Asked by: Lord Kilclooney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the provisions of the Common Travel Area, whether Irish residents in Great Britain can (1) benefit from the NHS, and (2) join the UK armed forces without taking an Oath of Allegiance; and whether UK residents in the Republic of Ireland can (3) benefit from its health service, and (4) join the Irish armed forces without taking an Oath of Allegiance.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
As part of the Common Travel (CTA) arrangements, Irish citizens in the UK continue to have access to their CTA rights, including access to healthcare.
Irish citizens who join the UK Armed Forces are not required to swear an Oath of Allegiance to the Sovereign but must make an affirmation to the same effect. This requirement to swear an Oath or make an affirmation applies to all individuals who are eligible to serve in the UK Armed Forces.
Whether UK residents in Ireland can benefit from its health service or join Irish Armed Forces without taking an Oath of Allegiance is a matter for the Irish government.
Asked by: Lord Kilclooney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a Common Travel Area between the Republic of Ireland and the UK; whether there is freedom of movement between the Republic of Ireland and the EU; whether there are border checks on EU citizens travelling from the Republic of Ireland to Great Britain; and whether there are border checks on the movement of EU citizens, not from the Republic of Ireland, travelling through Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
The Common Travel Area (CTA) facilitates the free movement of people between the between the UK, Ireland and the Crown Dependencies (Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey).
As part of the CTA arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from Ireland to the UK, including from Ireland to Great Britain. There are no immigration checks whatsoever on the Northern Ireland-Ireland land border. However, individuals arriving in the UK, regardless of where they enter from, must do so in line with the UK’s immigration framework and we work closely with the Irish Government to prevent abuse of the CTA.
There are no border controls for travel within the UK including from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.
Whether there is freedom of movement between Ireland and the EU is a matter for the Irish government.
Asked by: Lord Kilclooney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether students from the EU are required to apply for visas in order to enrol in boarding schools in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Since freedom of movement ended on 31 December 2020, EEA nationals travelling to the UK for the first time to enrol on a course of 6 months or longer at an independent school in the UK, including those with boarding facilities in Northern Ireland, are required to apply for a visa under the Student or Child Student routes.
Irish citizens in the UK have the right to reside, work, study, and access healthcare, social security and public services without requiring permission.
Asked by: Lord Kilclooney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether international boarding school students wishing to study in the UK are required (1) to apply for visas to enrol in a school that is classed as a Highly Trusted Sponsor, and (2) to provide a birth certificate translated into English; if so, what is their estimate of the additional cost for each applicant to provide this information; and what assessment they have made of the extent to which this may act as a deterrent for international students.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The UK welcomes international students and places no limit on the number of international students who can study in the UK.
Our offer to students is competitive internationally and as part of the launch of the Student & Child Student route we have simplified and streamlined the route to make it simpler for students to meet the requirements.
To be able to study in the UK, international students must receive an unconditional offer of a place on a course of study from a licenced Student sponsor listed on the published register of Student sponsors.
A key safeguarding requirement for unaccompanied minors travelling to the UK is for Child Students, and Students under the age of 18, to provide proof of relationship (such as a birth certificate) and consent from their parent or legal guardian for their living and care arrangements during their study in the UK. Proof of relationship is also required where the student is relying on funds held in their parent’s name, to establish the parent has consented to their use.
All documents submitted with an application for permission on the Student or Child Student routes must be in English or accompanied by a certified translation of the document. The cost of translation may differ dependent on the certified translator used and the document being translated.
An impact assessment on the new points-based Student and Child Student routes was published and can be found alongside the Statement of Changes laid in Parliament on 10 September 2020.
Asked by: Lord Kilclooney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what the arrangements are for requiring foreign persons who enter the United Kingdom via the Republic of Ireland to comply with a quarantine.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
In order to keep overall levels of infection down and in line with many other countries, the Government will introduce a series of measures and restrictions at the UK border.
Firstly, the Government will require all international arrivals to supply their contact and accommodation information. They will also be strongly advised to download and use the NHS contact tracing app. The Government will also require all international arrivals not on a short list of exemptions to self-isolate in their accommodation for fourteen days on arrival into the UK.
Recognising the unique nature of the Common Travel Area, as well as the unique position of Northern Ireland, journeys within the Common Travel Area will be exempt from these measures.
We will continue to work closely with Ireland and the Crown Dependencies on our response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Asked by: Lord Kilclooney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Metropolitan Police about the resources required to provide police protection to the anti-Brexit protests in Old Palace Yard.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The management of demonstrations is an operational matter for the police.
Asked by: Lord Kilclooney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Metropolitan Police provided them with an estimate of how many people attended the “People’s Vote” march in London on 21 October; and if so, what was that estimate.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The management of demonstrations is an operational matter for the police.
Asked by: Lord Kilclooney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much the UK contributes to Europol each year; what assessment they have made of whether the role of Europol will be affected by Brexit; and whether the statement by the Director of Europol, Mr Rob Wainwright, that he was "optimistic" that the re-unification of Ireland would not lead to terrorist activity reflects the policy of the Government and of Europol.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Europol is funded from the general budget of the EU, to which the UK contributes, with UK funding of Europol amounting to £8.4 million per year.
The UK remains a member of the EU until the exit process is concluded. The UK’s future relationship with Europol will be one issue that will be considered as part of the Government’s overall planning for leaving the EU’.
The Europol Director, Rob Wainwright, is not a UK civil servant and does not speak on behalf of the UK Government.
Asked by: Lord Kilclooney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the proposed inquiry into child sex abuse will investigate claims of child sex abuse at Kincora Boys' Home in East Belfast.
Answered by Lord Taylor of Holbeach
On 7 July 2014, Official Report, columns 23-45, the Home Secretary announced an independent inquiry into child sexual abuse. The inquiry will consider whether public bodies – and other non-state institutions – have taken seriously their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse. The Inquiry will co-operate fully with Devolved Administrations. However all relevant issues in Scotland and Northern Ireland are now devolved and will be a matter for those administrations to consider. In Wales the inquiry will cover those institutions which concern non-devolved matters. The Home Secretary has made clear that the Home Office will talk to the Devolved Administrations and work with them on this Inquiry.
Asked by: Lord Kilclooney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the proposed inquiry into child sex abuse will apply to the United Kingdom as a whole, or solely to Great Britain.
Answered by Lord Taylor of Holbeach
On 7 July 2014, Official Report, columns 23-45, the Home Secretary announced an independent inquiry into child sexual abuse. The inquiry will consider whether public bodies – and other non-state institutions – have taken seriously their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse. The Inquiry will co-operate fully with Devolved Administrations. However all relevant issues in Scotland and Northern Ireland are now devolved and will be a matter for those administrations to consider. In Wales the inquiry will cover those institutions which concern non-devolved matters. The Home Secretary has made clear that the Home Office will talk to the Devolved Administrations and work with them on this Inquiry.