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1418045

registered interest
date	31/01/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Fraud: Criminal Investigation
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 adequacy of support provided to local police forces to assist in the investigation of scams conducted (a) through telephone calls and (b) online.
tabling member constituency	Chesham and Amersham
tabling member printed	Sarah Green
uin	115014
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2022 answer text <p>We recognise that there needs to be improvements in the response to fraud – from the reporting process through to investigations. That is why we have been working with partners from law enforcement, the public and private sectors to explore all options available to give our policing colleagues what they need to keep pace with criminals and encourage innovation within industry.</p><p>The government is committed to taking fraudsters off the streets and increasing arrests and prosecutions. We are increasing law enforcement investigative capacity in the National Crime Agency and in Regional Organised Crime Units across England and Wales.</p><p>As part of the Police Uplift Programme to recruit an additional 20,000 officers by 2023, we have channelled additional officer resource into the Regional Organised Crime Unit network to work on a host of serious and organised crime threats including fraud as well as posts to the City of London Police to fulfil their role as a world-class fraud specialist force.</p><p>We will also establish a new fraud investigative function in the NCA to target the most complex and serious fraudsters, meeting a manifesto commitment to create a new national cybercrime force focused on fraud. We are also increasing intelligence capabilities in the NCA and the national security community to identify the most harmful criminals and organised criminal gangs.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 03/02/2022 14:52:09 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4918 label Biography information for Sarah Green

1418070

registered interest
date	31/01/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees: Afghanistan
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 is taking to (a) urgently move families evacuated from Afghanistan in August 2021 out of hotel accommodation and (b) enable families to retain reasonable proximity and connection with each other.
tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
uin	114608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2022 answer text <p>We are working at pace across government and with local authorities (LAs) to source appropriate accommodation for Afghan families who were evacuated to the UK.</p><p>Once properties are identified and referred to the Home Office, a matching exercise is undertaken which enables us to offer the property to a suitable family. Where possible, we will match families from local bridging hotels allowing them to remain in the area where they may have started to form connections and settle.</p><p>The Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities have set up an online housing portal <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghanistan-housing-portal-offers-of-support" target="_blank">Afghanistan housing portal - offers of support - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a> to allow people to submit offers of housing support for people who have arrived from Afghanistan. We are also engaging with landlords, letting agencies and industry bodies to promote the portal and encourage participation in the resettlement programme.</p><p>This includes a partnership with Rightmove to identify potential properties available in the private rented sector, providing councils with additional information to source appropriate properties.</p><p>We give families seven days’ notice of their move to long-term accommodation. This allows families time to prepare and discuss any concerns with their Home Office Liaison Officer. We also make them aware of their LA contacts.</p><p>Once families move, LAs will support them to settle and integrate, into their new community including help accessing local services such as a GP, schools and employment.</p><p>To assist with the successful integration of families to life in the UK we are piloting a ‘Jobs First Pilot’ in partnership with the Department of Work and Pensions. This pilot went live on 31 January. Participants will receive a range of support from Work Coaches to move into work. Importantly, participants will also receive support from a specialist cross government case working team to tackle non-employment barriers. LAs and charities are also actively supporting the pilot. The focus on both employment and non-employment barriers that prevent the take up of job offers will, it is hoped, increase the likelihood of a person moving into work, either in their current geographical area or in another part of the country.</p><p>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 23/02/2022 17:32:50 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

1418071

registered interest
date	31/01/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees: 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 her Department has made of the effectiveness of the policy of pursuing constrained Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and Afghan citizens resettlement schemes at the same time as seeking to implement reform of the asylum and immigration system under the terms of the Nationality and Borders Bill.
tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
uin	114609
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2022 answer text <p>The UK has a proud track record of helping those who need our protection – and this will continue.</p><p>The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) launched on 1 April 2021. More than 7,000 people have been relocated under ARAP so far, with more continuing to arrive.</p><p>The ARAP scheme remains open to eligible applicants.</p><p>The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) is separate to ARAP and commenced on 6th January, providing up to 20,000 women, children and others at risk with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK.</p><p>Alongside our response to Afghanistan, the UK continues to welcome those most at risk, including refugees through the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Community Sponsorship and Mandate Resettlement Schemes. Since 2015, we have resettled more than 26,000 refugees through safe and legal routes direct from regions of conflict and instability - around half of whom were children.</p><p>The Nationality and Borders Bill is the most significant overhaul of our asylum system in over two decades with the aim of promoting safe and legal routes. Only by tackling illegal migration can we effectively help those in greatest need. It will bring in a new, comprehensive, fair but firm long-term plan, which seeks to address the challenge of illegal migration head on, and to take down the serious organised criminals exploiting people and profiting from human misery.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 23/02/2022 17:24:25 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

