Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that Ukrainian refugees have access to public transport in rural Hertfordshire.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Ukrainian nationals coming to the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine Scheme, or extending their stay in the UK using the Ukraine Extension Scheme, are given access to work, benefits and public services as laid down in Appendix Ukraine to the Immigration Rules, details of which can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-ukraine-scheme
They can access Universal Credit and job support immediately.
Ukrainians here under our schemes will also be eligible for Housing Benefit, Pension Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Child Disability Living Allowance and Carers Allowance, and Attendance Allowance. Contributions-based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), and Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) are also available for those Ukrainians who meet the criteria.
We recognise the importance of having reliable public transport for all members of the community. That is why the former Transport Secretary announced on 3rd September that the Government will provide up to £60 million from January to March next year (2023), to help bus operators in England to cap single adult fares at £2 per journey. Buses across England will also benefit from up to £130 million of Government support from October 2022 to March 2023, ensuring services keep running and millions of passengers can continue using affordable transport.
Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to protect rural communities from (a) crime and (b) anti-social behaviour.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
This Government is committed to driving down crime everywhere, including in rural communities. The Beating Crime plan sets out how we will deliver this including the largest increase in officer numbers in decades; 20,000 by March 2023. It also sets out how we will protect local communities through targeted interventions including our flagship Safer Streets Fund. Round Four of this fund has allocated £50 million to crime prevention projects across England and Wales, including in rural areas. Many of these projects aim to tackle anti-social behaviour as a primary focus.
Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to increase the number of police officers in Hertfordshire.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
We are recruiting an additional 20,000 police officers in England and Wales by March 2023, the biggest recruitment drive in decades.
As at 30 June 2022, Hertfordshire police has recruited 190 additional uplift officers against a total three-year allocation of 304 officers.
As a result of their hard work and commitment police forces in England and Wales have recruited 13,790 additional officers, as at 30 June 2022, 69% of the 20,000 officer target.
Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to clear (a) backlogs and (b) delays at the Passport Office.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Between January and July 2022, His Majesty’s Passport Office processed 96.4% of standard UK applications within the published processing time of ten weeks.
Elevated passport demand is expected to continue into 2023, and HM Passport Office is working to help ensure that people continue to receive their passport in good time.
Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)
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 effectiveness of the police investigating road traffic accidents involving drivers of vehicles registered abroad.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Government has not made an assessment of the effectiveness of the police investigating road traffic accidents involving drivers of vehicles registered abroad. Enforcement of road traffic legislation and the investigation of road traffic accidents are operational matters for the police, however all drivers on UK roads are subject to the same legislation.