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1462182

registered interest
date	11/05/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Passports: Standards
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 reduce waiting times for passport applications through (a) fast-tracking regular applications, (b) minimising application review times and (c) processing refunds; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of allowing passport applications to be cancelled online.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	898
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2022 answer text <p>Ahead of unrestricted international travel returning, HM Passport Office prepared extensively to serve an unprecedented number of customers, with 9.5 million British passport applications forecasted throughout 2022.</p><p>Since April 2021, people have been advised to allow up to ten weeks to get their passport. However, HMPO has introduced a range of contingency measures, including technical improvements, and bolstering its resources. This has helped to deliver record output, with the processing of nearly two million applications being completed between March and April 2022.</p><p>Refunds are actioned as quickly as able once we have all necessary documentation.</p><p>There are currently no plans for introducing online cancellation of applications. Passport fees are set to cover the cost of administering the application and are therefore not routinely refunded when an application is withdrawn.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 23/05/2022 10:59:08 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 1741 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1388600

registered interest
date	16/12/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Afghanistan: Visas
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 secure visas for the children of British Nationals who are still in Afghanistan.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	94451
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/01/2022 answer text <p>Family members of British citizens who were not called forward as part of Op Pitting will need to apply to come to the UK under the existing economic or family migration rules. <br> <br> They will be expected to meet the eligibility requirements of their chosen route, which includes paying relevant fees and charges, and providing biometrics. There is currently no option to give biometrics in Afghanistan</p><p><br> The British Embassy in Kabul has suspended in-country operations and all UK diplomatic and consular staff have been temporarily withdrawn. The UK is working with international partners to secure safe routes out of Afghanistan as soon as they become available, but while the security situation remains extremely volatile, we recommend people in Afghanistan do not make applications and pay application fees at this time as they will not be considered until biometrics are provided. Those Afghans who are outside of Afghanistan and able to get to a Visa Application Centre (VAC) to provide their biometrics are able to make an application in the usual way</p><p><br> If the child is a British national, we are not currently able to issue passports or Emergency Travel Documents in Afghanistan. To obtain an Emergency Travel Document, a family member would need to attend one of our Embassies and High Commissions in neighbouring countries, where face to face consular services are available to British nationals.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 06/01/2022 14:30:18 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 41448 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1348784

registered interest
date	20/07/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Pre-school Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason early years workers including nursery staff were not included in the shortage occupation list for the Skilled Worker visa; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of that decision on the early years and childcare sector.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	36714
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2021 answer text <p>The independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) reviewed the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) in September 2020 and did not recommend adding early years workers to the UK SOL. A copy of the report can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Freview-of-the-shortage-occupation-list-2020&amp;data=04%7C01%7CMichael.Smedley%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7C26a4f9d0f1464c386c7208d94c357041%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C637624614658695683%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=QoObHnwsCUlydysfOTUVpATRikCZLNKZDTMnl6ECgpA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-the-shortage-occupation-list-2020</a></p><p>The MAC found there was a low vacancy rate for primary and nursery teachers and a lack of evidence of shortage, although Gaelic medium teachers remain on the Scotland-only SOL.</p><p>An occupation does not need to be on the SOL to be sponsored for a Skilled Worker visa. Upon advice from the MAC, the Government broadened the eligibility of the route, enabling more roles to qualify in early years education and other sectors.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 28/07/2021 14:17:31 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1347325

registered interest
date	15/07/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Identity Cards and Passports: 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 assessment she has made of the potential merits of allowing (a) EU school children entry to the UK on a collective passport scheme and (b) EU citizens to travel to the UK using an national ID Card from an EU country.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	33998
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2021 answer text <p>The UK is a signatory to the 1961 Council of Europe treaty which provides for collective passports for young people. Continued acceptance of these passports from those who have ratified the treaty is current practice. The UK has not left the Council of Europe.</p><p>The UK has left the EU, ended free movement and is aligning the entry of EU and non-EU citizens. Citizens from outside the EU (and other EEA countries and Switzerland) cannot use national identity cards for travel to the UK and EEA national identity cards are, as a rule, less secure documents than national passports, hence they dominate the figures for document abuse detected at the border. Our assessment is therefore their continued use presents a risk to border security which we are no longer obliged to accept.</p><p>All visitors from outside the EU are expected to hold a passport (and visa where necessary) and those visiting from EU countries will be expected to do the same.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 23/07/2021 13:15:54 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1315783