1418082

registered interest
date	31/01/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: VFS Global
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the quality and efficiency of service at visa application centres operated by VFS Global.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	114623
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2022 answer text <p>UKVI has two suppliers, VFS Global and TLScontact who are contracted to run UK visa application centres (VACs) overseas. UKVI works closely with both suppliers to ensure all VACs are operating to the required quality and efficiency standards through regular monitoring of performance data and customer feedback.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 04/02/2022 14:33:30 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1418090

registered interest
date	31/01/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Travel: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many passengers disembarked at Southampton Cruise Terminal on 13 December 2021; and how many passenger locator forms were obtained.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	114786
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2022 answer text <p>Border Force does not collect data on passenger embarkation numbers. Therefore, we do not hold the level of data requested.</p><p>Statistics relating to passenger arrivals since the Covid outbreak are published quarterly and can be found at the following link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-relating-to-passenger-arrivals-since-the-covid-19-outbreak-november-2021/statistics-relating-to-passenger-arrivals-in-the-united-kingdom-since-the-covid-19-outbreak-november-2021" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-relating-to-passenger-arrivals-since-the-covid-19-outbreak-november-2021/statistics-relating-to-passenger-arrivals-in-the-united-kingdom-since-the-covid-19-outbreak-november-2021</a>.</p><p>The passenger locator form (PLF) is a digital form and can be resubmitted therefore we cannot provide the data requested. All passengers arriving by cruise ship are able to submit their PLF up to 21 days in advance. Cruise companies are also required to introduce a check-in process in the terminals, so PLFs are checked prior to passengers leaving the UK.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 08/02/2022 11:50:25 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

1418120

registered interest
date	31/01/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Skilled Workers: Vacancies
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 whether chefs, occupation code 5434, should be added to the Shortage Occupation List.
tabling member constituency	East Devon
tabling member printed	Simon Jupp
uin	114993
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2022 answer text <p>Up until 6 April 2021, Chefs were on the Shortage Occupation List. The Government accepted a recommendation from the independent Migration Advisory Committee to remove Chefs from the SOL citing;</p><p> </p><p>‘…the reduced restrictions and lower salary threshold under the Skilled Worker route compared to Tier 2 (General), and the on-going and persistent concerns that not enough is being done to train chefs from within the domestic workforce.’</p><p> </p><p>Due to the expanded eligibility under our new system, for both salary and skill levels, chefs may now be recruited through the Skilled Worker visa without the requirement to demonstrate 5 years experience, and they can be paid £25,600 or more per year rather than the previous threshold of £29,570.</p><p> </p><p>A job does not have to be on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) to qualify for the Skilled Worker visa and being on it does not exempt a job from other requirements such as the English Language requirement.</p><p> </p><p>Our Plan for Jobs is focused on helping people across the country retrain, build new skills and get back into work, rather than providing alternatives to this via immigration policy. Beyond the Points Based System, there is the resident labour market which includes UK workers and non-UK citizens with general work rights.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 08/02/2022 11:49:14 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4862 label Biography information for Simon Jupp

1418121

registered interest
date	31/01/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Animal Welfare: Afghanistan
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what Ministerial directions were issues by her Department in relation to the evacuation of animals from Afghanistan from the Nowzad charity.
tabling member constituency	Bermondsey and Old Southwark
tabling member printed	Neil Coyle
uin	114765
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2022 answer text <p>No Ministerial directions were issued on the handling of animals connected with the Nowzad charity.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 23/02/2022 14:03:29 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4368 label Biography information for Neil Coyle

1418124

registered interest
date	31/01/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Metropolitan Police: Complaints
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints have been received by the Metropolitan Police concerning the activities of the (a) Government Whips Office and (b) Opposition Whips Office in the House of Commons over the last four weeks; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Lichfield
tabling member printed	Michael Fabricant
uin	114622
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2022 answer text <p>The Home Office does not hold information on the number of complaints received by the Metropolitan Police concerning the activities of the Government Whips Office or the Opposition Whips Office in the House of Commons.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 08/02/2022 15:21:15 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	280 label Biography information for Michael Fabricant

1418181

registered interest
date	31/01/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Investigatory Powers Commissioner: Annual Reports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Investigatory Powers Commissioner on delays in publishing his annual report; and if she will standardise the publication date each year.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	114613
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2022 answer text <p>The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 s234(1) does not include a specific date for the publication of the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s report but instead provides that the IPC make a report to the PM “as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each calendar year”.</p><p>The latest annual report was received by the Home Office in November 2021 and it was published in January 2022. This is in line with previous years.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 03/02/2022 14:49:33 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1418186

registered interest
date	31/01/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Forced Labour
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of the Foreign Secretary of 12 January 2021, Official Report, column 162, on strengthening the Modern Slavery Act by introducing fines for businesses that do not comply with their transparency obligations and the need for legislation to set the level of those fines, when she plans to bring forward those legislative proposals.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	114614
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2022 answer text <p>The landmark transparency provisions contained in section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 made the UK the first country in the world to require businesses with a turnover of £36m or more to report annually on the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains.</p><p>To enhance the impact of transparency and accelerate action to prevent modern slavery, the Government committed to strengthening the reporting requirements contained in section 54 and introduce new measures including financial penalties for organisations that fail to meet their statutory obligation to publish modern slavery statements.</p><p>These measures require primary legislation and will be introduced when parliamentary time allows. The Government will publish guidance to help organisations prepare for the new reporting requirements when the timing of legislation is clear.</p> answering member constituency Redditch answering member printed Rachel Maclean question first answered 03/02/2022 14:39:07 answering member 4668 label Biography information for Rachel Maclean
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms