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1457404

registered interest
date	14/04/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: English Language
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the basis is for granting an exception to applicants from (a) Barbados, (b) Jamaica and (c) Trinidad and Tobago from a requirement to take International English Language Testing System exams for UK Visas and educational programmes; for what reason that exception does apply to applicants from Nigeria; how many Nigerians applied for the International English Language Testing System over the last five years; what the pass rate was in each of those years; and on what basis the charge for that test was calculated.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	153951
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2022 answer text <p>Those who come from a country which is on the Majority English Speaking Countries list (MESC list) are not required to provide evidence of English language ability.</p><p> </p><p>To be included on the MESC list, the Home Office must have evidence over half the population in the country being considered speaks English as a first language. If a country meets this criteria it means it is more likely than not any individual applicant from that country can speak English with the level of fluency required to integrate in the UK and complete the course they are coming to study or job they are coming to do.</p><p> </p><p>We do not have evidence that Nigeria meets this criteria. We regularly check whether new evidence is publicly available which shows a country meets the criteria to be included in the MESC list.</p><p> </p><p>As an alternative to language testing, applicants can also rely on other types of proof of their language ability:</p><ul><li>having met the requirement at the required level in a previous immigration application; or</li><li>holding a degree-level qualification which was taught in English; or</li><li>having their chosen university or other Higher Educational Institution self-certify their level of English ability if they are applying as a student; or</li><li>meeting the requirements for professional regulation as a doctor, dentist, nurse, midwife or veterinarian if they are sponsored as a skilled worker; or</li><li>having a GCSE, A-level, Scottish National Qualification at level 4 or 5 or, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher, in English following education at a UK school begun when they were under-18.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Information on how many Nigerians applied for the International English Language Testing System over the last five years and what the pass rate was in each of those years is not information held by the Home Office.</p><p> </p><p>The fee for the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) test is set by the relevant SELT Provider. To allow for a fair pricing system, the SELT Provider is required to ensure that customers are being charged a comparable fee for the same or similar test. Once set, any increases to the fee can only be made with the agreement of the Home Office.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 21/04/2022 10:50:47 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 64207 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1457405

registered interest
date	14/04/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Nigeria: English Language
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information the Simplification of Rules Taskforce office used to reach the decision that Nigeria was not to be included in the Majority English Speaking Countries list.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	153952
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2022 answer text <p>To be included on the Majority English Speaking Countries list (MESC list), the Home Office must have evidence over half the population in the country in question speaks English as a first language.</p><p> </p><p>If a country meets this criteria, it means it is more likely than not any individual applicant from that country can speak English with the level of fluency required to integrate in the UK and complete the course they are coming to study, or the job they are coming to do without them having to provide further evidence.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Evidence we look for includes census data and official statistics. Academic studies, data on literacy, languages in which schooling or university courses are taught, and evidence of languages spoken in the home are helpful, but not definitive.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 26/04/2022 13:53:17 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1457479

registered interest
date	14/04/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Ukraine
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will extend or adjust the visas of existing Ukrainian students in the UK whose student visas are due to expire this year.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	153715
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2022 answer text <p>The Government will be launching a new Ukraine Extension Scheme on 3 May.</p><p>Under this route, Ukrainian nationals and their partner and children who had permission to stay in the UK on 18 March 2022 (or which has recently expired) will be able to stay in the UK under the Ukraine Extension Scheme. Eligibility for permission to stay will include those who were in the UK as Students.</p><p>Successful applicants will be granted permission to stay in the UK for 3 years with full access to work, study and public funds.</p><p>The Ukraine Extension Scheme will be free of charge with no requirement to pay any application fee or broader charges such as the Immigration Health Surcharge.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 25/04/2022 14:02:16 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1457696

registered interest
date	14/04/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Applications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the minimum amount of time is that must elapse between when an asylum application is rejected and the same applicant can make a second application.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	153906
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2022 answer text <p>The further submissions process provides a mechanism to consider additional evidence provided after an asylum claim has been refused and appeal rights are exhausted, and before a failed asylum seeker has left the UK.</p><p>So, there is no minimum time period which must have elapsed before a further submission can be made.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 26/04/2022 13:47:47 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1457830

