Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions his Department has had with Facebook, about the Facebook groups that are being used to match Ukrainian refugees with UK households about (a) monitoring of these groups and (b) what steps they are taking to ensure that people trafficking gangs are not using these avenues to traffic Ukrainian refugees.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The National Crime Agency works closely with social media companies as part of its Social Media Action Plan, to scope illicit content related to organised immigration crime.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department plans to set up a centrally run, national system for Ukrainian refugees to log any complaints or safeguarding concerns.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Councils must ensure that guests know how to raise a concern about their welfare or wider safeguarding issues, and who to contact at their local council. Guidance and information on safeguarding checks for councils has been published at www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many of the 2,700 Ukrainians given visas under the sponsorship scheme had arrived in the UK as at 30 March 2022.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
This data is published at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/ukraine-family-scheme-application-data.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2022 to Question 143627, what communication his Department has had with local authorities on the (a) Homes for Ukraine scheme and (b) implementation of checks on the UK households offering shelter to Ukrainian refugees.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
We worked closely with local authorities in the lead up to the launch of the scheme and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what (a) mandatory and (b) discretionary advice is being given by his Department to local authorities on how to implement checks on UK households offering shelter to Ukrainian refugees.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Further to the oral statement by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up on 14 March, guidance for local authorities has been published on Gov.uk at www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils. There are also published FAQs available online at www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-scheme-frequently-asked-questions as well as information for sponsors. Information is available on safeguarding checks at these links, as well as on eligibility for the scheme. Phase One of the Homes for Ukraine scheme opened for applications on 18 March and is accessible via links from homesforukraine.campaign.gov.uk . Those who had recorded their interest in the scheme were also contacted on that date. Details on future phases of the scheme will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether (a) standard or (b) enhanced DBS checks are required to be made on the UK households offering homes for Ukrainian refugees.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Further to the oral statement by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up on 14 March, guidance for local authorities has been published on Gov.uk at www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils. There are also published FAQs available online at www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-scheme-frequently-asked-questions as well as information for sponsors. Information is available on safeguarding checks at these links, as well as on eligibility for the scheme. Phase One of the Homes for Ukraine scheme opened for applications on 18 March and is accessible via links from homesforukraine.campaign.gov.uk . Those who had recorded their interest in the scheme were also contacted on that date. Details on future phases of the scheme will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department requires local authorities to make risk assessments when matching Ukrainian refugees with UK households.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Further to the oral statement by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up on 14 March, guidance for local authorities has been published on Gov.uk at www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils. There are also published FAQs available online at www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-scheme-frequently-asked-questions as well as information for sponsors. Information is available on safeguarding checks at these links, as well as on eligibility for the scheme. Phase One of the Homes for Ukraine scheme opened for applications on 18 March and is accessible via links from homesforukraine.campaign.gov.uk . Those who had recorded their interest in the scheme were also contacted on that date. Details on future phases of the scheme will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the oral contribution of 7 March 2022, Official Report, column 17, when his Department plans to publish further details on the humanitarian sponsorship scheme; and what information will be included as part of that publication.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
I refer the Hon Member to the Secretary of State's oral statement to Parliament of 14 March 2022.