Homes for Ukraine: Visa Application Centres

Debate between Carol Monaghan and Kevin Foster

Thursday 28th April 2022 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Foster]

I have already outlined why we have the visa requirement, although in the case of children, that is more focused on safeguarding the children. There is a real issue, particularly if unaccompanied minors leave Poland and the other border countries. Again in relation to unaccompanied minors, as I have stated at the Dispatch Box on previous occasions, the Ukrainian Government have a strong policy position on unaccompanied children who are travelling being placed into the care of foreigners without their consent. The visa process is about that, but even then, for actual travel to the United Kingdom people do need documents to be able to board planes. In some cases, if they do not have a passport or any other document, it is the FAV with the vignette on it that actually gives them the ability to board a plane.

[Carol Monaghan (Glasgow North West) (SNP)]

Those seeking visas are turning to social media to try to identify sponsors, and this is leaving many refugees, mainly women and children, vulnerable to potential sexual exploitation. The Scottish Government are carrying out protecting vulnerable group checks. Can the Minister detail the initial safeguarding and ongoing follow-ups that will be done with host families and, indeed, the refugees who are staying with them?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Carol Monaghan and Kevin Foster

Monday 25th April 2022 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Foster]

I thank my hon. Friend for his comments. Early in January, we were processing about 60,000 passports a week, and by mid-March we had nearly trebled or even quadrupled the output of the service. I agree that we must review the performance of the hotline for MPs, particularly for instances where there are compelling or compassionate reasons for expediting an application.

[Carol Monaghan (Glasgow North West) (SNP)]

10. What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Government’s implementation of the 1951 refugee convention.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Carol Monaghan and Kevin Foster

Monday 17th January 2022 Commons Chamber

[Carol Monaghan (Glasgow North West) (SNP)]

In our communities, we have asylum seekers who are ready and willing to work in sectors that are experiencing acute shortages, such as fruit and veg picking and HGV driving, but those occupations still do not appear on the shortage occupation list. When will the Government widen that list, or will they simply sacrifice the economy for their hostile immigration environment?

[Kevin Foster]

It is worth noting that those whose applications have been outstanding for over a year through no fault of their own can access jobs on the shortage occupation list, and we are expanding that to include care workers next month. This highlights an opportunity for 31 out of 32 local authority areas in Scotland to become part of the dispersal accommodation scheme, so that some of these people will be living in their communities.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Carol Monaghan and Kevin Foster

Monday 10th February 2020 Commons Chamber

[Carol Monaghan (Glasgow North West) (SNP)]

T5. When will the Home Office announce the immigration status of the EU students who are due to start courses here in 2021?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Kevin Foster)]

We will shortly confirm our policy on migration, and we will of course continue to have discussions across Government with the European Union to determine future status here in this country.