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1458787

registered interest
date	20/04/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: Veterans
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Written Statement of 23 February 2022, HCWS624 on Outcome of Public Consultation on Settlement Fees for Non-UK Service Personnel, whether non-UK veterans living outside the UK with (a) spent and (b) unspent convictions will qualify under the new policy.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	156471
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2022 answer text <p>The new policy announced following the public consultation on settlement fees for non-UK service personnel implemented a fee waiver for certain non-UK veterans applying for settlement in the UK. There has been no change to the suitability criteria: those with convictions covered by Part 2, paragraphs 8 to 10b of Appendix Armed Forces will be refused.</p><p> </p><p>The fee waiver policy already applies to non-UK veterans living outside the UK who apply for settlement in the UK more than two years after discharge where the requirements of Part 3, paragraph 11 of Appendix Armed Forces are met.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 26/04/2022 16:39:17 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 65258 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

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

1457830

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	Clearsprings Ready Homes: Contracts
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 has taken to ensure value for money in respect of contracted-out services to Clearsprings Ready Homes.
tabling member constituency	Edmonton
tabling member printed	Kate Osamor
uin	154224
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2022 answer text <p>The standards we expect from our contractors and providers are monitored closely to ensure they continue to meet them.</p><p> </p><p>The standards of accommodation and service are set within the Asylum Accommodation and Support Services (AASC) contract and represent a higher standard of quality than the preceding COMPASS contracts. The AASC contracts have a robust performance management system, against which providers are expected to deliver.</p><p> </p><p>Accommodation providers’ performance is monitored closely by dedicated staff in each contract area, who are in daily contact with them. This is supplemented by a formal governance process.</p><p> </p><p>Details of the AASC can be found at: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fnews%2Fnew-asylum-accommodation-contracts-awarded&amp;data=05%7C01%7CJordan.Kelly27%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7C935dbaf5b55f41dceb5608da22bd67c4%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C637860494119143762%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=WluEj72k%2F6SzJiik%2BuvC3nZT6amXX7KspxfefWLcJpk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">New asylum accommodation contracts awarded - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 21/04/2022 10:53:22 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 64209 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4515 label Biography information for Kate Osamor

1458025

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	Asylum: Applications
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 average cost of processing an adult male asylum seeker in the UK under existing arrangements; and if she will publish a breakdown of that cost.
tabling member constituency	Brent Central
tabling member printed	Dawn Butler
uin	153796
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2022 answer text <p>The Home Office are unable to provide the average cost of processing an adult male asylum seeker in the UK under existing arrangements as this information is not published or held in a reportable format.</p><p>The Home Office do publish as part of their published Transparency release the total asylum costs at Asy_04: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data#uk-visas-and-immigration" target="_blank">Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p>These costs include the managing asylum operations claim including the costs associated with deciding a case (screening, interviews and issuing a decision), managing any related appeal, the cost of all asylum support (Section 4, Section 95 and Section 98), detention costs where detention has been used and enforcement costs (escorting and assisted voluntary returns). Also included are the costs of department staff and buildings and the proportionate costs of the Home Office building and managerial costs.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 21/04/2022 10:52:10 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 64210 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	1489 label Biography information for Dawn Butler

1456279

registered interest
date	31/03/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Afghanistan and Syria
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the visa application regime for Ukrainian refugees to refugees from (a) Syria and (b) Afghanistan.
tabling member constituency	Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey
tabling member printed	Drew Hendry
uin	151184
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2022 answer text <p>The Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine Scheme have been developed in response to the very specific circumstances of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and are designed to help Ukrainians fleeing the conflict.</p><p>The Ukrainian Schemes have been designed in light of very different circumstances to those which led to the Government’s Syrian and Afghan resettlement schemes. The Government has no plans to extend eligibility for its Ukrainian Visa Application Schemes to refugees from Syria or Afghanistan.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 21/04/2022 10:35:46 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 63967 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4467 label Biography information for Drew Hendry

