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1316221

	registered interest
	date	19/05/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Immigration: EU Nationals
	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 investigated the cause of the error whereby British citizens have incorrectly received letters urging them to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme; and whether the relevant databases have been updated to prevent that error from occurring again.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	3849
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2021 answer text <p>The Government is using every possible channel to encourage everyone who is eligible for the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) to apply.</p><p>The Home Office is currently working with HMRC and DWP to encourage EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who receive benefits to apply to the EUSS if they have yet to do so. Letters are being sent out to encourage recipients to apply to the EUSS to protect their existing rights in the UK before the deadline of 30 June 2021.</p><p>In trying to reach as many people as possible, there may be a small number of instances where these letters are sent to recipients who are naturalised as a British citizen. The letter may also be received by a small number of individuals who have already applied to the EUSS, for example because they applied after the initial exercise with DWP or HMRC was completed, but before the letter was sent out. The letter makes clear anyone who is a British citizen or already has EUSS status does not need to take any action.</p><p>As of 30 April 2021, 4.9m grants of EUSS status have been made. The Home Office urges anyone eligible for the EUSS to apply before the 30 June deadline to ensure their rights are protected following the end of the grace period.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 27/05/2021 15:57:31 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1316360

	registered interest
	date	19/05/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	British Nationality: Ceremonies
	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 make an assessment of the potential merits of suspending the requirement to attend a citizenship ceremony during the outbreak of covid-19.
	tabling member constituency	Stockport
	tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
	uin	4056
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2021 answer text <p>The citizenship ceremony is an important part of becoming a British citizen. Citizenship ceremonies have now resumed with reduced capacity due to social distancing measures in line with government guidelines. Local Authorities are also conducting virtual ceremonies where possible.</p><p>The usual deadline for a person to attend a ceremony within three months of their application being approved has been extended to six months. Advice regarding COVID-19 impacts on Citizenship ceremonies is available at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/citizenship-ceremonies" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/citizenship-ceremonies</a>.</p><p>There is discretion to waive the requirements to make the oath and pledge and attend a ceremony in the special circumstances of an individual case.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 27/05/2021 15:47:47 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1316361

	registered interest
	date	19/05/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	British Nationality: Ceremonies
	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 number of citizenship ceremonies that have been delayed in (a) England, (b) the North West and (c) Stockport constituency since March 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Stockport
	tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
	uin	4057
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2021 answer text <p>Over 206 local authorities across the UK are responsible for planning and conducting Citizenship ceremonies within each local authority area.</p><p>Information is not held by the Home Office on the number of ceremonies which have been scheduled or completed by local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 27/05/2021 15:49:02 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1316362

	registered interest
	date	19/05/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	British Nationality: Ceremonies
	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 effect of increases in the waiting time for citizenship ceremonies on applicants.
	tabling member constituency	Stockport
	tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
	uin	4058
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2021 answer text <p>The usual deadline for a person to attend a ceremony within three months of their application being approved has been extended to six months. The majority of those applying for British citizenship (naturalisation applicants) will be settled in the UK, and so already able to access public services on this basis.</p><p>In addition, there is discretion to waive the requirements to make the oath, pledge and to attend a ceremony in the special circumstances where a person needs to acquire citizenship quickly for a compelling reason.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 27/05/2021 15:49:58 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1327505

	registered interest
	date	24/05/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Delivery Services: 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 her Department is taking to (a) reduce incidences and (b) raise awareness of delivery text scams.
	tabling member constituency	St Helens North
	tabling member printed	Conor McGinn
	uin	6345
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2021 answer text <p>Fraudsters are sophisticated and will exploit any vulnerabilities they can, especially as more of us find ourselves at home and online.</p><p>We are working hard to tackle fraud. As part of the 2020 Spending Review, the Government committed a further £63m to the Home Office to tackle economic crime, including fraud. This is in addition to the funding the Home Office commits each year to the National Economic Crime Centre in the NCA, and police forces, including over £15m each year to the City of London Police as the national lead force for fraud.</p><p>The Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU), a specialist unit which was set up last year in collaboration with City of London Police, the Metropolitan Police and UK Finance, recently made 8 arrests as part of an investigation in Royal Mail text scams (<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-57226704" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-57226704</a>).</p><p>However, we recognise there is still more to do, and are working closely with DCMS, the telecommunication industry, regulators and consumer groups to tackle fraud and close those vulnerabilities (e.g., like the ability to ‘spoof’ the number of a legitimate organisation) criminals too easily exploit in order to protect the public.</p><p>We are also raising awareness among the public to help them protect themselves.</p><p>Royal Mail has issued guidance on how to spot fake emails and communications and what to do if you have received one. More information can be found on the Royal Mail’s website: <a href="https://www.royalmail.com/help/scam-examples" target="_blank">https://www.royalmail.com/help/scam-examples</a>.</p><p>Action Fraud issued an alert on delivery scams on 23 December last year (found here: <a href="https://www.actionfraudalert.co.uk/da/357020/Scam%20warning%20-%20Fake%20DPD%20emails%20and%20texts.html" target="_blank">https://www.actionfraudalert.co.uk/da/357020/Scam%20warning%20-%20Fake%20DPD%20emails%20and%20texts.html</a>).</p><p>We continue to encourage the public to forward suspicious text messages to 7726 (which is free of charge) and anyone who has been a targeted by a scam to report it. Action Fraud is the national reporting service for all victims of fraud and cybercrime and can be contacted by phone on 0300 123 2040 or through their website: <a href="http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud" target="_blank">http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud</a>.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 27/05/2021 15:26:45 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4458 label Biography information for Conor McGinn

1327309

	registered interest
	date	24/05/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Immigration: EU Nationals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking with (a) local authorities, (b) charities and (c) community groups to ensure European citizens in hard to reach communities are aware of the June 2021 deadline for applying for settled status for every member of their family.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
	tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
	uin	6289
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2021 answer text <p>Since the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) opened in March 2019, the Home Office has undertaken a broad range of communications and stakeholder engagement activity to encourage EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members to apply for and obtain status. This has included targeted stakeholder engagement to reach hard to reach and vulnerable communities.</p><p>We are committed to making sure everybody eligible for the EUSS can apply, including those who are vulnerable or need extra support. We have awarded £22 million of funding to a network of now 72 charities and community organisations across the UK, to ensure important information and assistance gets through to those who are hardest to reach, and no one is left behind by the June 2021 deadline. These organisations have helped more than 250,000 vulnerable people to apply to the EUSS already.</p><p>Guidance on how to apply and details of the support available to applicants is available through the EU Settlement Resolution Centre (SRC), which is open seven days a week to provide assistance over the telephone and by email, and the SRC also provides a direct line for organisations, charities, social workers, and local authorities working with vulnerable groups.</p><p>The Home Office has been working very closely with organisations in local government to help deliver regular EUSS communications to vulnerable and hard to reach EU citizens.</p><p>Other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care, Department for Work and Pensions and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office are utilising their own networks engaging vulnerable EU citizens and helping to provide support for other organisations to promote EUSS.</p><p>The Home Office has also specifically engaged with gatekeeper organisations who work closely with vulnerable, harder to reach audiences including older people, children, and those in care to ensure as many citizens as possible apply to EUSS by the deadline. It has developed a suite of assets and resources for EU citizens including translated leaflets about the Settlement Scheme in all 26 EU languages, and Welsh, which are freely available on GOV.UK.</p><p>A comprehensive, multi-million-pound EUSS advertising campaign has increased awareness of the need to apply to EUSS for over two years, targeting EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their families.</p><p>As of 30 April 2021, 4.9m grants of status had been made. The Home Office urges anyone eligible for the EUSS to apply before the 30 June deadline to ensure their rights are protected following the end of the grace period.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 27/05/2021 15:36:32 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1327410

	registered interest
	date	24/05/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Migrants: Health Services
	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 Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the number of overseas health workers who have been refunded the Immigration Health Surcharge since the Prime Minister announced that policy in May 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Luton North
	tabling member printed	Sarah Owen
	uin	6486
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2021 answer text <p>Since the Prime Minister’s announcement last year, the Home Office and the Department for Health and Social Care have worked together continuously to ensure overseas health workers are refunded the Immigration Health Surcharge.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 27/05/2021 15:30:33 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4777 label Biography information for Sarah Owen

1316297

	registered interest
	date	19/05/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Migrant Workers: 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 she will make it her policy to expand the list of professions eligible for the fee-free one-year visa extension during the covid-19 outbreak to include care workers; what recent discussions she has had with representatives of care workers on the exclusion of that workforce from that list; what estimate she has made of the number of care workers so affected; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	3838
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2021 answer text <p>The Government recognises the vital contribution overseas NHS, health and social care workers have and continue to make in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>The introduction of the Health and Care visa last August made it quicker and cheaper for regulated health and care professionals – including Senior Care Workers - and their dependents to secure their visa.</p><p>Since the start of the pandemic, the Government has extended the visas of over 10,000 key, frontline regulated health and care professionals, and their eligible family members.</p><p>The Department of Health and Social Care regularly meet with the Health and Social Care sector and we will keep the free extension offer under review.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 27/05/2021 15:54:40 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas