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Written Question
Asylum: Hong Kong
Wednesday 20th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the number of asylum seekers from Hong Kong who have switched to British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) visa routes, and the way in which such applications have been handled, since they decided to allow adult children of BN(O) status holders to apply independently of their parent.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Those who apply to the British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) route from overseas should not travel to the UK until they have received a decision on their application. Most individuals who hold a BN(O) or Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport will be able to apply to the BN(O) route without needing to attend a visa application centre by using the UK Chip Checker smartphone application.

In most cases, a person with a pending asylum claim can make an application to the BN(O) route, but all applications will need to meet the relevant requirements to be granted, including the suitability requirements. The Home Office is aware of the issues some individuals have faced when switching into the BN(O) route since it was amended to allow adult children of BN(O) status holders who were born after the handover of Hong Kong to apply independently of their parent, and we are looking into these cases.

Recent published data shows that in Quarter 2 of 2023, 98.58% of leave to enter cases and 98.35% of leave to remain cases classed as straightforward were decided within the service standard of 12 weeks.

This can be found at the following link: Visas and citizenship data: Q3 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

The Home Office does not currently hold any publishable data on the longest outstanding case.


Written Question
Visas: British National (Overseas)
Wednesday 20th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the position of British National (Overseas) visa applicants who remain in Hong Kong while their application is considered.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Those who apply to the British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) route from overseas should not travel to the UK until they have received a decision on their application. Most individuals who hold a BN(O) or Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport will be able to apply to the BN(O) route without needing to attend a visa application centre by using the UK Chip Checker smartphone application.

In most cases, a person with a pending asylum claim can make an application to the BN(O) route, but all applications will need to meet the relevant requirements to be granted, including the suitability requirements. The Home Office is aware of the issues some individuals have faced when switching into the BN(O) route since it was amended to allow adult children of BN(O) status holders who were born after the handover of Hong Kong to apply independently of their parent, and we are looking into these cases.

Recent published data shows that in Quarter 2 of 2023, 98.58% of leave to enter cases and 98.35% of leave to remain cases classed as straightforward were decided within the service standard of 12 weeks.

This can be found at the following link: Visas and citizenship data: Q3 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

The Home Office does not currently hold any publishable data on the longest outstanding case.


Written Question
Visas: British National (Overseas)
Wednesday 20th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how long it takes on average to process a British National (Overseas) visa application and what is the longest outstanding application awaiting assessment.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Those who apply to the British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) route from overseas should not travel to the UK until they have received a decision on their application. Most individuals who hold a BN(O) or Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport will be able to apply to the BN(O) route without needing to attend a visa application centre by using the UK Chip Checker smartphone application.

In most cases, a person with a pending asylum claim can make an application to the BN(O) route, but all applications will need to meet the relevant requirements to be granted, including the suitability requirements. The Home Office is aware of the issues some individuals have faced when switching into the BN(O) route since it was amended to allow adult children of BN(O) status holders who were born after the handover of Hong Kong to apply independently of their parent, and we are looking into these cases.

Recent published data shows that in Quarter 2 of 2023, 98.58% of leave to enter cases and 98.35% of leave to remain cases classed as straightforward were decided within the service standard of 12 weeks.

This can be found at the following link: Visas and citizenship data: Q3 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

The Home Office does not currently hold any publishable data on the longest outstanding case.


Written Question
Veterans: Hong Kong
Thursday 7th September 2023

Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with her Chinese counterpart on the Hong Kong Veterans Settlement route announced on 29 March 2023.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

The government’s new Hong Kong Veterans Settlement route will be open to all servicemen and women who served in the British military prior to July 1st 1997, and their family members, including a partner or spouse and dependent children. Applications for Settlement are expected to open this Autumn.

Home Office officials work closely with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for Levelling Up Health and Communities, as well as other government departments, to ensure that the UK is a safe and welcoming place for both those who hold BN(O) status and other Hongkongers.


Written Question
Veterans: Hong Kong
Thursday 7th September 2023

Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress she has made on implementing the Hong Kong Veterans Settlement route announced on 29 March 2023.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

The government’s new Hong Kong Veterans Settlement route will be open to all servicemen and women who served in the British military prior to July 1st 1997, and their family members, including a partner or spouse and dependent children. Applications for Settlement are expected to open this Autumn.

Home Office officials work closely with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for Levelling Up Health and Communities, as well as other government departments, to ensure that the UK is a safe and welcoming place for both those who hold BN(O) status and other Hongkongers.


Written Question
Asylum: Hong Kong
Tuesday 25th July 2023

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will expedite the asylum applications of (a) former Hong Kong elected district councillors and (b) pro-democracy party leadership figures in the context of recent arrest warrants and bounties for exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy activists.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

The UK has a proud history of providing protection to those who need it. All asylum claims are considered on a case-by-case basis in line with published policy including those raised by Hong Kong nationals.

Individuals from Hong Kong may also be able to apply for the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) route which reflects the UK’s historic and moral commitment to those people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status before Hong Kong’s handover to China. To be eligible, applicants must have BN(O) status, or be the eligible family member of someone with BN(O) status.

In November 2022, the BN(O) route was expanded to allow adult children of BN(O) status holders, aged 18 or over and who were born on or after 1 July 1997 to apply to the route independently. As of 31 March 2023, a total of 166,420 applications to the BN(O) route have been granted since its introduction.


Written Question
Asylum: Hong Kong
Tuesday 25th July 2023

Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department is offering to (a) former Hong Kong elected district councillors and (b) pro-democracy party leadership figures who have been waiting for a decision on an asylum application.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

The UK has a proud history of providing protection to those who need it. All asylum claims are considered on a case-by-case basis in line with published policy including those raised by Hong Kong nationals.

Individuals from Hong Kong may also be able to apply for the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) route which reflects the UK’s historic and moral commitment to those people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status before Hong Kong’s handover to China. To be eligible, applicants must have BN(O) status, or be the eligible family member of someone with BN(O) status.

In November 2022, the BN(O) route was expanded to allow adult children of BN(O) status holders, aged 18 or over and who were born on or after 1 July 1997 to apply to the route independently. As of 31 March 2023, a total of 166,420 applications to the BN(O) route have been granted since its introduction.


Written Question
Basic Skills: Primary Education
Friday 30th June 2023

Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress she has made on the aim of 90 per cent of primary school children in England achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is committed to improving outcomes for all pupils. The Government has successfully driven up standards over the past decade. In 2010, only 68% of schools were rated good or outstanding, compared to 88% today.

Primary aged children in England came 4th out of the 43 countries in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, with an average score of 558. This was significantly above the International Median of 520 and significantly higher than all countries except for Singapore, Hong Kong and Russia.

Alongside this international picture, the Department continues to deliver the proposals set out in the Schools White Paper, including the headline attainment ambitions for 2030. These include 90% of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at Key Stage 2, and the average grade in GCSE English language and mathematics increasing from 4.5 to 5. Since publishing the White Paper, the Department has worked to deliver its commitments and has made progress towards the headline ambitions for 2030. Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic has affected pupils, the Department is taking robust action to drive up attainment, with evidence showing progress is being made.

At Key Stage 2 in the 2021/22 academic year, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics (combined) decreased compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019 at both the expected and higher standard. Despite this, recent data from the Education Policy Institute and Rising Stars/Hodder Education shows that for primary age pupils, most year groups have either caught up in English and mathematics or are now on average 1 to 1.5 months behind pre-pandemic levels. This contrasts with studies conducted during the pandemic where learning loss in reading and mathematics was typically estimated to have peaked at around 2.5 to 3.5 months for primary age pupils.

At Key Stage 4 in the 2021/22 academic year, 49.8% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or higher in both English and mathematics. This is an increase of 6.6 percentage points (from 43.2%) in comparison with 2018/19.

The Department continues to deliver ambitious multiyear education recovery funding. This has provided almost £5 billion for teachers, staff training, tutoring and additional teaching time, as well as providing funding directly to schools. It is targeted especially at those that need the most help the most quickly. This funding is making a difference in helping pupils to catch up, with over 3 million courses started through the National Tutoring Programme since it began in November 2020. We can see that recovery is taking place, but we know that there is more to do.


Written Question
English Language and Mathematics: GCSE
Friday 30th June 2023

Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress she has made on the aim of increasing the average GCSE grade at Key Stage 4 in English language and maths from 4.5 to 5.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is committed to improving outcomes for all pupils. The Government has successfully driven up standards over the past decade. In 2010, only 68% of schools were rated good or outstanding, compared to 88% today.

Primary aged children in England came 4th out of the 43 countries in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, with an average score of 558. This was significantly above the International Median of 520 and significantly higher than all countries except for Singapore, Hong Kong and Russia.

Alongside this international picture, the Department continues to deliver the proposals set out in the Schools White Paper, including the headline attainment ambitions for 2030. These include 90% of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at Key Stage 2, and the average grade in GCSE English language and mathematics increasing from 4.5 to 5. Since publishing the White Paper, the Department has worked to deliver its commitments and has made progress towards the headline ambitions for 2030. Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic has affected pupils, the Department is taking robust action to drive up attainment, with evidence showing progress is being made.

At Key Stage 2 in the 2021/22 academic year, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics (combined) decreased compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019 at both the expected and higher standard. Despite this, recent data from the Education Policy Institute and Rising Stars/Hodder Education shows that for primary age pupils, most year groups have either caught up in English and mathematics or are now on average 1 to 1.5 months behind pre-pandemic levels. This contrasts with studies conducted during the pandemic where learning loss in reading and mathematics was typically estimated to have peaked at around 2.5 to 3.5 months for primary age pupils.

At Key Stage 4 in the 2021/22 academic year, 49.8% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or higher in both English and mathematics. This is an increase of 6.6 percentage points (from 43.2%) in comparison with 2018/19.

The Department continues to deliver ambitious multiyear education recovery funding. This has provided almost £5 billion for teachers, staff training, tutoring and additional teaching time, as well as providing funding directly to schools. It is targeted especially at those that need the most help the most quickly. This funding is making a difference in helping pupils to catch up, with over 3 million courses started through the National Tutoring Programme since it began in November 2020. We can see that recovery is taking place, but we know that there is more to do.


Written Question
Pupils: Refugees
Thursday 8th June 2023

Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to provide additional support for students who have entered UK schools through the (a) Ukrainian, (b) Hong Kong and (c) Afghanistan resettlement schemes.

Answered by Nick Gibb

All pupils, regardless of immigration status, are entitled to education between the ages of 5 to 16, and are free to apply for a school place at any time.

The Department is clear that the best place for all children to be educated is in school, and that attending school is vital to help newly arrived children integrate as quickly as possible into the communities in which they are living.

The Department has supported arrivals via humanitarian and resettlement schemes through the provision of funding to Local Authorities for all arrivals aged 2 to 18. This funding was paid in the 2022/23 financial year for those who arrived via the Homes for Ukraine scheme and in both the 2021/22 and 2022/23 financial years for those who arrived from Afghanistan and lived in bridging accommodation. Further details are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homes-for-ukraine-education-and-childcare-funding, and: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghanistan-resettlement-education-grant.