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418612

registered interest
date	14/09/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to reverse the cut imposed with effect from August on asylum support, in the light of the fact that this has been frozen since 2011; and whether they will introduce special rates for children under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL2204
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2015 answer text <p>There have been two recent changes to the level of the cash allowances provided to destitute asylum seekers to cover their essential living needs.</p><p>With effect from 6 April, the allowance provided to asylum seekers without dependants was raised to £36.95 per week (from £36.62).</p><p>Since 10 August a standard payment of £36.95 per week has been provided for each person in a family group (the asylum seeker and any dependants). This resulted in a reduction in the total allowance provided to asylum seekers with children. The change was made because a review of the support system showed that the allowances previously provided exceeded the amount necessary to cover essential living needs.</p><p>There are no plans to reverse either of these changes. The Government generally reviews the level of the allowances each year and plans to do so again in 2016.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 22/09/2015 15:39:42 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

418614

registered interest
date	14/09/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what grounds their consultation on reforming support for failed asylum seekers proposes to remove all support from some 15,000 asylum applicants who are not able to produce sufficient evidence to sustain their cases; what assessment they have made of the likelihood that such people will be removed or returned to their countries of origin; and whether they plan to publish a summary of the consultation and their response to it.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL2206
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2015 answer text <p>The consultation document on reforming support for failed asylum seekers published on 4 August referred to the estimated 15,000 failed asylum seekers and their dependants who were in receipt of support under section 95 or section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 at 31 March 2015. It set out proposals for transitional arrangements for these cases, under which that support would remain available, subject to the use of existing powers under which it can be discontinued. A summary of the consultation and the Government’s response to it will be published in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 22/09/2015 15:40:01 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

416988

registered interest
date	07/09/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will give an assurance that no asylum seeker, whatever their status, will be denied the necessary support to avoid destitution.
tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
uin	HL1908
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2015 answer text <p>We are committed to fulfilling the UK’s international obligations to meet minimum standards for asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute until their asylum claim has finally been determined. These minimum standards are met through the support provided under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, usually in the form of accommodation and a weekly cash allowance of £36.95 to cover essential living needs.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 21/09/2015 15:38:13 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

346763

registered interest
date	27/05/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, with regard to the number of days elapsing between the end of financial support from the UK Border Agency for asylum seekers, and the first receipt of other forms of state financial support from the Department for Work and Pensions, across all cases between 1 January and 31 December 2014, how many cases there were in which the number of days was greater than zero; and what were the figures for (1) the minimum and maximum, (2) the mean and median, (3) the first and third, and (4) the fifth and 95th percentiles.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb
uin	HL1
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2015 answer text <p>We do not hold information or record data on asylum claimants who have ceased to receive support from the Home Office and gone on to other housing support. The UK Border Agency was abolished in March 2013 and the agency was split into two new organisations: UK Visas and Immigration and Immigration Enforcement.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 10/06/2015 15:56:04 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	4297 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb

346825

registered interest
date	27/05/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 19 March 2015 (HL5545), why those listed as receiving support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 cannot be returned to their countries of origin.
tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
uin	HL63
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2015 answer text <p>Failed asylum seekers are provided with support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 if they are destitute and can show that there is a temporary legal or practical obstacle that prevents them from leaving the United Kingdom voluntarily. The precise reasons why they are temporarily unable to leave vary from case to case, but examples include where they are too sick to travel and because they have been granted permission to apply for a judicial review of a decision relating to their asylum claim.</p><p>All retail outlets that accept the Azure card receive information about the rules relating to card purchases. The Home Office is aware that there are some instances where card purchases are refused, but in the great majority of cases this is simply because the person had insufficient credit on the card to purchase the items they were seeking to obtain. Reports of where the card purchase has been refused for other reasons are investigated and the matter taken up with the particular retail outlet.</p><p>Card users can apply for travel tickets to attend essential medical appointments. The cost of travel to essential appointments with legal advisers is covered through legal aid. Accommodation is provided within walking distance of shops and other services.</p><p>Information and guidance about how to apply for travel assistance is published on the GOV.UK website and it is also provided by the voluntary sector organisations that assist Azure card users, including Migrant Help, which is funded by the Home Office to provide an advice service.</p><p>Any retail outlet that provides food and other essential living items and accepts visa transactions can apply to join the Azure card scheme and talks periodically take place with new outlets that have expressed an interest in joining the scheme.</p><p>However, the card is currently accepted by Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrison’s, the Co-operative, Iceland, Boots, Mothercare, The British Red Cross, The Salvation Army and a few small independent retailers. The Home Office is therefore satisfied that the card is an effective way of ensuing that the persons are able to purchase food and other necessary items to cover their essential living needs.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL65 HL66 HL67 question first answered 04/06/2015 15:28:00 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

346826

registered interest
date	27/05/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people have received support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 for more than (1) one year, (2) 5 years, and (3) 10 years.
tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
uin	HL64
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2015 answer text <p>As of 28 May the number of people who have been in receipt of asylum support can be found in the table below:</p><p>Years in receipt of Support - Number of people</p><p>Between 1and 5 years - 3,330</p><p>Between 5 and 10 years - 295</p><p>More than 10 Years - 0</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 04/06/2015 15:02:01 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

