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 keeps records of the number of unaccompanied children in each local authority in the UK from Afghanistan who were separated from their families during the evacuation of Kabul.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We don't hold centralised data on this. However, following the evacuation of Kabul any children who we became aware of in the UK, that were not with their parents, would have been dealt with on a case-by-case basis. When this has happened, we work in close collaboration with social services and the relevant local authority.
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 plans to take steps to implement a family reunification scheme under the Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
In line with our existing policy on resettlement, those resettled under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) may be able to be accompanied by their immediate family members.
Those evacuated from Afghanistan under the ACRS without their immediate family members, further information will be made available in due course about options for reuniting with them.
Those referred under the ACRS by UNHCR will have refugee status and will therefore be able to access the refugee family reunion route. Those without refugee status wishing to bring family members would need to apply through the regular family visa route under Appendix FM of the Immigration rules.
The Government remains committed to providing protection for vulnerable people fleeing Afghanistan. The situation is very complex and presents significant challenges, including how those who are eligible for resettlement in the UK can leave the country. This includes eligible immediate family members of those being resettled under the ACRS.
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 provide further details of the reasons behind the operational error which led to 11 asylum seekers being driven from Manston Asylum Processing Centre to central London, and left without accommodation overnight.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The welfare of those in our care is of the utmost importance and people are only released from Manston when we have assurances that they have accommodation to go to.
Once we were notified that these individuals did not have accommodation, they were transported to accommodation within a matter of hours.
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, how many children are detained at Manston Asylum Processing Centre.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
As at 4pm on 7 November there were 117 children resident with their families at Manston.
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 assessment she has made of the incident described in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit’s annual reports for 2019-2021 in which boxes containing 112 live rats were transferred to a compactor in error and the animals were crushed; and what steps she will take to prevent such incidents from occurring in future.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office take any allegations regarding non-compliance with the law, the Code of Practice or individual licence conditions very seriously.
The Compliance Policy, found here: (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-testing-and-research-compliance-with-aspa) explains how the Regulator identifies and investigates potential incidents of non-compliance and decides on appropriate and proportionate measures and remedies aimed to minimise the risk of recurrence.
The Regulator focusses on delivering the right sanctions to achieve better compliance outcomes.
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 assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the incident described in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit’s annual reports for 2019-2021 in which a non-human primate died after becoming trapped behind a restraint device; and what steps her Department is taking to prevent such incidents recurring.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Each establishment licence holder has the responsibility at all times for the welfare of the animals within their establishment.
The Home Office take any allegations regarding non-compliance with the law, the Code of Practice or individual licence conditions very seriously. The Compliance Policy, found here: (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-testing-and-research-compliance-with-aspa) explains how the Regulator identifies and investigates potential incidents of non-compliance and decides on appropriate and proportionate measures and remedies aimed to minimise the risk of recurrence. The Regulator focusses on delivering the right sanctions to achieve better compliance outcomes.
In July 2021 the Regulator initiated a new operating model that delivers a more structured and integrated framework aligned with leading regulatory practice. The assessment of compliance in this new model is achieved through a variety of methods including full system, facilities and partial audits, review of reports, investigation and management of cases of potential non-compliance.
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, how many Afghan arrivals to the UK were placed in bridging hotels in each month between 1 January and 31 August 2022.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Through Operation Warm Welcome, Afghans resettling in the UK under the ARAP and ACRS will be supported in accessing accommodation and the vital health, education, and support into employment they need to fully integrate into society.
The number of people temporarily residing in hotels changes weekly, as new arrivals enter the UK – some of whom have made their own living arrangements - and as others move into settled accommodation.
At 12 August 2022, 9,667 people were living in temporary hotel accommodation. However, the number of new residents in hotels, broken down by month, is not available in a quality assured and reportable format.
We don’t want to see Afghan families in temporary accommodation for any longer than is necessary – and we have been working as fast as possible to support Afghan families into homes of their own, so that they can settle into their local communities, feel safe and independent and rebuild their lives in the 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, what steps her Department will take to tackle long processing times for applications for asylum.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
To help reduce the amount of time it takes to process asylum applications we are investing in a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives that will speed up and simplify our processes, reduce the time people spend in the asylum system and decrease the number of people who are awaiting an interview or decision.
These initiatives include conducting shorter, more focused interviews or omitting interviews where it is appropriate to do so, streamlining decision templates and focusing on improving quality to ensure decisions are right first time. We have introduced specialist Decision Making Units, providing greater ownership and management of cohorts of asylum cases. Additionally, we have extensive ongoing recruitment and training plans in place, including career progression options that will aid the retention of staff.
We are continuing to develop existing and new technology to help build on recent improvements, such as digital interviewing and moving away from a paper-based system. We are streamlining and digitising the case working process to enable more effective workflow, appointment booking and decision-making.
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, how many and what proportion of applications for project licences to conduct experiments on animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were refused permission in each year between January 2012 and January 2022.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
From 2018 to date, no applications for project licence under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 have been refused. For previous years, the Home Office does not hold data on applications that have been refused or withdrawn through the application process.
The Government publishes extensive Guidance on applying for licences. Applications are internally reviewed by an establishment’s Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body before being submitted to the regulator for assessment. During the application process applicants have the opportunity to amend or withdraw an application in response to feedback from the regulator.
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, how many applications for project licences to conduct experiments on animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were refused permission between January and December 2021.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer to his previous question 13235 given on 14 June 2022.