Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has received representations on doctors from overseas being prevented from working in the NHS on account of immigration rules relating to their salaries; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
We have received representations concerning the recruitment of overseas doctors under Tier 2 (General), our main immigration work route for non-EEA workers. The minimum salary thresholds were set following consultation with the independent Migration Advisory Committee and are based on pay scales published by the NHS – and have not been recently changed.
When we receive more applications than the number of places available in any given month, priority is given – through the award of points– first to occupations in UK shortage as identified by the independent Migration Advisory Committee, then to PhD-level occupations, and followed by economically valuable jobs paying higher salaries.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to change the (a) design, (b) colour and (c) wording of the new UK passport after the UK leaves the EU; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
I refer the hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Romford, on 7th December 2016, UIN 55575.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the lead time required for the introduction of a redesigned British passport; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The UK passport is changed every five years for security reasons. The lead time for a re-designed passport is dependent on the level of changes to be made.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to introduce a new passport with a navy blue cover for the UK following the exit of the UK from the EU; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
There are no immediate plans for changes to the format or colour of the UK passport. Parliament will be informed of any changes to the passport following UK withdrawal from the European Union.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will revoke the entry ban into the UK on the US broadcaster Michael Alan Weiner, also known as Michael Savage.
Answered by James Brokenshire
Although speculation about Mr Weiner’s exclusion from the UK is in the public domain, the Home Office does not routinely comment on individual cases and cannot provide any further information in relation to this matter.