Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many migrants are known to have crossed the English Channel by unauthorised or irregular sea transport and landed in England in each week during 2021.
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 collates figures of channel migrant arrivals for management information purposes, and weekly arrivals data is therefore held. However, the Home Office preference for validation and assurance of data is for monthly figures as weekly data are not representative of trends and other factors that we deem important to understand small boat crossings.
The following figures for both monthly and weekly arrivals of migrants by small boat in 2021 are from a live database, and are subject to revision following those data validation and assurance processes.
Week commencing | Week ending | Total arrivals by small boat |
28/12/2020 | 03/01/2021 | 58 |
04/01/2021 | 10/01/2021 | 161 |
11/01/2021 | 17/01/2021 | 36 |
18/01/2021 | 24/01/2021 | 0 |
25/01/2021 | 31/01/2021 | 17 |
01/02/2021 | 07/02/2021 | 62 |
08/02/2021 | 14/02/2021 | 0 |
15/02/2021 | 21/02/2021 | 23 |
22/02/2021 | 28/02/2021 | 223 |
01/03/2021 | 07/03/2021 | 150 |
08/03/2021 | 14/03/2021 | 115 |
15/03/2021 | 21/03/2021 | 10 |
22/03/2021 | 28/03/2021 | 327 |
29/03/2021 | 04/04/2021 | 259 |
05/04/2021 | 11/04/2021 | 49 |
12/04/2021 | 18/04/2021 | 82 |
19/04/2021 | 25/04/2021 | 272 |
26/04/2021 | 02/05/2021 | 594 |
03/05/2021 | 09/05/2021 | 130 |
10/05/2021 | 16/05/2021 | 592 |
17/05/2021 | 23/05/2021 | 29 |
24/05/2021 | 30/05/2021 | 528 |
31/05/2021 | 06/06/2021 | 732 |
07/06/2021 | 13/06/2021 | 508 |
14/06/2021 | 20/06/2021 | 352 |
21/06/2021 | 27/06/2021 | 400 |
28/06/2021 | 04/07/2021 | 933 |
05/07/2021 | 11/07/2021 | 642 |
12/07/2021 | 18/07/2021 | 504 |
19/07/2021 | 25/07/2021 | 1529 |
26/07/2021 | 01/08/2021 | 160 |
02/08/2021 | 08/08/2021 | 1282 |
09/08/2021 | 15/08/2021 | 902 |
16/08/2021 | 22/08/2021 | 869 |
23/08/2021 | 29/08/2021 | 0 |
30/08/2021 | 05/09/2021 | 165 |
06/09/2021 | 12/09/2021 | 1862 |
Date | Total arrivals by small boat |
Jan-21 | 224 |
Feb-21 | 308 |
Mar-21 | 831 |
Apr-21 | 750 |
May-21 | 1627 |
Jun-21 | 2177 |
Jul-21 | 3512 |
Aug-21 | 3053 |
Sep-21 (to 12 Sept) | 2027 |
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to show by nationality the number of illegal immigrants who have been taken into custody upon arrival in the UK in the 12 months from September 2020.
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 does not have plans to show by nationality the number of illegal immigrants who have been taken into custody upon arrival in the UK in the 12 months from September 2020.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for national security of reports that the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated El Sharq television channel will relocate from Turkey to London.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government keeps under review the activities of those associated with the Muslim Brotherhood in the UK in accordance with the five commitments included in the former Prime Minister’s statement to Parliament. The UK Government continues to assess the Muslim Brotherhood’s activities when appropriate to ensure our position is based on the latest information available and we will consider action against the review’s commitments if and where legal thresholds are met.
Broadcasting regulation is a matter for Ofcom, the UK’s independent media regulator. Ofcom sets clear rules and conditions for broadcasters who apply for a license to broadcast in the UK. The Broadcasting Code places standards around harmful and offensive material, incitement of crime, disorder, hatred or abuse, and responsible religious programming.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they did not offer Asia Bibi asylum in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
I am not able to provide specific information with regards to Asia Bibi’s case as it is a longstanding Government policy not to comment on individual cases. Departing from this policy may put individuals and their family members in danger.
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. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge.
Whilst we sympathise with people in many difficult situations around the world, we are not bound to consider asylum claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might like to come here. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish in full the internal review of the Muslim Brotherhood commissioned in April 2014; what assessment they have made of the conclusions contained in the summary report Muslim Brotherhood Review: Main Findings (HC 679), published in December 2015, that the Muslim Brotherhood represents a "revolutionary challenge towards established states" and has "been contrary to national interests and national security"; and what plans they have to undertake a further review of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
There are no plans to publish the internal review into the Muslim Brotherhood. Our assessment of the Muslim Brotherhood remains as set out in the summary report published in December 2015.
The UK Government continues to assess the Muslim Brotherhood’s activities when appropriate to ensure our position is based on the latest information available and we will consider action against the review’s commitments if and where legal thresholds are met.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many immigrants have been brought to the UK from the sea between France and England by ships controlled or owned by (1) the Government, or (2) their agencies, in each week during 2020.
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 publish the information you have requested.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government under what circumstances migrants seeking to travel by sea from France to the UK who are picked up in distress from international waters by UK ships can be returned to France.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The decision as to where to take a person rescued in international waters is a matter for the Coastguard who are responsible for that rescue zone and the master of the ship which has picked them up.
Usually persons will be taken to the nearest safe Port or the home Ports of the rescuing vessel (particularly if a Lifeboat) but there are many factors which could come into play such as any immediate medical or welfare issues.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what requirements have to be fulfilled before a person who has been granted political asylum in the UK can (1) be granted UK citizenship and (2) be issued with a British passport; and what is the shortest period in which this process can be completed.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The requirements for naturalisation as a British citizen can be found on gov.uk at:-
https://www.gov.uk/apply-citizenship-indefinite-leave-to-remain
Before applying for citizenship, a person granted political asylum in the UK should normally apply for permanent residence after they have lived in the UK for five years.
To become a British citizen, you normally need to have held permanent residence in the UK for 12 months, before you submit your application to naturalise, unless you are married or in a civil partnership with a British citizen. The service standard for applications for citizenship to be decided is six months.
After you have become a British citizen, you can apply for British passport which can take approximately four weeks to be processed.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they are having with the Metropolitan Police Service about actions they are taking to protect the statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square from (1) vandalism, (2) criminal damage, or (3) public disorder.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The right to protest peacefully is a long-standing tradition in this country and a vital foundation of our democracy. However, the Government continues to urge the public not to attend further protests. This is important to avoid the spread of coronavirus and the regulations we have in place to protect public health mean large gatherings of people are unlawful.
The rights to peaceful protest do not extend to unlawful activity and the police have powers to deal with any such acts. How the police use these powers is an operational decision.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government in what circumstances individual applications for asylum are referred to ministers; what proportion of Home Office decisions on asylum applications are notified to ministers’ private offices (1) before, and (2) after, those decisions are communicated to the applicant for asylum; and how many such decisions have been so notified during the first five months of 2020.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Individual applications for asylum are referred to ministers when they are identified as potentially sensitive or high-profile. Such cases may be referred to Ministers by the relevant case working team if they feel it appropriate or, dependant on the circumstances of the case, when they are raised through MPs representation, or in Parliament; or when specific Ministerial authorisation is required.
The Home Office is unable to state what proportion of decisions on asylum applications are referred to Minister’s private offices, before and/or after those decisions are communicated to the applicant for asylum or how many such decisions have been notified during the first five months of 2020, as this does not form part of any routinely published data and is not held in a reportable format.