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1459881

registered interest
date	25/04/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees: Ukraine
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate she has made of the number of Ukrainian refugees residing in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff West
tabling member printed	Kevin Brennan
uin	906555
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2022 answer text <p>The Home Office now routinely publishes data on Ukrainians arriving in the United Kingdom under our two new schemes.</p><p>Between 11 and 18 April, the number of those arriving under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme more than doubled from 3,200 to 6,600.</p><p>15,000 more Ukranians have arrived under the Family Scheme; meaning that as of 18 April, 21,600 visa holders had arrived in the UK.</p><p>We continue to work at pace to ensure more people can arrive more quickly.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 25/04/2022 15:27:32 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	1400 label Biography information for Kevin Brennan

1459882

registered interest
date	25/04/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Ukraine
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made on increasing the number of visas granted to people fleeing the war in Ukraine.
tabling member constituency	City of Durham
tabling member printed	Mary Kelly Foy
uin	906558
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2022 answer text <p>We are prioritising visa applications from Ukrainians and have surged capacity to other visa application centres (VACs) in Poland, Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic and Moldova.</p><p>Ukrainians with passports no longer need to go to a VAC to give their biometrics before they come to the UK.</p><p>This will mean that our VACs across Europe can focus their efforts on helping Ukrainians without passports, increasing the capacity at those centres to 13,000 appointments per week.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 25/04/2022 15:28:51 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4753 label Biography information for Mary Kelly Foy

1459885

registered interest
date	25/04/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees: Ukraine
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 support Ukrainian refugees.
tabling member constituency	Waveney
tabling member printed	Peter Aldous
uin	906563
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2022 answer text <p>The UK has a long history of supporting refugees in need of protection.</p><p>In response to the ongoing conflict, the Home Office has launched the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.</p><p>Both of these schemes are free, and people applying under the schemes will be able to live and work in the UK for up to three years. They will have full and unrestricted access to benefits, healthcare, employment, and other support.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 25/04/2022 15:29:59 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4069 label Biography information for Peter Aldous

1457303

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: Ukraine
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made changes to her Department's policy on overtime to assist with the processing of visas for Ukrainian refugees.
tabling member constituency	York Outer
tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
uin	153928
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2022 answer text <p>The opportunity to work overtime has been offered to all staff working on our Ukraine related schemes.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 26/04/2022 14:21:24 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1457404

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: English Language
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the basis is for granting an exception to applicants from (a) Barbados, (b) Jamaica and (c) Trinidad and Tobago from a requirement to take International English Language Testing System exams for UK Visas and educational programmes; for what reason that exception does apply to applicants from Nigeria; how many Nigerians applied for the International English Language Testing System over the last five years; what the pass rate was in each of those years; and on what basis the charge for that test was calculated.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	153951
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2022 answer text <p>Those who come from a country which is on the Majority English Speaking Countries list (MESC list) are not required to provide evidence of English language ability.</p><p> </p><p>To be included on the MESC list, the Home Office must have evidence over half the population in the country being considered speaks English as a first language. If a country meets this criteria it means it is more likely than not any individual applicant from that country can speak English with the level of fluency required to integrate in the UK and complete the course they are coming to study or job they are coming to do.</p><p> </p><p>We do not have evidence that Nigeria meets this criteria. We regularly check whether new evidence is publicly available which shows a country meets the criteria to be included in the MESC list.</p><p> </p><p>As an alternative to language testing, applicants can also rely on other types of proof of their language ability:</p><ul><li>having met the requirement at the required level in a previous immigration application; or</li><li>holding a degree-level qualification which was taught in English; or</li><li>having their chosen university or other Higher Educational Institution self-certify their level of English ability if they are applying as a student; or</li><li>meeting the requirements for professional regulation as a doctor, dentist, nurse, midwife or veterinarian if they are sponsored as a skilled worker; or</li><li>having a GCSE, A-level, Scottish National Qualification at level 4 or 5 or, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher, in English following education at a UK school begun when they were under-18.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Information on how many Nigerians applied for the International English Language Testing System over the last five years and what the pass rate was in each of those years is not information held by the Home Office.</p><p> </p><p>The fee for the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) test is set by the relevant SELT Provider. To allow for a fair pricing system, the SELT Provider is required to ensure that customers are being charged a comparable fee for the same or similar test. Once set, any increases to the fee can only be made with the agreement of the Home Office.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 21/04/2022 10:50:47 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 64207 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1457405

