of the impact on the outcome of negotiations regarding security matters.

There have been constructive negotiations on law enforcement and criminal justice cooperation. In round four of negotiations, for example, there were detailed technical exchanges on extradition, the UK’s relationship with Europol and the exchange of Passenger Name Record (PNR) information.

As set out in the UK Approach, an agreement in this area should include: arrangements that support data exchange for law enforcement purposes; operational cooperation between law enforcement authorities; and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. This cooperation should be underpinned by the importance that both parties attach to safeguarding human rights, the rule of law and high data protection standards.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
3rd Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government whether there will be a further public consultation regarding proposed new data protection legislation; whether Parliament has been previously informed about such a consultation; and when the consultation is to take place.

The second reading of the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill was postponed to allow new ministers to consider the legislation. We will continue to engage with businesses and civil society organisations to ensure the regime works for all, but this will not take the form of another formal public consultation and will not affect the timeline of the Bill.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
2nd Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to administer COVID-19 vaccinations in prisons and other places of custody.

Working together with our partners across the secure and detained estate, vaccinations in prisons and detention centres has begun - delivering to the top priority cohorts defined by the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations, in line with the rest of the population. As set out in the United Kingdom COVID-19 vaccines delivery plan, Local Vaccination Services are co-ordinating and delivering vaccinations to people who are unable to attend a vaccination site, including prisons and other places of custody.

28th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current financial situation of self-employed people whose income in 2018/19 was over £50,000; and what plans they have, if any, to offer financial support to those people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government recognises that taxpayers have faced immense challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The design of the SEISS, including the £50,000 threshold for average trading profits, means it is targeted at those who most need it and who are most reliant on their self-employment income.

However, those with average trading profits above £50,000 may still be eligible for other elements of the substantial financial support provided by the Government. The SEISS continues to be just one element of a package of support for the self-employed which includes Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage holidays, self-isolation support payments and other business support grants.

28th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to use information from 2019/20 income tax returns to assess whether people previously disqualified from financial support during the COVID-19 pandemic should now be entitled to such support.

The practical issues that prevented the Government from being able to include the newly self-employed in 2019-20 in the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), namely that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) do not have access to their self-assessment returns in order to verify their eligibility, still remain.

The SEISS continues to be just one element of a substantial package of support for the self-employed. Those ineligible for the SEISS Grant Extension may still be eligible for other elements of the support available. The Universal Credit standard allowance has been temporarily increased for 2020-21 and the Minimum Income Floor relaxed for the duration of the crisis, so that where self-employed claimants' earnings have fallen significantly, their Universal Credit award will have increased to reflect their lower earnings. In addition to this, they may also have access to other elements of the package, including Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage holidays, self-isolation support payments and other business support grants.

31st Jan 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any systems or software supplied by Fujitsu are used in the process of determining immigration status.

Fujitsu do not supply the Home Office with any systems or software used in determining immigration status.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
13th Dec 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what fees they intend to charge in connection with the increased minimum income requirement for a spouse or partner visa, in particular (1) what fee will be payable on the initial and subsequent applications for a spouse or partner on a 10-year route to settlement, and (2) what immigration health charge will be due.

There will be no changes to the fees payable for any visa applications or the health surcharge as a result of the minimum income requirement changes announced by the Home Secretary.

For those applying on a spouse or partner visa, the current application fees of £1,846 for entry clearance, £1,048 for Limited Leave to Remain and £2,885 for Indefinite Leave to Remain will remain the same.

Subject to the passage of the necessary legislation, the Immigration Health Surcharge will increase to £1,035 per year for migrants applying on the partner visa route.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
13th Dec 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to their proposals to increase the minimum income requirement for a spouse or partner visa to £38,700, what fee will be payable on the initial and subsequent applications for a spouse or partner on a 10-year route to settlement, and what immigration health charge will be due.

There will be no changes to the fees payable for any visa applications or the health surcharge as a result of the minimum income requirement changes announced by the Home Secretary.

For those applying on a spouse or partner visa, the current application fees of £1,846 for entry clearance, £1,048 for Limited Leave to Remain and £2,885 for Indefinite Leave to Remain will remain the same.

