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1675223

registered interest
date	04/12/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrant Workers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much his Department spent in (a) non-Commonwealth and (b) non-EU countries on (i) security checks and (ii) other support to recruit people to work in the UK in each of the last four years.
tabling member constituency	Bermondsey and Old Southwark
tabling member printed	Neil Coyle
uin	5086
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2023 answer text <p>Home Office does not provide a support function to recruit people to work in UK.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 07/12/2023 17:05:54 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4368 label Biography information for Neil Coyle

1657288

registered interest
date	01/09/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrant Workers
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 has a strategy for migrant worker welfare.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Dan Carden
uin	196918
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2023 answer text <p>Migrant workers have the same employment rights and protections as resident workers, as supported by the relevant departments, agencies, regulatory bodies and trades unions. In addition, the Home Office ensures the design of immigration routes has regard to migrant welfare including by: requiring sponsors of migrant workers to keep records of pay and compliance with sponsorship obligations, alongside requiring people to have a specific job and be paid an appropriate salary; enabling migrants to apply for jobs with other sponsors, to ensure they are not trapped; and, applying an English language requirement to help workers to integrate, which provides assurance that they will not be overly-reliant on their sponsors, are able to seek help if needed and understand their rights.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 11/09/2023 13:16:08 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4651 label Biography information for Dan Carden

1567024

registered interest
date	16/01/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrant Workers
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Murray of Blidworth on 8 November (HL3116), whether they have since asked the Migration Advisory Committee to pause their review; and if so, (1) when, and (2) for what purpose; and when they expect completion of the review.
tabling member printed	Lord Rose of Monewden
uin	HL4802
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2023 answer text <p>The Government agreed the MAC should pause the SOL review while we consider the position on the topic of legal migration following the Office for National Statistics’ November publication of net migration estimates and in line with its manifesto commitments to bring overall numbers down. We will be setting out information on the Shortage Occupation List review shortly.</p> answering member printed Lord Murray of Blidworth question first answered 30/01/2023 12:41:46 answering member 4950 label Biography information for Lord Murray of Blidworth
tabling member	4326 label Biography information for Lord Rose of Monewden

1542964

registered interest
date	16/11/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrant Workers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she is taking steps to help reduce the up-front costs for (a) researchers and (b) innovators moving to work in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	88947
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2022 answer text <p>The Government is improving its visa offer for overseas nationals coming here to work in research and innovation roles, and a number of visa routes are available for that purpose. We are removing the £50,000 minimum investment funds requirement for the Innovator route and exempting recruits under the new Scale-up route from the Immigration Skills Charge. We have increased the non-sponsorship options for the exceptionally qualified, including the Global Talent and the High Potential Individual routes. There are also other options to support temporary research mobility, including research-related permitted activities under the Visitor route and arrangements for temporary research assignments under the Government Authorised Exchange route.</p><p>Visa fees 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 provided by a successful application and the wider cost of the Migration and Borders system. Full details are available 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=05%7C01%7CBen.Foyle%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7Cada294fa342342b2366f08dac89461d8%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C638042836860378152%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=qoA8vSUWbhyYtckG4IeFeufFVV9kpZgoG2uyphWAYRk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/22/section/68</a>.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 21/11/2022 16:53:36 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1519809

registered interest
date	10/10/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrant Workers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what specific steps her Department is taking to support people with Section 3C leave who are required to provide documentary proof of their immigration status as a condition of an offer of employment.
tabling member constituency	Aberavon
tabling member printed	Stephen Kinnock
uin	59778
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2022 answer text <p>If an individual is unable to present evidence of their right to work because of an outstanding, in-time Home Office application, employers are advised to contact the Home Office’s Employer Checking Service (ECS). The ECS will confirm from Home Office records if the applicant has lawful status as a result of the outstanding application and issue a Positive Verification Notice (PVN), providing the employer with a statutory excuse against liability for a civil penalty, enabling them to hire or extend the person’s contract. This is an established process that employers will be familiar with.</p><p>Published guidance clearly stipulates that employers should provide individuals with every opportunity to demonstrate their right to work and must not discriminate against those with an outstanding, in-time application:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/illegal-working-penalties-codes-of-practice-for-employers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/illegal-working-penalties-codes-of-practice-for-employers</a></p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-work-checks-code-of-practice-on-avoiding-discrimination" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-work-checks-code-of-practice-on-avoiding-discrimination</a></p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 13/10/2022 10:51:53 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4359 label Biography information for Stephen Kinnock

1468926

registered interest
date	09/06/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrant Workers
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 plans to provide visas for workers in food production.
tabling member constituency	Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
tabling member printed	Dr Dan Poulter
uin	15229
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2022 answer text <p>On Monday 13<sup>th</sup> June, the government launched a new Food Strategy, which will seek to address challenges faced by the sector. Recognising the sector cannot sustainably rely on migrant labour, especially in light of global pressures elsewhere, the strategy sets out that Government will commission an independent review to tackle labour shortages in the food supply chain, considering the roles of automation, domestic labour and migration routes.</p><p> </p><p>To support the sector, the Government will release 10,000 additional visas for the seasonal worker visa route, with 2,000 of these going to the poultry sector for the eight-week period prior to Christmas. This is to cover the surge in demand for chicken, turkey and goose during the festive season and to ensure the smooth running of the food supply chain.</p><p> </p><p>The Government introduced the Points Based System in 2020 which is designed to attract the skills and expertise which the UK requires. Acting upon advice from the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), the Government broadened the skills threshold of the Skilled Worker route and introduced a lower salary threshold which, as modelling by the MAC suggests,<strong> strikes a reasonable balance between access to labour and controlling immigration</strong><strong>. </strong>The independent review’s consideration of the role of migration will therefore need to be with reference to the MAC’s advice. A number of roles in the food production sector are already eligible for a Skilled Worker visa.</p><p>For those roles in the sector which do not meet the threshold for the Skilled Worker route, there is the domestic labour market which includes UK workers and migrants with general work rights. The Government does not intend to introduce a route for those who do not meet the skills and salary threshold allowing recruitment at or near minimum wage.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 15228 question first answered 16/06/2022 16:19:31 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter

1467238

registered interest
date	01/06/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrant Workers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time is to process right to work applications for non-UK workers; and what steps are being taken to address the application backlog.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	11701
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2022 answer text <p>Due to supporting the Home Office’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, applications for Entry Clearance under our economic routes are currently taking longer than our published service standard.</p><p>With the return of staff to the teams who handle these cases, alongside additional resources also being deployed the length of time taken to receive a visa in these routes is reducing.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 08/06/2022 16:11:19 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1401482

registered interest
date	10/01/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrant Workers
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 attract international workers with science, technology, maths, and engineering qualifications to the UK.
tabling member constituency	Crewe and Nantwich
tabling member printed	Dr Kieran Mullan
uin	100747
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/01/2022 answer text <p>Attracting international talent is a key component of our global points-based immigration system. We have a very generous immigration offer, which enables talented scientists, academics and creatives to come to the UK through several different routes, including Global Talent, Skilled Worker, Creative and Temporary Worker Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) routes.</p><p>The new Points-Based System is working well, attracting skills the UK needs, as demonstrated by the latest Immigration Statistics for yearend September 2021 with issuance of work visas across all routes is up on both 2020 and 2019 (pre-pandemic).</p><p>Since its launch in 2020 the Global Talent route has seen a significant increase in applicants compared to the predecessor route, despite the impact on international travel caused by the pandemic. The number of visas granted on this route has continued to grow from 422 between its launch in February 2020 to year end September 2020, to 1,709 applicants for the year ending September 2021.</p><p>A new High Potential route will launch later this year, to further enhance our excellent offer to talented individuals with qualifications in sectors such as science, technology, maths and engineering.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 14/01/2022 16:42:15 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4860 label Biography information for Dr Kieran Mullan

1354385

registered interest
date	09/09/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrant Workers
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 implementing the recommendations of the Grant Thornton Report on Labour Availability to (a) introduce a 12 month covid-19 recovery visa to enable supply chains to recruit critical roles and (b) commit to a permanent, revised and expanded Seasonal Worker Scheme for UK horticulture.
tabling member constituency	St Albans
tabling member printed	Daisy Cooper
uin	45958
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2021 answer text <p>The independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) found some roles in the food production, supply and agricultural sectors meet the RQF3 skills threshold for the Skilled Worker route so are eligible to be sponsored for a Skilled Worker visa, whereas others do not. The threshold was previously set at degree-level jobs. Modelling by the MAC suggests the new, broader RQF3 threshold strikes a reasonable balance between controlling immigration and business access to labour.</p><p>The Government position therefore remains we will not be introducing a short-term visa route such as the ‘Covid recovery visa’ as has been suggested. Most of the solutions are likely to be driven by industry, with a big push towards improving pay, conditions and diversity needed. We will continue to monitor the labour needs of other sectors and the Government agreed with the Migration Advisory Committee to have a more regular pattern of minor and major reviews of the Shortage Occupation List, with the first major review taking place no earlier than 2023.</p><p>Beyond the Points Based System, there is the existing UK labour market, which includes those who come to the UK through our Youth Mobility Schemes (which we are looking to expand), our new British National (Overseas) visa for those from Hong Kong, dependants of those arriving under the expanded skilled worker route, as well as over 6million applications under the EU Settlement Scheme and those who arrive through other routes, such as our family visa ones, who all have access to the UK labour market.</p><p>As a transitional measure, to help farm businesses adjust to changes to the UK labour market, the Seasonal Workers Pilot was extended into this year with 30,000 visas available (which, as yet, have not all been taken up). Decisions on the future of the pilot will be taken in due course, however, there are no plans to expand the pilot further</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 17/09/2021 12:13:36 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4769 label Biography information for Daisy Cooper

1307839

registered interest
date	12/04/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrant Workers
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 effect of the new immigration system on (a) the glass sector and (b) other industries that require the services of temporary specialist workers who enter the UK as frontier workers; and what consultation her Department has undertaken with representatives of the glass industry on that matter.
tabling member constituency	Rotherham
tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
uin	179131
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/04/2021 answer text <p>The Home Office undertook extensive engagement with a wide range of stakeholders and employers as part of the development of the new points-based immigration system. The new immigration system provides a wide range of routes for skilled workers and specialist service suppliers which can be utilised by industries such as the glass sector.</p><p>EEA or Swiss citizen frontier workers who regularly undertook work in the UK before 11pm on 31 December 2020 can continue to do so if they meet the requirements of The Citizens’ Rights (Frontier Workers) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020.</p><p>Home Office Ministers frequently discuss the operation of the immigration system with Ministerial colleagues in the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 179132 question first answered 20/04/2021 15:55:01 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion