To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
NHS: Drugs
Tuesday 3rd September 2019

Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what parts of the Government’s plan for trading in drug precursors in the event of a no deal Brexit have been implemented.

Answered by Kit Malthouse

The UK Government remains focussed on ensuring a smooth and orderly withdrawal from the EU with a deal as soon as possible. However, as a responsible government, we continue to prepare for all scenarios.

The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 were made in April 2019 and make the necessary legislative changes to prevent the diversion of drugs precursor chemicals to the illicit market and to allow for the legitimate trade in these substances to continue in the event of a no deal.

A Technical Notice was published on GOV.UK in September 2018 advising companies of the change in requirements in the event of a no deal and we have contacted the relevant trade bodies to disseminate the message to their members.
The Government continue to engage with industry trading in these substances to ensure they are aware of the new rules and processes that would apply if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.


Written Question
Free Movement of Labour
Wednesday 31st July 2019

Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether businesses will be able to move skilled workers between UK and EU premises in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal; and what the rules governing that movement will be.

Answered by Seema Kennedy

The Government remains committed to reaching an agreement with the EU before the 31 October 2019. The Government has confirmed that the EU Settlement Scheme will continue to operate whether the UK leaves the EU with or without a negotiated deal. This ensures that the rights of EEA and Swiss citizens resident in the UK before it leaves the EU will be protected in every outcome.

In the event that a deal is not agreed with the EU, arrangements for EEA and Swiss citizens arriving for three months or less after free movement ends will not look any different. To stay longer than three months during the transitional period, newly arrived EEA and Swiss citizens will need to apply for permission. Subject to identity and criminality checks, they will be granted European Temporary Leave to Remain for a further 36 months.
If they wish to stay in the UK for longer than the 36 months, they will then need to qualify and apply under the future skills-based immigration system.

The Government published a White Paper on the future system on 18 December 2018. This committed to maintaining a route for intra-company transfers to allow companies easily to transfer existing employees from an overseas branch to their UK office. UK-based multi-national businesses will also be able to continue moving their skilled staff to the EU through the pro-visions set out in the EU’s Directive on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals in the framework of an intra-corporate transfer.


Written Question
Common Travel Area
Tuesday 30th July 2019

Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what parts of the Government’s plan for travelling in the Common Travel Area in the event of a no deal Brexit have been implemented.

Answered by Seema Kennedy

In the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal, there will be no practical changes to the UK’s approach to immigration on journeys within the CTA. As now there will be no routine immigration controls on journeys from within the CTA to the UK; with no immigration controls whatsoever on the Northern Ireland – Ireland land border.

Further information is set out in the UK Government publication: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/travelling-in-the-common-travel-area-if-theres-no-brexit-deal/travelling-within-the-common-travel-area-and-the-associated-rights-of-british-and-irish-citizens-if-there-is-no-brexit-deal


Written Question
Firearms: Licensing
Monday 22nd July 2019

Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Guidance on how to prepare for Brexit if there's no deal, published by the Department for Exiting the European Union, what parts of the plan for travelling with a European Firearms Pass in the event of a no deal Brexit have been implemented.

Answered by Nick Hurd

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, UK residents travelling to EU countries with their firearm or shotgun would no longer be able to use a European Firearms Pass. They would instead have to comply with whatever licensing or other requirements each EU country imposes.

In preparation for this eventuality, the Government has published a technical notice setting out information on the potential loss of the European Firearms Pass, to allow UK businesses and citizens to make informed plans and preparations.

There would be no weakening of the UK’s firearms controls. EU nationals bringing firearms temporarily into the UK would still require a visitors’ firearm permit issued by a UK police force.


Written Question
Immigrants: Domestic Abuse
Friday 14th June 2019

Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to increase accessibility to public services for victims of domestic abuse who have no recourse to public funds.

Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

This Government remains committed to transforming the response to domestic abuse.

Victims of domestic abuse are treated first and foremost as victims. Non -British victims residing in the UK are able to apply for support from authorities, many of whom will have statutory obligations to support victims.

