Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's planned timescale if for reopening referrals under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme Pathway 3.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Supporting the resettlement of individuals eligible under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) remains a priority for HMG.
To date we have bought around 24,600 people affected by events in Afghanistan to safety. This includes the first individuals to be relocated under Pathway 3 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).
Under the first stage of Pathway 3, the government will consider for resettlement all eligible at risk-British Council and GardaWorld contractors and Chevening alumni, who expressed interest during the FCDO’s window of opportunity. This means that we will exceed the original allocation of 1,500 places for the first stage of ACRS Pathway 3. Our immediate focus is on ensuring their resettlement.
In the second stage of Pathway 3, our commitment to work with international partners and NGOs to welcome wider groups of Afghans at risk still stands. We are not able to open for referrals at this present time, but further information will be published in due course.
We are acutely aware of the difficult situation that many individuals find themselves in. We continue to work with likeminded partners and those countries neighbouring Afghanistan on resettlement issues, and in order to support safe passage for eligible Afghans.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of creating safe routes to the UK for Palestinians.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The safety of all British nationals continues to be our utmost priority. The UK is also calling for unimpeded humanitarian access in Gaza so that essential aid can reach civilian populations, including food, water, fuel and medical supplies.
The Home Office has not considered establishing a separate route for Palestinians to come to the UK. Since 2015, over half a million people were offered safe and legal routes into the UK. We are not able to provide a tailored route for every conflict.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many migrants sought assistance through the national referral mechanism in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the UK in the latest period for which data is available; and how many and what proportion of these migrants were unsuccessful in their application for support.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Illegal Migration publishes statistics published by the Home Office can be found here: Statistics relating to the Illegal Migration Act - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Home Office publishes statistics regarding asylum, which can be found here: Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics regarding the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-referral-mechanism-statistics
The Home Office does not publish data on the specific information you have requested.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people who sought asylum in Northern Ireland were (a) of Eritrean nationality and (b) referred to the national referral mechanism as potential victims of trafficking in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Illegal Migration publishes statistics published by the Home Office can be found here: Statistics relating to the Illegal Migration Act - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Home Office publishes statistics regarding asylum, which can be found here: Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics regarding the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-referral-mechanism-statistics
The Home Office does not publish data on the specific information you have requested.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of Lord Murray of Blidworth of 28 June 2023 on the Lords Report stage of the Illegal Migration Act 2023, Official Report, column 725 HL, what steps she has taken to establish an exception to the duty to remove in cases where people inadvertently enter the UK without leave via the Irish land border.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Illegal Migration Act received Royal Assent on 20 July 2023.
As is standard practice for any legislation, commencement of wider measures in the Act will take place over the coming months, including around the duty to remove.
Further guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/electronic-travel-authorisation-eta
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many subscribers to the Student premium customer service for sponsors made representations to her Department opposing planned changes to the service between 1 January and 7 September 2023.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
We are not able to provide the data requested as the information is not held in a reportable field.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made on legacy licences for animal testing.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The Government is engaging with the relevant companies to review and determine a way forward on the remaining active licences.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to consult with (a) institutions supported by the Student premium customer service for sponsors and (b) hon. Members with institutions supported by the Student premium customer service for sponsors in their constituencies on the proposed disbanding of the premium customer services team.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The review of the charged service offering provided by the Study Premium Customer Service team was initiated in response to extensive feedback from educational institutions and sector representative bodies on the services available. We have commenced a programme of engagement on this matter with existing subscribers of the service and education sector groups including The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA), Million Plus and Universities UK.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the correspondence of 7 March from the Hon. Member for Belfast South on the provision of childcare for women attending interviews with her Department in Belfast.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office replied on 8 June 2023.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans that the changes in the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement to eligibility terms and conditions for (a) Australia’s Working Holiday Maker and (b) the Youth Mobility schemes will be introduced.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The UK and Australia have agreed to enhance our respective Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) and Working Holiday (WH) programmes.
For Australian passport holders looking to take advantage of the UK’s YMS, the age range will be increased from 18-30 to 18-35 and they will have the option of extending their YMS visa for an additional year, taking the total length of stay in the UK from 2 to 3 years. These changes are set to be implemented on 31 January 2024.
From 1 July 2023, UK passport holders will be able to apply for an Australian WH visa between the ages of 18 and 35 years inclusive. From 1 July 2024, UK passport holders will be eligible to be granted up to three Working Holiday visas without having to meet any specified work requirements.