registered interest
date	14/04/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Clearsprings Ready Homes: Contracts
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to ensure value for money in respect of contracted-out services to Clearsprings Ready Homes.
tabling member constituency	Edmonton
tabling member printed	Kate Osamor
uin	154224
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2022 answer text <p>The standards we expect from our contractors and providers are monitored closely to ensure they continue to meet them.</p><p> </p><p>The standards of accommodation and service are set within the Asylum Accommodation and Support Services (AASC) contract and represent a higher standard of quality than the preceding COMPASS contracts. The AASC contracts have a robust performance management system, against which providers are expected to deliver.</p><p> </p><p>Accommodation providers’ performance is monitored closely by dedicated staff in each contract area, who are in daily contact with them. This is supplemented by a formal governance process.</p><p> </p><p>Details of the AASC can be found at: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fnews%2Fnew-asylum-accommodation-contracts-awarded&amp;data=05%7C01%7CJordan.Kelly27%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7C935dbaf5b55f41dceb5608da22bd67c4%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C637860494119143762%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=WluEj72k%2F6SzJiik%2BuvC3nZT6amXX7KspxfefWLcJpk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">New asylum accommodation contracts awarded - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 21/04/2022 10:53:22 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 64209 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4515 label Biography information for Kate Osamor

1458007

registered interest
date	14/04/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Members: Correspondence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will respond to the letter of 17 January 2022 from the hon. Member for Warley on Mr Fred Osei.
tabling member constituency	Warley
tabling member printed	John Spellar
uin	153745
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2022 answer text <p>The Home Office responded to the correspondence on 13 February 2022</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 26/04/2022 13:54:27 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	318 label Biography information for John Spellar

1458025

registered interest
date	14/04/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Applications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the average cost of processing an adult male asylum seeker in the UK under existing arrangements; and if she will publish a breakdown of that cost.
tabling member constituency	Brent Central
tabling member printed	Dawn Butler
uin	153796
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2022 answer text <p>The Home Office are unable to provide the average cost of processing an adult male asylum seeker in the UK under existing arrangements as this information is not published or held in a reportable format.</p><p>The Home Office do publish as part of their published Transparency release the total asylum costs at Asy_04: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data#uk-visas-and-immigration" target="_blank">Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p>These costs include the managing asylum operations claim including the costs associated with deciding a case (screening, interviews and issuing a decision), managing any related appeal, the cost of all asylum support (Section 4, Section 95 and Section 98), detention costs where detention has been used and enforcement costs (escorting and assisted voluntary returns). Also included are the costs of department staff and buildings and the proportionate costs of the Home Office building and managerial costs.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 21/04/2022 10:52:10 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 64210 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	1489 label Biography information for Dawn Butler

1458033

registered interest
date	14/04/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Passports: Applications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by her Department to assist with the processing and issuance of passports on the 1st April of (a) 2010, (b) 2015, (c) 2019, (d) 2020 and (e) 2022.
tabling member constituency	Paisley and Renfrewshire North
tabling member printed	Gavin Newlands
uin	154091
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2022 answer text <p>The table below shows the number of full-time equivalent staff working within Her Majesty’s Passport Office’s passport production-related roles on 1 April* for each year requested.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Number (FTE)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022</p></td><td><p>4,092</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020</p></td><td><p>3,609</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>2,962</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>3,594</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010*</p></td><td><p>3,978</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="7"><p>*Data extracted for 2010 has been taken from August as the data for April is not available</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 26/04/2022 13:50:08 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4420 label Biography information for Gavin Newlands

1455851

registered interest
date	30/03/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Afghanistan
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of offering a fee-waiver to people applying to come to the UK from Afghanistan using the Appendix FM route.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	150070
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/04/2022 answer text <p>Those applying to come to the UK from Afghanistan using the Appendix FM route can apply for an overseas fee waiver.</p><p>The guidance for the discretion to waive a fee from overseas is being revised and is not currently operational. We expect to publish the new guidance by the Summer of 2022. The delay in publishing the new guidance has been caused by the need to develop a new online application system to meet the additional requirements of the affordability test for overseas applicants.</p><p>An applicant can still apply for a fee waiver, but their application will be put on hold pending the revised guidance. Consideration will be given as to whether the need to travel to the UK is urgent, and if so, the fee waiver application will be assessed. Each urgent case will be considered on its individual merits.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 20/04/2022 08:49:35 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms