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1519224

registered interest
date	10/10/2022
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Bus Services and Railways: Concessions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of offering half-price train and bus tickets to (a) apprentices and (b) those on a low income in the context of the rising cost of living.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	59734
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2022 answer text <p>We already have a number of measures in place which help passengers, including apprentices and those on a low income, save on rail fares. Many will be able to benefit from the railcards on offer which offer discounts against most rail fares.</p><p> </p><p>Most recently, we launched a ticket sale, with over 1.3 million tickets being sold, offering around £7million worth of savings for passengers.</p><p> </p><p>In considering any new rail fare discounts, the Government would need to carefully consider the potential benefits to passengers, costs to taxpayers and impact on the operation of the railway.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 18/10/2022 16:55:47 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1506162

registered interest
date	08/09/2022
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	British Airways: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with British Airways on reducing the number of disrupted flights from the UK.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	49664
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2022 answer text <p>It is the responsibility of British Airways to manage demand, recruit staff and have appropriate contingency plans in place for their services.</p><p>The aviation industry has worked hard to build back resilience and ensure flying programmes can be delivered. Over the summer, flight cancellations fell and continue to be in line with 2019 levels.</p><p>Reflecting on lessons learnt from the summer, the industry is working to ensure plans are reviewed ahead of the winter months.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 22/09/2022 12:44:43 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1505279

registered interest
date	06/09/2022
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Electric Vehicles: Charging Points
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the (a) adequacy and (b) efficiency of the speed of existing electric vehicle charge points.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	48348
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/09/2022 answer text <p>The Government recognises the importance of having a comprehensive electric vehicle charging network, one which is reliable and suitable for all electric vehicles.</p><p> </p><p>To date, Government and industry have supported the installation of over 32,900 publicly available charging devices including more than 6,100 rapid devices – one of the largest networks in Europe. We expect a comprehensive national charging infrastructure network will include a mix of charging speeds and technologies, depending on the needs of different locations and users. In March, the government committed to mandating a 99% reliability metric across the rapid charging network.</p><p> </p><p>Rapid charging will be crucial for long distance journeys. Government has already committed to support enough new electrical capacity to deliver 6,000 ultra-rapid charge points along motorways and major A-roads by 2035.</p><p> </p><p>For local charging, locally led planning is crucial to ensure the diverse needs of different areas are appropriately considered. Our research shows drivers without off-street parking have varied preferences when it comes to EV charging. Charging speed is important, but proximity to home is a critical factor for many people. The £450 million Local EV Infrastructure Fund will help enable strategic local provision of public EV infrastructure ahead of need to promote a more equitable EV charging experience for those without off-street parking.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 20/09/2022 13:36:39 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1465214

registered interest
date	24/05/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Cuba: Migration
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 is taking steps to support people who wish to migrate from Cuba to the UK.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	7992
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/06/2022 answer text <p>Following our exit from the European Union we have established a new global points-based immigration system focused on the skills and contributions that people have to offer the UK, not where their passport is from. This means Cuban nationals can apply for a range of our visa routes, including Skilled Worker and Student, provided they meet the relevant criteria for them.</p><p>Help and support for those seeking to come to the United Kingdom is available on gov.uk at <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fguidance%2Fnew-immigration-system-what-you-need-to-know&amp;data=05%7C01%7CGloria.Ekolie%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7Cdface2d3ba6444ab023308da3f27e5eb%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C637891737827390355%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=gS1Kzuq7s0jq8nh8JnudpHwBscNACKVREoTqIP%2B8ekA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-immigration-system-what-you-need-to-know</a></p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 06/06/2022 07:41:00 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1401915

registered interest
date	11/01/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: British National (Overseas)
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 changing the BN(O) visa scheme to enable any persons from Hong Kong who have at least one parent who is a British national (overseas) to apply for the British National (Overseas) visa.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	101721
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/01/2022 answer text <p>The BN(O) route is an unprecedented and generous offer reflecting the UK’s historic and moral commitment to the people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status. We are sympathetic to the circumstances of this cohort and are looking at whether more can be done to support them.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 18/01/2022 14:44:19 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1383875

