Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received on the functioning of the EU Settled Status Scheme since 30 March 30 2019.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Since November 2017, we have held monthly meetings with representatives from user groups, EU27 consular officials, Local Authorities, community groups and employers to help on the design and development of the EU Settlement Scheme.
Feedback since the full launch of the scheme on 30 March 2019 has been very positive and we continue to work closely with these representatives and other partners to ensure that the scheme is accessible and that we are able to reach all prospective applicants.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost has been of the police operation to monitor Julian Assange since August 2012.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that the estimated cost of policing the Embassy between June 2012 and October 2015 was £13.2m. The Home Office does not hold any further information on this matter. It is an operational decision for the Metropolitan Police how to use their available resources.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2019 to Question 236270 on Immigration: EU Nationals, at what locations applicants for the EU Settlement Scheme can have their passport scanned.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
There are now 50 locations nationwide where applicants can have their pass-port scanned and verified.
Details of the service and the locations where this service is available can be found on Gov.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-id-document-scanner-locations
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of establishing identity scanner locations to process applications for the EU settlement scheme.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The application process for the EU Settlement Scheme is straightforward and user-friendly, and it is accessible on any smartphone, tablet or computer using internet browsers.
Additionally, as of 26 March, there are 40 locations across the UK where applicants can have their passport scanned and verified, if they choose to do so.
This is an entirely voluntary test phase and once the EU Settlement Scheme is fully open by 30 March, use of the EU Exit: Identity Document Check app will be optional. Applicants will be able to post their identity document to the Home Office to be checked and returned quickly. There will also be over 50 locations across the UK where applicants can have their passport scanned and verified to provide further options for applicants.
There is a charge for using the service, payable to the local authority, which is set to cover the costs of providing the service.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many identity scanner locations (a) have been and (b) are planned to be opened for the EU settlement scheme.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The application process for the EU Settlement Scheme is straightforward and user-friendly, and it is accessible on any smartphone, tablet or computer using internet browsers.
Additionally, as of 26 March, there are 40 locations across the UK where applicants can have their passport scanned and verified, if they choose to do so.
This is an entirely voluntary test phase and once the EU Settlement Scheme is fully open by 30 March, use of the EU Exit: Identity Document Check app will be optional. Applicants will be able to post their identity document to the Home Office to be checked and returned quickly. There will also be over 50 locations across the UK where applicants can have their passport scanned and verified to provide further options for applicants.
There is a charge for using the service, payable to the local authority, which is set to cover the costs of providing the service.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when it is planned to open the EU settlement scheme in full in the event that the UK’s departure from the EU is delayed.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The EU Settlement Scheme will launch fully on 30 March regardless of the Article 50 extension agreed between the United Kingdom and the European Council on 22 March.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans his Department has to open new e-passport gates at UK airports.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Border Force are supporting port expansion activities at London City Airport and Manchester, which will include new ePassport gates. These will be funded by the Port Operators as part of their ambition to expand capacity to increase passenger numbers.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which nationalities were able to use e-passport gates in (a) 2016, (b) 2017, (c) 2018 and (d) to date in 2019; and which nationalities are planned to be able to access e-passport gates in 2020.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Eligibility to use ePassport gates is currently limited to UK/EU/EEA and Swiss nationals aged 12 and over using an ePassport, and adult members of the Registered Traveller Service (RTS). From this summer, nationals from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United States of America will also be routinely eligible to use the ePassport gates.
In respect of RTS, in January 2016, it was open to eligible nationals of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, United States of America, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region only), Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.
In November 2016, RTS was expanded to include eligible nationals from Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Brunei, Costa Rica, Chile, El Salvador, Guatema-la, Honduras, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay and Uruguay.
A further expansion of RTS took place in October 2017 to include eligible nationals from Andorra, Bahamas, Botswana, Holy See (Vatican City), Ma-cao (Special Administrative Region of China), Maldives, Monaco, Namibia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Seychelles, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Tonga and Trinidad and Tobago.
We keep the border under regular review and will monitor the impact of the recently announced expansion of eligibility before considering any further expansion to additional nationalities.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Statement of 7 March 2019 on Immigration Rules given by the Minister for Immigration on 7 March 2019, HCWS1388, what criteria his Department plans to use to determine the suitability for (a) an extension of an existing visa and (b) accelerated settlement.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Extensions and settlement in the Innovator category will be based on further assessment by an approved endorsing body
Endorsement for extension applications will assess whether applicants have made significant achievements against their business plans, and whether their businesses are trading. Applicants whose original business ideas do not succeed may re-apply, with a new business idea, for endorsement under the criteria for initial applications
Endorsements for settlement applications will be made against a range of criteria – covering investment, innovation, business growth and job creation – which applicants may choose from in order to qualify for settlement. Applicants may apply for accelerated settlement as soon as their businesses satisfy at least two of these criteria, providing they have spent at least three years in the category.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Statement of 7 March 2019 on Immigration Rules, HCWS1388, what criteria his Department plans to use to determine suitability for the category of start-up visa.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Endorsements for Start-up visas will be based on whether applicants’ business ideas are innovative, viable and scalable. This assessment will be carried out by approved endorsing bodies, rather than by the Home Office.
Applicants will also need to prove their English language ability, have sufficient maintenance funds for themselves and any dependants and satisfy the standard checks which apply across the immigration system.