Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken is for her Department to respond following the submission by an asylum seeker of a request for permission to work.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Casework systems do not allow us to report on the number of permission to work requests received or the number subsequently granted permission. Obtaining these figures would require manually searching through cases amounting to disproportionate time and cost.
Asylum seekers are allowed to work in the UK if their claim has been outstanding for 12 months or more, through no fault of their own. Those permitted to work are restricted to jobs on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL).
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is her Department's policy on awarding visas to minors travelling with non-parental relatives who are their legal guardians under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Homes for Ukraine scheme is run and maintained by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities. More information can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-scheme-frequently-asked-questions
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long applicants for a British passport (a) renewal and (b) replacement must wait before requesting their application is upgraded by Her Majesty's Passport Office.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Any customer who has submitted a passport application using Her Majesty’s Passport Office’s standard service and now needs their passport sooner, is advised to contact the Passport Adviceline to discuss any available options.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the retail sector on crime against retail workers in their place of work.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government is working closely with retailers, trade organisations and enforcement partners via the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) to ensure the response to crimes affecting the retail sector is as robust as it can be. The NRCSG is co-chaired by Tom Ironside, Director of Business & Regulation at the British Retail Consortium and me. This is an important forum to discuss crime issues experienced by retailers and to work together to find solutions.
The Government has taken action to tackle violence and abuse by introducing a statutory aggravating factor via the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
The public facing nature of the victim’s role will be considered an aggravating factor when it comes to sentencing for assault offences. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This rightly includes those working in retail and other public-facing roles. The provision will commence on 28 June and builds on the important work already underway through the NRCSG to ensure assaults are not seen as part of a retail worker’s job.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle crime against retail workers in their place of work.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government is working closely with retailers, trade organisations and enforcement partners via the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) to ensure the response to crimes affecting the retail sector is as robust as it can be. The NRCSG is co-chaired by Tom Ironside, Director of Business & Regulation at the British Retail Consortium and me. This is an important forum to discuss crime issues experienced by retailers and to work together to find solutions.
The Government has taken action to tackle violence and abuse by introducing a statutory aggravating factor via the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
The public facing nature of the victim’s role will be considered an aggravating factor when it comes to sentencing for assault offences. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This rightly includes those working in retail and other public-facing roles. The provision will commence on 28 June and builds on the important work already underway through the NRCSG to ensure assaults are not seen as part of a retail worker’s job.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the British Retail Consortium 2022 Crime Survey.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government is working closely with retailers, trade organisations and enforcement partners via the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) to ensure the response to crimes affecting the retail sector is as robust as it can be. The NRCSG is co-chaired by Tom Ironside, Director of Business & Regulation at the British Retail Consortium and me. This is an important forum to discuss crime issues experienced by retailers and to work together to find solutions.
The Government has taken action to tackle violence and abuse by introducing a statutory aggravating factor via the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
The public facing nature of the victim’s role will be considered an aggravating factor when it comes to sentencing for assault offences. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This rightly includes those working in retail and other public-facing roles. The provision will commence on 28 June and builds on the important work already underway through the NRCSG to ensure assaults are not seen as part of a retail worker’s job.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review deportations to China in light of human rights concerns relating to that country.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
All asylum and human rights claims are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Each individual assessment is made against the background of any relevant caselaw and the latest available country information. Our position on the Uyghurs in China is set out in the relevant country policy and information note on the gov.uk website.
Where someone establishes a well-founded fear of persecution or serious harm in their country, they are normally granted protection and are not expected to return there. The Home Office only seeks to return those whose asylum claim have been unsuccessful. By definition, they do not need protection and not at risk on return.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the war in Ukraine is having an impact on the (a) eligibility of Russian nationals for skilled worker visas and (b) availability of such visas for Russian nationals.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Skilled Worker Visa is open to all nationals, subject to immigration and criminality checks.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what legal documentation is required under the Homes for Ukraine scheme for a minor travelling without a parent but with an adult family member, such as an aunt or grandparent.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Applicants for the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme must be Ukrainian, or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national, and either:
Please see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether applications under the Homes for Ukraine scheme can be accepted where the applicant is a minor travelling with a family member who is not a parent.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Applicants for the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme must be Ukrainian, or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national, and either:
Please see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules