Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she last held a meeting with Ministers responsible for the Child Poverty Strategy to discuss the (a) potential implication of lengthened immigration routes and (b) No Recourse to Public Funds condition for children’s living standards; and when she plans to hold the next meeting.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement proposals are subject to consultation, which will be launched later this year. No final decisions on the policy will be made until the consultation concludes.
The Home Office has agreed that children whose families have No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) should be included in the scope of the Government’s Child Poverty Strategy. The Child Poverty Strategy is due to be published later this year. I will continue to discuss and shape the approach with my officials and Government Ministers ahead of its publication.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the (a) lengthening of immigration routes to settlement and (b) No Recourse to Public Funds condition on the ability to meet objectives under the Child Poverty Strategy.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement proposals are subject to consultation, which will be launched later this year. No final decisions on the policy will be made until the consultation concludes.
The Home Office has agreed that children whose families have No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) should be included in the scope of the Government’s Child Poverty Strategy. The Child Poverty Strategy is due to be published later this year. I will continue to discuss and shape the approach with my officials and Government Ministers ahead of its publication.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department (a) is engaging in the development of the Child Poverty Strategy and (b) will implement an exemption for families with children under 18 from the No Recourse to Public Funds condition.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement proposals are subject to consultation, which will be launched later this year. No final decisions on the policy will be made until the consultation concludes.
The Home Office has agreed that children whose families have No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) should be included in the scope of the Government’s Child Poverty Strategy. The Child Poverty Strategy is due to be published later this year. I will continue to discuss and shape the approach with my officials and Government Ministers ahead of its publication.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
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 asylum support rates on child poverty among families seeking asylum; and whether she has shared this assessment with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for consideration in the Child Poverty Strategy.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has a legal obligation to meet the essential living needs of destitute asylum seekers. We meet this obligation by providing accommodation and a weekly allowance. The level of the allowance given is reviewed each year to ensure it remains sufficient in meeting essential living needs.
Additional support is available to pregnant women, young children, and individuals who can show they have exceptional needs. Asylum seeking children are also entitled to access free healthcare and schooling, plus free school meals.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to roll out open access young futures hubs.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to rolling out a network of Young Futures Hubs which will bring together services to help improve the way young people can access the support they need.
Officials from across a range of departments are already working together, using evidence of what works to start to shape how the hubs will work in practice. As part of this we are engaging with local communities, the police, charities, and other key partners to support the design of the hubs and explore options for their delivery, ensuring we are making use of the vast knowledge and experience that already exists. This includes considerations of the most suitable locations as well as how best to engage with those young people who would benefit most from their support.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Illegal Migration Bill on the number of undocumented people living in the UK without immigration status.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We will publish an economic impact assessment in respect of the Bill in due course.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any members of the public have been arrested for expressing republican views since 8 September; what steps she is taking to protect freedom of speech; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
This Government supports the peaceful practice of free speech. Individuals have the right to express republican views if they wish to do so. This does not permit or excuse breaches of the law, for example Public Order Legislation, where these apply.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of not funding the legal costs for participants in the Undercover Policing Inquiry.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Undercover Policing Inquiry is independent of the Home Office and decisions regarding funding for Core Participants are for the Inquiry to make.
Under section 40 of the Inquiries Act 2005, the Inquiry Chair has the power to award reasonable amounts to cover expenses, including in respect of legal representation for those who give evidence to the Inquiry. This includes witnesses, as well as core participants.
More information can be found on the Inquiry’s website at: https://www.ucpi.org.uk/about-the-inquiry/#costs
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of not providing live audio and video streaming of the Undercover Policing Inquiry on the ability of the (a) public and (b) core participants to engage with that inquiry.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Undercover Policing Inquiry is independent of the Home Office and so, decisions on the conduct of its investigations and hearings are for the Inquiry to make.
The Inquiry has sought the views of Core Participants and relevant parties on how it should conduct its evidence hearings. Following the completion of the November 2020 evidence hearings the Inquiry held a directions hearing in January 2021 which discussed arrangements for Phase 2 of Tranche 1 hearings that are scheduled to commence on 21st April 2021.
The outcome of this directions hearing was published in February by the Inquiry, detailing its provision of live audio and video streaming to the public and the rationale behind this. This can be found on the Inquiry website at: https://www.ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/20210205-directions-t1_p2_hearings.pdf
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
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 appointing panel members with expertise in (a) institutional racism, (b) sexism, (C) class bias and (d) the other relevant issues in the Undercover Policing Inquiry.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The issue was carefully considered in 2018 and it was decided that panel members would not be appointed at that time. A judicial review of the decision was subsequently refused. Sir John Mitting is an experienced High Court Judge and has the necessary expertise to deliver the Inquiry’s terms of reference.
The Inquiry’s Strategic Review of May 2018 set out the Chair’s views that the appointment of a panel to assist in Module three of the Inquiry’s investigations timetable would be useful, and any such appointment would be subject to consultation between the Inquiry Chair and Home Secretary.