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1357922

registered interest
date	23/09/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Domestic Abuse: Ethnic Groups
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training is provided to police officers on specific issues affecting Black victims of domestic abuse.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	54027
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2021 answer text <p>This Government is committed to ensuring that all victims and survivors of domestic abuse get the support they need, including those from Black backgrounds. We know that domestic abuse affects a wide and disparate group and that a “one size fits all” approach is not appropriate to support all victims, especially those with specific needs and vulnerabilities, including ethnic minority victims.</p><p> </p><p>The College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice on domestic abuse sets out that victims may have specific needs or issues relating to their cultural background or immigration status which should be considered when understanding risk and vulnerability of the victim. The Government continues to encourage forces to take on the College of Policing’s Domestic Abuse Matters training, which includes specific training on intersectionality and the different impacts of domestic abuse on black and minority ethnicity communities. This is part of their continued development, therefore, the Government does not feel it necessary to mandate such training.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 54028 question first answered 18/10/2021 14:16:33 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1357923

registered interest
date	23/09/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Domestic Abuse: Ethnic Groups
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 mandating specialist training for police officers who support Black women and girls affected by domestic abuse.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	54028
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2021 answer text <p>This Government is committed to ensuring that all victims and survivors of domestic abuse get the support they need, including those from Black backgrounds. We know that domestic abuse affects a wide and disparate group and that a “one size fits all” approach is not appropriate to support all victims, especially those with specific needs and vulnerabilities, including ethnic minority victims.</p><p> </p><p>The College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice on domestic abuse sets out that victims may have specific needs or issues relating to their cultural background or immigration status which should be considered when understanding risk and vulnerability of the victim. The Government continues to encourage forces to take on the College of Policing’s Domestic Abuse Matters training, which includes specific training on intersectionality and the different impacts of domestic abuse on black and minority ethnicity communities. This is part of their continued development, therefore, the Government does not feel it necessary to mandate such training.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 54027 question first answered 18/10/2021 14:16:33 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1353855

registered interest
date	08/09/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: Afghanistan
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 her Department has had with representatives of Bexley Council on support and accommodation for Afghan families in that borough.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	45288
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2021 answer text <p>The Government has worked at pace to develop and launch a new and bespoke resettlement scheme, announced on 18 August, which will relocate 5,000 vulnerable people in its first year, rising to up to 20,000 over the coming years –one of the most generous schemes in British history. The Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) is in addition to the Afghan Relocations Assistance Policy (ARAP), which offers any current or former locally employed staff who are assessed to be under serious threat to life priority relocation to the UK.</p><p>The need for suitable accommodation to support those we welcome is pressing. We need the help of every Council across the country to step up to offer accommodation and support for these families, so that we can swiftly help them into permanent, safe homes and enable them to start rebuilding their lives and integrating into our communities.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 13/09/2021 15:53:41 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1257676

registered interest
date	02/12/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: Income
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 publish the evidential basis for her Department’s claim that the minimum income requirement encourages integration.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	124344
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2020 answer text <p>The purpose of the minimum income requirement, implemented in July 2012 along with other reforms of the family Immigration Rules, is to ensure family migrants are supported at a reasonable level so they do not become a burden on the taxpayer. The Government is committed to promoting social cohesion, good relations and a sense of belonging for all members of society. The ability to participate in activities and organisations outside the home plays a part in this. The minimum income requirement is not the only factor that promotes the ability to participate but the level at which it is set can mean that one particular barrier is reduced.</p><p>The Supreme Court has endorsed our approach in setting an income requirement for family migration which prevents burdens on the taxpayer and promotes integration into our communities. In particular that it strikes a balance between the interests of those wishing to sponsor a partner form overseas and the community in general.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 10/12/2020 17:45:06 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1250369

