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1218230

registered interest
date	26/06/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Entry Clearances: Overseas Students
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 merits of allowing Tier 4 applications from international students to be processed without biometrics for students in countries where visa centres remain closed.
tabling member constituency	Cambridge
tabling member printed	Daniel Zeichner
uin	65131
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2020 answer text <p>Students, like other visa applicants, are required to attend a visa application centre (VAC) to provide documents and enrol their biometrics, this is a minimum mandated security requirement for all visa national travellers to the UK.</p><p> </p><p>Biometrics play a significant role in delivering security and facilitation in the border and immigration system. They enable quick and robust identity assurance and suitability checks on foreign nationals subject to immigration control.</p><p> </p><p>As restrictions continue to be lifted by governments, overseas VACs are reopening, enabling students to apply for the required visa to study in the UK.  As centres reopen, details of these will be published on our commercial partner websites. As of 29th June, 113 visa application centres have reopened.</p><p> </p><p>UKVI operations and the Education sector are working closely to ensure student applications are not impacted by earlier closures as a result of Covid-19.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 08/07/2020 09:02:58 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4382 label Biography information for Daniel Zeichner

1218297

registered interest
date	26/06/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrants: Domestic Abuse
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 effect of not including statutory protection for all migrant women in the Domestic Abuse Bill.
tabling member constituency	Walthamstow
tabling member printed	Stella Creasy
uin	65116
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2020 answer text <p>Following the recommendations of the Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill in June 2019, the Government committed to review our overall response on migrant victims.</p><p> </p><p>We are aiming to publish the conclusions of our review on the definition of domestic abuse ahead of Commons Report stage of the Domestic Abuse Bill on 6 July.</p><p> </p><p>Draft statutory guidance was published today, 1 July, and covers the impact of domestic abuse on migrant victims and highlights the barriers they face in seeking support.</p><p> </p><p>We have also announced that we will be pledging a further £1.5 million towards a pilot later this year to cover the cost of support in a refuge or other safe accommodation for migrant victims who are unable to access public funds. We will use the pilot to assess the level of need for migrant victims of domestic abuse and the pilot will be specifically used to inform future decisions on immediate support provision for migrant victims.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 01/07/2020 13:19:48 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4088 label Biography information for Stella Creasy

1217724

registered interest
date	25/06/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Official Secrets: Departmental Responsibilities
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to Written Statement HCWS287 on 11 June 2020 on Machinery of Government Change, if she will publish the evidential basis for the decision to transfer responsibility for the Official Secrets Acts (a) 1911, (b) 1920, (c) 1939 and (d) 1989 from the Ministry of Justice to the Home Office; what assessment he has made of the effect of countering the activities of hostile states of that change; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	64133
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2020 answer text <p>As announced in the Queen’s Speech in 2019, the Home Office is reviewing the legislation relating to hostile state activity to assess whether additional powers are required to address the threats to the UK.</p><p>The Official Secrets Acts (OSAs), along with other relevant Acts, are being considered as part of this work.</p><p>Given that the Home Office is already leading much of the policy work on OSAs, transferring the policy ownership from the Ministry of Justice to the Home Office is a matter of matching the formal position to the reality. We will continue to work closely with colleagues across Government as we develop our thinking on what legislative reform is required.</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 03/07/2020 10:28:13 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1217900

registered interest
date	25/06/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her Department's policy to serve eviction notices to people who have been granted refugee status to leave their asylum accommodation before the ban on evictions ends due to the covid-19 outbreak; and what discussions she had had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on accommodation needed for people facing eviction in order to prevent them from becoming homeless.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	64947
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2020 answer text <p>Asylum seekers who are granted refugee status are normally given notice that they must leave any accommodation that has been provided to them by the Home Office within 28 days, as they may now take employment and have access to mainstream benefits and housing assistance from their local authority. Whilst this process was paused on 27 March for a period of three months, we are currently reviewing plans about appropriate timing to resume issuing notices in individual cases in a carefully phased and measured way and have been having discussions with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Local Authorities and others on the arrangements.</p><p> </p><p>The timing of those decisions is not affected by the current restrictions on evicting tenants from private rental properties. Those arrangements do not apply to those in asylum support accommodation. This is confirmed in paragraph 2.2 of the Government’s guidance to landlords and tenants, which can be found at: MHCLG guidance (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/888843/Updated_Landlord_and_Tenant_Guidance.pdf)</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 30/06/2020 08:51:40 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1217901

registered interest
date	25/06/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Housing
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 received legal advice on whether the ban on evictions due to the covid-19 outbreak applies to people who have been granted refugee status and are living in accommodation for asylum-seekers.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	64948
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2020 answer text <p>Asylum seekers who are granted refugee status are normally given notice that they must leave any accommodation that has been provided to them by the Home Office within 28 days, as they may now take employment and have access to mainstream benefits and housing assistance from their local authority. Whilst this process was paused on 27 March for a period of three months, we are currently reviewing plans about appropriate timing to resume issuing notices in individual cases in a carefully phased and measured way and have been having discussions with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Local Authorities and others on the arrangements.</p><p> </p><p>The timing of those decisions is not affected by the current restrictions on evicting tenants from private rental properties. Those arrangements do not apply to those in asylum support accommodation. This is confirmed in paragraph 2.2 of the Government’s guidance to landlords and tenants, which can be found at: MHCLG guidance https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/888843/Updated_Landlord_and_Tenant_Guidance.pdf</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 08/07/2020 08:56:32 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1217902

