Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the letter sent on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Sir Matthew Rycroft, reference TRO/0589899/23, dated 29 June 2023, if she will provide the relevant wording in last update to the Charter made on 8 November 2021 which formed the basis for the statement in paragraph 4 that the Commission for Countering Extremism's Charter and priorities were applicable during the term of the first Commissioner; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
An update was made to the Commission for Countering Extremism’s GOV.UK website, inserting a note regarding the Commission’s Charter, on 8 November 2021.
The note reads “the terms of this charter and priorities were applicable during Sara Khan’s term as Commissioner (January 2018 to March 2021). This will be updated in due course.”
The update can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charter-for-the-commission-for-countering-extremism
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the letter sent on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Sir Matthew Rycroft, reference TRO/0589899/23, dated 29 June 2023, what the basis is for the statement in that letter that the Commission for Countering Extremism's Charter is not applicable to the current Commissioner; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
An update was made to the Commission for Countering Extremism’s GOV.UK website, inserting a note regarding the Commission’s Charter, on 8 November 2021.
The note reads “the terms of this charter and priorities were applicable during Sara Khan’s term as Commissioner (January 2018 to March 2021). This will be updated in due course.”
The update can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charter-for-the-commission-for-countering-extremism
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the process is for making changes to the charter for the Commission for Countering Extremism; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
An update was made to the Commission for Countering Extremism’s GOV.UK website, inserting a note regarding the Commission’s Charter, on 8 November 2021.
The note reads “the terms of this charter and priorities were applicable during Sara Khan’s term as Commissioner (January 2018 to March 2021). This will be updated in due course.”
The update can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charter-for-the-commission-for-countering-extremism
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2023 to Question 191108 on Asylum: Children, whether she made an assessment before November 2021 of the potential merits of introducing legislation to give Ministers power to direct a local authority in England to provide accommodation to an unaccompanied child; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The rise in the number of small boat crossings in recent years has placed significant pressures on local authority care placements for young people. Out of necessity, and with the best interests of the child in mind, we have had no alternative but to maintain the temporarily use of hotels to give some unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) a roof over their heads whilst local authority accommodation is found.
Since 15 February 2022, all local authorities with children’s services in the UK have been directed to participate in the National Transfer Scheme (NTS) to ensure UASC receive the critical care they need. We have also offered incentivised funding to local authorities to move these young people in the care system.
Between 1 July 2021 and 31 March 2023, the NTS transferred 4,875 children to local authorities with children’s services which is over six times the number of transfers in the same time frame in previous years (between October 2019 – June 2021 there were 793 transfers).
We are taking a new power in the Illegal Migration Bill to provide or arrange for the provision of accommodation for unaccompanied children. We are also taking a power to direct a local authority in England to provide accommodation to an unaccompanied child, reflecting our position that any time spent in Home Office accommodation should be temporary.
Responsibilities under the Children Act 1989 which apply to local authorities in England with respect to unaccompanied children in their area applied before November 2021 and continue to apply.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 26 May to Question 185775 on Asylum: Portland Port, what criteria are used to determine the appropriate space standard for the Bibby Stockholm barge; and what steps she is taking to (a) ensure fire safety and (b) allow safe evacuation of the vessel when operating at full capacity; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We ensure that accommodation provided is adequate and meets regulatory standards where required.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children under (a) 18, (b) 16, (c) 14 and (d) 11 years old have been placed in Home Office arranged hotel accommodation for unaccompanied asylum seeking children (i) in Brighton and Hove (ii) in the UK since July 2021.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
There has been a significant increase in the numbers of young people making unnecessary and dangerous journeys to the UK and the Home Office has had no alternative but to temporarily use hotels in order to give some unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) emergency accommodation and support while permanent accommodation with a local authority is identified. We are determined to end the use of hotels for these young people and Home Office officials are working tirelessly with local authorities to move children into care placements through the National Transfer Scheme (NTS).
We take the safety of those in our care seriously. We have robust safeguarding procedures in place to ensure all young people in emergency interim hotels are safe and supported as we seek urgent placements with a local authority.
Young people are supported by team leaders and support workers who are on site 24 hours a day. Further care is provided in hotels by teams of social workers and nurses. All contingency sites have security staff on site 24/7 and providers liaise closely with local police to ensure the welfare and safety of vulnerable residents.
The NTS has seen 4,875 children transferred to local authorities with children’s services between 1 July 2021 and 31 March 2023, which is over six times the number of transfers in the same time frame in previous years, (October 2019 – June 2021 there were 793 transfers).
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to expedite visa applications in cases involving Afghan nationals (a) whose family reunion visa applications have not been responded to within her Department's 60-day service standard, (b) who have provided medical evidence that they are suffering from (i) suicidal inclination and (ii) other mental ill-health and (c) where a family member referred to in the application is at risk of deportation to Afghanistan from (A) Pakistan and (B) another third country; if she will hold discussions with the hon. Member for Brighton Pavilion on a family reunion case of an Afghan national; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Government’s refugee family reunion policy provides a safe and legal route to bring families together.
We are committed to improving and speeding up processing times for family reunion applications. We are reviewing processes to streamline decision making.
We prioritise all applications where the application has been made by an unaccompanied child under the age of 18. We will also prioritise applications where there is an evidenced urgent or compelling reason.
I would be happy to look into this case for you if the Hon. Member provides detail in writing.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) capacity to inspect hotels housing unaccompanied children and (b) child safeguarding expertise of (i) Ofsted and (ii) the independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Ofsted assisted the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) in the inspection on the use of hotels for housing unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) due to their expertise in child safeguarding. The inspection found that ‘unanimously’ the young people accommodated at the interim hotels reported feeling ‘happy and safe’.
We are taking a new power in the Illegal Migration Bill to provide or arrange for the provision of accommodation for unaccompanied children. Our policy intention is to ensure that whilst time in this accommodation is expected to be short, we will be seeking to meet standards which are appropriate for the accommodation so that children are sufficiently supported and safeguarded.
We are working closely with the Department for Education and relevant stakeholders on the appropriate standards which should apply. With regards to inspection, we expect to be transparent in allowing scrutiny of our accommodation linked to any agreed appropriate standards.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the decision to make the National Transfer Scheme for unaccompanied asylum seeking children mandatory for all local authorities has not resulted in the elimination of the use of hotel accommodation for unaccompanied asylum seeking children; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The rise in the number of small boat crossings in recent years has placed significant pressures on local authority care placements for young people. Out of necessity, and with the best interests of the child in mind, we have had no alternative but to maintain the temporarily use of hotels to give some unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) a roof over their heads whilst local authority accommodation is found.
Since 15 February 2022, all local authorities with children’s services in the UK have been directed to participate in the National Transfer Scheme (NTS) to ensure UASC receive the critical care they need.
Between 1 July 2021 and 31 March 2023, the NTS transferred 4,875 children to local authorities with children’s services which is over six times the number of transfers in the same time frame in previous years (between October 2019 – June 2021 there were 793 transfers).
It remains our intention to end the use of hotels for UASC and we have offered incentivised funding to local authorities to move these young people in the care system. However, the continuing numbers of unaccompanied children arriving in the UK by small boat means we have had no choice but to maintain the use of hotels to temporarily accommodate UASC.
We are taking a new power in the Illegal Migration Bill to provide or arrange for the provision of accommodation for unaccompanied children. We are also taking a power to direct a local authority in England to provide accommodation to an unaccompanied child, reflecting our position that any time spent in Home Office accommodation should be temporary.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to end the practice of placing unaccompanied asylum seeking children in hotels.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The rise in the number of small boat crossings in recent years has placed significant pressures on local authority care placements for young people. Out of necessity, and with the best interests of the child in mind, we have had no alternative but to maintain the temporarily use of hotels to give some unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) a roof over their heads whilst local authority accommodation is found.
Since 15 February 2022, all local authorities with children’s services in the UK have been directed to participate in the National Transfer Scheme (NTS) to ensure UASC receive the critical care they need.
Between 1 July 2021 and 31 March 2023, the NTS transferred 4,875 children to local authorities with children’s services which is over six times the number of transfers in the same time frame in previous years (between October 2019 – June 2021 there were 793 transfers).
It remains our intention to end the use of hotels for UASC and we have offered incentivised funding to local authorities to move these young people in the care system. However, the continuing numbers of unaccompanied children arriving in the UK by small boat means we have had no choice but to maintain the use of hotels to temporarily accommodate UASC.
We are taking a new power in the Illegal Migration Bill to provide or arrange for the provision of accommodation for unaccompanied children. We are also taking a power to direct a local authority in England to provide accommodation to an unaccompanied child, reflecting our position that any time spent in Home Office accommodation should be temporary.