Subject to the passage of the necessary legislation, the Immigration Health Surcharge will increase to £1,035 per year for migrants applying on the partner visa route.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
13th Dec 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to their proposals to increase the minimum income requirement for a spouse or partner visa, (1) how savings and income from property and sources other than employment will be regarded, (2) the additional income required for each child of the family, (3) what length of visa will be issued, and (4) what other changes related to family visas they propose.

The revised minimum income requirement (MIR) will be implemented in spring 2024.

The Government will set out any transitional provisions associated with the increase in the MIR, and further policy details, in due course.

Any applications already submitted will be considered in line with the existing policy.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
13th Dec 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to their proposals to increase the minimum income requirement for a spouse or partner visa to £38,700, how income other than from employment and property and savings will be regarded, the additional income required for each child of the family, and what length of visa will be issued and how that will be determined.

The revised minimum income requirement (MIR) will be implemented in spring 2024.

The Government will set out any transitional provisions associated with the increase in the MIR, and further policy details, in due course.

Any applications already submitted will be considered in line with the existing policy.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
16th Oct 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of using X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging and any other ‘scientific methods’ as provided for by the Illegal Migration Act 2023 and the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
25th Jul 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Murray of Blidworth on 30 December 2022 (HL4283) that the Home Office intended to set out their plans to review the Life in the UK handbook as part of wider nationality reforms “in the first half of next year”, and further to the letter dated 7 September 2022 from the then Minister for Safe and Legal Migration to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee, what is the timetable for their review of the handbook.

We are still considering the timetable for potential work to review the handbook. We aim to set out the timetable for reviewing the handbook later this year.

25th Jul 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to appoint an Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner.

The role of the Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) as set out in the 2015 Modern Slavery Act is to encourage good practice in the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of slavery and human trafficking offences and the identification of victims.

The Home Secretary recognises the importance of the IASC and had launched a new open competition to recruit for this role on the 23 February 2023, the process for which is now at an advanced stage.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
25th Jul 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government on what date they expect the EU will bring into force ETIAS (the European Travel Information and Authorisation System) and the EES (Entry / Exit System); what progress has been made in preparation for physical arrangements for crossing the border with EU Member States under these systems; and what agreement for these the Government has reached with the Police aux Frontières.

The EU Justice and Home Affairs Committee will meet on 19th October to agree a timeline for EES and ETIAS implementation. HMG are working towards EES implementation in late 2024. ETIAS was originally expected to go live six months after EES, but we await confirmation of this in October.

The Government is engaging both the European Commission and French Government through officials holding routine technical meetings to understand and influence the implementation plans of the new system. This includes working with port owners and operators to understand and support their plans to mitigate EES and ETIAS impacts at the border. HMG’s focus is on the juxtaposed locations of Dover, St Pancras and Eurotunnel as the EES processes there will take place before departure from the UK.

We have recently received agreement in principle from the French Ministry of Interior to proceed with a proposal to relocate the coach facility at the port of Dover to enable EES, ETIAS and border control checks to take place in one location.

However, it is ultimately for EU Member States and port owners and operators to implement the new system.

2nd Mar 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government whether all unaccompanied children seeking asylum on arrival in the UK and accommodated in Home Office-funded hotels are now being referred to Kent County Council Children’s Services ”at the earliest possible point” in accordance with Home Office guidance; and how quickly such referrals are being made.

The Home Office recognise the longstanding role that Kent County Council has played in supporting unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) and former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and are grateful for their contribution.

The Home Office notifies Kent County Council about all UASC arriving in their area. The notification is completed along with the National Transfer scheme referral, as quickly as possible - with the length of time taken to complete the referral process being dependant on arrival numbers.

22nd Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government in respect of (1) family visa applications, (2) asylum applications, and (3) visit visa applications, for the purpose of visiting close family members, whether tools involving artificial intelligence or machine learning are used in the assessment of applications; and if so, what artificial intelligence or machine learning is used.

We recruit using standard Civil Service recruitment processes and all our decision makers must meet minimum Civil Service recruitment standards. Once appointed the Home Office offers a comprehensive training programme and mentoring framework for decision makers. In relation to methods used, it should be noted that tools involving machine learning or artificial intelligence are not used in the assessment of family visa applications.

