Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the new fines for failing to return expired BRP cards on return rates.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We have been assessing the number of people who will have BRPs that expire at the end 2024 and who will have leave extending beyond that date, however, this data is not yet available. We are making plans to enable these people to transition to an eVisa before the end of 2024. More information on how to do this will be made available on gov.uk later this year.
Our aim is to fully transition to eVisas by the end of 2024 and for this reason we are no longer issuing BRPs with an expiry date after 2024, even when the person’s permission will expire after that date, nor are we redesigning physical BRPs or introducing new fines associated with them.
The BRP system forms part of our wider immigration and border system and is supported by officials across the department. In most circumstances, holders of current BRPs are expected to return them to UKVI when they make a new application or when their BRP has expired.
The “Code of practice about the sanctions for non-compliance with the biometric registration regulations” sets out the rules which govern the issuance of civil penalties. Where a holder of a biometric immigration document such as a BRP fails to comply with one of the requirements of the regulations, we may issue them with a civil financial penalty but are not required to do so.
Once we cease issuing BRPs and existing ones have expired and been removed from circulation, there will be no further BRPs issued, and they will have no extant use.
We keep resourcing under regular review to ensure we have the staff in place to deliver and support the transition from physical to digital proof of status.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many officials her Department plans to dedicate to processing expired Biometric residence permits cards in 2025.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We have been assessing the number of people who will have BRPs that expire at the end 2024 and who will have leave extending beyond that date, however, this data is not yet available. We are making plans to enable these people to transition to an eVisa before the end of 2024. More information on how to do this will be made available on gov.uk later this year.
Our aim is to fully transition to eVisas by the end of 2024 and for this reason we are no longer issuing BRPs with an expiry date after 2024, even when the person’s permission will expire after that date, nor are we redesigning physical BRPs or introducing new fines associated with them.
The BRP system forms part of our wider immigration and border system and is supported by officials across the department. In most circumstances, holders of current BRPs are expected to return them to UKVI when they make a new application or when their BRP has expired.
The “Code of practice about the sanctions for non-compliance with the biometric registration regulations” sets out the rules which govern the issuance of civil penalties. Where a holder of a biometric immigration document such as a BRP fails to comply with one of the requirements of the regulations, we may issue them with a civil financial penalty but are not required to do so.
Once we cease issuing BRPs and existing ones have expired and been removed from circulation, there will be no further BRPs issued, and they will have no extant use.
We keep resourcing under regular review to ensure we have the staff in place to deliver and support the transition from physical to digital proof of status.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent on a newly designed Biometric residence permit card to date.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We have been assessing the number of people who will have BRPs that expire at the end 2024 and who will have leave extending beyond that date, however, this data is not yet available. We are making plans to enable these people to transition to an eVisa before the end of 2024. More information on how to do this will be made available on gov.uk later this year.
Our aim is to fully transition to eVisas by the end of 2024 and for this reason we are no longer issuing BRPs with an expiry date after 2024, even when the person’s permission will expire after that date, nor are we redesigning physical BRPs or introducing new fines associated with them.
The BRP system forms part of our wider immigration and border system and is supported by officials across the department. In most circumstances, holders of current BRPs are expected to return them to UKVI when they make a new application or when their BRP has expired.
The “Code of practice about the sanctions for non-compliance with the biometric registration regulations” sets out the rules which govern the issuance of civil penalties. Where a holder of a biometric immigration document such as a BRP fails to comply with one of the requirements of the regulations, we may issue them with a civil financial penalty but are not required to do so.
Once we cease issuing BRPs and existing ones have expired and been removed from circulation, there will be no further BRPs issued, and they will have no extant use.
We keep resourcing under regular review to ensure we have the staff in place to deliver and support the transition from physical to digital proof of status.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many officials her Department plans to have working on the new Biometric residence permits system.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We have been assessing the number of people who will have BRPs that expire at the end 2024 and who will have leave extending beyond that date, however, this data is not yet available. We are making plans to enable these people to transition to an eVisa before the end of 2024. More information on how to do this will be made available on gov.uk later this year.
Our aim is to fully transition to eVisas by the end of 2024 and for this reason we are no longer issuing BRPs with an expiry date after 2024, even when the person’s permission will expire after that date, nor are we redesigning physical BRPs or introducing new fines associated with them.