registered interest
date	25/06/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Domestic Abuse: LGBT+ People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department is providing to LGBTQ+ people who have experienced parental abuse during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	64910
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/07/2020 answer text <p>The Home Office has taken considerable action during the pandemic to assess and combat the impact of COVID-19 on all victims of domestic abuse. This includes LGBT+ individuals and the guidance we have published on gov.uk provides specific advice for members of the LGBT+ community.</p><p>We also continue to support the National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse helpline, providing £120,000 of funding each year since 2016. The helpline provides a vital service for LGBT+ individuals who are or have been victims of domestic abuse, including parental abuse. This important service has remained available to victims throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>In addition to our regular funding, the Home Office has announced £2 million in funding to alleviate the increased pressures of COVID-19. This money ensures that helplines and online services continue to be readily available to victims. £1.2 million of this has already been allocated, including funding for the charity Galop, the organisation that runs the LGBT+ helpline.</p><p> </p><p>This funding is on top of the Treasury’s £750 million package to bolster charities, £76 million of which will support survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and modern slavery, whilst also ensuring that vulnerable children and young people continue to get the help they need.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 06/07/2020 11:47:54 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

1217931

registered interest
date	25/06/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Quarantine: Musicians
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 add performing musicians who rely on international contracts to the list of jobs exempted from the quarantine rule.
tabling member constituency	Streatham
tabling member printed	Bell Ribeiro-Addy
uin	65018
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2020 answer text <p>Since 8 June, all passengers arriving in the UK without having travelled through another part of the Common Travel Area have been required to self-isolate for 14 days, apart from those on a short list of exemptions. Being a performing musician does not qualify for exemption from the requirement to self-isolate. The package of health measures at the border, including the list of exemptions, are subject to regular review to ensure they remain effective and necessary.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 03/07/2020 12:15:06 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4764 label Biography information for Bell Ribeiro-Addy

1217986

registered interest
date	25/06/2020
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: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance UK Visas and Immigration has issued to companies which operate overseas visa application centres on the phased reopening of those centres.
tabling member constituency	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
tabling member printed	Margaret Ferrier
uin	64937
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2020 answer text <p>UKVI continues to work closely with our commercial partners, who operate our overseas visa application centre network, to ensure they abide by the local social distancing measures in the countries they operate. Our commercial partners have given UKVI detailed assurances on the steps they have taken, prior to reopening, which are designed to keep their staff and visa customers safe. Where possible, UKVI staff have been visiting the application centres as an added layer of assurance our commercial partners are following appropriate procedures. Information for customers on these arrangements is provided on the commercial partner webpages for individual locations, signposted from gov.uk and highlighted as part of the visa application process customers follow.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 03/07/2020 12:17:28 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4386 label Biography information for Margaret Ferrier

1217999

registered interest
date	25/06/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: EU Nationals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that EU nationals are aware of the requirement to have Comprehensive Sickness Insurance prior to naturalisation.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Wendy Chamberlain
uin	65021
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2020 answer text <p>We have not changed the requirements for naturalisation: it has always been a requirement for a person to have been in the UK lawfully during the residential qualifying period.</p><p>EEA Regulations set out the requirements which individuals need to follow if they wish to reside here lawfully before attaining permanent residence. For example, in the case of students or the self-sufficient – but not those who were working here – the possession of comprehensive sickness insurance has always been a requirement.</p><p>Our customer guidance explains this position.</p><p> </p><p>The British Nationality Act allows us to exercise discretion over this requirement in the special circumstances of a case. The nationality application form and guide encourage applicants to give us relevant information to help us do that.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 65022 question first answered 30/06/2020 12:44:33 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4765 label Biography information for Wendy Chamberlain

1218000

registered interest
date	25/06/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: EU Nationals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason the requirement for EU nationals to have Comprehensive Sickness Insurance prior to naturalisation has been (a) introduced and (b) introduced at this time.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Wendy Chamberlain
uin	65022
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2020 answer text <p>We have not changed the requirements for naturalisation: it has always been a requirement for a person to have been in the UK lawfully during the residential qualifying period.</p><p>EEA Regulations set out the requirements which individuals need to follow if they wish to reside here lawfully before attaining permanent residence. For example, in the case of students or the self-sufficient – but not those who were working here – the possession of comprehensive sickness insurance has always been a requirement.</p><p>Our customer guidance explains this position.</p><p> </p><p>The British Nationality Act allows us to exercise discretion over this requirement in the special circumstances of a case. The nationality application form and guide encourage applicants to give us relevant information to help us do that.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 65021 question first answered 30/06/2020 12:44:33 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4765 label Biography information for Wendy Chamberlain