Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to respond to the recommendations of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 Review: Second Interim Report, published on 22 January 2019, and whether he intends to accept the findings in the report.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Home Office will formally respond to the recommendations of the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act, following submission of its final report and recommendations to the Home Secretary by the end of March 2019.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of being unable to access public funds on the ability to leave exploitative employment of workers under the (a) seasonal agricultural workers scheme pilot and (b) proposed 12-month short-term work visa scheme.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Seasonal Workers pilot will use scheme operators to ensure that migrant workers are matched with suitable UK employers.
The short-term work visa proposals set out in the recent White Paper are consistent with our approach to our existing mobility arrangements, which do not permit access to public funds.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the consultation on his 19 December 2018 White Paper entitled The UK’s future skills-based immigration system will include the two proposed short-term work visas described in chapter 6 of that paper; and when that consultation will (a) begin and (b) conclude.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Government published its White Paper “The UK’s future skills-based immigration system” (Cm 9722) on 19 December 2018. The Home Office is launching a 12-month engagement process to enable businesses and other stakeholders to shape the final details of policy and processes contained within the White Paper.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to respond to the letter of 22 August 2018 from the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central on the closure of the Stoke-on-Trent immigration reporting centre.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
I apologise for the delay in responding to your letter of 22 August 2018. The Home Office is required to respond to such correspondence within 20 working days, and I am sorry that it has not been possible to provide a full reply within that timeframe. The response was issued on the 9th October 2018.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether workers coming to the UK under the forthcoming Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme pilot will be provided with pre-departure information on UK labour laws before arrival in the UK.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Seasonal Workers Pilot will be managed by two licenced scheme operators. These licencing arrangements place a clear responsibility on the scheme operators to ensure the well-being of participating migrant workers, including ensuring that their employment rights are protected.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the additional funding required by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority to fulfil its role under the new Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme pilot; and whether such additional funding will be provided.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
I refer the Honourable Member to the response that I gave to a question from the Honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton on 17 December 2018 (201233).
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information his Department holds on the rate of remuneration for (a) cleaners, (b) security guards and (c) catering staff in his Department in (i) Greater London and (ii) outside Greater London.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Cleaning services, security guarding services and catering services across the department are mostly outsourced. Suppliers are responsible for setting rates of pay for their staff and rates vary dependent on their age, location and market rates. All suppliers are required to pay, as a minimum, either the National Minimum Wage or the National Living Wage. The rates set by government for the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage are to rise in April 2019.
Security guards who are Home Office employees receive the appropriate spot rate for their grade, plus shift and unsocial hours payments where applicable. All Home Office reward packages are in compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act.