Asked by: Jess Phillips (Labour - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have used the Assisted Voluntary Return service since it re-opened in July 2020.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes data on returns in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’.
Data on the number of ‘Voluntary returns’ including ‘Assisted returns’ from the UK are published in Table Ret_01 of the Returns summary tables. More detailed breakdowns of the data are available in the Returns detailed datasets.
'Assisted returns' relate to those where people liable to removal from the UK, who wish to leave voluntarily, make an application to the Assisted Voluntary Returns Service.
The published statistics relate to the number of returns from the UK, and may not include all those who have used the voluntary return service (such as those who are awaiting a return, or who did not qualify for the service).
The latest data on returns relates to the year ending June 2020. The ‘contents’ sheet contains an overview of all available data on returns.
Figures on the number of people returned in the year ending September 2020 will be published on 25 February 2021.
Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.
Asked by: Jess Phillips (Labour - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of children referred into the national referral mechanism have not received an independent child trafficking guardian direct worker or regional practice coordinator in all quarters for the period of Quarter 1 2017 to Quarter 3 2020 by local authority area.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Home Office has rolled out Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs), an independent source of advice for trafficked children, in one-third of local authorities across England and Wales. ICTGs provide one-to-one support for children who have no one with parental responsibility for them in the UK via an ICTG Direct Worker. They also provide an expert ICTG Regional Practice Co-ordinator (RPC), first introduced in October 2018, for children where there is someone with parental responsibility for them in the UK.
A staggered approach has been adopted in the delivery of ICTGs, together with built-in evaluations to ensure the delivery of the correct ICTG model. Data tables published in October 2020 as part of the Assessment of Independent Child Trafficking Guardians – Regional Practice Co-ordinators: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/an-analysis-of-independent-child-trafficking-guardians show how ICTG referrals have increased since 2017, split by local authority area. This data covers the period from Q1 2017 – Q4 2019. The Home Office does not hold data on children not referred to the ICTG service by local authority area.
The Home Office publishes statistics on NRM referrals on a quarterly basis, reports from Q2 2019 – Q3 2020 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-referral-mechanism-statistics.
Reports from 2018 and 2017 can be found here respectively:
https://nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/who-we-are/publications/282-national-referral-mechanism-statistics-end-of-year-summary-2018/file and; https://nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/who-we-are/publications/159-modern-slavery-and-human-trafficking-national-referral-mechanism-statistics-annual-report-2017/file.
The NRM and ICTG data is held separately; it is not one linked dataset.
The Home Office does not hold data on Looked After Children that do not receive support from the ICTG service. On this basis, we cannot provide any details on how many and what proportion of Looked After Children have been not been allocated an Independent Child Trafficking Guardian Direct Worker.
Asked by: Jess Phillips (Labour - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of Looked After Children have been not been allocated an Independent Child Trafficking Guardian Direct Worker by (a) age, (b) gender and (c) nationality since October 2018.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Home Office has rolled out Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs), an independent source of advice for trafficked children, in one-third of local authorities across England and Wales. ICTGs provide one-to-one support for children who have no one with parental responsibility for them in the UK via an ICTG Direct Worker. They also provide an expert ICTG Regional Practice Co-ordinator (RPC), first introduced in October 2018, for children where there is someone with parental responsibility for them in the UK.
A staggered approach has been adopted in the delivery of ICTGs, together with built-in evaluations to ensure the delivery of the correct ICTG model. Data tables published in October 2020 as part of the Assessment of Independent Child Trafficking Guardians – Regional Practice Co-ordinators: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/an-analysis-of-independent-child-trafficking-guardians show how ICTG referrals have increased since 2017, split by local authority area. This data covers the period from Q1 2017 – Q4 2019. The Home Office does not hold data on children not referred to the ICTG service by local authority area.
The Home Office publishes statistics on NRM referrals on a quarterly basis, reports from Q2 2019 – Q3 2020 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-referral-mechanism-statistics.
Reports from 2018 and 2017 can be found here respectively:
https://nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/who-we-are/publications/282-national-referral-mechanism-statistics-end-of-year-summary-2018/file and; https://nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/who-we-are/publications/159-modern-slavery-and-human-trafficking-national-referral-mechanism-statistics-annual-report-2017/file.
The NRM and ICTG data is held separately; it is not one linked dataset.
The Home Office does not hold data on Looked After Children that do not receive support from the ICTG service. On this basis, we cannot provide any details on how many and what proportion of Looked After Children have been not been allocated an Independent Child Trafficking Guardian Direct Worker.
Asked by: Jess Phillips (Labour - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what safeguards are in place to ensure that people who have been refused asylum will not become homeless 21 days after receiving their cessation letter.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office took the decision to pause cessations of asylum support on 27 March 2020, so that asylum seekers whose cases were resolved and who would no longer normally be eligible for asylum support would be able to remain in their accommodation and follow the public health guidance in place at that time.
Some “negative cessations” (where the person has been refused asylum and exhausted their appeal rights) resumed from September but were paused again in November following the imposition of stronger lockdown measures. These decisions currently remain paused pending consideration of the impact of the current coronavirus restrictions.
Failed asylum seekers have no basis of stay in the UK and are encouraged and supported to return to their countries of origin where appropriate. The Home Office will pay for the cost of their return home and provides generous reintegration assistance. Where there is a legitimate reason why a person who has been refused asylum cannot return to their country of origin, they can apply for further support from the Home Office under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
Before taking any decision to resume negative cessations we will continue to work with and share our approach with Public Health authorities and will work within public health guidelines and legal advice.
Asked by: Jess Phillips (Labour - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure victims of modern slavery with EU or EEA nationality, living in the UK before December 31 2020, can apply for settled status in the event they do not meet the deadline to apply as a result of their experience of exploitation.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
In line with the citizens’ rights agreements, the Government has made clear that, where a person has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline for applications to the EU Settlement Scheme by those resident here by 31 December 2020, they will be given a further opportunity to apply. We intend to publish guidance early in 2021 on what constitutes reasonable grounds for missing the deadline, but examples will include the victims of abusive situations or controlling relationships who were prevented from applying.
There is a range of direct and indirect support available for vulnerable EU citizens. This includes a telephone helpline available where citizens and their carer’s and helpers can discuss any aspect of the application with a trained caseworker at any point during the process. For those who need assistance with IT, the Home Office has put in place an Assisted Digital solution which provides support over the phone, at one of around 300 local centres across the UK or at home with a trained tutor. We have also provided a paper application form for those whose specific individual needs require it.
We have also provided up to £9 million of grant funding in the last financial year to 57 voluntary and community sector organisations across the UK. A further £8 million of grant funding has also been committed this financial year to continue this Home Office funded support. These organisations are being funded and supported by the Home Office to deliver practical assistance to vulnerable or at-risk EU citizens in applying to the scheme. Further information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-community-support-for-vulnerable-citizens/list-of-organisations
In addition, potential victims of modern slavery who are referred into the National Referral Mechanism, will be directly signposted to the EUSS support services which are available.
The Government is committed to eradicating human trafficking and the scourge of modern slavery. The UK currently gives effect to obligations on modern slavery under The Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (ECAT), Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the EU Anti-Trafficking Directive (2011/36), through the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and policy guidance. At the end of the EU Exit transition period in December 2020, the UK will no longer be bound by EU law. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 and relevant policy guidance will be unaffected. The UK will remain bound by international obligations in relation to preventing and combatting human trafficking and modern slavery.
Asked by: Jess Phillips (Labour - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the accessibility of the EU Settlement Scheme to victims of modern slavery and human trafficking.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
In line with the citizens’ rights agreements, the Government has made clear that, where a person has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline for applications to the EU Settlement Scheme by those resident here by 31 December 2020, they will be given a further opportunity to apply. We intend to publish guidance early in 2021 on what constitutes reasonable grounds for missing the deadline, but examples will include the victims of abusive situations or controlling relationships who were prevented from applying.
There is a range of direct and indirect support available for vulnerable EU citizens. This includes a telephone helpline available where citizens and their carer’s and helpers can discuss any aspect of the application with a trained caseworker at any point during the process. For those who need assistance with IT, the Home Office has put in place an Assisted Digital solution which provides support over the phone, at one of around 300 local centres across the UK or at home with a trained tutor. We have also provided a paper application form for those whose specific individual needs require it.
We have also provided up to £9 million of grant funding in the last financial year to 57 voluntary and community sector organisations across the UK. A further £8 million of grant funding has also been committed this financial year to continue this Home Office funded support. These organisations are being funded and supported by the Home Office to deliver practical assistance to vulnerable or at-risk EU citizens in applying to the scheme. Further information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-community-support-for-vulnerable-citizens/list-of-organisations
In addition, potential victims of modern slavery who are referred into the National Referral Mechanism, will be directly signposted to the EUSS support services which are available.