346827

registered interest
date	27/05/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to ensure that shops and outlets that are part of the Azure card scheme do not refuse to serve customers using the card.
tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
uin	HL65
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2015 answer text <p>Failed asylum seekers are provided with support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 if they are destitute and can show that there is a temporary legal or practical obstacle that prevents them from leaving the United Kingdom voluntarily. The precise reasons why they are temporarily unable to leave vary from case to case, but examples include where they are too sick to travel and because they have been granted permission to apply for a judicial review of a decision relating to their asylum claim.</p><p>All retail outlets that accept the Azure card receive information about the rules relating to card purchases. The Home Office is aware that there are some instances where card purchases are refused, but in the great majority of cases this is simply because the person had insufficient credit on the card to purchase the items they were seeking to obtain. Reports of where the card purchase has been refused for other reasons are investigated and the matter taken up with the particular retail outlet.</p><p>Card users can apply for travel tickets to attend essential medical appointments. The cost of travel to essential appointments with legal advisers is covered through legal aid. Accommodation is provided within walking distance of shops and other services.</p><p>Information and guidance about how to apply for travel assistance is published on the GOV.UK website and it is also provided by the voluntary sector organisations that assist Azure card users, including Migrant Help, which is funded by the Home Office to provide an advice service.</p><p>Any retail outlet that provides food and other essential living items and accepts visa transactions can apply to join the Azure card scheme and talks periodically take place with new outlets that have expressed an interest in joining the scheme.</p><p>However, the card is currently accepted by Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrison’s, the Co-operative, Iceland, Boots, Mothercare, The British Red Cross, The Salvation Army and a few small independent retailers. The Home Office is therefore satisfied that the card is an effective way of ensuing that the persons are able to purchase food and other necessary items to cover their essential living needs.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL63 HL66 HL67 question first answered 04/06/2015 15:28:00 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

346828

registered interest
date	27/05/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage more outlets, including local shops, to sign up to the Azure card scheme.
tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
uin	HL66
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2015 answer text <p>Failed asylum seekers are provided with support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 if they are destitute and can show that there is a temporary legal or practical obstacle that prevents them from leaving the United Kingdom voluntarily. The precise reasons why they are temporarily unable to leave vary from case to case, but examples include where they are too sick to travel and because they have been granted permission to apply for a judicial review of a decision relating to their asylum claim.</p><p>All retail outlets that accept the Azure card receive information about the rules relating to card purchases. The Home Office is aware that there are some instances where card purchases are refused, but in the great majority of cases this is simply because the person had insufficient credit on the card to purchase the items they were seeking to obtain. Reports of where the card purchase has been refused for other reasons are investigated and the matter taken up with the particular retail outlet.</p><p>Card users can apply for travel tickets to attend essential medical appointments. The cost of travel to essential appointments with legal advisers is covered through legal aid. Accommodation is provided within walking distance of shops and other services.</p><p>Information and guidance about how to apply for travel assistance is published on the GOV.UK website and it is also provided by the voluntary sector organisations that assist Azure card users, including Migrant Help, which is funded by the Home Office to provide an advice service.</p><p>Any retail outlet that provides food and other essential living items and accepts visa transactions can apply to join the Azure card scheme and talks periodically take place with new outlets that have expressed an interest in joining the scheme.</p><p>However, the card is currently accepted by Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrison’s, the Co-operative, Iceland, Boots, Mothercare, The British Red Cross, The Salvation Army and a few small independent retailers. The Home Office is therefore satisfied that the card is an effective way of ensuing that the persons are able to purchase food and other necessary items to cover their essential living needs.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL63 HL65 HL67 question first answered 04/06/2015 15:28:01 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

346829

registered interest
date	27/05/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Azure card users can apply for travel assistance (1) for medical appointments, (2) for legal appointments, and (3) to reach the closest outlet that will accept the Azure card; and, if so, how such information is provided to users.
tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
uin	HL67
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2015 answer text <p>Failed asylum seekers are provided with support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 if they are destitute and can show that there is a temporary legal or practical obstacle that prevents them from leaving the United Kingdom voluntarily. The precise reasons why they are temporarily unable to leave vary from case to case, but examples include where they are too sick to travel and because they have been granted permission to apply for a judicial review of a decision relating to their asylum claim.</p><p>All retail outlets that accept the Azure card receive information about the rules relating to card purchases. The Home Office is aware that there are some instances where card purchases are refused, but in the great majority of cases this is simply because the person had insufficient credit on the card to purchase the items they were seeking to obtain. Reports of where the card purchase has been refused for other reasons are investigated and the matter taken up with the particular retail outlet.</p><p>Card users can apply for travel tickets to attend essential medical appointments. The cost of travel to essential appointments with legal advisers is covered through legal aid. Accommodation is provided within walking distance of shops and other services.</p><p>Information and guidance about how to apply for travel assistance is published on the GOV.UK website and it is also provided by the voluntary sector organisations that assist Azure card users, including Migrant Help, which is funded by the Home Office to provide an advice service.</p><p>Any retail outlet that provides food and other essential living items and accepts visa transactions can apply to join the Azure card scheme and talks periodically take place with new outlets that have expressed an interest in joining the scheme.</p><p>However, the card is currently accepted by Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrison’s, the Co-operative, Iceland, Boots, Mothercare, The British Red Cross, The Salvation Army and a few small independent retailers. The Home Office is therefore satisfied that the card is an effective way of ensuing that the persons are able to purchase food and other necessary items to cover their essential living needs.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL63 HL65 HL66 question first answered 04/06/2015 15:28:01 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

227443

registered interest
date	16/03/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people receive support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 specifically because it is the Secretary of State’s opinion that no viable route of return is currently available.
tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
uin	HL5764
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p>There is currently no country which the Secretary of State has designated as having no viable route of return available.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 23/03/2015 16:37:25 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno