Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2018 to Question 129973 on Slavery, how many people issued with positive conclusive grounds decisions (a) received a holding letter confirming a determination is on hold, (b) continue to be supported by the adult victim care contract and (c) had support from the adult victim care contract suspended since his Department published its interim guidance.

The Court of Appeal issued a judgment in the case of (PK (Ghana) v SSHD) on 13 February 2018. We are considering the implications of the judgment.

As we do so, interim guidance has been issued to caseworkers to put on hold any refusals of discretionary leave to remain (DL) decisions for confirmed victims of modern slavery. Grants of discretionary leave are continuing. This guidance is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/interim-operation-guidance-discretionary-leave-for-victims-of-modern-slavery

In line with standard practice, support providers under the Victim Care Contract can seek an extension of support for confirmed victims who are awaiting a discretionary leave decision.

We are not aware of any individuals in support whose DL decision is on hold where continuing support has not been requested by the support provider.

The Home Office does not publish data on how many such determinations are on hold.