registered interest
date	18/05/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Au Pairs: 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 assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on working parents who rely on au pairs for childcare of the decision not to grant a dedicated immigration route for au pairs from the EU.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	3083
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2021 answer text <p>As has been the case since 2008, successive governments have decided the UK’s immigration system should not offer a dedicated visa route for au pairs.</p><p>Those who wish to employ an au pair can either look to offer a package which makes it attractive to those with general rights to work in the UK, such as those who arrive under our Youth Mobility Schemes, or dependants of people already settled in the UK, or use the wide range of childcare options in the UK relied upon by most families.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 26/05/2021 11:34:20 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1236177

registered interest
date	21/09/2020
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, in each of the last six months how many health and care workers have (a) paid the immigration health surcharge, (b) applied for a refund for that charge and (c) been successfully refunded.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	92847
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/09/2020 answer text <p>This information is not readily available nor held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost due to the fact the IHS is payable across multiple application routes. For example, where the customer is on a visa with a general right to work and subsequently takes up employment, we do not have a record who the employer is.</p><p>Since the Prime Minister’s announcement, we have been working at pace to identify and issue refunds to those customers who are eligible and hold Tier 2 (General) visas.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 29/09/2020 13:21:00 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1221176

registered interest
date	06/07/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Youth Mobility Scheme: Coronavirus
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 plans to extend the stay of Tier 5 Youth Mobility visa holders as a result of the covid-19 oubreak.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	69634
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2020 answer text <p>The latest information in respect of advice for visa holders can be found on GOV.UK at:</p><p>www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents.</p><p>This advice is being kept under review.</p><p>The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those affected by the covid-19 outbreak. We recognise further adjustments are likely to be required to cater for all scenarios, and we are working through these to ensure people are not unduly affected by circumstances beyond their control.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 13/07/2020 08:56:12 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1193236

registered interest
date	05/05/2020
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, if she will make it her policy to permanently exempt (a) NHS staff and (b) the families of NHS staff from the Immigration Health Surcharge.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	43715
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2020 answer text <p>We welcome the vital contribution NHS staff from across the globe make to our healthcare system.</p><p>The Government has recently announced a series of measures for key health workers on the frontline fighting coronavirus. Visas will be automatically extended for 12 months free of charge and there will be no Immigration Health Surcharge for the extension. These measures apply to NHS doctors, nurses and paramedics, and we have recently expanded this offer to cover more key NHS frontline health workers, including those working in eligible occupations in the independent health and care sector. This will also apply to their family members. The automatic extension offer will be for those whose visas expire between 31 March and 1 October. We estimate around 3,000 healthcare professionals, plus their families, will benefit.</p><p>Going forward, it is right those who come to the UK contribute to the NHS whose services they can access from when they arrive. Income from the Immigration Health Surcharge goes directly back into the NHS to help provide vital and lifesaving services.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 13/05/2020 08:32:04 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1151814

registered interest
date	23/10/2019
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Brexit: Publicity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent on (a) mugs, (b) badges, (c) pens, (d) t-shirts and (e) jumpers to be provided to civil servants as part of the Government's Get ready for Brexit advertising campaign.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	4344
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>This information on total spend by Government departments is not held centrally in the form requested.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to PQs 290437, 290765 and 290970 on 30th September 2019.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 28/10/2019 10:18:36 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq

1151123

registered interest
date	21/10/2019
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Offshore Funds
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the rules that govern the use of offshore bank accounts by (a) Government Ministers, (b) Senior Civil Servants and (c) Directors of Government-controlled companies.
tabling member constituency	Hampstead and Kilburn
tabling member printed	Tulip Siddiq
uin	2887
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2019 answer text <p>All public office holders are expected to comply with the law as it applies to offshore banking activity.</p><p>Ministers and Civil Servants must also uphold the standards of conduct as set out in the Ministerial and Civil Service Code respectively, as well as the seven principles of public life.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 24/10/2019 09:31:17 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4518 label Biography information for Tulip Siddiq