Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the British Retail Consortium 2022 Crime Survey.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government is working closely with retailers, trade organisations and enforcement partners via the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) to ensure the response to crimes affecting the retail sector is as robust as it can be. The NRCSG is co-chaired by Tom Ironside, Director of Business & Regulation at the British Retail Consortium and me. This is an important forum to discuss crime issues experienced by retailers and to work together to find solutions.
The Government has taken action to tackle violence and abuse by introducing a statutory aggravating factor via the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
The public facing nature of the victim’s role will be considered an aggravating factor when it comes to sentencing for assault offences. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This rightly includes those working in retail and other public-facing roles. The provision will commence on 28 June and builds on the important work already underway through the NRCSG to ensure assaults are not seen as part of a retail worker’s job.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review deportations to China in light of human rights concerns relating to that country.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
All asylum and human rights claims are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Each individual assessment is made against the background of any relevant caselaw and the latest available country information. Our position on the Uyghurs in China is set out in the relevant country policy and information note on the gov.uk website.
Where someone establishes a well-founded fear of persecution or serious harm in their country, they are normally granted protection and are not expected to return there. The Home Office only seeks to return those whose asylum claim have been unsuccessful. By definition, they do not need protection and not at risk on return.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the war in Ukraine is having an impact on the (a) eligibility of Russian nationals for skilled worker visas and (b) availability of such visas for Russian nationals.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Skilled Worker Visa is open to all nationals, subject to immigration and criminality checks.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what legal documentation is required under the Homes for Ukraine scheme for a minor travelling without a parent but with an adult family member, such as an aunt or grandparent.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Applicants for the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme must be Ukrainian, or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national, and either:
Please see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether applications under the Homes for Ukraine scheme can be accepted where the applicant is a minor travelling with a family member who is not a parent.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Applicants for the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme must be Ukrainian, or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national, and either:
Please see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of enabling graduates from high-ranking UK universities to apply for the High Potential Individual visa.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The High Potential Individual route is a highly selective route. It is designed to attract individuals who are at an early stage of their career who have demonstrated their potential through academic achievement at a limited number of universities outside of the UK.
Graduates of all UK universities are already able to remain and work in the UK for the same period through the Graduate route.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will remove visa costs for EU citizens who are planning to work as language assistants in UK schools.
Answered by Kevin Foster
We do not have any plans to waive visa application fees for language assistants who are looking to use the Points Based System to work in UK schools.
Fees provide a vital contribution towards the provision of the resources necessary to operate and sustain our borders and immigration system. This reduces reliance on taxpayer funding, while ensuring the costs of the system are met. It would be unfair to the taxpayer and other users of the immigration system if we were to exempt EU citizens seeking work as language assistants given our migration system is now a global one, not one determined by whether you hold an EEA or non-EEA passport
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of Ukrainians who have received their Homes for Ukraine Scheme visas since the launch of the scheme have arrived in the UK.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Information on the number of visas granted under the Ukrainian Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, divided by each local authority can be found in published data on the GOV.UK webpage: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homes-for-ukraine-sponsorship-scheme-numbers-of-visa-applications)
The Government does not collect constituency-level data on the Ukraine Family Scheme.
In terms of priority, applications are normally processed in date order from when documents were uploaded, or after an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC).
However, as part of the Home Office’s commitment to make it easier for applicants to apply to our schemes, Ukrainians with valid passports no longer need to go to a Visa Application Centre to give their biometrics before they come to the UK. This revision to the process can mean applicants who submitted their applications at the same time, but via different biometric routes, may not receive their visas at the same time.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department uses prioritisation criteria to determine urgency within the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Information on the number of visas granted under the Ukrainian Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, divided by each local authority can be found in published data on the GOV.UK webpage: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homes-for-ukraine-sponsorship-scheme-numbers-of-visa-applications)
The Government does not collect constituency-level data on the Ukraine Family Scheme.
In terms of priority, applications are normally processed in date order from when documents were uploaded, or after an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC).
However, as part of the Home Office’s commitment to make it easier for applicants to apply to our schemes, Ukrainians with valid passports no longer need to go to a Visa Application Centre to give their biometrics before they come to the UK. This revision to the process can mean applicants who submitted their applications at the same time, but via different biometric routes, may not receive their visas at the same time.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what advice is being given to Ukrainian refugees applying for the Homes for Ukraine Scheme in circumstances where they cannot travel to a Visa Application Centre.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Information on the number of visas granted under the Ukrainian Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, divided by each local authority can be found in published data on the GOV.UK webpage: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homes-for-ukraine-sponsorship-scheme-numbers-of-visa-applications)
The Government does not collect constituency-level data on the Ukraine Family Scheme.
In terms of priority, applications are normally processed in date order from when documents were uploaded, or after an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC).
However, as part of the Home Office’s commitment to make it easier for applicants to apply to our schemes, Ukrainians with valid passports no longer need to go to a Visa Application Centre to give their biometrics before they come to the UK. This revision to the process can mean applicants who submitted their applications at the same time, but via different biometric routes, may not receive their visas at the same time.