Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Afghan refugees who left hotel accommodation between 1 and 31 December 2023 have found permanent accommodation in the same local authority area.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The UK made an ambitious and generous commitment to help resettle Afghans fleeing persecution and those who served in the UK. Since June 2021, we have brought 24,500 people to safety to the UK.
1,674 people, around half of whom are children, were living in interim accommodation (i.e., hotels/serviced accommodation) at the end of September 2023.
For information on individuals within interim accommodation, including nationality, age, and sex breakdowns, see table Asy_D02 of the asylum and resettlement detailed datasets: Immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
For data on those in accommodation by location, see the regional and local authority immigration groups data tables.
We are unable to provide a running commentary on interim accommodation and settled accommodation occupation. The next release of Afghan Operational Data is due for release around 22 February 2024.
Local authorities receive integration tariff funding of £20,520 per person, over three years, for each Afghan family they resettle and provide full integration support for this duration. They have the flexibility to use this funding to contribute towards renting accommodation, including deposit, letting fees and necessary furnishings.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support has been provided to Bradford Council by his Department to support Afghan refugees leaving interim hotel accommodation.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The UK made an ambitious and generous commitment to help resettle Afghans fleeing persecution and those who served in the UK. Since June 2021, we have brought 24,500 people to safety to the UK.
1,674 people, around half of whom are children, were living in interim accommodation (i.e., hotels/serviced accommodation) at the end of September 2023.
For information on individuals within interim accommodation, including nationality, age, and sex breakdowns, see table Asy_D02 of the asylum and resettlement detailed datasets: Immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
For data on those in accommodation by location, see the regional and local authority immigration groups data tables.
We are unable to provide a running commentary on interim accommodation and settled accommodation occupation. The next release of Afghan Operational Data is due for release around 22 February 2024.
Local authorities receive integration tariff funding of £20,520 per person, over three years, for each Afghan family they resettle and provide full integration support for this duration. They have the flexibility to use this funding to contribute towards renting accommodation, including deposit, letting fees and necessary furnishings.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his planned timetable is to publish further information about the Government's proposed increases to the minimum income requirement for family visas.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The revised minimum income requirement will be implemented in spring 2024.
The Government will set out any transitional provisions associated with this increase in January.
Any applications already submitted will be considered in line with the existing policy.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of trends in the level of violence in the West Bank.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are clear that settler violence and the targeting of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank is completely unacceptable. It undermines security and stability at a time when Israelis and Palestinians are desperate for both and increases the risks of atrocities and intercommunal violence. Israel must prevent these acts and hold those responsible to account, ensuring any perpetrators are arrested and prosecuted. Ultimately, to prevent further conflict, there must be a political solution: a two-state solution which provides justice and security for both Israelis and Palestinians, ending the security threat posed by Hamas and with the Israelis taking more precautions regarding civilians and tackling settler violence.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to the urgent question on Israel and Hamas: Humanitarian Pause in the House of Lords on 29 November 2023, Official Report column 1091 HL, what his Department's policy is on whether there should be a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Israel has a right to self-defence and needs to be able to address the threat posed by Hamas, in a manner that abides by International Humanitarian Law. The UK is supportive of humanitarian pauses, and the temporary cessation of hostilities, to enable humanitarian organisations to deliver aid and give respite to civilians. As noted in the response of 29 November, the recent pause was a welcome opportunity to get hostages out and to allow increased amounts of aid and fuel in. We continue to press, at the UN and with Israel, for unhindered humanitarian access and substantive, repeated humanitarian pauses.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the humanitarian pause in the conflict between Israel and Hamas on the provision of humanitarian aid to people in Gaza.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The recent humanitarian pause demonstrated what can be achieved to get vital aid into Gaza including the levels of aid that is possible and it is important that this level of aid is now, at a minimum, sustained. The UK is supportive of humanitarian pauses as part of measures to facilitate the flow of life-saving humanitarian aid and ensure civilians are safe. The FCDO is actively engaging with international partners and those operating on the ground to do all we can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We will continue to use all the tools of British diplomacy and development to enhance the prospects of peace and stability in the region, working closely with our partners.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will hold discussions with his Israeli counterpart on the potential merits of re-opening additional crossings into Gaza for humanitarian access.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO is actively engaging with international partners and those operating on the ground to do all we can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary engage regularly and closely with regional counterparts including Israel and Egypt on the humanitarian response. However, the flow of aid into and through Gaza continues to be insufficient and we are urgently exploring all diplomatic options to increase this, including urging Israel to open other existing land border crossings such as Kerem Shalom. Fuel remains a critical component and without sufficient aid, fuel cannot be distributed by humanitarian organisations and hospitals, bakeries as well as desalination plants cannot operate. We are also actively exploring other routes for aid to get into Gaza. The UK Government has already announced £60 million in humanitarian funding and has sent more than 74 tonnes of emergency relief for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has held with HMRC on payment requests issued to Apostle Accounting Ltd customers following HMRC compliance checks.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC cannot comment on any individual or identifiable businesses and their tax affairs due to strict confidentiality.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to conduct an investigation with HMRC into the practices of Apostle Accounting Ltd following its liquidation.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC cannot comment on any individual or identifiable businesses and their tax affairs due to strict confidentiality rules, and can neither confirm or deny investigations.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when police protection was last reviewed for each (a) embassy, (b) high commission, (c) consulate and (d) foreign mission on the London diplomatic list.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The UK Government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate.
It is our longstanding policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals' and sites' security.