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.
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.
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.
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.