registered interest
date	01/12/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Musicians
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 specialised visa renewals for touring groups to streamline the (a) time and (b) cost of visa applications for working musicians.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	85273
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2021 answer text <p>Overseas musicians and performers make an important contribution to the UK's creative sector and are very welcome in the United Kingdom. We therefore offer a range of immigration routes for creative workers.</p><p>Visiting artists, entertainers and musicians can come to the UK and perform at events, take part in competitions and auditions, make personal appearances and take part in promotional activities for up to six months without the need for formal sponsorship or a work visa if they are not receiving payment beyond expenses or prize money.</p><p>Those from non-visa national countries can come to perform in the UK and be paid without the need to obtain a visa in advance for up to one month under the Permitted Paid Engagement route, up to three months if they have been assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship by a licenced sponsor or for up to six months if performing at a Permit Free Festival. With no requirement to obtain a visa prior to travel, these options provide a flexible system which enables performance slots to be filled at short notice and reduces the administrative burden for performers.</p><p>For longer-term work, the Temporary Work – Creative Worker visa allows creative workers to come to the UK to undertake paid engagements for up to twelve months, which can be extended for a further twelve months in certain cases. We also offer priority and super priority services for those who wish to receive a quicker decision on their visa application (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/faster-decision-visa-settlement" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/faster-decision-visa-settlement</a>).</p><p>Fees are kept under review and are set taking account of the charging powers provided by Section 68(9) of the Immigration Act 2014, which include the ability to set fees based on: the cost of processing the application, the benefits and entitlements provided by a successful application and the wider cost of the Migration and Borders system. Full details of which can be reviewed via the following link: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.legislation.gov.uk%2Fukpga%2F2014%2F22%2Fsection%2F68&amp;data=04%7C01%7CRebecca.Scully%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7C8e3ff2f2b6504714002208d9b58164a3%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C637740389601471407%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=pSTxF%2BnLS2Xq3c9Mnrc4X%2BSOWEgiINsmTw3CrdEbCUw%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/22/section/68</a></p><p>Income from fees charged for immigration and nationality applications plays a vital role in our ability to run a sustainable immigration and nationality system. Application fees have increased in recent years to reduce the funding that comes from general taxation.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 08/12/2021 15:31:44 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1366102

registered interest
date	04/11/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	HM Passport Office: Recruitment
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 allocate additional funding to support the employment of more staff at UK passport offices to help process increased levels of applications and renewals.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	69618
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2021 answer text <p>Her Majesty’s Passport Office is currently conducting a recruitment exercise for temporary staff to increase its operational capacity. This is in addition to its range of tried and tested arrangements, including the flexing of resources from across the Home Office and other government departments, to ensure that passports continue to be issued within the current published timeframe of up to 10 weeks even in periods of the very highest demand.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 12/11/2021 08:58:20 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1346717

registered interest
date	14/07/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration Controls: Coronavirus
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 to ensure that the correct (a) procedures are followed and (b) documents are checked at border controls at UK airports during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	33229
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2021 answer text <p>The digital logic incorporated into the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) processes ensure the correct processes can only be completed once all tests are booked and other requirements are fulfilled.</p><p>Border Force officers are now able to check passengers have completed their online PLF when scanning their passport.</p><p>Our continual upgrade of e-Gates enables more passengers to use them and for the e-Gates to check a PLF, including test bookings, has been completed before the E-Gate allows the passenger entry or advises the passenger to seek assistance of staff at the control desk.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 23/07/2021 13:17:19 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1339870

registered interest
date	24/06/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration Controls: Airports
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 take steps to increase the number of Border Force staff at airports, to tackle queues at immigration and customs checks.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	21905
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2021 answer text <p>Protecting public health is our priority and as we reopen international travel safely we will maintain 100% health checks at the border to protect the wider public as well as our vaccine rollout. However, with additional checks to keep the country safe, some delays are to be expected.</p><p>Following two rounds of recruitment the Border Force has increased its workforce to an operational team of just over 9,000 staff, with a large proportion of those staff deployed in Border Force Operations.</p><p>In addition to permanent FTE, Border Force has established a dedicated internal operation to ensure additional contingency resources are available to deploy to the primary control point to process entry requirements. This is aiming to bring in over 800 staff. These are made up of full-time surge resources, but also part time seasonal, and agency staff.</p><p>In addition, we are updating our e-gates to meet the new biosecurity check requirements as well as simplifying the Passenger Locator Form to expedite the process as much as possible.</p><p>Resource and staffing requirements at every port are continually reviewed by Border Force who work closely with airport operators to ensure resources are deployed flexibly as and when they are required, however, increased passenger flow will add to wait times due to our enhanced checks, and those travelling should be aware of this and plan for it.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 02/07/2021 10:01:10 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1338074

registered interest
date	18/06/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: Armed Forces
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 take steps to grant permanent residency to UK troops who are from overseas who have served in the UK armed forces for over 12 years.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	18517
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2021 answer text <p>This Government hugely values every member of our outstanding Armed Forces and we are humbled when non-UK nationals choose to serve our country.</p><p>It is for these reasons we explicitly provide for all non-UK service personnel discharged from HM Forces to obtain settlement in the UK having served for four years or more or having been discharged for medical reasons due to their service via the online form SET(AF):</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-settle-in-uk-as-former-member-of-hm-forces-setaf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-settle-in-uk-as-former-member-of-hm-forces-setaf</a></p><p>In addition to these provisions Commonwealth personnel who have served for five years or more in HM Forces can apply to become a British Citizen. Naturalising as a British Citizen whilst serving removes any need to apply for further immigration permission to settle in the UK on a permanent basis when they discharge.</p><p>The Home Office and Ministry of Defence have launched a public consultation which proposes waiving the settlement application fee for non-UK service personnel who have served at least 12 years in HM Forces.</p><p>We would welcome any views on these proposals before the consultation closes on 7 July:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/immigration-fees-public-consultation" target="_blank">Immigration Fees Public Consultation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a></p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 28/06/2021 15:22:59 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon