Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact of the withdrawal of the list of travellers scheme for school trips from EU countries in October 2021 on the (a) tourism and education sectors and (b) economy.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Visitors from outside the EU are expected to hold a passport (and visa where necessary) and those visiting from EU countries are now expected to do the same.
In implementing changes to document acceptability policy following the UK’s exit from the EU, a full impact assessment was carried out which can be found at the following link: Impact Assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk). This assessment also acknowledged the end of the List of Travellers arrangements.
At the Leaders’ Summit in Paris on 10 March 2023, as part of an overall agreement on migration reached with France, the UK committed to ease the travel of school groups to the UK by making changes to documentary requirements for schoolchildren on organised trips from France. This agreement is specific to France.
As a result of changes to the Immigration Rules that came into effect on 28 December 2023, we now permit the use of national identity cards for French schoolchildren (aged 18 and under) travelling on organised trips and waive UK visa requirements for their visa national classmates. When travelling, their responsible adults must be in possession of a fully completed and authenticated form listing the participants on the trip. French schools are able to access the form online from gov.uk.
A number of countries in the EU already offer an exemption to visa requirements for children travelling as part of a school trip from the UK, and the details of those countries is published by the EU Commission.
There are no current plans, or ongoing negotiations, to extend the arrangement with France to other countries but, in the context of wider agreements on migration related issues, we would consider negotiating with other countries should they approach us with an interest in making similar arrangements.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans to take steps to ensure parity in travel requirements for school groups travelling to the UK from (a) Germany and (b) other EU member states with those from France.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Visitors from outside the EU are expected to hold a passport (and visa where necessary) and those visiting from EU countries are now expected to do the same.
In implementing changes to document acceptability policy following the UK’s exit from the EU, a full impact assessment was carried out which can be found at the following link: Impact Assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk). This assessment also acknowledged the end of the List of Travellers arrangements.
At the Leaders’ Summit in Paris on 10 March 2023, as part of an overall agreement on migration reached with France, the UK committed to ease the travel of school groups to the UK by making changes to documentary requirements for schoolchildren on organised trips from France. This agreement is specific to France.
As a result of changes to the Immigration Rules that came into effect on 28 December 2023, we now permit the use of national identity cards for French schoolchildren (aged 18 and under) travelling on organised trips and waive UK visa requirements for their visa national classmates. When travelling, their responsible adults must be in possession of a fully completed and authenticated form listing the participants on the trip. French schools are able to access the form online from gov.uk.
A number of countries in the EU already offer an exemption to visa requirements for children travelling as part of a school trip from the UK, and the details of those countries is published by the EU Commission.
There are no current plans, or ongoing negotiations, to extend the arrangement with France to other countries but, in the context of wider agreements on migration related issues, we would consider negotiating with other countries should they approach us with an interest in making similar arrangements.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has had discussions with his European counterparts on easing travel restrictions for UK school groups travelling to EU member states.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Visitors from outside the EU are expected to hold a passport (and visa where necessary) and those visiting from EU countries are now expected to do the same.
In implementing changes to document acceptability policy following the UK’s exit from the EU, a full impact assessment was carried out which can be found at the following link: Impact Assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk). This assessment also acknowledged the end of the List of Travellers arrangements.
At the Leaders’ Summit in Paris on 10 March 2023, as part of an overall agreement on migration reached with France, the UK committed to ease the travel of school groups to the UK by making changes to documentary requirements for schoolchildren on organised trips from France. This agreement is specific to France.
As a result of changes to the Immigration Rules that came into effect on 28 December 2023, we now permit the use of national identity cards for French schoolchildren (aged 18 and under) travelling on organised trips and waive UK visa requirements for their visa national classmates. When travelling, their responsible adults must be in possession of a fully completed and authenticated form listing the participants on the trip. French schools are able to access the form online from gov.uk.
A number of countries in the EU already offer an exemption to visa requirements for children travelling as part of a school trip from the UK, and the details of those countries is published by the EU Commission.
There are no current plans, or ongoing negotiations, to extend the arrangement with France to other countries but, in the context of wider agreements on migration related issues, we would consider negotiating with other countries should they approach us with an interest in making similar arrangements.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has had discussions with his European counterparts on extending the rules for school groups travelling to the UK from France, to other EU member states.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Visitors from outside the EU are expected to hold a passport (and visa where necessary) and those visiting from EU countries are now expected to do the same.
In implementing changes to document acceptability policy following the UK’s exit from the EU, a full impact assessment was carried out which can be found at the following link: Impact Assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk). This assessment also acknowledged the end of the List of Travellers arrangements.
At the Leaders’ Summit in Paris on 10 March 2023, as part of an overall agreement on migration reached with France, the UK committed to ease the travel of school groups to the UK by making changes to documentary requirements for schoolchildren on organised trips from France. This agreement is specific to France.
