Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing free covid-19 vaccinations for carers.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). On 13 November 2024, the JCVI published advice on the COVID-19 vaccination programme covering vaccination in 2025 and spring 2026. This advice is available at the following link:
The Government is considering this advice carefully and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral response of 26 November 2024, Official Report column 631, what the terms of reference are for the review of the enforcement of sanctions; who is conducting it; when it was commissioned; when it will report; and whether he plans to publish the results.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I launched a cross-Government review of sanctions enforcement at the first Small Ministerial Group in October. The review is examining whether we have the right powers, approach, capacity and resourcing on policy, implementation and enforcement, with an urgent focus on strengthening the latter. It is being led by the FCDO in collaboration with key sanctions Departments. We will update Parliament as the review progresses.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her oral statement on Border Security and Asylum of 22 July 2024, Official Report, column 384, what assessment her Department has made of the cost effectiveness of (a) Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre and (b) other immigration removal centres for tackling illegal migration.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
Detention plays a key role in maintaining effective immigration controls and securing the UK’s borders, particularly in connection with the removal of people who have no right to remain in the UK but who refuse to leave voluntarily.
The immigration removal estate is kept under review to ensure that the Home Office has sufficient resilience, geographical footprint and capacity for those men and women it is necessary to detain for the purposes of removal, while providing value for money.
We are increasing detention spaces to support a higher pace of removals, including reopening Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre (IRC). This increase will ensure there is additional capacity to facilitate higher levels of enforcement and returns so that rules are properly respected.
Development of Campsfield is being undertaken in two phases. A competition for the Phase 1 constructor was conducted between suppliers, using the Strategic Alliance framework, on a “Most Economically Advantageous Tender” basis, which considers both quality and costs. As part of the contracting process, tenders were reviewed by subject matter experts to assess quality, and the costs of the contract were assured by a third-party cost consultant appointed by the Home Office and independent of the constructor.
The commercial arrangements also underwent scrutiny via a multi stage approval process including the Home Office’s Commercial Assurance Board, Migration and Borders Transformation Programme Board, and departmental Investment Committee, with final approval by Cabinet Office Spend Controls.
The Home Office is committed to ensuring value for money on all IRC sites, and costs are refined during the planning process and once contractors have been onboarded. The Home Office does not comment on service provider procurement exercises, which are commercially sensitive. However, contracts are published upon the Contracts Finder website, once awarded.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 15154 on Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre, what review process was undertaken by her Department on the commercial agreement with Galliford Try for Phase 1 of the Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre design and build arrangement, signed on 29 May 2024.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
Detention plays a key role in maintaining effective immigration controls and securing the UK’s borders, particularly in connection with the removal of people who have no right to remain in the UK but who refuse to leave voluntarily.
The immigration removal estate is kept under review to ensure that the Home Office has sufficient resilience, geographical footprint and capacity for those men and women it is necessary to detain for the purposes of removal, while providing value for money.
We are increasing detention spaces to support a higher pace of removals, including reopening Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre (IRC). This increase will ensure there is additional capacity to facilitate higher levels of enforcement and returns so that rules are properly respected.
Development of Campsfield is being undertaken in two phases. A competition for the Phase 1 constructor was conducted between suppliers, using the Strategic Alliance framework, on a “Most Economically Advantageous Tender” basis, which considers both quality and costs. As part of the contracting process, tenders were reviewed by subject matter experts to assess quality, and the costs of the contract were assured by a third-party cost consultant appointed by the Home Office and independent of the constructor.
The commercial arrangements also underwent scrutiny via a multi stage approval process including the Home Office’s Commercial Assurance Board, Migration and Borders Transformation Programme Board, and departmental Investment Committee, with final approval by Cabinet Office Spend Controls.
The Home Office is committed to ensuring value for money on all IRC sites, and costs are refined during the planning process and once contractors have been onboarded. The Home Office does not comment on service provider procurement exercises, which are commercially sensitive. However, contracts are published upon the Contracts Finder website, once awarded.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 15050 on Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre, what assessment her Department has made of the cost-effectiveness of (a) Campsfield House and (b) other immigration removal centres.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
Detention plays a key role in maintaining effective immigration controls and securing the UK’s borders, particularly in connection with the removal of people who have no right to remain in the UK but who refuse to leave voluntarily.
The immigration removal estate is kept under review to ensure that the Home Office has sufficient resilience, geographical footprint and capacity for those men and women it is necessary to detain for the purposes of removal, while providing value for money.