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	Nigeria: English Language
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information the Simplification of Rules Taskforce office used to reach the decision that Nigeria was not to be included in the Majority English Speaking Countries list.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	153952
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2022 answer text <p>To be included on the Majority English Speaking Countries list (MESC list), the Home Office must have evidence over half the population in the country in question speaks English as a first language.</p><p> </p><p>If a country meets this criteria, it means it is more likely than not any individual applicant from that country can speak English with the level of fluency required to integrate in the UK and complete the course they are coming to study, or the job they are coming to do without them having to provide further evidence.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Evidence we look for includes census data and official statistics. Academic studies, data on literacy, languages in which schooling or university courses are taught, and evidence of languages spoken in the home are helpful, but not definitive.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 26/04/2022 13:53:17 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

1457476

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	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 she has made of the effectiveness of the Afghanistan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme in meeting its aims; and what steps she is taking in continuing to support that scheme.
tabling member constituency	Truro and Falmouth
tabling member printed	Cherilyn Mackrory
uin	154412
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2022 answer text <p>The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme commenced on 6 January 2022, providing up to 20,000 women, children and others at risk with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK.</p><p>Eligible individuals can be referred onto the Scheme in one of three ways, as set out in the policy statement. In line with this statement, the Home Office remains committed to achieving the objectives set out for the ACRS.</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghanistan-resettlement-and-immigration-policy-statement" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghanistan-resettlement-and-immigration-policy-statement</a></p><p>We started to resettle families under Pathway One of the ACRS at the start of the year. In light of the success of our evacuation efforts, we expect to exceed our initial aim of resettling 5,000 through the Scheme in the first year.</p><p>We are working at pace to prepare to receive the first referrals under Pathways 2 and 3 as soon as we can, so individuals affected by the events in Afghanistan can safely arrive in the UK and start to rebuild their lives.</p><p>We will publish ACRS resettlement figures in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, allowing transparent progress-monitoring.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 26/04/2022 13:54:43 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4758 label Biography information for Cherilyn Mackrory

1457479

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: Ukraine
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 extend or adjust the visas of existing Ukrainian students in the UK whose student visas are due to expire this year.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	153715
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2022 answer text <p>The Government will be launching a new Ukraine Extension Scheme on 3 May.</p><p>Under this route, Ukrainian nationals and their partner and children who had permission to stay in the UK on 18 March 2022 (or which has recently expired) will be able to stay in the UK under the Ukraine Extension Scheme. Eligibility for permission to stay will include those who were in the UK as Students.</p><p>Successful applicants will be granted permission to stay in the UK for 3 years with full access to work, study and public funds.</p><p>The Ukraine Extension Scheme will be free of charge with no requirement to pay any application fee or broader charges such as the Immigration Health Surcharge.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 25/04/2022 14:02:16 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1457481

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: Ukraine
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 ensure that existing Ukrainian students in the UK can sponsor their family members to come to the UK.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	153716
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2022 answer text <p>Individuals with at least six months’ permission to be in the UK can sponsor Ukrainians under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 21/04/2022 15:12:49 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1457498

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	Large Goods Vehicle Drivers
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 adding HGV drivers to the shortage occupation list.
tabling member constituency	Ynys Môn
tabling member printed	Virginia Crosbie
uin	154523
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2022 answer text <p>As my previous answer from 26 November 2021 set out, Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers are not an eligible occupation under the Skilled Worker route as they do not meet the required skill level and therefore cannot be placed on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL). Being on the SOL does not exempt an occupation from the requirements, such as the skills threshold, of the Skilled Worker route. The Government intends to commission the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to undertake another review of the SOL this year, during which time, the logistics sector will be able to provide evidence for consideration by the MAC.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Transport are leading measures to address shortages, including ramping up testing capacity, alongside encouraging employers to tackle longstanding issues in the sector through more investment in skills and training, along with better pay and working conditions (including facilities). These measures are a more effective solution to issues facing the sector, rather than immigration, especially given the current global shortage of drivers.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 21/04/2022 15:06:50 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4859 label Biography information for Virginia Crosbie