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1457300

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 estimate she has made of the total number of hours staff in her Department spent on processing visa applications for Ukrainian refugees during the weeks commencing (a) 7, (b) 14, (c) 21 and (d) 28 March 2022.
tabling member constituency	York Outer
tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
uin	153925
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2022 answer text <p>We have received thousands of applications submitted to one of the fastest and largest visa programmes in UK history.</p><p>We are committed to ensuring our operational teams have the resources they need to run an efficient and effective system. We actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet caseworking demand of the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme which we have launched in response to the refugee crisis.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office and the commercial provider operating our Visa Application Centres have surged staff across Europe to meet demand and UKVI staff in the UK are working seven days a week to process applications.</p><p>To capture the detailed information on staff numbers and hours worked would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 153926 question first answered 26/04/2022 17:11:33 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1457301

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, how many full-time equivalent staff in her Department were processing visa applications for Ukrainian refugees during the weeks commencing (a) 7, (b) 14, (c) 21 and (d) 28 March 2022.
tabling member constituency	York Outer
tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
uin	153926
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2022 answer text <p>We have received thousands of applications submitted to one of the fastest and largest visa programmes in UK history.</p><p>We are committed to ensuring our operational teams have the resources they need to run an efficient and effective system. We actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet caseworking demand of the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme which we have launched in response to the refugee crisis.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office and the commercial provider operating our Visa Application Centres have surged staff across Europe to meet demand and UKVI staff in the UK are working seven days a week to process applications.</p><p>To capture the detailed information on staff numbers and hours worked would incur disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 153925 question first answered 26/04/2022 17:11:33 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

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

1457305

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, how many visas for Ukrainian refugees approved have been approved each day since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
tabling member constituency	York Outer
tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
uin	153929
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2022 answer text <p><em>Information on the number of visas granted under the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme which were launched in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine can be found in our published data on the GOV.UK webpage: </em><a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fukraine-family-scheme-application-data%2Fukraine-family-scheme-and-ukraine-sponsorship-scheme-homes-for-ukraine-visa-data&amp;data=05%7C01%7CKeith.Edwards42%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7C8ac61c5f8b3841c57e2a08da2387c659%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C637861363289461686%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ytJc7a1AfuDBNSJZpuRFqNoIYhI7jsdbnm1Xa1R%2FZHE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank"><em>Ukraine Schemes: application data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</em></a><em>.</em></p><p><em>Statistical information </em><em>regarding the number of Ukrainian nationals applying for UK visas prior to the launch of the Ukraine Schemes is regularly released by the Home Office. The latest published statistics can be found here: </em><a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fstatistics%2Fimmigration-statistics-year-ending-december-2021&amp;data=05%7C01%7CKeith.Edwards42%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7C8ac61c5f8b3841c57e2a08da2387c659%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C637861363289461686%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=zcavNmPB1EN7Pkd4RWfQbAsMgpMvkxhD48DCaRi1rgI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank"><em>Immigration statistics, year ending December 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</em></a></p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 26/04/2022 16:42:05 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1457306

registered interest
date	14/04/2022
answering body	Women and Equalities
answering dept id	31
answering dept short name	Women and Equalities
answering dept sort name	Women and Equalities
hansard heading	Conversion Therapy
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 23 September 2021 to Question 53888 on Conversion Therapy, whether Government policy has changed since that response.
tabling member constituency	York Outer
tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
uin	153930
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2022 answer text <p>The Government is committed to bringing forward legislation, when Parliamentary time allows, to ban conversion therapy. We are currently analysing responses to our recent public consultation.</p><p>The Government’s actions to protect people from conversion therapy extend beyond legislating. We are procuring a support service for victims and those at risk via a helpline and website which will provide initial pastoral support, and signposting to services such as counselling and advice about emergency housing.</p><p>The Government has reluctantly taken the decision to cancel this summer’s Safe To Be Me conference. We have been proud to work alongside civil society partners, businesses and others to develop ambitious plans for the conference and appreciate the time and effort that all stakeholders have put into this.</p><p>We are disappointed that the conference will no longer be going ahead and remain committed to strengthening LGBT rights and freedoms. We will continue to support human rights defenders globally and to influence and support countries on the path to decriminalisation.</p> answering member constituency Finchley and Golders Green answering member printed Mike Freer grouped question UIN 153807 153865 question first answered 21/04/2022 15:24:13 answering member 4004 label Biography information for Mike Freer
tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1457738

