Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Ukrainian refugees are awaiting biometric residence permits; for what reasons there have been delays in processing those permits; and what the average wait time was to receiving a permit in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The information is not available publicly and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2023 to Question 188007 on Visas: Ukraine, if she will detail what the particular challenges are in obtaining a representative response.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
There are a number of challenges in surveying this population. In particular, it is expected that those who are in relatively precarious circumstances will be less likely to respond to an online survey of this type.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 24 May 2023 to Question 185901 on Visas: Ukraine, for what reason her Department is not planning to take steps to run a further online survey which produces higher quality and reliable data.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
There are particular challenges in obtaining a representative response from a population of this type.
The latest published statistics on Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme and Ukraine Extension Scheme visa data are available here: Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) and Ukraine Extension Scheme visa data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 27 April 2023 to Question 182300 on Visas: Ukraine, whether her Department is taking steps to undertake an online survey with higher reliable data quality.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
There are no plans to undertake a further online survey with this group.
The latest published statistics on the Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme and Ukraine Extension Scheme visa data are available here: Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) and Ukraine Extension Scheme visa data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2022 to Question 111601 and the Answer of 12 January 2023 to Question 117608 on Visas: Ukraine, what information her Department holds on the reasons for Ukrainian visa holders not arriving in the UK following the issuing of those visas.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The full outputs of this survey have not been published because it is not in a reportable format.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2023 to Question 117608 on Visas: Ukraine, whether her Department plans to publish any information from the online survey of people who held Ukraine Family Scheme or Homes for Ukraine visas but who had not yet arrived in the UK.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The full outputs of this survey have not been published because of concerns about data quality.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how regularly her Department plans to update the Shortage Occupation List.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Government reviews the Shortage Occupation List more regularly, following recommendations from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), so that the legal migration system is quicker and more responsive to the needs of businesses and the economy.
The MAC currently has a call for evidence open for its latest review. The Call for Evidence closes on 26th May 2023 and the Government encourages sectors experiencing labour shortages to submit their evidence to the MAC.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress her Department has made on reducing the use of hotels as contingency accommodation for asylum seekers.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
This government does not want to continue the use of hotels for a day longer than necessary. We are as frustrated as the public are at the cost to the taxpayer.
Our strategy is to limit hotels wherever possible by increasing dispersal accommodation agreed with local authorities and by making use of large sites. We are working with the MoD to make use of disused military sites.
Migrants will be housed in decent, but not luxurious accommodation, that does not create a pull factor to the UK.
The Government can’t build it’s way out of this challenge, nor can the UK taxpayer afford to do so. The only sustainable answer is to deter individuals from making this dangerous, unnecessary and illegal journey, as we will be doing through our Illegal Migration Bill.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much grant money was returned to her Department by South Tyneside Council in the last two years.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office can confirm that no grant monies were returned to the Department by South Tyneside Council in the last two years.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanisms are in place to remove the owner of a property who is engaging in anti-social behaviour and causing harm to neighbours whilst living in that property.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is committed to tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour (ASB). We know the serious impact that persistent ASB can have on both individuals and the wider community.
The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of flexible tools and powers that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to anti-social behaviour. However, these powers cannot be used to remove the owner of a property who is engaging in ASB.
It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy the powers in the 2014 Act depending on the specific circumstances. They are best placed to understand what is driving the behaviour in question, the impact that it is having, and to determine the most appropriate response.
The Home Office published statutory guidance to support local areas to make effective use of these powers. The guidance sets out the importance of focusing on the needs of the victim and the local community, as well as ensuring that the relevant legal tests are met. This guidance was updated in June 2022 to ensure a victim-centered approach to tackling ASB as well as stronger use of the powers and tools in the 2014 Act.