For individuals in the UK who are married, or partners of, British or settled sponsors and who claim to be victims of abuse, there is the option of applying for immediate crisis support under the Destitute Domestic Violence Concession (DDVC). In addition, funding has been made available via the tampon tax, to support a range of support networks. In March of this year, a further £1,090,000 was made available to specifically to be used to provide safe accommodation, and other support functions.

The new Domestic Abuse Bill will be the platform for delivering changes to support victims and will enable victims to have the ability and confidence to report these crimes. We will carefully consider recommendations from the Joint Scrutiny Committee about reviewing the scope of the DDVC and look forward to seeing report from the Joint Committee on the draft Bill. We will also want to consider the evidence – both written and oral – submitted to the Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill and any recommendations made by that Committee. We are not complacent about our responses to domestic abuse, and strive to see what more can be done.


Written Question
Visas: Mental Health
Wednesday 29th May 2019

Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department takes to safeguard visa applicants from stress and other mental health problems which occur as a result of delayed decisions and other complications in the application process.

Answered by Caroline Nokes

Comprehensive guidance is published on GOV.UK on the visa application process. This includes information regarding our Customer Service Standards (CSS) timescales for processing visa applications.

If an application is complex or delayed for any reason, Visas & Citizenship staff contact the applicant and inform them if it is anticipated that the CSS will not be met.

Applicants can contact V&C should the need arise. Contact details are published on the GOV.UK website here:
https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk

If V&C are made aware of any compelling or compassionate circumstances, consideration will be given to expediting assessment of the application, where appropriate and possible.


Written Question
Home Office: Complaints
Monday 4th February 2019

Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what complaints procedure is open to members of the public if they wish to complain that (a) his Department’s Data Protection Officer and (b) any staff of his Department is in breach of the Civil Service Code.

Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

Complaints regarding the conduct of any member of Home Office staff, including the Data Protection Officer, can be submitted according to the advice provided on the Home Office’s pages of the.Gov.UK website.

Allegations that they have breached the Civil Service Code will be investigated in line with the Home Office Discipline Policy and Procedure.


Written Question
Police: Finance
Friday 1st February 2019

Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding is planned to be allocated to (a) Lambeth Police Force and (b) each police force area in the UK to prepare for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Answered by Nick Hurd

The Home Office has been working closely with policing to support planning for a range of scenarios around our exit from the EU, including leaving without a deal. Any local policing body whose force is facing significant costs as a result of EU Exit may currently apply for additional funding through the Police Special Grant. We are considering an alternative mechanism for any future requests.

Decisions on the allocation of police resources within Lambeth are a matter for the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.


Written Question
Home Office: Recruitment
Friday 1st February 2019

Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many additional staff have been recruited to (a) HM Passport Office, (b) Border Force and (c) UK Visas and Immigration since 2016.

Answered by Caroline Nokes

The table below shows the average size of paid workforce (full time equivalents) Civil Servants and Non - Civil Servants for calendar year 2016 compared to calendar year 2018.

Year Averages

UK Visas & Immigration

Border Force

Passport Office

2016

5,769

7,383

3,752

2018

7,736

7,967

3,570

The Home Office constantly reviews its capabilities to deliver the Government’s agenda. With EU Exit negotiations still underway, we continue to assess how our priorities will impact on the workforce and capabilities required.

We are committed to ensuring that our operational teams have the resources they need to run an efficient and effective migration system, tackle illegal immigration and keep the UK


Written Question
Police: Lambeth
Friday 21st December 2018

Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the police response times were in the London Borough of Lambeth in each year since 2010.

Answered by Nick Hurd


The Home Office collects and publishes statistics on the number of police officers employed by each police force in England and Wales on a bi-annual basis. These figures present a picture of the workforce as at the 31 March and as at 30 September each year. These data are published in the ‘Police workforce, England and Wales’ statistical publication, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales

Data on the number of officers per 100,000 of the resident population, by police force area, are published on an annual basis. The latest available data on the number of police officers per 100,000 of the population can be found in Table_H4 of the data tables accompanying the main release, the latest of which can be accessed here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-31-march-2018

Data on the number of police officers are collected at Police Force Area level only, and cannot be broken at local authority level.

The Home Office does not hold information on response times of the police.