Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many immigration detention cases they have reviewed since the Home Office committed to review urgently the cases of every person held in immigration detention.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
I refer the Noble Lady to my answer of 16 June 2020 regarding immigration detention cases reviewed, which can be found at:
https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2Clords&uin=58843
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to mitigate the issues faced by Roma EU citizens resident in the UK, with settled status, who may have their applications for naturalisation refused because they did not have Comprehensive Sickness Insurance before settled status was granted throughout any period of self-sufficiency or as a student.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
It has always been a requirement for a person to have been in the UK lawfully during the residential qualifying period for naturalisation.
EEA Regulations set out the requirements which individuals need to follow if they wish to reside here lawfully before attaining permanent residence. For example, in the case of students or the self-sufficient – but not those who were working here – the possession of comprehensive sickness insurance has always been a requirement under these regulations. Our customer guidance explains this position.
The British Nationality Act allows us to exercise discretion over this requirement in the special circumstances of a case. The nationality application form and guide encourage applicants to give us relevant information to help us do so, including for Roma EU citizens.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what account Sir Mark Rowley’s review of the adequacy of hate crime legislation will take of the incidents recorded by GateHerts against members of the Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The review is being conducted by Sir Mark Rowley on behalf of the Commission for Countering Extremism which is independent of the Home Office. The review aims to identify any gaps in existing legislation that may be used to tackle extremism and to make practical recommendations on changes to existing offences and powers.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 13 February (HL1230, HL1231, HL1232), why the Equality Impact Assessment was not included in the consultation Strengthening police powers to tackle unauthorised encampments.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
All Government departments have a responsibility to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) under the Equality Act 2010.
As such, when formulating any policy changes, Ministers must have due regard to the need to: (1) eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010, (2) advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not, and (3) foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
This ongoing duty has been and will continue to be met. The consultation document has addressed these three limbs of the PSED which are referenced on pages 21 to 22 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/844954/Unauthorised_Encampments_-_consultation_paper.pdf).
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in their recent consultation Strengthening police powers to tackle unauthorised encampments, the Home Office took note of the Government's Consultations Principles Guidance 2018; and whether the Home Office intends to review its consultation in order to ensure that the views of Gypsies and Travellers can be reflected.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Home Office officials have worked with the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community (GRT) to agree a bespoke consultation response system to ensure they are able to fully contribute to the ongoing consultation.
This bespoke system is now in operation and provides an opportunity for the GRT community to submit their views in a simplified format on the general proposals contained in the consultation. Since its launch last month, over 1700 responses have been received by the Home Office through this method. The views of respondents will be captured in the consultation response.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they took to ensure that their consultation Strengthening police powers to tackle unauthorised encampments was available in a form which it accessible to people with limited educational attainments.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Home Office officials have worked with the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community (GRT) to agree a bespoke consultation response system to ensure they are able to fully contribute to the ongoing consultation.
This bespoke system is now in operation and provides an opportunity for the GRT community to submit their views in a simplified format on the general proposals contained in the consultation. Since its launch last month, over 1700 responses have been received by the Home Office through this method. The views of respondents will be captured in the consultation response.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Home Office did not include an Equality Impact Assessment in their recent consultation Strengthening police powers to tackle unauthorised encampments; and what plans they have to conduct such an assessment.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Home Office officials have worked with the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community (GRT) to agree a bespoke consultation response system to ensure they are able to fully contribute to the ongoing consultation.
This bespoke system is now in operation and provides an opportunity for the GRT community to submit their views in a simplified format on the general proposals contained in the consultation. Since its launch last month, over 1700 responses have been received by the Home Office through this method. The views of respondents will be captured in the consultation response.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ensure that oral consultation will be made available to scrap metal dealers from the Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities during the consultation on the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government is in contact with representatives of the Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities to enable them to present their evidence relating to the review of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 orally.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will extend the deadline for their consultation on the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 so that small dealers, including those from the Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities, can contribute.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We have asked for written evidence to inform the review of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 to be submitted by 30 January 2017.
We will, however, consider any reasonable request to submit evidence beyond this date, to ensure that we hear from as wide a range of interested parties as possible, including small dealers such as those from Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the adverse impact of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, and in particular its licensing requirements and fees, on dealers from the Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The formal review of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 will provide the Government with the opportunity to assess issues relating to scrap metal dealer licences, including the impact of the licensing requirements on scrap metal dealers, including those from the Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities.