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Written Question
Undocumented Migrants: English Channel
Monday 28th November 2022

Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the number of small boats crossing the channel.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

We are more determined than ever to end the vile business model of people smugglers and are working with our international partners to stop people putting their lives at risk through dangerous and illegal journeys. The most recent arrangement between the UK and France means UK officers will be embedded with French counterparts, in French-led control rooms and on the ground with counterparts to stop crossings and dismantle the people smuggling gangs.


Written Question
Undocumented Migrants: English Channel
Thursday 24th November 2022

Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with representatives of the French Government on reducing the number of small boats crossing the Channel.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

The UK continues to maintain close contact with the Government of France on our joint cooperation to tackle illegal migration.

Most recently, on 14 November the Home Secretary met her counterpart Minister Darmanin to agree to a new multi-year strategic and operational plan with Minister Darmanin, supported by investment of up to €72.2 million euros (approximately £62.2 million) this financial year.


Written Question
Asylum: Erewash
Tuesday 15th November 2022

Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to tackle incidences of anti-social behaviour and intimidation by some of the migrants recently housed in two hotels in Erewash.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

Due to the continuing unprecedented high volume of small boats arrivals and the historical pressure from COVID-19 measures on the asylum system it has been necessary to continue to use hotels to accommodate some asylum seekers to meet our immediate statutory need.

Asylum seekers granted accommodation and support whilst their applications are being considered are not detained and are free to come and go as they please. They are clearly advised of the expectations the Home Office and our accommodation providers have for them to behave responsibility while they reside in our properties and not to engage in any form of criminal or anti-social activity. All incidents are reported to the Home Office immediately by the providers; this is a contractual requirement. We then work with the provider to put additional measures in place, if required. This includes working with other statutory bodies including police to investigate any potential criminal activities. We do not comment publicly on operational arrangements at individual sites.

Community cohesion is an important aspect of using contingency sites successfully and we will continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders in multi-agency forums to understand and address any concerns appropriately as the site operates.


Written Question
Refugees: Ukraine
Tuesday 26th April 2022

Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Ukrainian children and young people can enter the UK in the event that their parent or guardian does not hold their passport or birth certificate without that child or young person having to re-enter Ukraine or attend a visa application centre in another country in Europe.

Answered by Kevin Foster

All Ukrainians, including children, who do not have a valid Ukrainian international passport must attend a Visa Application Centre in person and provide their biometric information, as they will need a secure Entry Clearance document which will convert to permission to enter upon arrival at the UK border.

This means we can properly identify a child brought into the UK and link them to their parents or carers and help to prevent child exploitation and trafficking, which is an essential safeguard for children crossing international borders.


Written Question
Windrush Generation: Compensation
Wednesday 26th August 2020

Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the administrative efficiency of the Windrush Compensation Scheme in making payments to eligible people.

Answered by Priti Patel

The Home Office is processing claims as quickly as possible, but all claims are different, and the time taken will depend on many factors, including the complexity of the case. Wherever possible, the Home Office makes interim payments on parts of the claim that are straightforward to determine, such as immigration fees.

However, it is worth noting that the Home Office works with claimants during the process to obtain as much information about the claim as possible. This approach ensures that claimants receive the maximum amount to which they are entitled under the scheme

The most recent published statistics on the payments made under the Windrush Compensation Scheme show a clear increasing trajectory of payments: £755,111 paid up to 30 June 2020, of which £392,114 was paid in the most recent three months of that period. I also announced on 15 July that over £1.5m has now been offered in compensation to claimants. Once the offers are accepted by the applicants, the payments will be made.


Written Question
Windrush Generation: Compensation
Wednesday 26th August 2020

Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to review the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the efficiency of the Windrush Compensation Scheme in processing claims.

Answered by Priti Patel

The Home Office is processing claims as quickly as possible, but all claims are different, and the time taken will depend on many factors, including the complexity of the case.

The Home Office recently published statistics on the payments made under the Windrush Compensation Scheme (WCS) at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-compensation-scheme-data-july-2020.

These show a clear increasing trajectory of payments: £755,111 paid up to 30 June 2020, of which £392,114 was paid in the most recent three months of that period. which includes the initial period of the covid-19 lockdown.

I also announced on 15 July that over £1.5m has now been offered in compensation to claimants. Once the offers are accepted by the applicants, the payments will be made. The trajectory of compensation awards therefore continues to increase, despite the covid-19 lockdown.


Written Question
Marriage: Coronavirus
Thursday 2nd July 2020

Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when registry office wedding ceremonies will resume as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

Answered by Kevin Foster

The Government announced on 23 June that small weddings, with up to 30 people in attendance, could resume in England from 4 July. The Welsh Government permitted weddings to resume in Wales from 22 June.

It will be for individual local authorities to ensure that their register offices can undertake ceremonies safely in accordance with public health guidelines.


Written Question
Motorcycles: Crime
Wednesday 17th June 2020

Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of (a) police resources and (b) powers to deal with people who ride motorcycles illegally.

Answered by Kit Malthouse

This government is fully committed to giving the police the powers and resources they need to fight crime.

We will provide a total police funding settlement of up to £15.2 billion in 2020/21, which is an increase of up to £1.120 billion compared to 2019/20, including main grant, council precept and national priorities. The police have powers under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Police Reform Act 2002 to seize vehicles being driven illegally without a valid driving licence or insurance or in an anti-social manner.