registered interest
date	10/11/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrants: 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 assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of Government support for people with No Recourse to Public Funds conditions.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	113668
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2020 answer text <p>Many of the wide-ranging COVID-19 measures the Government has put in place are available to migrants with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) and have been recently extended.</p><p> </p><p>The assistance being given under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-employed Income Support Scheme are not classed as public funds and are available to all those who are legally working or self-employed respectively, including those with NRPF status. Both these schemes have been extended until spring 2021.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has continued to keep the situation under review and has introduced further measures as required, such as the Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme in England. This provides a £500 payment to those who have been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace. Support is also available for those who do not meet the criteria of the scheme, in the form of a £500 discretionary payment, paid by local authorities. This payment is available to those with NRPF, who meet any additional criteria set by the local authority. Further information on this scheme and discretionary payment can be found at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme-claiming-financial-support/claiming-financial-support-under-the-test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme-claiming-financial-support/claiming-financial-support-under-the-test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Individuals whose lawful basis of stay in the UK is based on their family life or human rights can apply to have the NRPF condition lifted by making a ‘change of conditions’ application if they are destitute or at risk of destitution, if the welfare of their child is at risk due to their low income, or where there are other exceptional financial circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>Since the onset of the pandemic, we have continued to assess and prioritise NRPF ‘change of conditions’ applications and deal with them compassionately. To support the swifter processing of applications, we have introduced evidential flexibility so that caseworkers can make a decision without requiring every piece of information. Data published in July shows the average time taken to make a decision on cases is 30 days despite a large increase in applications in quarter 2 of 2020. Of the decisions taken in the same period, 89% were granted. More information can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/no-recourse-to-public-funds-applications-to-change-conditions-of-leave-july-2020" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/no-recourse-to-public-funds-applications-to-change-conditions-of-leave-july-2020</a></p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 25/11/2020 14:40:06 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1250370

registered interest
date	10/11/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees: National Insurance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on the number of people with refugee status unable to work as a result of delays in accessing National Insurance numbers.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	113669
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2020 answer text <p>The Home Office does not hold the required data in a way that would allow it to provide an accurate assessment of the number of people with refugee status unable to work as a result of delays in accessing National Insurance Numbers (NINo). Finding the requested information would be likely to breach the disproportionate cost threshold.</p><p>In January 2018 we introduced an aligned BRP and NINo process for people recognised as refugees. We now obtain the NINo directly from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for inclusion on the Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). This means that the migrant does not need to make a separate application to DWP for a NINo.</p><p>Using this process we have issued nearly 60,000 BRPs to refugees. We have also introduced a number of checks into the BRP NINo alignment process to mitigate any delays that may arise in obtaining the NINo or printing the BRP.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 25/11/2020 14:29:39 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1250381

registered interest
date	10/11/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees: Social Security Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how her Department decided on the amount of £39.60 per week as standard asylum support payments.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	113676
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2020 answer text <p>The Home Office reviews the level of the support allowances each year to ensure that they meet the essential living needs of asylum seekers and their dependants who would otherwise be destitute.</p><p>A report published in March 2018 sets out the methodology for assessing the appropriate level of the allowances used in the annual review and can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-on-review-of-cash-allowance-paid-to-asylum-seekers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-on-review-of-cash-allowance-paid-to-asylum-seekers</a>.</p><p>The standard allowance was raised to £39.60 per week from £37.75 per week with effect from 15 June, an increase of around 5%. This increase was significantly higher than the general rate of inflation, which Office for National Statistics data shows was only 0.5% in the 12 months period to May.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 18/11/2020 15:35:55 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1249543

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Universal Credit
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 reinstating the link with mainstream benefits by setting the asylum support rate at 70 percent of universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	113251
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2020 answer text <p>The Home Office review the level of the support allowances each year to ensure that they meet the essential living needs of asylum seekers and their dependants. There are no plans to link the level of the allowances with Universal Credit rates.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 17/11/2020 16:48:31 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1249544

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's policy is on providing support to child refugees made homeless by the recent fires at the Moria refugee camp.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	113252
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2020 answer text <p>We were very concerned by the impact of the devastating fire that destroyed the Moria migrant facility. The UK government responded to requests by the Greek Government to provide specific humanitarian goods. The UK has provided kitchen sets to nearly 2,000 vulnerable families to prepare and cook food, and solar lanterns to help them stay safe.</p><p>Throughout the pandemic the UK has remained ready to receive those accepted for transfer under the Dublin Regulation. We remain in regular contact with sending Member States, including Greece, who are responsible for arranging transfers. Three group flights from Greece arrived on 11 May, 28 July and 6 August, and we have received further transfers from Greece in recent weeks.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 17/11/2020 16:50:24 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1249552

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: Income
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 effect of the minimum income requirement on families with a non-European person whose earnings have been affected by the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
uin	113260
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2020 answer text <p>The Minimum Income Requirement is set at a level which prevents burdens on the taxpayer and promotes integration.</p><p>We recognise COVID-19 will have an economic impact on earnings including on those families where, because of a non-EEA family member, the minimum income requirement applies. We have therefore made relevant adjustments in order to support those affected.</p><p>Such adjustments are among a range of measures put in place by the Home Office to support those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. These are set out for customers on GOV.UK and are available here:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents</a>.</p><p>These are unprecedented times. We continue to monitor the situation closely and may make further adjustments to requirements where necessary and appropriate.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 16/11/2020 17:32:36 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare