Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to ensure that Afghan nationals are not evicted from asylum accommodation.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Afghan nationals who have an asylum claim or appeal which has not yet been decided are eligible to receive support under section 95 of the 1999 Act if they would otherwise be destitute. Furthermore, failed asylum seekers may be supported under section 4(2) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (1999 Act) if they would otherwise be destitute and meet other conditions set out in the Immigration and Asylum (Provision of Accommodation to Failed Asylum-Seekers) Regulations 2005.
Regulation 3(2)(c) provides, subject to the individual being destitute, support may be provided where there is no “viable route of return” to the individual’s country of origin. However, this is not considered to be relevant to the current situation in Afghanistan, where the relevant issue is the safety of individuals if they were to return to the country, rather than the practicalities of travelling there.
Failed asylum seekers who consider they would be at risk of harm on return to Afghanistan because of the recent changes in the country are able to lodge further asylum submissions and would therefore be eligible to receive support under Regulation 3(2)(e) of the 2005 Regulations, subject to meeting the destitution criteria.
There are no plans to change the policy so Afghans may not be evicted from accommodation provided under section 95 or 4(2) in any circumstances. Like others supported under the provisions, their support may be discontinued in a number of circumstances, including where it appears they are no longer destitute, where they are no longer living in the accommodation provided to them and where they are granted refugee status and therefore become eligible to take up employment or apply for mainstream benefits.
Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on mental health support for people arriving under the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
On Wednesday 18 August, the Government announced the launch of a new bespoke Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), to welcome up to 20,000 vulnerable Afghans to the UK. The scheme will focus on those most at risk and in its first year will resettle up to 5,000 vulnerable Afghans. Subsequently, on 31 August, the Government announced ‘Operation Warm Welcome’ to ensure that all those relocated to the UK can access the vital health, education, and support into employment they need to fully integrate into society.
The Home Office has been working across Government to ensure that those evacuated from Afghanistan are well supported in all their needs. This includes engagement with the Department for Health and Social Care where we are having ongoing conversations around health provision regarding England as well as local authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups working with people directly. We are working with the devolved administrations in their actions to welcome Afghan people as well.
Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Afghan applicants for asylum (a) have received a notice of intent that their claim is being considered for inadmissibility and (b) have had their claim deemed inadmissible since 1 July 2021.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The latest published Immigration Statistics detail inadmissibility decisions made and can be found online at:
How many people do we grant asylum or protection to? - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
A breakdown of these figures into nationality is not currently available.
Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office what steps he is taking to ensure people in Afghanistan with refugee reunion visas are able to travel to the UK.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We stand by our commitment to help all Afghans who are eligible to come to the UK, including those who hold refugee reunion visas, to travel by whatever routes are available. We are clear that the Taliban must ensure safe passage for these people out of Afghanistan, and any engagement with them will emphasise this first and foremost. We are also in frequent contact with neighbouring countries, and wider partners, to help secure safe routes.Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the status is of the submission on behalf of the Campaign for the Harmonisation of Criteria for Both Versions of the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal which was received by AMSC, SW1A 2HQ, on 15 January 2021.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The assessment of historic medals claims is a matter for the independent Advisory Military Sub-Committee (AMSC). Campaigners can be assured their case is under review and recommendations will be made as soon as possible.
Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has plans to review the metrics used in the (a) Levelling Up Fund and (b) Community Renewal Fund; and when his Department plans to publish the consultation to review those metrics.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
We have shaped the methodologies for the UK Community Renewal Fund and the Levelling Up Fund to reflect their individual and distinct objectives and policy goals. For example, the capital-focused Levelling Up Fund will invest in local transport and high street regeneration, and therefore includes metrics around local connectivity and commercial vacancy rates
By contrast, the revenue-focused UK Community Renewal Fund will look to invest across a range of smaller scale trial projects with the overall goal of supporting people and communities in need. For this reason it uses metrics which more broadly aim to assess a place’s general economic resilience
Methodological notes explaining the two indices have been published and can be found here:
Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to publish the second Register of Ministers' Interests from 2020.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Prime Minister yesterday announced the appointment of Rt Hon Lord Geidt to serve as the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests. The Independent Adviser oversees the production of a List of Ministers' Interests, and the next publication will occur once Lord Geidt has concluded that process.
Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the effect has been of the Assignation Statement (Prescribed Information) (Scotland) Regulations S.I 2152/1991 (S.177).
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Roads and bridges in Scotland, including road user charges and tolls on them, are the responsibility of the Scottish Government.
Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will overturn benefit reductions taken from some universal credit recipients whose payments have been adversely affected by receiving a small grant from the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme which covers individual months but due to being paid quarterly has resulted in recipients losing money.
Answered by Will Quince
SEISS payments are treated as self-employed earnings for Universal Credit, which are taken into account in the month that they are received. We will not therefore readjust previous months’ awards.
Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress has been made on the roll-out of national smart metering infrastructure in the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Data Communications Company (DCC), the organisation responsible for the national smart metering infrastructure, has contracts in place for the provision of communications coverage to at least 99.5% of premises in its ‘North Region’. Data on smart meter installations is not collected at a constituency level.
The DCC is required by licence conditions to seek to provide communications services to all premises where it is practicable and cost proportionate and is also required to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of coverage.