Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's review of Tier 1 (Investor) visas, what assessment she has made of the level of potential risk of (a) money-launderers and (b) other corrupt people attempting to use alternative visa routes; and what steps her Department is taking to prevent this.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The statement of 12 January 2023 made clear the action that the Government has taken in the past to combat this risk and will continue to take in future. Details of these steps, such as the closure of the Tier 1 (Investor) route in February 2022, the establishment of a new Combatting Kleptocracy Cell in the National Crime Agency, new robust legislation to prevent corrupt elites abusing our open economy, and how any future investment-related routes to the UK will be modelled, are set out in that statement.
The Immigration Rules provide for the refusal of entry clearance or permission to enter or stay on the grounds of criminality or where the person’s presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good because of their conduct, character, associations or other reasons.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many referrals were made to law enforcement bodies following her Department's recent review of the Tier 1 (Investor) visa route.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary
The Home Secretary made a Written Ministerial Statement on this matter on the 17th January.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Government has spent on tackling money laundering in its first Economic Crime Plan; and to which programmes that funding was allocated.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat
We have strengthened our fight against economic crime through the publication of the landmark Economic Crime Plan in July 2019, which brought together government, law enforcement and the private sector in cooperation to deliver a whole system response to economic crime.
The total Spending Review 2021 settlement and the Economic Crime Levy represent an overall package of circa £400 million to tackle economic crime over the next three years.
Annual reports and accounts detailing past Departmental expenditure are available on Gov.uk.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to correspondence of (a) 10 November and (b) 12 December from the Hon. member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of my constituent Mark Kippax.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
MPAM/0474236/22 – The Home Office responded to the hon. Member’s correspondence on 12 January 2023.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare of 2 November 2022 and 1 December 2022 on behalf of his constituent Michelle Michael on visa applications for a Ukrainian family.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
MPAM/0467238/22 – The Home Office responded to the hon. Member’s correspondence on 9 January 2023.
MPAM/0471321/22 – The Home Office responded to the hon. Member’s correspondence on 10 January 2023.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will respond to the correspondence of 4 November and 5 December 2022 from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on indefinite leave to remain for Arif Shabbir.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
MPAM/0467238/22 – The Home Office responded to the hon. Member’s correspondence on 9 January 2023.
MPAM/0471321/22 – The Home Office responded to the hon. Member’s correspondence on 10 January 2023.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare of 6 October 2022 and 24 November 2022 on temporary rights to work within the UK.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office responded on 22 December 2022.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the letters of 26 September, 23 October and 22 November from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of his constituent Vera Egbo about a visa.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office replied on 20 December 2022.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare dated 17 October 2022 and 14 November 2022 on behalf of that Member's constituent Mr George on his wife’s visa application.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
MPAM/0440789/22 – the Home Office will provide a response shortly.
MPAM/0455246/22 – The Home Office responded to the hon. Member’s correspondence on 13 December 2022.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare of 5 October 2022 and 8 November 2022 on behalf of that Member's constituent, Catherine Kisbey-Green, on passports.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
MPAM/0440789/22 – the Home Office will provide a response shortly.
MPAM/0455246/22 – The Home Office responded to the hon. Member’s correspondence on 13 December 2022.