Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to create small units for the detention of women within existing immigration removal centres; how many women will be detained in those centres; and for what reason the detention estate for women is being expanded by the creation of a new detention centre in Durham.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The immigration removal estate is kept under ongoing review to ensure that the Home Office has sufficient capacity, in the right places and that it provides value for money.
The Home Office has acquired the former Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham and will open it as an immigration removal centre (IRC) for around 80 women by the autumn. Initial discussions with the planning authority have taken place and work has commenced at the site. An Equality Impact Assessment will be completed as part of this programme of work.
The immigration detention capacity for women is not being expanded. We plan to supplement the new Hassockfield IRC by continuing to provide some detention capacity for women at Colnbrook, Dungavel and Yarl’s Wood IRCs, in order to provide flexibility in placement and shorter escorting journeys for those in detention, including women.
Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many officers are in the Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team; and who the head of that team is.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Metropolitan Police Service Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team (PLaIT) is made up of seven members of staff in total, including the Head of PLaIT. We are unable to give further details on the Head of the team, at this time; however, all Members’ of Parliament are able to make direct contact with PLaIT and the Head of PLaIT through dedicated, known communication channels.
Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will publish the Windrush lessons learned review; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Priti Patel
I published the Windrush Lessons Learned Review and made a statement on 19 March 2020.
Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department has taken any action against caseworkers who failed to meet targets for the removal of illegal immigrants; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
There are no targets set for the removal of illegal immigrants.
Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of police funding.
Answered by Nick Hurd
Last year, I spoke to all 43 polices force in England & Wales about the demands they face. The 2018/19 funding settlement provided an increase of over £460m in total investment in the police system this financial year, including an increase of around £280m in funding for Police & Crime Commissioners through council tax precept.
In his Autumn Budget speech, the Chancellor recognised that the police are under pressure from the changing nature of crime. The Home Secretary is reviewing police spending power ahead of the 2019/20 police funding settlement to ensure the police have the resources they need.
We are continuing to work closely with the police to build the evidence base on police demand, resilience and capability.
Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department carried out any equality impact assessments prior to setting his Department's targets for the removal of illegal immigrants; and if he will publish any such assessments.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Department does not hold any Equality Impact Assessments related to the setting of targets for removals of illegal migrants. This is because the Equalities Act 2010 does not require public authorities to carry out such assessments. http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06591/SN06591.pdf.
Ministers have not set specific targets for the enforced removal of illegal immigrants in 2018 – 19.
The Department has published information on the performance management regime for enforced removals. This is set out is set out in Sir Philip Rutnam’s letters of 14 May and 25 June 2018 to Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, Chair, Home Affairs Select Committee:
and
Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of occasions on which referrals to the Disclosure and Barring Service have been set aside for over (a) one, (b) six, and (c) nine months.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Referrals to the Disclosure and Barring Service are not set aside as their operating procedures do not allow for this. Barring cases are triaged and reviewed upon receipt and allocated in line with workflow processes.
Under DBS’ published service standards their aim is to close more than 65% of barring cases within three months. Performance data on attainment of this standard in 2017-2018 can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-annual-report-and-accounts-2017-to-2018.
DBS also publishes quarterly performance data on barring cases and appeals against barring decisions relating to revised internal performance standards here https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dbs-dataset-4-barring-cases-and-appeals.
Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of occasions on which sensitive information has been attached to incorrect case files by Swiss Post Solutions in the course of work outsourced from the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
DBS do not have a contract with Swiss Post Solutions. Swiss Post Solutions is a sub-contractor of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
Swiss Post Solutions, as a sub-contractor, are managed by TCS. TCS report on service level agreements and key performance indicators relating to work conducted by Swiss Post Solutions and their performance is monitored by the DBS.
Swiss Post Solutions handle more than 6,000 pieces of correspondence each month relating to DBS barring business, and have been used for barring since 4 September 2017. In this time the DBS have been informed of one occasion on which information was attached to an incorrect case file. This error was identified and remedied internally before any correspondence was sent.
Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the quality of service provided by Swiss Post Solutions on work outsourced from the Disclosure and Barring Service; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
DBS do not have a contract with Swiss Post Solutions. Swiss Post Solutions is a sub-contractor of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
Swiss Post Solutions, as a sub-contractor, are managed by TCS. TCS report on service level agreements and key performance indicators relating to work conducted by Swiss Post Solutions and their performance is monitored by the DBS.
Swiss Post Solutions handle more than 6,000 pieces of correspondence each month relating to DBS barring business, and have been used for barring since 4 September 2017. In this time the DBS have been informed of one occasion on which information was attached to an incorrect case file. This error was identified and remedied internally before any correspondence was sent.
Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total value is of contracts between his Department and Swiss Post Solutions for work outsourced from the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
DBS do not have a contract with Swiss Post Solutions. Swiss Post Solutions is a sub-contractor of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
Swiss Post Solutions, as a sub-contractor, are managed by TCS. TCS report on service level agreements and key performance indicators relating to work conducted by Swiss Post Solutions and their performance is monitored by the DBS.
Swiss Post Solutions handle more than 6,000 pieces of correspondence each month relating to DBS barring business, and have been used for barring since 4 September 2017. In this time the DBS have been informed of one occasion on which information was attached to an incorrect case file. This error was identified and remedied internally before any correspondence was sent.