The Government is committed to eradicating human trafficking and the scourge of modern slavery. The UK currently gives effect to obligations on modern slavery under The Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (ECAT), Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the EU Anti-Trafficking Directive (2011/36), through the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and policy guidance. At the end of the EU Exit transition period in December 2020, the UK will no longer be bound by EU law. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 and relevant policy guidance will be unaffected. The UK will remain bound by international obligations in relation to preventing and combatting human trafficking and modern slavery.
Asked by: Jess Phillips (Labour - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Government has to incorporate EU Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims into domestic law.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
In line with the citizens’ rights agreements, the Government has made clear that, where a person has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline for applications to the EU Settlement Scheme by those resident here by 31 December 2020, they will be given a further opportunity to apply. We intend to publish guidance early in 2021 on what constitutes reasonable grounds for missing the deadline, but examples will include the victims of abusive situations or controlling relationships who were prevented from applying.
There is a range of direct and indirect support available for vulnerable EU citizens. This includes a telephone helpline available where citizens and their carer’s and helpers can discuss any aspect of the application with a trained caseworker at any point during the process. For those who need assistance with IT, the Home Office has put in place an Assisted Digital solution which provides support over the phone, at one of around 300 local centres across the UK or at home with a trained tutor. We have also provided a paper application form for those whose specific individual needs require it.
We have also provided up to £9 million of grant funding in the last financial year to 57 voluntary and community sector organisations across the UK. A further £8 million of grant funding has also been committed this financial year to continue this Home Office funded support. These organisations are being funded and supported by the Home Office to deliver practical assistance to vulnerable or at-risk EU citizens in applying to the scheme. Further information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-community-support-for-vulnerable-citizens/list-of-organisations
In addition, potential victims of modern slavery who are referred into the National Referral Mechanism, will be directly signposted to the EUSS support services which are available.
The Government is committed to eradicating human trafficking and the scourge of modern slavery. The UK currently gives effect to obligations on modern slavery under The Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (ECAT), Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the EU Anti-Trafficking Directive (2011/36), through the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and policy guidance. At the end of the EU Exit transition period in December 2020, the UK will no longer be bound by EU law. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 and relevant policy guidance will be unaffected. The UK will remain bound by international obligations in relation to preventing and combatting human trafficking and modern slavery.
Asked by: Jess Phillips (Labour - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Government is planning to expand Independent Child Trafficking Guardians to the local authorities that currently have none.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Following previous questions and the commitment given to UK Statistics Authority (UKSA), Change of Conditions information is now part of the transparency data which can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-protection-data-august-2020. The relevant data is in tab CoC_01.
Currently we cannot provide the data that you have requested because this information is not readily available and would require a more detailed examination of all Change of Conditions cases to establish whether the data requested is held and would meet the quality requirements for release.
As part of the regular publication of this data the Home Office will review whether the data can be meaningfully broken down any further. The next update of this data is due to be published in November 2020.
Asked by: Jess Phillips (Labour - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applicants for a change of conditions to no recourse to public funds in each quarter since the third quarter of 2017 identified themselves as victims of domestic abuse.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
There has been a phased approach to the national roll out of the Independent Child Trafficking Guardian (ICTG) service, with evaluations informing the development of the programme.
This approach will ensure the most appropriate model is rolled out for child victims with the support provided reflecting the changing profile of victims, for example recognising the needs of those who are exploited through ‘county lines’.
The next phase will target the geographical areas with the highest level need that are not already covered by the programme. We are currently in the process of preparing for and running a competed grants process for these additional sites.
Asked by: Jess Phillips (Labour - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department on 28 June 2016, Official Report, WH47, for what reason the Independent Child Trafficking Guardians has not yet been rolled out throughout England and Wales.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
There has been a phased approach to the national roll out of the Independent Child Trafficking Guardian (ICTG) service, with evaluations informing the development of the programme.
This approach will ensure the most appropriate model is rolled out for child victims with the support provided reflecting the changing profile of victims, for example recognising the needs of those who are exploited through ‘county lines’.
The next phase will target the geographical areas with the highest level need that are not already covered by the programme. We are currently in the process of preparing for and running a competed grants process for these additional sites.