As a result of changes to the Immigration Rules that came into effect on 28 December 2023, we now permit the use of national identity cards for French schoolchildren (aged 18 and under) travelling on organised trips and waive UK visa requirements for their visa national classmates. When travelling, their responsible adults must be in possession of a fully completed and authenticated form listing the participants on the trip. French schools are able to access the form online from gov.uk.
A number of countries in the EU already offer an exemption to visa requirements for children travelling as part of a school trip from the UK, and the details of those countries is published by the EU Commission.
There are no current plans, or ongoing negotiations, to extend the arrangement with France to other countries but, in the context of wider agreements on migration related issues, we would consider negotiating with other countries should they approach us with an interest in making similar arrangements.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps the Government has taken to facilitate travel of school groups from (a) Germany and (b) other EU member states to the UK.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Visitors from outside the EU are expected to hold a passport (and visa where necessary) and those visiting from EU countries are now expected to do the same.
In implementing changes to document acceptability policy following the UK’s exit from the EU, a full impact assessment was carried out which can be found at the following link: Impact Assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk). This assessment also acknowledged the end of the List of Travellers arrangements.
At the Leaders’ Summit in Paris on 10 March 2023, as part of an overall agreement on migration reached with France, the UK committed to ease the travel of school groups to the UK by making changes to documentary requirements for schoolchildren on organised trips from France. This agreement is specific to France.
As a result of changes to the Immigration Rules that came into effect on 28 December 2023, we now permit the use of national identity cards for French schoolchildren (aged 18 and under) travelling on organised trips and waive UK visa requirements for their visa national classmates. When travelling, their responsible adults must be in possession of a fully completed and authenticated form listing the participants on the trip. French schools are able to access the form online from gov.uk.
A number of countries in the EU already offer an exemption to visa requirements for children travelling as part of a school trip from the UK, and the details of those countries is published by the EU Commission.
There are no current plans, or ongoing negotiations, to extend the arrangement with France to other countries but, in the context of wider agreements on migration related issues, we would consider negotiating with other countries should they approach us with an interest in making similar arrangements.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to support applicants with a non-serious criminal record for a visa to live in the UK permanently.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
This Government does not provide support to foreign nationals with criminal records in order to facilitate their entry, stay or settlement in the United Kingdom.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress her Department has made on relocating Afghan refugees from hotels.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The UK made an ambitious and generous commitment to help resettle those fleeing persecution and those who served the UK. Since June 2021, we have brought 24,500 people to safety to the UK.
Bridging hotels are not and were never designed to be permanent accommodation. Long-term residency in hotels has prevented some Afghans from properly putting down roots, committing to employment and fully integrating into communities. The pace at which people can be moved on is dictated by the availability of suitable accommodation provided by local authorities.
From the end of April 2023, individuals staying in hotels and serviced accommodation began to receive legal notice to leave their temporary accommodation by a certain date. A dedicated cross-government casework team, made up of Home Office Liaison Officers and DWP staff, are based in hotels and work alongside local authority officials to provide advice and support to Afghans.
The Find Your Own (FYO) accommodation pathway has been established and empowers Afghan families to source their own accommodation, rather than the Home Office. Council support staff in hotels will work closely with households to help them navigate the pathway.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 18 July 2023 to Question 193136 on Kent Intake Unit: Health Services, how many medical staff are on duty at that Unit at any one time.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Kent Intake Unit has a 24-hour medical service on site and a purpose-built medical isolation room. A total of 16 medical staff are assigned to Kent Intake Unit on a rota basis.
At any one time one medical member of staff is on duty.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 18 July 2023 to Question 193136 on Kent Intake Unit: Health Services, how many medical staff are employed at that Unit.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Kent Intake Unit has a 24-hour medical service on site and a purpose-built medical isolation room. A total of 16 medical staff are assigned to Kent Intake Unit on a rota basis.
At any one time one medical member of staff is on duty.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2023 to Question 192551 on Asylum: Applications, how many asylum application decision-makers were employed on (a) 12 July 2023 and (b) 12 July 2021.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We have more than doubled our decision makers over the last 2 years, and we are continuing to recruit more. This will take the headcount of our expected number of decision makers to 2,500 by September 2023.
As of 01 May 2023, there are 1,280 full time equivalent (FTE) Asylum Decision Makers. This information is published online: Statistics relating to the Illegal Migration Bill - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Please note that this data is provisional and includes the number of asylum decision makers employed from the beginning of each month from August 2019 – May 2023.
Finalised data for April to June 2023 is due to be published on 24 August 2023 in the Migration Transparency release (Immigration and Protection table, Asy_05(M)).