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1688553

registered interest
date	08/02/2024
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Alcoholic Drinks: Scotland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has had discussions with his Scottish counterpart on minimum unit pricing for alcohol.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh East
tabling member printed	Tommy Sheppard
uin	13708
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2024 answer text <p>The Government notes the recent outcome report from Public Health Scotland on minimum unit pricing for alcohol. The Government will continue to monitor emerging evidence relating to minimum unit pricing with interest.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 19/02/2024 15:45:52 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4453 label Biography information for Tommy Sheppard

1550773

registered interest
date	12/12/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Graduates
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 impact of capping the number of graduate visas on the UK’s economy.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh East
tabling member printed	Tommy Sheppard
uin	108260
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2022 answer text <p>The Graduate route provides an opportunity for international students who have been awarded their degree to stay in the UK and work, or look for work, at any skill level for 2 years, or 3 years for doctoral students.</p><p>An Impact Assessment was prepared to accompany the launch of the Graduate route. This can be found at the following link: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/966659/Graduate_Route_Impact_Assessment.pdf" target="_blank">Impact Assessment template (publishing.service.gov.uk)</a></p><p>The public rightly expects us to control immigration and ensure we have a system that works in the UK’s best interests. We keep our immigration policies under constant review to ensure they reflect our priorities.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 15/12/2022 16:09:33 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4453 label Biography information for Tommy Sheppard

1457532

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	Humanitarian Aid: Gaza
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the policy intention of the proscription of Hamas was to leave unrestricted the scope for public bodies to support UK-based civil society organisations to conduct (a) cultural, (b) educational, (c) commercial or (d) humanitarian work in Gaza.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh East
tabling member printed	Tommy Sheppard
uin	154132
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2022 answer text <p>Hamas’ proscription was extended to cover the organisation in its entirety in November 2021 because it was assessed that the distinction previously maintained between the military and political wings could no longer be maintained. Hamas is a single, complex organisation which commits and participates in acts of, prepares for, and promotes terrorism.</p><p>Hamas is designated in its entirety by a number of the UK’s international partners, including the EU, US, Canada and Australia.</p><p>The Terrorism Act (TACT) 2000 does not prevent organisations operating overseas in high-risk jurisdictions from carrying out legitimate activities. In October 2020, the Government published on GOV.UK an information note on operating within counter-terrorism legislation, sanctions and export controls. The note directs users to the guidance available to support the delivery of legitimate activities and addresses concerns about the risk of prosecution.</p><p>The note provides information on the defence provided by section 12(4) of TACT 2000, which is intended to permit the arrangement of genuinely benign meetings with a proscribed organisation; and information on section 21ZA of TACT 2000, which allows organisations to seek a defence to carry out a transaction that would otherwise be a terrorist financing offence by seeking prior consent from the National Crime Agency.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 21/04/2022 13:41:10 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4453 label Biography information for Tommy Sheppard

1352215

registered interest
date	03/09/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Poverty
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people who are seeking asylum and in receipt of Section 95 support are estimated to be below the (a) 60 per cent of median income relative and (b) absolute poverty lines.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh East
tabling member printed	Tommy Sheppard
uin	41954
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2021 answer text <p>The package of support provided to asylum seekers and their dependants supported under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 because they would otherwise be destitute usually consists of free furnished accommodation with utility bills and council tax paid. Individuals are also able to access free NHS healthcare and free education for children. They are also provided with a cash allowance to cover their other “essential living needs” (the statutory test set out in the 1999 Act). The level of the cash allowance is currently set at £39.63 per week for each individual in the household, as this is the level assessed as necessary to meet the statutory test.</p><p>The income available to asylum seekers in receipt of section 95 support is lower than a figure based on 60% of the median income of UK households (approximately £17,000 per year) and lower than other measures of poverty levels. However, the level of cash allowance is regularly reviewed using a methodology endorsed by the Court of Appeal and Inner Court of Session.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 10/09/2021 13:31:50 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4453 label Biography information for Tommy Sheppard

1352216

registered interest
date	03/09/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum
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 period of time is that asylum seekers have been on Section 95 support by the time of case resolution in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh East
tabling member printed	Tommy Sheppard
uin	41955
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2021 answer text <p>The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of asylum seekers on Asylum Support. These statistics can be found at <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fstatistical-data-sets%2Fasylum-and-resettlement-datasets%23asylum-support.&amp;data=04%7C01%7CJordan.Kelly27%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7C818d26c54a6b4870eb3e08d971125265%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C637665145760486661%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=9Pr1O35%2BlHyc0XA337DVnY064i3OIi1KTqtGQzBJsS8%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-support.</a></p><p>The Home Office does not publish a breakdown of these statistics which shows the average period of time that asylum seekers have been on Section 95 support by the time of case resolution of the last three years. These figures are not available in a reportable format and to provide the information could only be done at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 08/09/2021 16:29:29 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4453 label Biography information for Tommy Sheppard

