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1457302

	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: 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 staff were working in European visa centres during the weeks commencing (a) 7, (b) 14, (c) 21 and (d) 28 March 2022.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	153927
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2022 answer text <p>The number of staff working in the Visa Application Centres (VACs) in Europe, which are operated by TLS Contact on behalf of UKVI, is not publicly available. However, in response to the recent increased demand in some VACs neighbouring Ukraine, UKVI surged additional staff to help meet demand and support people through the process as quickly as possible and significantly increased the number of appointments available in those locations.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 27/04/2022 16:44:00 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 66195 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1504115

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Small Businesses: Fraud
	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 Cabinet colleagues on taking steps to help protect small businesses from fraud through identity theft.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	45801
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2022 answer text <p>The detail of discussions with Cabinet peers are held in confidence. I would, however, like to reassure you that we understand the harms caused by identity theft and that tackling fraud is a priority for Government.</p> answering member constituency Tonbridge and Malling answering member printed Tom Tugendhat question first answered 21/09/2022 13:03:28 answering member 4462 label Biography information for Tom Tugendhat previous answer version 19143 answering member constituency Tonbridge and Malling answering member printed Tom Tugendhat answering member 4462 label Biography information for Tom Tugendhat
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1504120

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Migrant Workers: Agriculture
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the recruitment of overseas workers as farming machinery operatives; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a temporary visa scheme for these workers modelled on the temporary visa scheme for HGV drivers.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	45804
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/09/2022 answer text <p>The Government has no plans to introduce a general immigration route allowing recruitment at or near the minimum wage, with relatively short work-based training requirements, nor will there be another similar visa concession to the HGV temporary scheme.</p><p> </p><p>We have no plans to extend the skills threshold below RQF level 3 unless there are truly exceptional circumstances, such as adding care workers to the Shortage Occupation List (SOL). The Government has recently commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to undertake a review of the SOL. We expect the MAC will shortly launch its call for evidence and we encourage interested stakeholders to respond.</p><p> </p><p>Our immigration system is not aiming to replicate the free movement which previously existed between the UK and the EU. The Government recognises some businesses are needing to adjust, but investment and development of the UK’s domestic labour force should take priority, rather than seeing cheap migrant labour as the solution to recruitment difficulties.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond the Points Based System is a wide labour market, which includes UK workers and migrants with general work rights. Businesses should therefore engage with the Department for Work and Pensions in the first instance about the support they can provide.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 20/09/2022 08:42:55 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1519484

	registered interest
	date	10/10/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
	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 current protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini, if the Government will take steps to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	59710
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2022 answer text <p>Whilst the UK Government keeps the list of proscribed organisations under review, we do not routinely comment on whether an organisation is or is not being considered for proscription.</p><p>The death of Mahsa Amini is a shocking reminder of the repression faced by women in Iran. The UK condemns the Iranian authorities’ crackdown on protestors, journalists and internet freedom. The use of violence in response to the expression of fundamental rights, by women or any other members of Iranian society, is wholly unjustifiable.</p><p>On the 10<sup>th</sup> October, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office announced sanctions on senior security and political figures in Iran and the Morality Police. The Morality Police has been sanctioned in its entirety, as well as both its chief, Mohammed Rostami Cheshmeh Gachi and the Head of the Tehran Division Haj Ahmed Mirzaei. Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Basij force, who is responsible for internal security in Iran has also been subject to sanctions for committing serious human rights violations.</p> answering member constituency Tonbridge and Malling answering member printed Tom Tugendhat question first answered 19/10/2022 09:12:14 answering member 4462 label Biography information for Tom Tugendhat previous answer version 24377 answering member constituency Tonbridge and Malling answering member printed Tom Tugendhat answering member 4462 label Biography information for Tom Tugendhat
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1537382

	registered interest
	date	31/10/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Migrant Workers: Seasonal Workers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans to loosen visa restrictions for seasonal temporary workers to tackle labour shortages.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	74650
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2022 answer text <p>The Seasonal Worker route has been extended until 2024, with 40,000 visas available for 2022, consisting of 38,000 for horticulture and 2,000 for the poultry sector. The route has been extended to support our farmers growing fruit and vegetables as they adapt to changes in the UK labour market. The Government is keeping the position under close review.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 09/11/2022 15:46:01 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick previous answer version 32639 answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1537955

	registered interest
	date	01/11/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Climate Change
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has taken steps to plan for the impact on its work of a potential increase in numbers of people seeking asylum in the UK because of the effect of climate change in their countries of origin.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	75900
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2022 answer text <p>The UK recognises the need to better understand the complex links between migration, climate change and environmental degradation to inform our policy and action. Where relevant, all Government departments include climate change impact as part of their policy development and analysis.</p><p>Initial analysis suggests that climate extremes and environmental degradation are often amplifiers of other principal migration drivers.</p><p>Climate change is not covered in the Refugee Convention as grounds for a well-founded fear of persecution and we do not have any plans to broaden this definition. We recognise however, that climate change will increasingly become a significant factor in driving migration. For those who do not qualify for refugee status, we consider whether they are at risk of serious harm and are in need of protection on humanitarian grounds. This ensures that we do not remove anyone who faces persecution or serious harm on return to their country of origin. If protection is not required, we consider if there are any family or private life reasons, medical reasons or other exceptional circumstances that would warrant a grant of leave.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 09/11/2022 15:50:12 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1538214

	registered interest
	date	01/11/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Housing
	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 made of the (a) financial and (b) social challenges of redistributing potentially thousands of illegal immigrants in different regions of the UK.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	75905
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2022 answer text <p>The Home Office does not accommodate illegal migrants, but does have a statutory obligation to provide accommodation and other support to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute while their application for asylum is being considered.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 09/11/2022 15:52:12 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1538215

	registered interest
	date	01/11/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Manston Asylum Processing Centre: Overcrowding
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of overcrowding at Manston Processing Centre on people at that facility, including on the spread of infections.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	75906
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2022 answer text <p>The Home Office has increased the operating capacity of the facility as the number of individuals held on-site has increased.</p><p>The facility provides suitable welfare provisions including hot food, fresh clothing, toilet facilities and sanitary packs. 24/7 medical care is provided and any instances of communicable disease are handled in line with public health guidance.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 09/11/2022 15:45:18 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1545302

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Internet: Fraud
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to help increase protections against online scams.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	95834
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2022 answer text <p>Tackling fraud requires a unified and co-ordinated response from government, law enforcement and the private sector to better protect the public and businesses from fraud, reduce the impact of fraud on victims, and increase the disruption and prosecution of fraudsters. We will publish a strategy setting out how we will do this shortly.</p><p>Fraud has been brought into scope of the Online Safety Bill to make tech firms responsible for protecting their customers from fraud. DCMS is also leading work on the Online Advertising Programme, which is considering further regulation of online advertising and examining all harms related to online advertising, including fraud.</p><p>We are intending to launch a tech sector charter that will examine more ways Government and industry can collaborate and put in place further innovative solutions to protect the public from losing their hard-earned money.</p> answering member constituency Tonbridge and Malling answering member printed Tom Tugendhat question first answered 01/12/2022 17:04:11 answering member 4462 label Biography information for Tom Tugendhat
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1562836

	registered interest
	date	19/12/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Vetting: Care Workers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will take steps to (a) increase the speed of DBS checks and (b) provide applicants with updates on the progress on their application for people who have previously completed those checks within the social care sector.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	113227
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2023 answer text <p>The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) operates to published service standards of completing 80% of Basic checks within 2 days, 80% of Standard checks within 14 days, and 80% of Enhanced checks within 14 days.</p><p> </p><p>DBS’ year-to-date performance up to 31 October 2022 has been positive, providing 88% of Basic checks within 2 days, 95.2% of Standard checks within 14 days, and 79.5% of Enhanced checks within 14 days. These attainments apply to applications across all employment sectors, including the care sector. Furthermore, DBS is working closely with police forces to improve turnaround times for Enhanced checks.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, DBS provides an Update Service which allows:</p><ul><li>individuals to subscribe so they can keep their standard or enhanced certificates up-to-date; and</li><li>employers to check that person’s certificate online.</li></ul><p> </p><p>This service may reduce the need to apply for multiple certificates when individuals move from one job to another in the same workforce, or when a re-check is required, as employers can carry out a quick online status check to see if an individual’s certificate is still up-to-date. This service may be of significant benefit for individuals that work within the social care sector.</p><p>DBS also provides an ‘adult first check’ service to employing organisations in the care sector. Employers can request the result of a check of DBS’ list of barred adults, ahead of the completion of an Enhanced application. Depending on the result, a person can be permitted to start work with vulnerable adults, under supervision, before the result of an Enhanced DBS check.</p><p>Although DBS does not provide automatic progress updates during the processing of applications. However, it is possible for relevant parties to check on the progress of applications through DBS’ online tracking services.</p> answering member constituency Derbyshire Dales answering member printed Miss Sarah Dines question first answered 10/01/2023 10:31:14 answering member 4816 label Biography information for Miss Sarah Dines
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy