Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will work with statutory services to manage the increase in demand for support for housing for refugees who have received notification of the decision on their asylum claim.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We do not publish the information you have requested.
We work closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) in ensuring individuals can move on from asylum support as smoothly as possible. With DLUHC, we are working to ensure the right asylum decision data is being shared with local authorities to enable effective planning and to lessen the impact on existing homelessness and rough sleeping pressures. Our accommodation providers are also directly working with local authorities to notify them when an individual is due to have their asylum support ended.
Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as quickly as possible. We offer move onsupport through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing.
The asylum accommodation estate is under huge strain and increasing the ‘move on’ period would exacerbate these pressures. There are no current plans to extend the prescribed period (of 28 days) for how long individuals remain on asylum support once they have received a grant of asylum.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the move-on period for people who have received their asylum decisions to at least 56 days.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We do not publish the information you have requested.
We work closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) in ensuring individuals can move on from asylum support as smoothly as possible. With DLUHC, we are working to ensure the right asylum decision data is being shared with local authorities to enable effective planning and to lessen the impact on existing homelessness and rough sleeping pressures. Our accommodation providers are also directly working with local authorities to notify them when an individual is due to have their asylum support ended.
Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as quickly as possible. We offer move onsupport through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing.
The asylum accommodation estate is under huge strain and increasing the ‘move on’ period would exacerbate these pressures. There are no current plans to extend the prescribed period (of 28 days) for how long individuals remain on asylum support once they have received a grant of asylum.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will issue guidance to local authorities to state that refugees are eligible for homelessness prevention support from the date of notification of the decision on their asylum claim, without the need for evidence such as an eviction letter.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We do not publish the information you have requested.
We work closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) in ensuring individuals can move on from asylum support as smoothly as possible. With DLUHC, we are working to ensure the right asylum decision data is being shared with local authorities to enable effective planning and to lessen the impact on existing homelessness and rough sleeping pressures. Our accommodation providers are also directly working with local authorities to notify them when an individual is due to have their asylum support ended.
Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as quickly as possible. We offer move onsupport through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing.
The asylum accommodation estate is under huge strain and increasing the ‘move on’ period would exacerbate these pressures. There are no current plans to extend the prescribed period (of 28 days) for how long individuals remain on asylum support once they have received a grant of asylum.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of refugees received their documentation before their 28 day move on notice period began in the last 12 months.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We do not publish the information you have requested.
We work closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) in ensuring individuals can move on from asylum support as smoothly as possible. With DLUHC, we are working to ensure the right asylum decision data is being shared with local authorities to enable effective planning and to lessen the impact on existing homelessness and rough sleeping pressures. Our accommodation providers are also directly working with local authorities to notify them when an individual is due to have their asylum support ended.
Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as quickly as possible. We offer move onsupport through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing.
The asylum accommodation estate is under huge strain and increasing the ‘move on’ period would exacerbate these pressures. There are no current plans to extend the prescribed period (of 28 days) for how long individuals remain on asylum support once they have received a grant of asylum.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of asylum seekers waiting for a decision on their application who have been diagnosed with tuberculosis as of October 2023.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office is fully committed to work closely with local authorities and the NHS. Individuals on asylum support with tuberculosis (TB) are accommodated in line with our policy and contractual provisions with our accommodation providers. We work in partnership with local health provision to improve services for supported asylum seekers.
For purpose of containing any outbreaks or infections, the Home Office has designated isolation space available in South England where those identified as having either symptoms of a contagious infection (including notifiable and non-notifiable communicable diseases) or declaring that they are suffering from such are moved to directly following arrival at the UK border.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact on public health of relocating people seeking asylum that are receiving treatment for tuberculosis.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office is fully committed to work closely with local authorities and the NHS. Individuals on asylum support with tuberculosis (TB) are accommodated in line with our policy and contractual provisions with our accommodation providers. We work in partnership with local health provision to improve services for supported asylum seekers.
For purpose of containing any outbreaks or infections, the Home Office has designated isolation space available in South England where those identified as having either symptoms of a contagious infection (including notifiable and non-notifiable communicable diseases) or declaring that they are suffering from such are moved to directly following arrival at the UK border.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support Ethiopian applicants for family reunion.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We recognise that some people displaced may wish to join family in the UK, and where those family members do not have a current UK visa, they can apply for one via one of our standard visa routes, which remain available, and applications can be submitted at the nearest Visa Application Centre. Guidance on how to apply for a family visa can be found at: Family visas: apply, extend or switch: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
In addition, close family members of individuals who are in the UK with permission to stay as a refugee may be eligible to apply under the family reunion arrangements. Details can be found at: Application for UK visa (family joining refugee): appendix 4 VAF4A - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make a comparative estimate of the number of the times that the police have used their powers under (a) the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 and (b) the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and the Terrorism Act 2000 to place restrictions on protests.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
We do not currently collect data on the uses of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and the Terrorism Act 2000 to place restrictions on certain protests.
However, as part of the 2023-24 Annual Data Requirement (ADR), the Home Office introduced a new mandatory requirement for police forces in England and Wales to record data on the use of section 12, 14 and 14ZA under the Public Order Act 1986 (1986 Act). The ADR also included a request for retrospective data on the use of these powers for the period of 28 June 2022 to 31 March 2023.
As part of this data collection, information is being requested on: the date and time of the protest; the conditions imposed; the triggers; the theme of the protests/assembly; demographic information such as age, sex and ethnicity; the level of authorisation and the number of resultant arrests.
Data will be collected from police forces in due course and the intention is to publish this data in the Summer of 2024. As is usual for all data collections, Home Office analysts will assess the quality of the data collected before making a decision on which information will be included for publication on GOV.UK.
The section 12, 14, and 14ZA ADR was developed in collaboration with National Police Coordination Centre, who are overseen by the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
In addition, the Home Office will prepare and publish a report on the operation of sections 12, 14, and 14ZA of the 1986 Act as amended by sections 73, 74, and 79 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. This will be published and laid before Parliament by 28 June 2024.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has held recent discussions with the providers of the modern slavery victim care contract on the re-procurement process for that contract.
Answered by Sarah Dines
We are working with a cross-departmental team to assess potential contract and policy options for a new model of modern slavery victim support for adults to replace that currently met through the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC) in England And Wales ending in June 2025. This new contracted service for victims of modern slavery will be offered for competitive tender.
We are planning both market and policy engagement events to gain input from a wide range of external stakeholders, with an initial early market supplier event held on 20 February 2023. This event included a range of potential suppliers who were notified via the publication of an early market engagement notice. The attendees included the incumbent supplier, and several of their supply chain partners.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential effectiveness of the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract and its support for victims of modern slavery.
Answered by Sarah Dines
We are working with a cross-departmental team to assess potential contract and policy options for a new model of modern slavery victim support for adults to replace that currently met through the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC) in England And Wales ending in June 2025. This new contracted service for victims of modern slavery will be offered for competitive tender.
We are planning both market and policy engagement events to gain input from a wide range of external stakeholders, with an initial early market supplier event held on 20 February 2023. This event included a range of potential suppliers who were notified via the publication of an early market engagement notice. The attendees included the incumbent supplier, and several of their supply chain partners.