Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is any limit on the number of refugees currently in Rwanda who will be resettled in the UK under the provisions of the UK and Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
A small number of the most vulnerable refugees in Rwanda will be resettled in the UK as part of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership.
More details on the resettlement of vulnerable refugees will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to allow asylum seekers to be deployed to pick fruit and vegetables in the UK while their applications are being assessed; and if not, why not.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government has no plans to do this.
We recently conducted a review of the policy in this area and have already published its outcome.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many civil servants, including (1) medical, and (2) security, staff, will accompany deportees on deportation fights to Rwanda.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We do not routinely disclose commercial or operational information relating to individual charter flights, but I can assure my Noble Colleague that the appropriate and relevant number of Home Office staff and contractors will be present on the aircraft in order to protect the safety, wellbeing and security of those people being relocated.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which ministers, if any, will accompany deportees on deportation flights to Rwanda.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We do not routinely disclose commercial or operational information relating to individual charter flights, but I can assure my Noble Colleague that the appropriate and relevant number of Home Office staff and contractors will be present on the aircraft in order to protect the safety, wellbeing and security of those people being relocated.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the (1) total cost, and (2) cost per person, of deportation flights to Rwanda.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We do not routinely disclose commercial or operational information relating to individual charter flights, but I can assure my Noble Colleague that the appropriate and relevant number of Home Office staff and contractors will be present on the aircraft in order to protect the safety, wellbeing and security of those people being relocated.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the support provided to members of the Windrush generation in their retirement.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
For people of State Pension age, there is a contributory State Pension based on an individual’s National Insurance record. It is supported by further measures for older people including Pension Credit which provides means-tested support for those most in need.
We are putting in place arrangements across Government to ensure where members of the Windrush generation have been denied access to employment because they were unable to demonstrate their lawful status, their National Insurance position is corrected so the period of the loss does not impact their State Pension entitlement.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure that members of the Windrush generation are supported in their retirement.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
For people of State Pension age, there is a contributory State Pension based on an individual’s National Insurance record. It is supported by further measures for older people including Pension Credit which provides means-tested support for those most in need.
We are putting in place arrangements across Government to ensure where members of the Windrush generation have been denied access to employment because they were unable to demonstrate their lawful status, their National Insurance position is corrected so the period of the loss does not impact their State Pension entitlement.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which companies they have outsourced immigration processes to; and in which country each of those companies is registered.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The core suppliers, those who support the visa application service for immigration to the UK are Sopra Steria Ltd, TLS and VFS Global Service PLC are all registered in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of other visa routes in addition to the Tier 1 (Investor) Visa route which might also be vulnerable to (1) national security, or (2) illicit finance, risks; and, if no such assessment has been made, whether they will now conduct one.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office continually monitors the immigration system to mitigate any national security and other risks.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many contracts were awarded to Infosys in the last five years by the Home Office; and what was the cost to the taxpayer of each of those contracts.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Two contracts were awarded to Infosys in the last five years, both have been published on Contracts Finder where further detail on the values can be found.
ERP Test Services - Contracts Finder
QAT013 Infrastructure Testing - Contracts Finder