registered interest
date	14/04/2022
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Ambulance Services: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average ambulance response times were in (a) York and North Yorkshire and (b) England for the latest period for which figures are available; and what steps his Department is taking to help reduce ambulance response times.
tabling member constituency	York Outer
tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
uin	153931
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2022 answer text <p>The information requested is not held for York and North Yorkshire. However, the following table shows the mean average response time in hours minutes and seconds for each category in England and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) and England in March 2022.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Category</p></td><td><p>England</p></td><td><p>YAS</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Category 1</p></td><td><p>9:35</p></td><td><p>9:42</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Category 2</p></td><td><p>1:01:03</p></td><td><p>46:41</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Category 3</p></td><td><p>3:28:13</p></td><td><p>2:33:59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Category 4</p></td><td><p>3:07:42</p></td><td><p>2:37:25</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The National Health Service is implementing its Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Action Plan to improve patient flow through hospital to help improve performance in accident and emergency (A&amp;E) departments, accelerating patient handovers and releasing ambulances to respond new calls. The Plan aims to ensure that medically fit patients can be discharged earlier, increase the role of NHS 111 to assist people to access the appropriate primary care service and avoid additional demands on urgent care and A&amp;E.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar grouped question UIN 153932 question first answered 25/04/2022 12:08:44 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1457739

registered interest
date	14/04/2022
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Ambulance Services: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve ambulance response times by assisting hospitals in (a) reducing ambulance patient handover and (b) ambulance queuing times.
tabling member constituency	York Outer
tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
uin	153932
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2022 answer text <p>The information requested is not held for York and North Yorkshire. However, the following table shows the mean average response time in hours minutes and seconds for each category in England and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) and England in March 2022.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Category</p></td><td><p>England</p></td><td><p>YAS</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Category 1</p></td><td><p>9:35</p></td><td><p>9:42</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Category 2</p></td><td><p>1:01:03</p></td><td><p>46:41</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Category 3</p></td><td><p>3:28:13</p></td><td><p>2:33:59</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Category 4</p></td><td><p>3:07:42</p></td><td><p>2:37:25</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The National Health Service is implementing its Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Action Plan to improve patient flow through hospital to help improve performance in accident and emergency (A&amp;E) departments, accelerating patient handovers and releasing ambulances to respond new calls. The Plan aims to ensure that medically fit patients can be discharged earlier, increase the role of NHS 111 to assist people to access the appropriate primary care service and avoid additional demands on urgent care and A&amp;E.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar grouped question UIN 153931 question first answered 25/04/2022 12:08:44 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1439445

registered interest
date	09/03/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Credit Cards: Surcharges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of (a) removing credit charge surcharges on businesses selling high-value items and (b) policy on the price of consumer goods and services as businesses raise prices to cover the fees charged to them by credit card companies.
tabling member constituency	York Outer
tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
uin	137301
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2022 answer text <p>Surcharging, the practice of charging a fee for using a certain payment method, is banned in the UK for payments made by consumer credit and debit cards. This ban was introduced through amendments made to the Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012 by the Payment Services Regulations 2017. It remains the individual merchant or retailer’s choice whether to set a certain ‘minimum spend’ for a certain type of payment instrument, and whether to accept or decline any payment method.</p><p> </p><p>Regarding the cost of card payments more generally, the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) was established with statutory objectives to ensure that payment systems are operated in a way that considers the interests of all the businesses and consumers that use them, and to promote effective competition between payment systems and services.</p><p> </p><p>The PSR continues to assess the effectiveness of the card-acquiring market for merchants and consumers. On 3 November 2021 the PSR published its Card Acquiring Market Review, examining how effectively the provisions of card-acquiring services are working for merchants, and ultimately consumers. The PSR has since released a Consultation on potential remedies to the problems it identifies. In its Review, the PSR recognise card fees as one area of concern, and have confirmed an additional phase of work to investigate the matter further. The PSR states that it will intervene to address any identified issues as necessary.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 18/03/2022 11:57:20 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1439446

registered interest
date	09/03/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Money
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to encourage businesses to accept cash payments following the end of covid-19 restrictions.
tabling member constituency	York Outer
tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
uin	137302
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2022 answer text <p>The government recognises that the ability to transact in cash remains important to millions of people across the UK and has committed to legislating to protect access to cash.</p><p> </p><p>Last year, the government held an Access to Cash Consultation on proposals for new laws to make sure people only need to travel a reasonable distance to pay in or take out cash. The government’s proposals intend to support the continued use of cash in people’s daily lives and help to enable local businesses to continue accepting cash by ensuring they can access deposit facilities.</p><p> </p><p>The FCA has published research on cash acceptance by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which found that the primary motivation for accepting cash is to provide customers with choice. While it remains the individual retailer’s choice as to whether to accept or decline any form of payment, including cash or card, nearly all (98%) of surveyed businesses stated they would never turn away a customer if they needed to pay by cash.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 18/03/2022 11:59:18 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

1439447

registered interest
date	09/03/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Further Education: Qualifications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of choice available for students of streamlining post-16 qualifications.
tabling member constituency	York Outer
tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
uin	137303
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2022 answer text <p>The department is streamlining and improving the quality of the post-16 qualifications system at level 3 and below. We are strengthening the progression pathways, creating clearly defined academic and technical routes with high-quality qualifications leading to further study and/or skilled employment.</p><p>This clarity of purpose will help students to make good choices and see more easily how their study will help them to progress. At level 3, A levels and T Levels will be at the core of study programmes for most young people. For other students, a combination of A levels with other high-quality qualifications will be the right choice.</p><p>As set out in our plans for reform of level 3 qualifications, published in July 2021, students will continue to be able to study qualifications similar to current Applied General Qualifications (AGQs) as part of mixed programmes alongside A levels, where they meet new quality standards and support progression to higher education. For example, students can progress in areas such as engineering, applied science, and information technology. Students will also be able to study qualifications like AGQs as their full programme of study where there is no A level or T Level, in areas such as performing and creative arts, and sports science.</p><p>Qualifications that do not meet new standards or the criteria for funding will not be funded in future. In the department’s impact assessment published alongside its policy statement on level 3 qualifications last summer, we were clear that students taking qualifications that are not funded in future will benefit most from these changes, as they are more likely to be taking qualifications that do not deliver the skills employers need.</p><p>Students will have access to higher-quality qualifications in the future, including new T Levels. This will put them in a stronger position to progress onto further study or skilled employment. We also noted in our impact assessment that some students may find it more difficult to achieve level 3 in future. We are putting in place support for these students, such as the T Level Transition Programme and the pilot academic progression programme, with the aim of improving progression to level 3.</p><p>Alongside reforms to level 3 qualifications, the department wants to improve qualifications and study at level 2, level 1, and entry level. We are currently consulting on proposed reforms to level 2 and below, and the consultation remains open until 27 April 2022.</p><p>Alongside the consultation, the department published its initial impact assessment. This states that we would expect the impact of the proposals at level 2 and below to be generally positive for all students, through an improved qualification landscape that is high-quality and better equips students for progression into employment or further study at higher levels.</p><p>Our proposed reforms will result in a good choice of high-quality qualifications to meet student and employer needs. This will be easier for students and employers to navigate than the current offer of around 8,000 qualifications.</p> answering member constituency Brentwood and Ongar answering member printed Alex Burghart question first answered 18/03/2022 12:18:13 answering member 4613 label Biography information for Alex Burghart
tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy