Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will further extend the relaxation of visa requirements for Chinese nationals in the UK beyond 31 March 2020.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Visa nationals whose leave expired after the 24 January and who cannot leave the country because of travel restrictions or self-isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be able to extend their visa.
A dedicated COVID-19 immigration team has been set up within UKVI to make the process as straightforward as possible. Anyone in this situation just needs to contact this team, via the following email address, CIH@homeoffice.gov.uk, to let them know their visa has expired and they will be issued with an extension.
This will last until 31 May, but will be kept under regular review in case further extensions are needed.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which (a) Scottish constituency hon. Members, (b) English constituency hon. Members and (c) Members of the Scottish Parliament were invited to the Government's drugs summit held in Glasgow on 27 February 2020.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The following UK and devolved administration parliamentarians attended the UK Drugs Summit in their role as ministers: Kit Malthouse MP; Alister Jack MP; Jo Churchill MP; Joe Fitzpatrick MSP; Julie Morgan AM; and Robin Swann MLA. Vaughan Gething AM and Naomi Long MLA were invited in their ministerial capacities but were unable to attend.
In addition, Pete Wishart MP was invited as Chair of the UK Parliament Scottish Affairs Select Committee but was unable to attend.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the coronavirus, what steps the Government is taking to relax visa travel return requirements for visitors already in the UK and who are due to return to China; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Kevin Foster
We will take a proportionate approach to individuals who are unable to comply with their visa due to circumstances beyond their control, and are actively engaging with the relevant sectors to develop an effective strategy to ensure individuals are not penalised. Information and guidance will be placed into the public domain as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications to the seasonal workers pilot scheme were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
The numbers of visa applications made, approved and refused under Seasonal Workers Pilot scheme are published in the quarterly Immigration statistics. This information is available on the Gov.uk website at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-june-2019/list-of-tables
The Seasonal Workers Pilot is a UK wide scheme. The recruitment and placement of migrant workers is managed by the two scheme operators who have been licensed to manage the pilot. Both scheme operators cover the whole of the country and in 2019 both operators were allocated 1,250 scheme places. The Home Office does not hold information relating to the allocation of workers to specific regions.
Any places allocated to applicants who subsequently decide not to travel to the UK are made available to other applicants.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many places on the seasonal workers pilot scheme were allocated to (a) operators and (b) businesses in (i) Angus, (ii) Perth and North Perthshire, (iii) Stirling, (iv) Ochil and South Perthshire and (v) North East Fife.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
The numbers of visa applications made, approved and refused under Seasonal Workers Pilot scheme are published in the quarterly Immigration statistics. This information is available on the Gov.uk website at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-june-2019/list-of-tables
The Seasonal Workers Pilot is a UK wide scheme. The recruitment and placement of migrant workers is managed by the two scheme operators who have been licensed to manage the pilot. Both scheme operators cover the whole of the country and in 2019 both operators were allocated 1,250 scheme places. The Home Office does not hold information relating to the allocation of workers to specific regions.
Any places allocated to applicants who subsequently decide not to travel to the UK are made available to other applicants.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many places on the seasonal workers pilot scheme were allocated to (a) operators and (b) businesses in (i) Mcray, (ii) Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, (iii) Banff and Buchan, (iv) Gordon and (v) West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine constituencies.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
The numbers of visa applications made, approved and refused under Seasonal Workers Pilot scheme are published in the quarterly Immigration statistics. This information is available on the Gov.uk website at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-june-2019/list-of-tables
The Seasonal Workers Pilot is a UK wide scheme. The recruitment and placement of migrant workers is managed by the two scheme operators who have been licensed to manage the pilot. Both scheme operators cover the whole of the country and in 2019 both operators were allocated 1,250 scheme places. The Home Office does not hold information relating to the allocation of workers to specific regions.
Any places allocated to applicants who subsequently decide not to travel to the UK are made available to other applicants.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications to the seasonal workers pilot scheme from businesses operating in Scotland were (a) made and (b) successful.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
The numbers of visa applications made, approved and refused under Seasonal Workers Pilot scheme are published in the quarterly Immigration statistics. This information is available on the Gov.uk website at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-june-2019/list-of-tables
The Seasonal Workers Pilot is a UK wide scheme. The recruitment and placement of migrant workers is managed by the two scheme operators who have been licensed to manage the pilot. Both scheme operators cover the whole of the country and in 2019 both operators were allocated 1,250 scheme places. The Home Office does not hold information relating to the allocation of workers to specific regions.
Any places allocated to applicants who subsequently decide not to travel to the UK are made available to other applicants.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications under the seasonal workers pilot scheme were allocated but not filled with a seasonal worker.
Answered by Seema Kennedy
The numbers of visa applications made, approved and refused under Seasonal Workers Pilot scheme are published in the quarterly Immigration statistics. This information is available on the Gov.uk website at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-june-2019/list-of-tables
The Seasonal Workers Pilot is a UK wide scheme. The recruitment and placement of migrant workers is managed by the two scheme operators who have been licensed to manage the pilot. Both scheme operators cover the whole of the country and in 2019 both operators were allocated 1,250 scheme places. The Home Office does not hold information relating to the allocation of workers to specific regions.
Any places allocated to applicants who subsequently decide not to travel to the UK are made available to other applicants.