Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he discussed the situation in Yemen at his meeting with the United States Secretary of State on 7 August 2019; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to introduce digital IDs for migrants seeking to work in the UK; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Home Office has no plans to introduce digital IDs for migrants seeking to work in the UK. However, as set out in the Government’s White Paper on the future skills-based immigration system published on 19 December 2018, individuals will use online services to demonstrate their immigration status to employers, landlords and other service providers. These online services will enable individuals to view an online record of their immigration status held by the Home Office, and to share it with others, securely and in real time. Online services are being rolled out now to those who hold a biometric residence document, and those who apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.
A decision on an individual’s immigration status is determined by suitably trained Home Office staff. To ensure that applications for leave to remain and enter are processed as efficiently as possible, UK Visas and Immigration digitally streams applications to the relevant team. Streaming does not determine the outcome of an application; rather it ensures appropriate checks are made against requirements of the Immigration Rules by suitably-trained decision makers. The streaming system drives efficiency by ensuring decision makers have the relevant applications as quickly as possible. It is regularly updated to reflect any changes in policy. Online status services simply surface information based on the immigration product an individual has already been granted.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the estimated cost is of introducing a digital ID system for migrants seeking to work in the UK.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Home Office has no plans to introduce digital IDs for migrants seeking to work in the UK. However, as set out in the Government’s White Paper on the future skills-based immigration system published on 19 December 2018, individuals will use online services to demonstrate their immigration status to employers, landlords and other service providers. These online services will enable individuals to view an online record of their immigration status held by the Home Office, and to share it with others, securely and in real time. Online services are being rolled out now to those who hold a biometric residence document, and those who apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.
A decision on an individual’s immigration status is determined by suitably trained Home Office staff. To ensure that applications for leave to remain and enter are processed as efficiently as possible, UK Visas and Immigration digitally streams applications to the relevant team. Streaming does not determine the outcome of an application; rather it ensures appropriate checks are made against requirements of the Immigration Rules by suitably-trained decision makers. The streaming system drives efficiency by ensuring decision makers have the relevant applications as quickly as possible. It is regularly updated to reflect any changes in policy. Online status services simply surface information based on the immigration product an individual has already been granted.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to increase the use of algorithm-based software in the determination of immigration status for migrants seeking to (a) work and (b) visit the UK.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Home Office has no plans to introduce digital IDs for migrants seeking to work in the UK. However, as set out in the Government’s White Paper on the future skills-based immigration system published on 19 December 2018, individuals will use online services to demonstrate their immigration status to employers, landlords and other service providers. These online services will enable individuals to view an online record of their immigration status held by the Home Office, and to share it with others, securely and in real time. Online services are being rolled out now to those who hold a biometric residence document, and those who apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.
A decision on an individual’s immigration status is determined by suitably trained Home Office staff. To ensure that applications for leave to remain and enter are processed as efficiently as possible, UK Visas and Immigration digitally streams applications to the relevant team. Streaming does not determine the outcome of an application; rather it ensures appropriate checks are made against requirements of the Immigration Rules by suitably-trained decision makers. The streaming system drives efficiency by ensuring decision makers have the relevant applications as quickly as possible. It is regularly updated to reflect any changes in policy. Online status services simply surface information based on the immigration product an individual has already been granted.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps is he taking to prevent the interruption of road-borne humanitarian aid reaching areas in need in Yemen.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The UK remains extremely concerned by constrained humanitarian access within Yemen, including road blockages such as the ongoing closure of the direct Hodeidah to Sana’a road and recent insecurity causing disruption to Aden to Sana’a routes.
We regularly raise obstructions to humanitarian access with all parties, including at the highest levels. The UK also calls on all parties to comply with the UN Security Council Resolution 2451 and support the unhindered flow of humanitarian supplies across Yemen.
UK aid is also supporting the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM), UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) to improve humanitarian and commercial access across the country.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many aid trucks have been prevented from accessing areas in need of humanitarian assistance in Yemen since 2015.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The UK remains extremely concerned by constrained humanitarian access within Yemen. We do not hold comprehensive data on the exact number of aid trucks being prevented from accessing areas in need of humanitarian assistance, however the UN has reported that four million Yemenis in need of humanitarian assistance were affected by the interruption of services or delays in delivery in April and May this year.
Administrative restrictions imposed on humanitarian agencies by both parties remain a principal driver of access constraints. This includes recent delays enforced by Houthi authorities on aid trucks at the border between Government of Yemen and Houthi controlled areas.
We regularly raise obstructions to humanitarian access with all parties, including at the highest levels. The UK also calls on all parties to comply with the UN Security Council Resolution 2451 and support the unhindered flow of humanitarian supplies across Yemen.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate he has made of the number of aid workers operating on (a) on UK funded and (b) non-UK funded missions in Yemen.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
DFID does not collect or verify data on the number of international aid workers in each country.
However, in line with the current ceiling on international UN Country Team workers (set by UN Department of Safety and Security), we understand that the number of UN international aid workers currently in Yemen is around 250.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of demurrage and related operational expenses in Yemen since 2015.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Administrative costs, including demurrage and related operational costs - as well as rent, travel, asset purchase and maintenance and other similar costs - are set at individually agreed rates with our partners so that they have the means to deliver life-saving aid across Yemen.
These individually agreed administrative costs ranged between £2,678 (3.11% of overall partner spend) and £4,789,341(15.96% of overall partner spend) for each of our partners last financial year (2018/19).
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of food consumed in Yemen has been imported in each year since 2015.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Yemen relies on imports to meet 90% of its basic needs like food and fuel. Before the conflict, an estimated 80% of these imports entered Yemen through the critical Red Sea ports of Hodeidah and Saleef.
We are unable to provide a more direct response given the difficulty of obtaining specific data from Yemen.
We welcome the redeployment of Houthi forces away from these ports. It is vital that imports continue to flow into Hodeidah and Saleef and that vital onward supply routes remain open; both sides must facilitate the unhindered flow of essential supplies throughout the country.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of UK aid to Yemen has been spent on imports of food in each year since 2015.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The World Food Programme (WFP) is playing a vital role in Yemen, delivering food aid to millions of those in need across the country. We are providing WFP with £35 million in support this financial year (2019/20) and provided £35 million last financial year (2018/19). This support has been used exclusively to provide cash and vouchers to vulnerable people to buy food in local markets, and as such 0% of UK Aid has been spent on food imports over the 2018/19 and 2019/20 financial years.
In the 2017/18 financial year, the UK spent £65 million on imported food, vouchers and nutritional assistance through WFP, approximately 32% of our overall funding over the period.
Over the financial years 2015/16 and 2016/17, the UK spent £10 million on imported food through WFP, approximately 5% of our overall funding over the period.