Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refugee integration loans were made in each of the last 5 years for which information is available.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office does not hold the data requested in a reportable format and it would require a manual search of records which would incur a disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the value of refugee integration (a) loans and (b) repayments made since January 2007 is.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Refugee Integration Loans were introduced in 2007 following a public consultation and is intended to help people with the costs of integrating into UK society. They are funded by the Home Office who make the initial decisions on applications. They are then administered and recouped by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Refugee integration loans are interest-free loans with favourable repayment terms for individuals who are over 18 and meet the following eligibility criteria:
Individuals are currently able to borrow between £100 and £500. Between £100 to £780 can be borrowed if submitting a joint application with a partner.
The Home Office does not hold data for the value of refugee integration repayments made since January 2007 in a reportable format and it would require a manual search of records which would incur a disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 13 September to Question 197940 on Asylum: Greater London, for what reasons the information requested is not reportable.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The information requested in relation to Question 197940 could only be obtained at disproportionate cost as it would require a manual trawl of case records to retrieve.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason refugee integration loans are interest free.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The loans ensure that those refugees with the greatest integration needs are able to get financial assistance to obtain specific items or activities that will help address those needs. As the payments take the form of a loan, money recovered can be recycled to ensure a continuous fund for new refugees.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers absconded from (a) hotels and (b) other similar accommodation since 1 January 2023; and in how many and what proportion of those cases was all contact with her Department lost.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office does not publish a breakdown of statistics which disaggregates the number of adult asylum seekers leaving accommodation providing under Section 98. We have a statutory duty to provide support and accommodation to destitute asylum seekers while their claim for asylum is being considered. The Home Office does not hold or detain asylum seekers in hotels or any other asylum accommodation. Individuals are free to leave if they wish and the Home Office has no power to detain those who wish to leave.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have absconded from hotels or other similar accommodation since 1st January 2023; and in how many of those cases her Department has lost contact with the asylum seeker.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office does not publish a breakdown of statistics which disaggregates the number of adult asylum seekers leaving accommodation providing under Section 98. We have a statutory duty to provide support and accommodation to destitute asylum seekers while their claim for asylum is being considered. The Home Office does not hold or detain asylum seekers in hotels or any other asylum accommodation. Individuals are free to leave if they wish and the Home Office has no power to detain those who wish to leave.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will set out her Departments specification for adequate (a) accommodation, (b) catering, (c) laundry facilities and (d) transport facilities for people seeking asylum who are non-detained; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The United Kingdom has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and other support whilst their application for asylum is being considered as set out in the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. The Act also sets out the need to meet essential living needs. The support package provided usually consists of accommodation and a weekly cash allowance to meet other essential living needs such as food, toiletries, travel and clothing. The support rate for those in contingency accommodation is intended to cover essential living items that are not met by the accommodation provider such as clothing, non-prescription medicine and travel.
The Asylum Accommodation service providers identify suitable accommodation and ensure that it conforms to the accommodation standards and provision set out in Schedule 2 of the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts (AASC).
The Statement of Requirements, available via the link below, sets out the full details of our contractual obligations:
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 May 2023 to Question 181795 on Asylum: Portland, for what reason she has not provided specific information requested in response to parts (a) to (i) of that question.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Those accommodated on the barge in Portland will already be in the asylum system, having been through initial screening and checks. They will have had their fingerprints and identities recorded by the Home Office as part of robust security checks prior to going aboard.
Those being accommodated are likely to come from various countries, and already in the asylum system, having been through initial screening and checks. They will be non-detained. It will be managed by a specialist and experienced provider, which has a strong track record of providing this kind of accommodation. We will continue to work closely with the councils, communities, and key local partners to manage any impact in Dorset. If someone is late returning from a visit off the vessel, they will be contacted to ascertain their whereabouts.
The provision of an accommodation barge at Portland Port will provide the capacity for a maximum of 506 asylum seekers. The vessel will contain multiple occupancy rooms that are an appropriate size for the number of occupants in the appropriate space standard. The vessel will always remain in line with marine industry safety regulations and meet all statutory requirements.
There will be adequate accommodation, catering, laundry, facilities to support their well-being and transport to and from the Port into the local community. The site at Portland and is designed to be as self-sufficient as possible, in order to minimise the impact on the local community. Legal representatives will be allowed, though any entry into and or movement through the port is controlled by the security provider.
We will assess individual’s suitability to reside at Portland, appropriate procedures will be in place to prevent the spread of infectious disease, which is being considered by the Multi Agency Forum health subgroup.
All information regarding the Bibby Stockholm vessel in Portland can be found on the asylum accommodation factsheet found here: Portland_Factsheet_050423.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk).
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether all the asylum seekers who will be accommodated on the barge at Portland Port will (a) have been processed before their arrival, (b) have crossed the Channel in small boats and arrived in the UK since the publication of the Illegal Immigration Bill, (c) have individual rooms for sleeping, (d) be able to embark and disembark whenever they choose, (e) have access to free food and soft drinks, (f) have been certified as fit and healthy, (g) be able to access recreational and entertainment facilities on board, (h) have a maximum period specified in advance for the duration of their stay and (i) be allowed to receive visitors; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Those individuals will be non-detained, provided with adequate accommodation, catering, laundry, facilities to support their well-being and transport.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason current members of the Border Force who retired before 1 January 2022 are ineligible for a Border Force Long Service Medal.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Border Force and Immigration Enforcement Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is awarded under strict eligibility criteria. Staff who retired before the 1st January 2022 are unfortunately not eligible. The 1st January 2022 date was chosen to coincide with the receipt of the Royal Warrant of Appointment in June 2021. Seasonal Workforce staff members who are currently employed by Border Force or Immigration Enforcement, following less than a 12-month break with permanent service in Border Force or Immigration Enforcement, will be eligible.