Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he is aware of delays in casework decisions where further advice on policy is sought.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Our priority is to consider claims as efficiently and fairly as possible. This is best for claimants, but also reduces the number of people on asylum support, and in turn, the burden on taxpayers. There may be circumstances which may delay the progression of a case, for example waiting for evidence that is of importance in deciding a claim, or a change in country situation requiring an update in country and policy information notes leading to a pause in deciding cases.
In these circumstances, regular reviews are undertaken at appropriate intervals, dependant on the reason why the claim cannot be progressed. As soon as the reason why the claim cannot be progressed is lifted, consideration of the claim is continued.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the (a) coronavirus extension concession and (b) exceptional assurance concession on the average length of decision periods for applications for indefinite leave to remain.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
On 4 April 2024 a change was made to the Immigration Rules to provide that:
(a) Time spent in the UK during the Coronavirus extension concession grace period (1 August and 31 August 2020) would be considered as lawful presence where an applicant’s permission expired immediately before the grace period; and
(b) Overstaying in the UK when a person held an exceptional assurance concession would be disregarded during the period of grant of exceptional assurance.
Following this Immigration Rules change, decisions on applications for settlement where the person spent time in the UK for a period covered by these concessions are now being prioritised.
Where cases fall outside service standards, the Home Office write to the applicant to inform them of this.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many civil servants are assigned to process indefinite leave to remain applications made using the (a) priority service and (b) super priority service.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The number of civil servants processing Indefinite Leave to Remain applications, including priority and super priority applications, is forecast in advance, based on anticipated intake levels. However, the actual number of civil servants assigned to this work at any one time will vary as we actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many indefinite leave to remain applicants have used the (a) priority service and (b) super priority service in the last 12 months.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Home Office publishes data on the number of indefinite leave to remain applications, in the Migration transparency data, in table VSI_02 of the Visas and citizenship data: Q3 2023.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many civil servants are assigned to process indefinite leave to remain applications.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The number of civil servants processing Indefinite Leave to Remain applications, including priority and super priority applications, is forecast in advance, based on anticipated intake levels. However, the actual number of civil servants assigned to this work at any one time will vary as we actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK-France Joint Leaders' Declaration: 10 March 2023, and pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2023 to Question 191049 on Educational Visits: France, when the Government plans to (a) conclude its work on the details of implementation and (b) publish that information.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
At the Leaders’ Summit in Paris on 10 March 2023 the UK committed to ease the travel of school groups to the UK by making changes to documentary requirements for schoolchildren on organised trips from France.
France and the UK further agreed to establish a Mobility Dialogue through a Technical Working Group under joint ministerial oversight to address bilateral mobility issues. The first of these was held in early June.
Work is now underway to operationalise these arrangements and more information will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the UK-France Joint Leaders Declaration, agreed on 10 March 2023, when her Department plans to publish the timeline for implementing changes to documentary requirements for school children on organised trips from France.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
At the Leaders’ Summit in Paris on 10 March 2023 the UK committed to ease the travel of school groups to the UK by making changes to documentary requirements for schoolchildren on organised trips from France.
France and the UK further agreed to establish a Mobility Dialogue through a Technical Working Group under joint ministerial oversight to address bilateral mobility issues. The first of these was held in early June.
Work is now underway to operationalise these arrangements and more information will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department last discussed the Electronic Travel Authorisation Scheme with the Northern Ireland Office.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Home Office and Northern Ireland Office Ministers and officials are in regular contact on a range of mutual interests, including the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department last discussed the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme with tourism agencies in Northern Ireland,.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Home Office officials last had discussion with tourism agencies in Northern Ireland and Ireland about the Electronic Travel Authorisation Scheme on 7 June 2023.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support women who have sought asylum.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute are eligible for support under section 95 of the Immigration & Asylum 1999 Act. The support provided usually consists of accommodation with utility bills and council tax paid and a weekly allowance to meet other essential living needs including food and non-alcoholic drink. All asylum seekers have access to free NHS care.