1352217

registered interest
date	03/09/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Afghanistan
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people of Afghan nationality have claimed asylum in the UK in each year since 2001.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh East
tabling member printed	Tommy Sheppard
uin	41956
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2021 answer text <p>The Home Office publishes data on asylum applications in the ‘<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release" target="_blank">Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release</a>’. Data on the number of asylum applications lodged in the UK are published in table Asy_D01 of the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets" target="_blank">asylum and resettlement detailed datasets</a>, breakdowns by year and nationality are available. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest published statistics relate to data up to the end of June 2021. <br> <br> Additionally, the Home Office publishes further data on asylum and resettlement in the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1011628/asylum-summary-jun-2021-tables.ods" target="_blank">asylum and resettlement summary tables</a>. The ‘contents’ sheet contains an overview of all available data on asylum and resettlement.</p><p>Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘<a href="https://www.gov.uk/search/research-and-statistics?keywords=immigration&amp;content_store_document_type=upcoming_statistics&amp;organisations%5B%5D=home-office&amp;order=relevance" target="_blank">Research and statistics calendar</a>’.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 09/09/2021 09:36:32 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4453 label Biography information for Tommy Sheppard

1352230

registered interest
date	03/09/2021
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will set support for asylum seekers at 70 per cent of universal credit entitlement in line with the representations made by the Safe Passage campaign.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh East
tabling member printed	Tommy Sheppard
uin	41957
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/09/2021 answer text <p>Asylum seekers and their dependants who would otherwise be destitute are supported under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. The package of support provided usually consists of free furnished accommodation with utility bills and council tax paid. Individuals are able to access free NHS healthcare and free education for children. They are also provided with a cash allowance to cover other essential living needs.</p><p>The level of the allowance is currently set at £39.63 per week for each person in the household. There are no plans to adjust the amount so that it is set at 70% of the rate of Universal Credit or align it with other mainstream benefits.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 10/09/2021 13:24:32 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4453 label Biography information for Tommy Sheppard

1275738

registered interest
date	12/01/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Undocumented Migrants: English Channel
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2020 to Question 126060, what oversight the Government will have of the actions and conduct of French reservists from the Gendarmerie and Police Nationale deployed to tackle migrant activity in the Channel; what systems have been established to investigate allegations of mistreatment or abuse of migrants by French police during their deployment; and what the role is of the Government in that process.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh East
tabling member printed	Tommy Sheppard
uin	136553
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/01/2021 answer text <p>We work closely with France to prevent Channel crossings by irregular migrants. In November the UK and France agreed a package of £28.1m to support a range of activity as part of ongoing efforts.</p><p>We jointly monitor, with France, the impact of that funding through daily operational contact and regular strategic reviews.</p><p>French personnel are responsible to the French Government and are therefore required to comply with French law, policies and processes. The UK Government would not be directly involved in any investigation into allegations made against French officers.</p><p>France is party to both the ECHR and the Refugee Convention and the UK Government is confident that France is fully in compliance with its obligations under both Conventions.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 18/01/2021 11:41:29 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4453 label Biography information for Tommy Sheppard

1230203

registered interest
date	01/09/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	UK Visas and Immigration: Sopra Steria
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 reports of a shortage of free appointments for visa applicants to register their biometric data, what recent discussions she has had with Sopra Steria on the availability of those appointments.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh East
tabling member printed	Tommy Sheppard
uin	83856
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2020 answer text <p>Sopra Steria Ltd (SSL) are a commercial partner who run the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) on behalf of UKVI. UKVI is working closely with SSL to ensure a sufficient level of appointments is available.</p><p>SSL monitor UKVCAS performance against set key performance indicators (KPIs) within the contract, with the Home Office maintaining oversight to ensure Sopra Steria Ltd adhere to contractual requirements.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 07/09/2020 12:31:20 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4453 label Biography information for Tommy Sheppard

1216958

registered interest
date	23/06/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Chile: Human Rights
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 she has made of the ability of Chilean state agents under investigation for torture or ill-treatment to enter the UK.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh East
tabling member printed	Tommy Sheppard
uin	63395
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2020 answer text <p>All passengers arriving in the UK at passport control are checked against police, security and immigration watch lists on arrival at the border. The majority of these are checked against our systems before they even travel, through the collection of advanced passenger information (API). API helps protect the UK against terrorist attacks, serious cross-border crime and abuses of the immigration system.</p><p>We are doing everything in our power to prevent foreign criminals entering our country, Border Force officers can and do to refuse entry when they are known to the UK authorities.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 30/06/2020 08:49:39 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4453 label Biography information for Tommy Sheppard