Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to announce the outcome of the review into asylum support rates.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office has a legal obligation to provide support to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute. The support package provided usually consists of free, furnished accommodation (with utility bills and council tax paid) and a weekly cash allowance to meet other essential living needs.
From 21 December 2022 the government increased the main rate of asylum support that is provided under sections 4 and 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to £45 per week on an interim basis whilst we complete the current annual review of the asylum support allowance.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of Afghans under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme who have permanent settled accommodation that meets their family's needs; when her Department expects those people under that scheme will be placed in such accommodation; and whether her Department is taking steps to help ensure that such accommodation is available to those being accommodated under that scheme.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The recent update to the published 'Afghan Resettlement: Operational Data', shows that, at 4th November 2022:
Work is underway to assure information relating to all the individuals resettled under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) on case working systems. Once this work concludes, further statistics on both schemes - including the number of people resettled under each - will be included in the published Immigration Statistics.
The Government continues to work at pace, in collaboration with over 350 local authorities across the UK, to meet the demand for housing. Alongside this, we are reaching out to landlords, developers, and the wider private rented sector to encourage further offers of properties.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of asylum seekers who have been unable to provide identity records due to historic issues with identity registration in their country of origin, including Iraq; and what steps her Department is taking to clarify an asylum seeker's position in those circumstances.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office does not publish case volume information relating to asylum claims involving an absence of identity documents. Where that absence is attributable to historic issues with identity registration in the claimants’ country of origin.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has been made in the Independent Office of Police Conduct investigation announced on 4 July 2022 into allegations of excessive use of force by Metropolitan Police Service officers at a protest over the arrest of a man by immigration officers in Peckham on 11 June 2022.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The IOPC carries out its investigations independently of the Government. It provided a published update on the investigation relating to the Peckham protests on its website on 4th July 2022, when it also appealed for witnesses. I have notified the IOPC's Director General of this question so that he can respond directly or provide a further update.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking in response to the finding by BBC Radio 4's File on 4 programme that an estimated 13,000 children have been strip-searched by police since 2017; what assessment she has made of the appropriateness of the use of strip-searching by police; and if her Department will undertake a review of strip-searches of children by police.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
Strip search is one of the most intrusive powers available to the police and its use should not be a routine occurrence. The Government is clear that any use of strip search should be carried out in accordance with the law and with full regard for the dignity and welfare of the individual being searched – particularly if the individual being searched is a child.
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) Codes of Practice govern how the police should undertake a strip search. The College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice (APP) on Stop and Search provides further guidance for the police on the use of strip search. We expect officers to follow the law and the best practice guidance set by the College of Policing in its APP.
To provide more transparency on this issue the Home Office have recently introduced a data collection on strip searches to the Annual Data Requirement. Police forces will be providing this data for 2021/22 on a voluntary basis, and it is due for publication towards the end of 2022. The data collection will include details on the age, sex and ethnicity of persons strip searched by the police in England and Wales.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) adjustments, (b) translation services and (c) other support her Department (i) has in place and (ii) plans to put in place for people seeking asylum who may initially provide incorrect personal details as a result of either translation issues or fear of political persecution in their country of origin.
Answered by Kevin Foster
All asylum claimants undergo a screening interview with the option of having an interpreter present.
If inaccuracies are identified with the information they have previously provided Home Office systems are amended and relevant checks are re-run.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has plans to make training on domestic abuse, which includes recognition of specific needs of victims resulting from their ethnicity or cultural background, mandatory for public service providers engaging with victims of domestic violence; and what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of such services in meeting the needs of (a) black women and girls and (b) those from other marginalised communities.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
This Government is committed to ensuring that all victims of violence against women and girls get the support they need. We know that domestic abuse affects a disparate group and that a “one size fits all” approach is not appropriate, especially for ethnic minority victims. This is why we committed £1.5 million in the Tackling Violence and Girls Strategy to increase provision of ‘by and for’ services, to further increase funding for specialist services. Alongside this, our Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan invests over £230 million of new cross-government funding, including £141 million for supporting victims, with a minimum of £47 million ringfenced for community-based services.
Training is an important part of tackling and responding to domestic abuse, but this needs to form part of a wider approach of guidance and support. We recognise the importance of the police receiving the right training to respond effectively, regardless of the victim’s background. The College of Policing’s foundation training includes police ethics and self-understanding, hate crimes, ethics and equalities, and policing without bias. Specialist training for officers dealing routinely with public protection issues explores these issues in more depth and detail.
The College of Policing has also developed specialist training, the ‘Domestic Abuse Matters’ programme, in collaboration with SafeLives and with input from Women’s Aid, which helps first responders dealing with an incident or report. This considers the needs of different victims, including those from a diverse black community and ethnic minority communities. This training is being or has been delivered to the majority of forces already, and the Home Office will provide up to £3.3 million over three years to support further delivery.
The new full-time National Policing Lead for Violence Against Women and Girls, DCC Maggie Blyth, has included building trust and confidence as a key pillar for delivery: this includes working with charities supporting ethnic minority women and girls to avoid their specific needs being overlooked.
We are also finalising our Domestic Abuse Statutory Guidance which will support frontline services in identifying and responding to domestic abuse, including recognising unique barriers and experiences that some victims, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds or with other protected characteristics, may face.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the (a) number of Afghan nationals resettled under the ACRS who have higher education qualifications and (b) proportion of that number who acquired those qualifications in the UK.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) commenced on 6th January. The ACRS will provide up to 20,000 women, children and others at risk with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK.
We do not capture of hold details of individuals qualifications so are unable to provide this information
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her timetable is for conclusions of the review into the Government’s policy on asylum seeker's rights to work; and if she will publish details of the (a) progress, (b) outcomes and (c) activity of the review to 14 March 2022.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The review of asylum seeker right to work policy has been concluded. We are retaining our policy with no further changes.
A Written Ministerial Statement was made on 8 December, setting out the Home Office’s findings and rationale: Asylum Seekers: Right to Work Policy - Hansard - UK Parliament.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of (a) the number of Afghan nationals resettled under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme who have higher education qualifications and (b) the proportion of that number who acquired those qualifications in the UK.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) commenced on 6th January. The ACRS will provide up to 20,000 women, children and others at risk with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK.
Afghans who are eligible under ACRS or ARAP are working with job centre work coaches to assess their readiness for the jobs market, including their skills and qualifications.