Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 25 June (HL859), whether information available to them enables them to determine whether a person claiming asylum in Northern Ireland has previously claimed asylum in Ireland; and, if so, what specific information-sharing mechanism or database provides that information.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
We do not routinely share asylum information with Ireland, but as per the commitment made at the 2026 UK-Ireland Summit, between the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach, the UK and Ireland continue to work together, which includes expanding immigration data sharing and will include asylum seekers.
All asylum claimants are subject to mandatory security checks to establish their identity and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks - including war crimes, crimes against humanity and terrorism.
These checks are critical to the delivery of a safe and secure immigration system. These system and security database checks are completed during the asylum screening process and before a decision is made.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what information is available to them to determine whether a person claiming asylum in Northern Ireland has previously claimed asylum in Ireland.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK and Ireland work closely together to prevent abuse of our asylum systems from secondary movements between us, which includes appropriate information sharing.
As per the commitment made at the 2026 UK-Ireland Summit, between the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach, the UK and Ireland continue to work together, which includes expanding immigration data sharing.
All asylum claimants are subject to mandatory security checks to confirm their identity and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks.
These checks are critical to the delivery of a safe and secure immigration system. These system and security database checks are completed during the asylum screening process and before a decision is made.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions, if any, they have held with the European Union regarding United Kingdom participation in, or access to, the Eurodac database; and what is the scope and purpose of any such discussions.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
We are committed to enhancing data exchange with the EU for border security and public safety purposes and continue to work closely with the European Commission to identify and pursue practical opportunities to achieve this outcome.
EU legislation underpinning Eurodac prohibits access by third countries and the UK has no direct or indirect access to information held in the Eurodac database through Europol.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any United Kingdom authority has access (1) directly or (2) indirectly through Europol, to information held in the Eurodac database.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
We are committed to enhancing data exchange with the EU for border security and public safety purposes and continue to work closely with the European Commission to identify and pursue practical opportunities to achieve this outcome.
EU legislation underpinning Eurodac prohibits access by third countries and the UK has no direct or indirect access to information held in the Eurodac database through Europol.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of granting longer-term protection to displaced Ukrainians in the United Kingdom on their integration into society.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
From the outset, the Government has been clear that the Ukraine schemes are temporary in nature and do not provide a route to settlement. Time spent in the UK under the Ukraine schemes does not count towards the Long Residence route. This reflects the Ukrainian Government’s wishes for His Majesty’s Government to offer temporary sanctuary, due to the Ukrainian Government's strong desire for the eventual return of its citizens to Ukraine once it is safe to do so.
The Government recognises the impact that uncertainty can have on Ukrainian individuals and families who have built their lives in the UK. The Government has therefore taken concrete steps to provide greater certainty, including extending the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme and widening the application window allowing applicants to secure their future in the UK with confidence and ease.
The Government is considering the future position - including the position of disabled and vulnerable Ukrainians - drawing on evidence from across government, academia, civil society and stakeholder engagement. The Government will respond in a responsible and considered manner and intends to make a further statement in due course.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that displaced Ukrainians in vulnerable circumstances, including elderly people, disabled people, and those undergoing medical treatment, are able to access future immigration pathways.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
From the outset, the Government has been clear that the Ukraine schemes are temporary in nature and do not provide a route to settlement. Time spent in the UK under the Ukraine schemes does not count towards the Long Residence route. This reflects the Ukrainian Government’s wishes for His Majesty’s Government to offer temporary sanctuary, due to the Ukrainian Government's strong desire for the eventual return of its citizens to Ukraine once it is safe to do so.
The Government recognises the impact that uncertainty can have on Ukrainian individuals and families who have built their lives in the UK. The Government has therefore taken concrete steps to provide greater certainty, including extending the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme and widening the application window allowing applicants to secure their future in the UK with confidence and ease.
The Government is considering the future position - including the position of disabled and vulnerable Ukrainians - drawing on evidence from across government, academia, civil society and stakeholder engagement. The Government will respond in a responsible and considered manner and intends to make a further statement in due course.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether, and if so when, they intend to publish a long-term policy regarding displaced Ukrainians in the United Kingdom, to apply beyond the extension of the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
From the outset, the Government has been clear that the Ukraine schemes are temporary in nature and do not provide a route to settlement. Time spent in the UK under the Ukraine schemes does not count towards the Long Residence route. This reflects the Ukrainian Government’s wishes for His Majesty’s Government to offer temporary sanctuary, due to the Ukrainian Government's strong desire for the eventual return of its citizens to Ukraine once it is safe to do so.
The Government recognises the impact that uncertainty can have on Ukrainian individuals and families who have built their lives in the UK. The Government has therefore taken concrete steps to provide greater certainty, including extending the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme and widening the application window allowing applicants to secure their future in the UK with confidence and ease.
The Government is considering the future position - including the position of disabled and vulnerable Ukrainians - drawing on evidence from across government, academia, civil society and stakeholder engagement. The Government will respond in a responsible and considered manner and intends to make a further statement in due course.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to reopen resettlement programmes, humanitarian visas or family reunion.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK continues to welcome refugees and people in need through our global resettlement schemes, which include the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Community Sponsorship and the Mandate Resettlement Scheme.
We are developing new capped sponsored refugee pathways across education, labour and community routes. This will ensure that there are routes available to support individuals in need of protection, but in a way that meets the need of UK communities.
During the suspension of Appendix Family Reunion, the Government is taking forward wider asylum and family reforms to place the system on a fairer, more controlled and sustainable footing. Further information on forthcoming changes will be set out in due course. In the meantime, other family routes remain available, including Appendix FM: Family Members, which was amended to allow applications from a partner and dependent children of a sponsor with protection status in the UK.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether work and study visas for refugees will only be available to those refugees who are assessed as in need of protection.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Restoring Order and Control policy statement set out how the Government would transform its approach to safe and legal routes. Alongside the new community sponsorship route, the Government committed to the creation of capped routes for refugee and displaced students to study in the UK, and for skilled refugees and displaced people to come to the UK for work.
Work is underway to operationalise these new routes and further details will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to open new community sponsorship safe routes.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
In the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government committed to launching new Safe and Legal routes. This includes the creation of a named sponsorship scheme to enable community groups to sponsor refugees and displaced persons.