Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that visa applications from COP26 attendees are dealt with efficiently.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Home Office is working closely with Cabinet Office, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other government departments on preparations for welcoming participants to COP 26.
The Home Office has provided the UNFCCC with information on the visa application process and will be supplying event specific guidance in the upcoming months.
Arrangements are in progress to ensure entry clearance staff will be able to cross reference applications with the UNFCCC to confirm invitations of those registered to attend the event along with an escalation process.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the current risk to the Home Office of a cyber attack; and (2) whether adequate resources are in place to respond to that risk.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Like all major government departments, the Home Office assesses threat from a range of different threat actors. The department uses this information to inform its risk assessments and action plans, both operational and tactical. Risk assessments are updated periodically and whenever a change in the perceived threat is noted.
The Home Office utilises a tiered system of risk assessment covering tactical (system level), operational (business level) and strategic (departmental level) cyber security risks. The Executive Committee has direct visibility of the Department’s strategic cyber security risk and mitigation plans.
The Home Office deploys a range of controls designed to provide defence in depth for our systems, which are modelled against the advice provided by the National Cyber Security Centre and the Government’s Minimum Cyber Security Standard. The status of these controls is under continual review by the Office of the Chief Information Security Officer, which routinely works with delivery teams to ensure that controls are practical, applicable and effective.
Robust cyber security capability requires continued funding and the availability of suitably qualified and experienced personnel. The Office of the Chief Information Security Officer is resourced for the requirements identified for FY 2021-22, balancing the need for investment against cost effectiveness for the tax payer.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether migrants crossing the English Channel who are detained by the UK Border Agency receive a COVID-19 test.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Since we introduced quarantine measures in June, those who have come to the UK in illegally facilitated crossings have been placed in facilities where they must self-isolate for 14 days, given we cannot be certain which countries they have travelled through.
Anyone who is symptomatic will be taken to designated accommodation and tested according to Public Health England guidance.
All immigration removal centres have communicable disease contingency plans, based on guidance by Public Health England (PHE). Measures such as protective shielding, improved hygiene and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) are being used to minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading to vulnerable groups in IRCs.
On 26 March the High Court ruled that the Home Office was taking sensible, precautionary measures in relation to COVID-19 and immigration detention.