The BRP system forms part of our wider immigration and border system and is supported by officials across the department. In most circumstances, holders of current BRPs are expected to return them to UKVI when they make a new application or when their BRP has expired.
The “Code of practice about the sanctions for non-compliance with the biometric registration regulations” sets out the rules which govern the issuance of civil penalties. Where a holder of a biometric immigration document such as a BRP fails to comply with one of the requirements of the regulations, we may issue them with a civil financial penalty but are not required to do so.
Once we cease issuing BRPs and existing ones have expired and been removed from circulation, there will be no further BRPs issued, and they will have no extant use.
We keep resourcing under regular review to ensure we have the staff in place to deliver and support the transition from physical to digital proof of status.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has taken recent steps to help ensure that Russian nationals seeking to avoid conscription can enter the UK.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The UK Government still operates visa routes for Russian citizens to come to the UK for a variety of reasons, such as to work, study or join/visit family members. Details about the routes, necessary criteria to satisfy, and how to apply are available on GOV.UK at: http://www.gov.uk/apply-uk-visa.
The Home Secretary has powers in the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 to impose visa penalties on a country where the government of that country: gives, or is likely to give, rise to a threat to international peace and security; results, or is likely to result, in armed conflict; or gives, or is likely to give, rise to a breach of international humanitarian law.
These powers have not been used against Russia to date but they are kept under constant review as part of the UK Government’s approach to the war in Ukraine.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times the emergency services attended incidents in accommodation funded by her Department in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Data collected through the Fire and Rescue Service Incident Recording System (IRS) does not include data on the ownership or funding of properties attended by the fire and rescue service.
The Home Office collects data on incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs), with this data including the location of the incident and type of property affected. This data is published in a variety of publications, available here: Fire statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria are used to assess whether accommodation is appropriate for offer as accommodation to Afghan refugees; and for how long her Department will continue to offer hotel accommodation to Afghan refugees should offers of permanent accommodation not be taken up.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
We have been working hard 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.
We have made improvements to the accommodation matching process, which took effect from 9 May. Before we match individuals and families to accommodation, we will talk to them to make sure we have all the necessary information about their circumstances to enable us to make an appropriate offer of accommodation, taking in to account education, health and faith needs, as well as employment, family links and caring responsibilities. We will ensure also that the accommodation offered will meet all relevant health and safety requirements, be in a good state of repair and will be furnished. Where necessary, adaptations to the property will be made before the household move in to ensure that it is accessible for any residents with a known disability. The accommodation will be available for a minimum of 12 months. It will be affordable for the household, considering the financial resource available to them, including any Government support for which they are eligible. Accommodation will be of suitable size to accommodate all household members.
The length of time that a family will remain in bridging hotels is dependent on several factors including the availability of appropriate housing. We encourage families to accept appropriate properties as quickly as possible and urge local authorities to continue to do all they can to help house people.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government has to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Whilst the Government keeps the list of proscribed organisations under review, we do not routinely comment on whether an organisation is or is not being considered for proscription.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in each of the last five years who successfully claimed asylum in the UK were from Pakistan.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on asylum outcomes at initial decision by nationality are published in tables Asy_D02 of the ‘asylum and resettlement detailed datasets’. Please note the breakdown published is the nationality of the applicant rather than the country the applicant came from.
Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relates to the end of March 2022.
Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to track foreign nationals who have defrauded UK citizens; and what role INTERPOL plays in identifying criminals and taking action in other states when a UK citizen has been defrauded.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Government take fraud very seriously and are committed to tackling it.
The Home Secretary regularly engages with her international counterparts to build collaboration against this and other crime types. International collaboration on fraud includes the work of the National Crime Agency, the Serious Fraud Office and City of London Police as the national lead force for fraud. Both partner with law enforcement and industry to combat fraud from overseas jurisdictions. Together they have recently implemented a new tasking and coordination process to ensure the most serious and organised fraudsters are targeted effectively.
UK authorities continue to work with their international counterparts on a case-by-case basis to target criminals responsible for defrauding members of the public and businesses. Law enforcement in the UK work closely with both INTERPOL and Europol to share information with international partners and facilitate collaborative work to tackle fraud where it exists across borders.