Records for the number of staff assessing family visa applications are not maintained as far back to 2010. During that time, the department has undergone various organisational changes, and has also employed temporary staff, so we are unable to provide accurate data on the number of caseworkers who have ceased employment. However the average number of decisions made each week in respect of family visa applications do not form part of any current transparency data applications and are not published. The transparency data does, however, include a range of processing data and the latest data can be found at: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

In relation to the records for the number of staff assessing family visa applications, they are not maintained back to 2010. Resource is also often used flexibly, so if data was available, we would be unable to provide accurate figures in respect of the amount of caseworkers engaged in considering family visa applications for each year since 2010.

22nd Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government in respect of (1) family visa applications, (2) asylum applications, and (3) visit visa applications, for the purpose of visiting close family members, how caseworkers are recruited; and what are the essential criteria that applicants are expected to meet.

We recruit using standard Civil Service recruitment processes and all our decision makers must meet minimum Civil Service recruitment standards. Once appointed the Home Office offers a comprehensive training programme and mentoring framework for decision makers. In relation to methods used, it should be noted that tools involving machine learning or artificial intelligence are not used in the assessment of family visa applications.

Records for the number of staff assessing family visa applications are not maintained as far back to 2010. During that time, the department has undergone various organisational changes, and has also employed temporary staff, so we are unable to provide accurate data on the number of caseworkers who have ceased employment. However the average number of decisions made each week in respect of family visa applications do not form part of any current transparency data applications and are not published. The transparency data does, however, include a range of processing data and the latest data can be found at: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

In relation to the records for the number of staff assessing family visa applications, they are not maintained back to 2010. Resource is also often used flexibly, so if data was available, we would be unable to provide accurate figures in respect of the amount of caseworkers engaged in considering family visa applications for each year since 2010.

22nd Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government in respect of (1) family visa applications, (2) asylum applications, and (3) visit visa applications, for the purpose of visiting close family members, (a) how many, and (b) the proportion of, caseworkers who have ceased employment in each year since 2010.

We recruit using standard Civil Service recruitment processes and all our decision makers must meet minimum Civil Service recruitment standards. Once appointed the Home Office offers a comprehensive training programme and mentoring framework for decision makers. In relation to methods used, it should be noted that tools involving machine learning or artificial intelligence are not used in the assessment of family visa applications.

Records for the number of staff assessing family visa applications are not maintained as far back to 2010. During that time, the department has undergone various organisational changes, and has also employed temporary staff, so we are unable to provide accurate data on the number of caseworkers who have ceased employment. However the average number of decisions made each week in respect of family visa applications do not form part of any current transparency data applications and are not published. The transparency data does, however, include a range of processing data and the latest data can be found at: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

In relation to the records for the number of staff assessing family visa applications, they are not maintained back to 2010. Resource is also often used flexibly, so if data was available, we would be unable to provide accurate figures in respect of the amount of caseworkers engaged in considering family visa applications for each year since 2010.

22nd Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government, in respect of (1) family visa applications, (2) asylum applications, and (3) visit visa applications, for the purpose of visiting close family members, how many decisions are reached each week as an average (a) annually from 2012 to 2020, and (b) monthly since 2020.

We recruit using standard Civil Service recruitment processes and all our decision makers must meet minimum Civil Service recruitment standards. Once appointed the Home Office offers a comprehensive training programme and mentoring framework for decision makers. In relation to methods used, it should be noted that tools involving machine learning or artificial intelligence are not used in the assessment of family visa applications.

Records for the number of staff assessing family visa applications are not maintained as far back to 2010. During that time, the department has undergone various organisational changes, and has also employed temporary staff, so we are unable to provide accurate data on the number of caseworkers who have ceased employment. However the average number of decisions made each week in respect of family visa applications do not form part of any current transparency data applications and are not published. The transparency data does, however, include a range of processing data and the latest data can be found at: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

In relation to the records for the number of staff assessing family visa applications, they are not maintained back to 2010. Resource is also often used flexibly, so if data was available, we would be unable to provide accurate figures in respect of the amount of caseworkers engaged in considering family visa applications for each year since 2010.

22nd Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government, in respect of (1) family visa applications, (2) asylum applications, and (3) visit visa applications, for the purpose of visiting close family members, how many caseworkers are engaged in considering applications for each year since 2010.

We recruit using standard Civil Service recruitment processes and all our decision makers must meet minimum Civil Service recruitment standards. Once appointed the Home Office offers a comprehensive training programme and mentoring framework for decision makers. In relation to methods used, it should be noted that tools involving machine learning or artificial intelligence are not used in the assessment of family visa applications.

Records for the number of staff assessing family visa applications are not maintained as far back to 2010. During that time, the department has undergone various organisational changes, and has also employed temporary staff, so we are unable to provide accurate data on the number of caseworkers who have ceased employment. However the average number of decisions made each week in respect of family visa applications do not form part of any current transparency data applications and are not published. The transparency data does, however, include a range of processing data and the latest data can be found at: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

In relation to the records for the number of staff assessing family visa applications, they are not maintained back to 2010. Resource is also often used flexibly, so if data was available, we would be unable to provide accurate figures in respect of the amount of caseworkers engaged in considering family visa applications for each year since 2010.

9th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government how many unaccompanied children went missing from Home Office commissioned hotel accommodation in each month in the period from April to October.

We take the welfare of those in our care extremely seriously. 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 asylum seekers, including children, in hotels or any temporary accommodation if they wish to leave.

All Home Office staff and contractors engaging with asylum seekers are trained to adopt a risk-based approach towards potential indications of vulnerability and to refer relevant cases onto the Safeguarding Hub, a dedicated resource assigned to identifying and safeguarding vulnerable asylum seekers.

Safeguarding Hub staff advocate for an individual’s needs with the statutory agencies to promote appropriate safeguarding interventions. The statutory agencies retain responsibility for all decisions on intervention activity.

9th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government how many referrals to the National Referral Mechanism regarding unaccompanied children seeking asylum and placed in Home Office commissioned accommodation were made in each month from July to October.

We take the welfare of those in our care extremely seriously. 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 asylum seekers, including children, in hotels or any temporary accommodation if they wish to leave.

All Home Office staff and contractors engaging with asylum seekers are trained to adopt a risk-based approach towards potential indications of vulnerability and to refer relevant cases onto the Safeguarding Hub, a dedicated resource assigned to identifying and safeguarding vulnerable asylum seekers.

Safeguarding Hub staff advocate for an individual’s needs with the statutory agencies to promote appropriate safeguarding interventions. The statutory agencies retain responsibility for all decisions on intervention activity.

9th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government how many serious incident notifications regarding unaccompanied children seeking asylum and placed in Home Office commissioned accommodation were made to the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel in the period from April to October.

We take the welfare of those in our care extremely seriously. 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 asylum seekers, including children, in hotels or any temporary accommodation if they wish to leave.

All Home Office staff and contractors engaging with asylum seekers are trained to adopt a risk-based approach towards potential indications of vulnerability and to refer relevant cases onto the Safeguarding Hub, a dedicated resource assigned to identifying and safeguarding vulnerable asylum seekers.

Safeguarding Hub staff advocate for an individual’s needs with the statutory agencies to promote appropriate safeguarding interventions. The statutory agencies retain responsibility for all decisions on intervention activity.

21st Jul 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 4 July (HL1093), which stated that the Home Office is liaising with the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Agency to finalise details of the provision of legal advice and representation for asylum seekers accommodated at Linton-on-Ouse, what consultation has taken or will take place with specialist immigration lawyers as to such provision.

The proposed site at Linton-on-Ouse is designed to facilitate and support interaction between Asylum Seekers and their chosen legal advisors, whereby those accommodated at Linton-on-Ouse will have the ability to access the support of legal representation, either face-to-face or remotely.

If a decision is made to use the site, there will be dedicated private rooms where remote asylum case interviews and conversations between asylum seekers and their legal reps along with access to printers and scanners. The Service Provider will be the point of contact for support on-site for asylum seekers, legal reps and Case Workers. Additionally, individuals will also have 24/7 access to the Migrant Help hotline via the provision of phones which will enable issue reporting and complaints, plus signposting to legal aid.

The Home Office continues to liaise with colleagues in the Ministry of Justice and Legal Aid Agency to finalise the details of this provision at Linton-on-Ouse.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
21st Jul 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 4 July (HL1093), which stated the that experience and lessons learnt from Napier Barracks would be applied to the provision of health services at the Linton-on-Ouse reception centre, what lessons were learnt.

The lessons learnt from the provision of healthcare at Napier were of the benefits to service users of having easy access to healthcare based on site. This model prevents strain on the provision of services and healthcare for local residents.

The Home Office are working closely with NHS colleagues to design an appropriate healthcare model for the Linton-on-Ouse Accommodation Centre should a decision be taken to use the site. Furthermore, the Service Provider will be required to have a Partnership Manager on site who will oversee safeguarding and wellbeing, working in collaboration with their onsite Risk & Assurance Manager, who will be responsible for the risk and safety elements of welfare.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
21st Jul 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by the Prime Minister on 2 May, what were the reasons why the proposed asylum reception centre at Linton-on-Ouse was “pivotal” to the plan to send people seeking asylum to Rwanda.

There is no link between the proposed non-detained site at Linton-on-Ouse and the Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP) with Rwanda.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
21st Jul 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UNHCR has visited the proposed asylum reception centre at Linton-on-Ouse; and whether they will publish the report made following any such visit.

The UNHCR have visited the proposed site on 19 May and advised they would be writing a report.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
21st Jul 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of far-right extremist activity in relation to proposed asylum accommodation at Linton-on-Ouse; what steps they are taking to address the issue; what support they are providing to people affected by any such activity; and what additional policing costs are anticipated in light of such activity.

The safety and security of the local community, asylum seekers, staff and visitors to potential future sites is of paramount importance. We are committed to engagement with local authorities and local partners to understand and mitigate risks and concerns of the wider community. This includes working closely with the police in matters relating to the operation of the site, safety and security and the handling of any protests. The Home Office will work closely with the Counter Extremism Unit as well as the Community Tensions Team to discuss and inform any developments at Linton-on-Ouse. These partnerships will ensure the site, if the decision is made to progress, is fit for purpose and operates safely and securely, whilst minimising impacts on local services.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
21st Jul 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 4 July (HL1091), which stated that the policy guidance for the assessment of the suitability of individual asylum seekers to be accommodated at Linton-on-Ouse will be reviewed as part of preparations to open the accommodation, what consultations have been undertaken or will take place with medical and other experts regarding the review; and what is the expected timetable for the review and the publication of new guidance.

Internal considerations are ongoing.

The guidance will be published once a final decision is taken on Linton-on-Ouse.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
21st Feb 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a person may be granted a visa that cannot be cancelled for the purpose of coming to the UK to apply for asylum; and if so, in which paragraph of the Immigration Rules this provision is made.

While we sympathise with the many millions of people facing difficult situations around the world, there are no plans to introduce a provision in the Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to claim asylum.

Our current policy is clear we will not consider asylum claims made abroad and there is no provision in the Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to claim asylum.

We already welcome vulnerable people in need of protection to the UK through our resettlement schemes and are standing up specific new migration routes in response to the situation in Ukraine. These schemes have provided safe and legal routes for tens of thousands of people to start new lives in the UK.

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 and will continue this record.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
21st Feb 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a person who is not present in the UK may make a claim for asylum before travelling to the UK; and if so, where in the (1) Immigration Rules, or (2) immigration policy, such provision is made.

While we sympathise with the many millions of people facing difficult situations around the world, there are no plans to introduce a provision in the Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to claim asylum.

Our current policy is clear we will not consider asylum claims made abroad and there is no provision in the Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to claim asylum.

We already welcome vulnerable people in need of protection to the UK through our resettlement schemes and are standing up specific new migration routes in response to the situation in Ukraine. These schemes have provided safe and legal routes for tens of thousands of people to start new lives in the UK.

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 and will continue this record.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
6th Sep 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether dual British-Afghan nationals (1) are, and (2) will be treated as if they are, British nationals, for the purposes of relocation from Afghanistan to the UK.

A British national will always be treated as such, irrespective of whether they hold nationality of a second country.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
12th Jul 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the commitment in their report The end-to-end rape review report on findings and actions, published on 18 June, that no victim will be left without a phone for more than 24 hours, whether this will be achieved by (1) providing a replacement phone, or (2) extracting the required information within that period; and, if the latter, what technology will be used to do so.

Our ambition is to ensure that victims receive their own phone back within 24 hours in the majority of cases. The provision of a replacement will be a safety net in cases where it is not possible to return a phone quickly to guarantee victims are not cut off from their support network.

The technology to extract data from mobile phones varies between police forces. As part of our commitments in the end-to-end rape review, we are working with forces to provide a package of new technology to allow police to examine more devices at the scene. This means a faster, safer and more sensitive service for victims

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
14th Jun 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Court of Appeal's judgment of 26 May against the Secretary of State on the immigration exemption clause in the Data Protection Act ([2021] EWCA Civ 800); and what steps they intend to take in response.