We are increasing detention spaces to support a higher pace of removals, including reopening Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre (IRC). This increase will ensure there is additional capacity to facilitate higher levels of enforcement and returns so that rules are properly respected.
Development of Campsfield is being undertaken in two phases. A competition for the Phase 1 constructor was conducted between suppliers, using the Strategic Alliance framework, on a “Most Economically Advantageous Tender” basis, which considers both quality and costs. As part of the contracting process, tenders were reviewed by subject matter experts to assess quality, and the costs of the contract were assured by a third-party cost consultant appointed by the Home Office and independent of the constructor.
The commercial arrangements also underwent scrutiny via a multi stage approval process including the Home Office’s Commercial Assurance Board, Migration and Borders Transformation Programme Board, and departmental Investment Committee, with final approval by Cabinet Office Spend Controls.
The Home Office is committed to ensuring value for money on all IRC sites, and costs are refined during the planning process and once contractors have been onboarded. The Home Office does not comment on service provider procurement exercises, which are commercially sensitive. However, contracts are published upon the Contracts Finder website, once awarded.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to publish the findings of the review into the Tier 1 (Investor) visa route.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Written Ministerial Statement of 12 January 2023, laid by the former Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Suella Braverman MP, provided the findings of the review into the Tier 1 (Investor) visa.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to publish the Human Rights and Democracy Report 2023.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This Government is firmly committed to the protection and promotion of human rights around the world, and to reporting publicly on its actions. The FCDO's 2023 Annual Human Rights and Democracy report has been delayed due to the change of Government.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to publish the audit of the UK's partnership with China as a bilateral and global actor.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The audit will examine the UK's interests with respect to China. This will improve our ability to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities China poses. The audit is due to conclude in early 2025 and we will update Parliament once the audit has concluded.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish her Department's financial assessment of the contract to redevelop Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
Development of Campsfield is being undertaken in two phases. The commercial agreement with Galliford Try for Phase 1 is a two-stage design and build arrangement. This arrangement was put in place on 24 January 2023 under a Project Partnering Agreement, following the former Home Secretary’s (Priti Patel) agreement to proceed with procurement plans for Campsfield in June 2022. A Commencement Agreement for Phase 1 construction was signed on 29 May 2024, following approval from the Cabinet Office on the 13 May 2024. The published contract award can be found at the following link: Campsfield IRC Phase 1 Refurbishment - Contracts Finder.
A competition for the Phase 1 constructor was conducted between suppliers, using the Strategic Alliance framework, on a “Most Economically Advantageous Tender” basis, which considers both quality and costs. As part of the contracting process, the costs of the contract were assured by a third-party cost consultant appointed by the Home Office and independent of the constructor. The financial business case remains commercially sensitive.
Public procurement is governed by a spends control process managed by the Cabinet Office. Departments have delegated authority to approve procurements within set maximum whole life costs. Where contracts exceed this value, they require Cabinet Office approval to award. The decision to proceed with the Commencement Agreement with Galliford Try for phase 1 construction was approved within the Home Office prior to submission to and subsequent approval by the Cabinet Office on 13 May.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what financial criteria her Department awarded Galliford Try the contract to redevelop Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
Development of Campsfield is being undertaken in two phases. The commercial agreement with Galliford Try for Phase 1 is a two-stage design and build arrangement. This arrangement was put in place on 24 January 2023 under a Project Partnering Agreement, following the former Home Secretary’s (Priti Patel) agreement to proceed with procurement plans for Campsfield in June 2022. A Commencement Agreement for Phase 1 construction was signed on 29 May 2024, following approval from the Cabinet Office on the 13 May 2024. The published contract award can be found at the following link: Campsfield IRC Phase 1 Refurbishment - Contracts Finder.
A competition for the Phase 1 constructor was conducted between suppliers, using the Strategic Alliance framework, on a “Most Economically Advantageous Tender” basis, which considers both quality and costs. As part of the contracting process, the costs of the contract were assured by a third-party cost consultant appointed by the Home Office and independent of the constructor. The financial business case remains commercially sensitive.
Public procurement is governed by a spends control process managed by the Cabinet Office. Departments have delegated authority to approve procurements within set maximum whole life costs. Where contracts exceed this value, they require Cabinet Office approval to award. The decision to proceed with the Commencement Agreement with Galliford Try for phase 1 construction was approved within the Home Office prior to submission to and subsequent approval by the Cabinet Office on 13 May.