Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) accommodation and (b) other support her Department provides to asylum seekers between the time of an asylum seeker making an appointment with an asylum intake unit and that appointment taking place.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office has a legal obligation to provide support to asylum-seekers who would otherwise be destitute.
Those wishing to claim asylum are expected to do so on arrival at the port of entry or, if already in the UK, and their circumstances change, as soon as possible at the Asylum Intake Unit (AIU) in Croydon. The AIU operates an appointment process for those who have accommodation, but a walk-in service is available for those who are destitute and need immediate accommodation.
Destitute asylum seekers can access initial support under section 98 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 which is offered as initial or contingency accommodation (usually full board) when they make an appointment to attend an asylum screening interview at the AIU and until the appointment time.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with financial industry representatives on enabling people with biometric residence permits to continue to evidence indefinite leave to remain beyond 2024.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
As part of our move to a “digital by default” border and immigration system, biometric residence permits (BRPs) will be replaced by a fully digital eVisa by the end of 2024. Anyone with a BRP will be able to register for an eVisa and we will issue further communications about what individuals will need to do and the support available in due course. UKVI will update their information on how to prove your immigration status in early 2024.
The Home Office regularly engages with a broad range of stakeholders about changes to our border and immigration system, For example, through our Employers Advisory Group, whose members include Deloitte, PWC, and UK Finance, amongst others.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the additional Asylum Intake Units set up during the covid-19 pandemic remain open.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Following measures introduced by Her Majesty’s Government in response to COVID-19, it was necessary for the Home Office to stand up regional and national units to fulfil its statutory requirement to register asylum claims. In addition to Croydon and Glasgow, it established five offices in Belfast, Liverpool, Leeds, Solihull and Cardiff which accept in-country asylum claims and all remain open.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for visas in (a) September (b) October (c) November awaited an outcome for more than 24 weeks.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Information relating to the processing times of visas can be found at the link below:
Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
VSI_02: Percentage of applications, for each Route, processed within Service Standards.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for visas in (a) September (b) October (c) November awaited an outcome for more than 10 weeks.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Information relating to the processing times of visas can be found at the link below:
Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
VSI_02: Percentage of applications, for each Route, processed within Service Standards.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for visas in (a) September (b) October (c) November awaited an outcome for more than 6 weeks.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Information relating to the processing times of visas can be found at the link below:
Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
VSI_02: Percentage of applications, for each Route, processed within Service Standards.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for visas in (a) September (b) October (c) November awaited an outcome for more than 12 weeks.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Information relating to the processing times of visas can be found at the link below:
Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
VSI_02: Percentage of applications, for each Route, processed within Service Standards.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for visas in (a) September (b) October (c) November awaited an outcome for more than 16 weeks.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Information relating to the processing times of visas can be found at the link below:
Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
VSI_02: Percentage of applications, for each Route, processed within Service Standards.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, from which countries are workers entering the UK on the 8 week poultry visa being recruited from; what monitoring of the scheme is in place to ensure that workers are not being charged recruitment fees; and what systems are in place to provide redress where fees are being charged.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Seasonal Worker route is an ‘operator led’ immigration route, scheme operators are selected to manage the placement of workers on UK farms and to ensure their welfare in the UK.
These operators are selected by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs through a fair and open selection process and recommended to the Home Office – who assess the operator’s suitability to become a licensed sponsor.
The Scheme Operators are responsible for managing all aspects of the recruitment and placement of workers on UK farms and ensuring their welfare in the UK. This includes ensuring ethical recruitment practices, in line with Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority regulations, and that workers are fully supported throughout their stay.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what advice her Department has issued to employers on employing Ukrainians who have entered the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme but have not yet received the Biometric Residence Permit; and what steps she is taking to ensure that Ukrainians are able to undertake employment during that period.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Home Office published updated guidance for employers on 12 April setting out how Ukrainian nationals issued permission to enter under the Ukraine schemes, including the Homes for Ukraine scheme, can evidence their right to work.
Further information is available on GOV.UK at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-work-checks-employers-guide
Where necessary, employers may contact the Home Office Employer Checking Service to verify right to work.