Asked by: Rob Marris (Labour - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, by what date the fees for 2017-18 for (a) non-student visas, (b) work permit visas and (c) in-country visa extension applications will be announced.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
We are in the process of finalising cross-Government approval for the 2017-18 fees for all UK visa and immigration services and, in line with Parliamentary requirements, will lay the new Regulations in Parliament at least 21 days before they come into force.
Asked by: Rob Marris (Labour - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton South West of 3 November 2016 on representation of the Special Constabulary, reference ZA5692.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service replied to right hon. Member in a letter dated 25 November 2016.
Asked by: Rob Marris (Labour - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton South West of 23 August 2016, reference ZA3542.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
A response to the hon. Member's letter of 23 August 2016 was issued on 16 November 2016.
Asked by: Rob Marris (Labour - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which UK Sikh organisations her Department consulted in the development of its policy paper Action against hate: the UK Government's plan for tackling hate crime, published in July 2016.
Answered by Sarah Newton
When developing the Hate Crime Action Plan (Action Against Hate) the Government consulted with a range of stakeholders and community groups. This included the Independent Advisory Group on Hate Crime, a number of Police Independent Advisory Groups and a meeting of community stakeholders hosted by Greater Manchester Police on behalf of the Home Office.
The Government welcomes engagement with all faith representatives including the Sikh Community in taking forward the Hate Crime Action Plan. Lord Bourne recently hosted a Roundtable on 12 September to engage with representatives from the Sikh Community.
Asked by: Rob Marris (Labour - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedures she has put in place to ensure that providers inform local authorities in advance of their plans to place asylum seekers in accommodation within those local authority areas.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Home Office works closely with COMPASS providers and local authorities through Strategic Migration Partnerships to plan for the most appropriate dispersal of asylum seekers.
These partnerships allow Providers to formally consult with local authorities and statutory bodies to ensure all new proposed property procurement and landlords meet the required contractual and statutory standards.
Asked by: Rob Marris (Labour - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people the Government sought to deport from the UK in 2015-16 where the immigration status application had not been finally determined.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
All removals adhere to existing legislative requirements contained within the Home Office Enforcement Instructions and Guidance, available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapters-46-to-62-detention-and-removals
Asked by: Rob Marris (Labour - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to implement the family reunification process for unaccompanied children in Europe with family in the UK.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The Government continues to work with key EU Member States to ensure the Dublin Regulation family reunification process works effectively.
Under the UK-France Joint Declaration of 20 August 2015, the UK and France have committed to ensuring that the provisions of the Dublin III Regulation are used efficiently and effectively. To assist the handling of such cases, the two Governments have established a permanent official contact group, agreed single points of contact within respective Dublin Units and we have seconded an asylum expert to the French administration to facilitate the improvement of all stages of the process. The UK and France are running regular joint communication campaigns in northern France which inform unaccompanied children and others of their right to claim asylum in France and of the family reunion process.
We are also providing support to the Dublin Units in Greece and Italy bilaterally and through European Asylum Support Office. On 4 May we announced the Government will work with local authorities on plans to resettle unaccompanied children from Europe. We are looking to transfer children who were already present in Europe before the EU-Turkey deal came into force on 20 March, where it is in their best interests.
We will work closely with local authorities to implement this initiative. It is important that we ensure we fulfil our obligations to children who are already in the UK, as well as ensuring we have the right support for those who may be brought to the UK from Europe. We will also consult relevant Non-Governmental Organisations, the UNHCR, UNICEF and Member States.