1454300

registered interest
date	25/03/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Homes for Ukraine Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many visas the Government had issued to Ukrainian refugees under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) as of 24 March 2022.
tabling member constituency	Angus
tabling member printed	Dave Doogan
uin	147101
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2022 answer text <p>The Homes for Ukraine scheme was launched on 14 March 2022 by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Information on the scheme can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils" target="_blank">Homes for Ukraine: guidance for councils - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 31/03/2022 09:51:00 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 61621 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4736 label Biography information for Dave Doogan

1454079

registered interest
date	24/03/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Refugees
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 increase capacity in the context of increased refugee applications; whether she has plans to recruit more staff to handle those applications; what assessment she has made of the potential impact of prioritising Ukrainian refugee applications on outstanding refugee applications from other countries; and what assessment she has made of reports that people applying for visas in African countries have been told they will have to wait longer because of the situation in the Ukraine.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	146626
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2022 answer text <p>The Home Office is currently prioritising applications made under its Ukraine Schemes in response to the humanitarian crisis arising from the invasion of Ukraine.</p><p>As a result, customers with standard applications in study, work, and family routes may experience some delays in the processing of their application. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. PV and SPV remains available for visitor applications but can only be purchased via the commercial partner website. This applies in all locations, not just African countries.</p><p>The Home Office monitor performance constantly and try to maximise delivery efficiency. We are also undertaking a review of our service standards for visas and leave to remain routes.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 31/03/2022 17:12:13 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 61327 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

1454139

registered interest
date	24/03/2022
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 ease the visa application and subsequent refugee paperwork for Ukrainians who do not speak English to help them navigate the UK system at the Ukraine border.
tabling member constituency	Wimbledon
tabling member printed	Stephen Hammond
uin	146591
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2022 answer text <p>The Home Office is continually making efforts to simplify the application process for Ukrainian refugees, and keeps this under regular review.</p><p>Furthermore. the webpage for the Ukrainian Family scheme (which can be found here: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fguidance%2Fapply-for-a-ukraine-family-scheme-visa&amp;data=04%7C01%7CKeith.Edwards42%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7C5245f11c618847b1c2ca08da131435e8%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C637843274757829762%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=hmbo%2F2tdL398VhkGrRHXZWbeQ9%2BlTYowxOZ0x2TBvjk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Apply for a Ukraine Family Scheme visa - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a> is available in English, Russian and Ukrainian so that applicants can better navigate the form.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 01/04/2022 15:19:15 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 62240 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond

1452417

registered interest
date	18/03/2022
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 proportion of Ukraine Family Scheme Visas granted to date are for three years; and what proportion of those visas have been offered for shorter periods of time.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
tabling member printed	Gill Furniss
uin	142491
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2022 answer text <p>Information on the number of applications which have been granted under the newly launched Ukraine Family Scheme can be found in our published data on the GOV.UK webpage: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fukraine-family-scheme-application-data&amp;data=04%7C01%7CKeith.Edwards42%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7C62a18ed4762843ecc3e308da0b3fc2ca%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C637834665711470137%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=l6EMwn8DMDjvlSCn2s6HpDYjtmscIr%2B2JutZ0ONYY%2BM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ukraine-family-scheme-application-data</a></p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 24/03/2022 18:46:02 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 59858 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4571 label Biography information for Gill Furniss

1452270

registered interest
date	17/03/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Tourism
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 merits of introducing low cost visitor visas to support the recovery of the tourist economy following the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Feltham and Heston
tabling member printed	Seema Malhotra
uin	141988
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2022 answer text <p>The Home Office recognises the importance of visitors to the UK economy and so has kept fees for Short-Term Visit Visas below the estimated cost of processing an application. Income from fees charged for immigration and nationality applications plays a vital role in our ability to run a sustainable Migration and Borders system.</p><p>The visa fee will normally represent a relatively small cost within the context of the overall decision to visit the UK, once costs of travel, accommodation and currency fluctuations are taken into account.</p><p>It is worth noting many coming from key markets for our tourism sector, including North America and Europe, are non-visa nationals so do not need to apply for a visa in advance of travelling here for a visit of up to 6 months, with EEA nationals and nationals of Australia, Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and the United States of America able to use our e-gates (Where available) on arrival in the UK.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 25/03/2022 17:29:17 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 60478 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4253 label Biography information for Seema Malhotra