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1228684

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	British National (Overseas): Hong Kong
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is the Government's policy that British Nationals (Overseas) in Hong Kong who are in the UK before January 2021 will be able to apply for a 30 month stay while in the UK.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Paul Girvan
uin	82296
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2020 answer text <p>The Home Secretary was pleased to announce on 22 July details of a new immigration route for Hong Kong British National (Overseas) citizens. Further information can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hong-kong-bno-visa-policy-statement" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hong-kong-bno-visa-policy-statement</a></p><p>British National (Overseas) citizens already in the UK will be able to apply from within the UK. They will have a choice of applying for a period of either 30 months (renewable for a further 30 months) or five years’ leave to remain in the UK.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 03/09/2020 14:52:08 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4633 label Biography information for Paul Girvan

1228790

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Health Professions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to extend eligibility for the health and care visa to include physiotherapy and rehabilitation staff earning the equivalent of the NHS Bands 3 and 4 pay scales to help the UK meet post-covid-19 demand for rehabilitation services.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
uin	82367
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2020 answer text <p>Those currently applying for the Health and Care Visa must meet the Tier 2 (General) immigration route requirements. Under Tier 2 (General), a migrant worker must be filling a degree level job and must be in NHS pay band 5 (or equivalent) or above.</p><p>The UK’s new Points-Based Immigration System, which will come into effect from January 2021, will change the skill level requirements – to A level and equivalent and above - and salary requirements, allowing more physiotherapy and rehabilitation staff to come to the UK under the Skilled Worker route.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 03/09/2020 14:52:46 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones

1228791

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Health Professions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to extend the health and care visa to include all jobs requiring a HCPC registered physiotherapist.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
uin	82368
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2020 answer text <p><em>The published Tier 2 policy guidance sets out who is eligible for the Health and Care Visa. This includes any person in an eligible occupation, who is employed or engaged by or registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.</em></p><p><em>The Tier 2 policy guidance can be found at: </em>: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-application-for-uk-visa-as-tier-2-worker" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-application-for-uk-visa-as-tier-2-worker</a></p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 08/09/2020 12:13:13 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones

1228792

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Health Professions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to extend the health and care visa to include roles in disability charities and hospices that are not direct NHS sub-contractors.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
uin	82369
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2020 answer text <p><em>The eligibility criteria for the Health and Care Visa are set out in the published Tier 2 policy guidance. This guidance can be found at: </em><a href="https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fpoints-based-system-tier-2&amp;data=02%7C01%7CMatthew.Dine3%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7Cf0adf811b047421c052a08d84e72426e%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C637345599932505594&amp;sdata=G%2FU57s2s1Y5PZf3JPAy0v6Q91r9aJg6liM2dcZV8aaY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/points-based-system-tier-2</a>.</p><p><em>A number of health occupations, for example nurses, are eligible for the visa by virtue of being registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. This means they will be eligible to apply, even if the organisation is not a direct NHS sub-contractor. </em></p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 08/09/2020 12:20:38 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones

1228846

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	UK Visas and Immigration: Fees and Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether there is a target proportion of free appointments provided at UKVCAS centres.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	82350
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2020 answer text <p>Sopra Steria Ltd (SSL) are our commercial partner who run the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) on behalf of UKVI. SSL monitor UKVCAS performance against set key performance indicators (KPIs) within the contract with the Home Office maintaining oversight to ensure Sopra Steria Ltd adhere to contractual requirements.</p><p>A KPI to measure the number of free appointments in the UKVCAS booking system for core sites was agreed on the 31st March 2020 with the service provider, SSL. The updated Schedule 7 Performance Levels containing the detail of the KPI will be added to contracts finder by the 14th September.</p><p>Information on the number of free appointments which were offered and booked between 29 June and 20 July is not held centrally and would take a disproportionate amount of time to secure<em>.</em></p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 82351 82353 question first answered 08/09/2020 16:18:25 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1228847

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	UK Visas and Immigration: Fees and Charges
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 to monitor the level of free appointments provided at UKVCAS centres.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	82351
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2020 answer text <p>Sopra Steria Ltd (SSL) are our commercial partner who run the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) on behalf of UKVI. SSL monitor UKVCAS performance against set key performance indicators (KPIs) within the contract with the Home Office maintaining oversight to ensure Sopra Steria Ltd adhere to contractual requirements.</p><p>A KPI to measure the number of free appointments in the UKVCAS booking system for core sites was agreed on the 31st March 2020 with the service provider, SSL. The updated Schedule 7 Performance Levels containing the detail of the KPI will be added to contracts finder by the 14th September.</p><p>Information on the number of free appointments which were offered and booked between 29 June and 20 July is not held centrally and would take a disproportionate amount of time to secure<em>.</em></p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 82350 82353 question first answered 08/09/2020 16:18:25 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1228848

registered interest
date	28/08/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	UK Visas and Immigration: Coronavirus
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 to ensure people who need to apply to UKVCAS as a result of the covid-19 pandemic are not bearing the financial costs of doing so instead of the commercial partners of UK Visas and Immigration.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	82352
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2020 answer text <p>No customer has had to apply through the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) as a result of Covid-19 who would not have previously been required to do so.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 08/09/2020 16:16:50 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1227263

registered interest
date	22/07/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: Married People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2020 to Question 40657, whether she asked the Migration Advisory Committee to consider and make recommendations on the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the ability of non-EEA spouses and partners to meet minimum income requirements.
tabling member constituency	East Renfrewshire
tabling member printed	Kirsten Oswald
uin	78713
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The Home Office has proactively established a range of measures to support those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. We continue to monitor the situation closely and take these exceptional circumstances into account.</p><p> </p><p>To ensure spouses or partners applying for entry clearance, leave to remain or indefinite leave are not unduly affected by circumstances beyond their control, for the purpose of the minimum income requirement:</p><p> </p><ul><li>a temporary loss of employment income between 1 March and 31 July 2020 due to COVID-19 will be disregarded, provided the requirement was met for at least six months up to March 2020;</li><li>an applicant or sponsor furloughed under the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be deemed as earning 100% of their salary;</li><li>a temporary loss of annual income due to COVID-19 between 1 March 2020 and 31 July 2020 will generally be disregarded for self-employment income, along with the impact on employment income from the same period for future applications. Income received via the Coronavirus Self-Employment Income Support Scheme will also be taken into account;</li><li>evidential flexibility may be applied where an applicant or sponsor experiences difficulty accessing specified evidence due to COVID-19 restrictions.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Guidance for our customers is available on GOV.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-8-appendix-fm-family-members</p><p> </p><p>This also sets out the ways in which the minimum income requirement can be met using other sources of income instead of, or along with, income from employment or self-employment. For example, income from the couple’s investments, property rental or pension may also be taken into account, together with their cash savings.</p><p> </p><p>These are unprecedented times. We continue to monitor the situation closely and may make further adjustments to requirements where necessary and appropriate to ensure people are not unduly affected by circumstances beyond their control.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 78714 78715 78716 78717 question first answered 01/09/2020 09:36:18 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4413 label Biography information for Kirsten Oswald

1227264

registered interest
date	22/07/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: Married People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2020 to Question 40657, whether the Migration Advisory Committee made recommendations on measures needed to tackle the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the ability of non-EEA spouses and partners to meet minimum income requirements.
tabling member constituency	East Renfrewshire
tabling member printed	Kirsten Oswald
uin	78714
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The Home Office has proactively established a range of measures to support those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. We continue to monitor the situation closely and take these exceptional circumstances into account.</p><p> </p><p>To ensure spouses or partners applying for entry clearance, leave to remain or indefinite leave are not unduly affected by circumstances beyond their control, for the purpose of the minimum income requirement:</p><p> </p><ul><li>a temporary loss of employment income between 1 March and 31 July 2020 due to COVID-19 will be disregarded, provided the requirement was met for at least six months up to March 2020;</li><li>an applicant or sponsor furloughed under the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be deemed as earning 100% of their salary;</li><li>a temporary loss of annual income due to COVID-19 between 1 March 2020 and 31 July 2020 will generally be disregarded for self-employment income, along with the impact on employment income from the same period for future applications. Income received via the Coronavirus Self-Employment Income Support Scheme will also be taken into account;</li><li>evidential flexibility may be applied where an applicant or sponsor experiences difficulty accessing specified evidence due to COVID-19 restrictions.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Guidance for our customers is available on GOV.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-8-appendix-fm-family-members</p><p> </p><p>This also sets out the ways in which the minimum income requirement can be met using other sources of income instead of, or along with, income from employment or self-employment. For example, income from the couple’s investments, property rental or pension may also be taken into account, together with their cash savings.</p><p> </p><p>These are unprecedented times. We continue to monitor the situation closely and may make further adjustments to requirements where necessary and appropriate to ensure people are not unduly affected by circumstances beyond their control.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 78713 78715 78716 78717 question first answered 01/09/2020 09:36:18 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4413 label Biography information for Kirsten Oswald

1227265

registered interest
date	22/07/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: Married People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2020 to Question 40657, what changes she made to tackle the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the ability of non-EEA spouses and partners to meet minimum income requirements.
tabling member constituency	East Renfrewshire
tabling member printed	Kirsten Oswald
uin	78715
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The Home Office has proactively established a range of measures to support those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. We continue to monitor the situation closely and take these exceptional circumstances into account.</p><p> </p><p>To ensure spouses or partners applying for entry clearance, leave to remain or indefinite leave are not unduly affected by circumstances beyond their control, for the purpose of the minimum income requirement:</p><p> </p><ul><li>a temporary loss of employment income between 1 March and 31 July 2020 due to COVID-19 will be disregarded, provided the requirement was met for at least six months up to March 2020;</li><li>an applicant or sponsor furloughed under the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be deemed as earning 100% of their salary;</li><li>a temporary loss of annual income due to COVID-19 between 1 March 2020 and 31 July 2020 will generally be disregarded for self-employment income, along with the impact on employment income from the same period for future applications. Income received via the Coronavirus Self-Employment Income Support Scheme will also be taken into account;</li><li>evidential flexibility may be applied where an applicant or sponsor experiences difficulty accessing specified evidence due to COVID-19 restrictions.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Guidance for our customers is available on GOV.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-8-appendix-fm-family-members</p><p> </p><p>This also sets out the ways in which the minimum income requirement can be met using other sources of income instead of, or along with, income from employment or self-employment. For example, income from the couple’s investments, property rental or pension may also be taken into account, together with their cash savings.</p><p> </p><p>These are unprecedented times. We continue to monitor the situation closely and may make further adjustments to requirements where necessary and appropriate to ensure people are not unduly affected by circumstances beyond their control.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 78713 78714 78716 78717 question first answered 01/09/2020 09:36:18 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4413 label Biography information for Kirsten Oswald