We will not be appealing and will comply with the court’s ruling.

We are currently considering the next steps in order to do this.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
1st Mar 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many places in immigration removal centres are (1) currently occupied, and (2) available; and what assessment they have made of the number of immigration removal centre places for (a) men, and (b) women, that will be required within their current planning period.

The immigration removal estate is kept under ongoing review to ensure that the Home Office has sufficient capacity, in the right places and that it provides value for money. We will maintain sufficient capacity to support the removal of those who abuse our hospitality by committing serious, violent and persistent crimes as well as those who do not comply with our immigration laws.

The Home Office publishes statistics on people in detention on the last day of each quarter in the Immigration statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)Data on people in detention under immigration powers are published in Table Det_03a of the ‘Detention summary tables - List of tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The ‘contents’ sheet contains an overview of all available data on detention.

The total operational capacity for the immigration removal centres (if all rooms and beds are in use) is 2462 and the current occupancy rate is 367 as of 3 March 2021.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
1st Mar 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish guidance on reasonable grounds for a late application to the EU Settlement Scheme; and if so, when.

In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, the Government has made clear, where a person eligible for leave under the EU Settlement Scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline for applications by those resident in the UK by the end of the transition period, they will be given a further opportunity to apply.

We will publish clear, non-exhaustive guidance in the near future on what constitutes reasonable grounds for missing the deadline. Yet our focus remains on communicating information about the scheme and helping people to apply within the deadline.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
1st Mar 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend legislation relating to transparency in supply chains to businesses whose turnover is below the current threshold of £36 million; and what assessment they have made of the implications of such action for (1) compliance with the level playing field provisions of the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and (2) good regulatory practice within the UK.

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 (Transparency in Supply Chains) Regulations set out the amount of total turnover for the purposes of making a commercial organisation subject to the Act’s Transparency in Supply Chains Provisions. The Regulations set the turnover threshold for commercial organisations required to report at £36m.

Under section 4 of the Regulations, the Secretary of State is required to carry out a review of the Regulations every five years.

The Government published a review of the current turnover threshold as part of the Government response to the Transparency in Supply Chains consultation, published on 22 September 2020.The review concluded that the £36m threshold remains appropriate and proportionate and also noted that the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act did not advise lowering the existing threshold, and instead recommended that Government focus on improving compliance, quality of reporting and enforcement at the current threshold.

The new Government modern slavery registry, which is due to launch this year, will enable Government to more effectively drive compliance, as well as incentivising more transparent and detailed reporting, by providing a dedicated platform for investors, consumers and civil society to view and compare statements published under the Act.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
1st Mar 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of (1) women, and (2) men, currently held in immigration removal centres are classed as ‘foreign criminals’ according to section 32 of the UK Borders Act 2007.

This Government puts the rights of the British public before those of criminals, and we are clear that foreign criminals should be deported from the UK wherever it is legal and practical to do so.

The Home Office publishes data on people in detention by gender, as at the last day of the quarter in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’, Immigration statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) published on the 25 February 2021, and is available from table Det_D02 of the Detention detailed datasets. Information on those held in immigration removal centres that are classed as ‘foreign criminals’ by gender, is not separately available in a reportable format.

We make every effort to ensure that a person’s removal by deportation coincides, as far as possible, with their release from prison on completion of sentence. Where an FNO refuses to cooperate with the removal or deportation process, they may be detained. Foreign national offenders held in detention have the option to apply to an independent immigration judge for bail at any point, irrespective of gender.

Since January 2019, we have returned 7,240 FNOs, and we make no apology for protecting the public.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
1st Mar 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average salary of a full-time equivalent member of staff in an immigration removal centre.

Home Office staff working in immigration removal centres (IRCs) range from Administrative Officer grade, through to Assistant Director grade (Grade 7). The number of Home Office staff based in IRCs vary at each location depending on the operational requirements of the centre. Home Office structure and salaries transparency data (last updated May 2019) is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/structure-and-salaries-series.

The average salary of a full-time equivalent member of staff in an immigration removal centre is not held in a reportable format. To obtain this information would require detailed reporting against multiple cost centres and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs. The Home Office provide standard pay ranges by grade as set out in the table below, as of 1 July 2020:

Grade

National

London Provincial

London

Administrative Officer (AO)

£21,431 (spot rate)

£22,356 (spot rate)

£25,626 (spot rate)

Executive Officer (EO)

£24,883 min, £27,372 max

£25,773 min, £28,349 max

£28,654 min, £31,519 max

Higher Executive Officer (HEO)

£30,817 min, £33,899 max

£32,173 min, £35,389 max

£35,054 min, £38,558 max

Senior Executive Officer (SEO)

£37,450 min, £41,193 max

£39,068 min, £42,973 max

£41,950 min, £46,144 max

Assistant Director (Grade 7)

£52,051 min, £57,254 max

£54,591 min, £60,047 max

£57,434 min, £63,175 max

The Home Office uses private companies to manage immigration removal centres, except Morton Hall which is managed by HM Prison and Probation Service on our behalf. The details of the operating costs for each of these contracts, including staff salaries, is commercially confidential. However, the Home Office publishes payments in excess of £25K on its website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/home-office-spending

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
1st Mar 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the role of Detention Gatekeepers in immigration removal centres.

There are no plans to review the role of Detention Gatekeepers in immigration removal centres at this time.

The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration annually inspects how the Government manages vulnerable persons in detention. Should recommendations be made around the efficacy of the Detention Gatekeeper, they will be considered in line with Governmental priorities.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
22nd Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government on what basis they are not extending the £55 fee discount for a UK work visa to five EU member states.

The UK has long standing arrangements in its legislation for the nationals of countries which have signed and ratified the 1961 Council of Europe’s Social Charter (CESC) to qualify for a fee reduction for visa applications to come to work in the UK.

It is only with the end of free movement this legal obligation is now relevant to those EU countries which have ratified the 1961 Council of Europe Charter. The reduction is therefore only available to nationals of countries which have ratified the 1961 Charter, whether or not those countries are EU countries.

The UK’s legal obligations in relation to this matter relate to the implementation of the Council of Europe treaty, and do not arise from the UK’s former relationship with the EU or the TCA.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
22nd Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for (1) the future use, and (2) the occupancy, of the former Hassockfield Detention Centre in Medomsley; and when these plans will be taken forward.

The immigration removal estate is kept under ongoing review to ensure that the Home Office has sufficient capacity, in the right places and that it provides value for money.

The Home Office has acquired the former Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham and will open it as an immigration removal centre for women by the autumn. Initial discussions with the planning authority have taken place and work has commenced at the site. An Equality Impact Assessment will be completed as part of this programme of work.

In order to meet operational needs and demands we will continue to operate the immigration removal estate in a flexible manner.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
30th Dec 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their agreement with the government of France to address migrant activity in the English Channel, agreed on 28 November, how many French officers will be patrolling the relevant beaches; how many prosecutions there were for people smuggling in 2020; of such prosecutions, how many were for people using small boats; and what is the financial contribution by (1) the UK, and (2) France, for the implementation of that agreement.

The UK recently agreed a figure of £28.1m with the French Government on 28 November 2020, to address migrant activity in the English Channel. We are unable to comment on French financial contributions for the implementation of this agreement.

This funding supports a range of activity, including the continued deployment of French reservists from the Gendarmerie, which has doubled from December 1 2020, and Police Nationale. As this resource directly impacts sensitive, live, operational activity, we cannot disclose the precise number of French officers from either agency, or the locations that they patrol.

In 2020, 57 individuals were prosecuted for people smuggling offenses; 8 of which were related to small boat crossings of the English Channel.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
30th Nov 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to vary the provisions of the EU Settled Status Scheme to enable students who are (1) registered for courses in the UK to apply for pre-settled status, and (2) unable to provide proof of residence in the UK before 31 December 2020 because of public health restrictions.

In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020 remains the point by which EU citizens need to be resident in the UK to be eligible in their own right for the EU Settlement Scheme.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
13th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the debate on Port Examination Codes of Practice and National Security Determinations Guidance Regulations 2020 on 10 July (HL Deb, cols 1327–46) (1) what assessment they have made of the report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons, UK Border Force short-term holding facilities, published on 24 June, and (2) what discussions they have had with the College of Policing regarding training and accreditation for officers applying the Code of Practice, with particular regard to racial profiling.

(1) We recognise the need for improvement in some facilities and there is an ongoing programme of work to ensure all sites used for detention are appropriately equipped and that the facilities are suitable to allow for the welfare of detainees to be prioritised

(2) The new Schedule 7 and 3 Codes of Practice are both clear that selection of a person for examination must not be arbitrary or for discriminatory reasons and that protected characteristics (whether separately or together) are not to be used as criteria for selection except to the extent that they are used in association with considerations that relate to the threat from terrorism or hostile activity. The Home Office continues to work with the police to ensure that training and guidance for frontline officers reflects the legal provision and important safeguards of these codes.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
7th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the findings of the report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration Annual Inspection of 'Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention' (2018–19), published in April; and what actions they will make as a result of its findings.

The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration Annual Inspection of 'Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention' (2018–19) and Home Office response were published on 29 April 2020 and can be found at the links below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-inspection-of-adults-at-risk-in-immigration-detention-2018-19

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/response-to-the-annual-inspection-of-adults-at-risk-in-immigration-detention

As set out the Home Office has accepted, or partially accepted, seven of the ICIBI’s eight recommendations:

  • Continue to implement recommendations from previous related reports
  • Agree a cross-government strategy to reduce the detained population
  • Review Home Office guidance, processes and forms that relate to detention risk and vulnerability
  • Review where the authority not to detain/release should sit and at what grade
  • Produce an improvement plan for key stages of detention (prior to and during admission and once in detention)
  • Review the 2016 PES to accompany AAR guidance

Analyse the treatment and conditions of detainees and Foreign National Offenders detained in prison

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
25th Jun 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the acceptance of applications for settled status after the deadline of 30 June 2021, what are the proposed criteria for accepting those applications; what plans there are to consult with stakeholders on those criteria; and when those criteria will be published.

The Government has made clear, where a person eligible for leave under the EU Settlement Scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the application deadline of 30 June 2021, they will be given a further opportunity to apply. Our compassionate and flexible approach will ensure individuals who miss the deadline through no fault of their own can still obtain lawful status in the UK. We have not set out the criteria for what will constitute reasonable grounds for submitting an application after the deadline as we want to continue to encourage people to apply before 30 June 2021, whilst allowing the maximum possible flexibility when the situation arises. Examples will include children whose parent or guardian failed to apply on their behalf, people in abusive or controlling relationships who were prevented from applying, and those who lack the physical or mental capacity to apply. We will publish clear guidance for caseworkers in due course.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
22nd Jun 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 22 June (HL5670), what assessment they have made of the likelihood of people travelling to the UK on a weekly basis being infected with COVID-19 compared to those travelling to the UK (1) fortnightly, or (2) frequently but irregularly; what assessment they have made of whether applying quarantine measures to people who travel to and from the UK for work purposes (a) fortnightly, or (b) frequently but irregularly, is in keeping with their approach that those who are unable to work from home and can return to work should do so; and why, with the exemption of weekly travellers, quarantine measures are applied to travellers with no threshold on the period of stay outside the UK.

The additional Health Measures at the Border introduced on 8 June aim to reduce the risk posed by imported cases of Covid-19 to the UK. A small number of groups are exempt from the self-isolation requirement, including those who live outside the UK but work in the UK and travel between their country of residence at least once a week. This exemption is based on the need to maintain peoples’ ability to attend their place of work, and not their infection status.

The exemption for those travelling at least once a week ensures that those who live in one country but are employed in another can continue to pursue their employment if they are unable to work from home and can return to work. Opening up this exemption to less frequent travellers risks opening this exemption to wider business-related travel for which it is not intended.

The self-isolation applies to all arrivals, rather than being based on the period of stay outside the UK as the virus has an incubation period where symptoms may not have yet developed.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
15th Jun 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their target for the number of (1) claims settled in full, and (2) interim awards made, in respect of the Windrush Compensation Scheme within (a) 18 months, and (b) one year, of the commencement of that Scheme.

We are processing claims as quickly as possible, but all claims are different, and the time taken will depend on many factors, including the complexity of the case. We are committed to working with the claimant to ensure all possible information is taken into account - this will have an impact on the length of time it takes to process the claim but can result in a higher level of payment. Wherever possible, we will make interim payments on parts of the claim that are straightforward to determine, such as immigration fees, thereby speeding up the provision of compensation.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)