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1399195

registered interest
date	04/01/2022
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, with reference to the ONS’s most recent data on consumer price inflation, published 15 December 2021, when her Department plans to review the rates of cash allowance for asylum seekers in response to the increased rate of inflation; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C McDonald
uin	96895
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/01/2022 answer text <p>The Government has been reviewing the level of cash support provided to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute and expects to announce the outcome of the review shortly.</p><p>The review will take account of current levels of inflation.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 10/01/2022 12:32:20 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

1342449

registered interest
date	30/06/2021
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, what estimate she has made of the number of asylum seekers in the asylum support system who do not have (a) a new or (b) functioning payment card that would allow them to access financial support.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C McDonald
uin	24997
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2021 answer text <p>Fully functioning Aspen cards, including translated instructions on how to activate them, were distributed to all service users via first class post prior to the transition date of 24 May. The majority of eligible card holders had completed this activation process by 24 May and have had access to funds via their card. However, some card holders had yet to successfully activate their card by this date. We continue to work with strategic delivery partners to ensure all cards are successfully received and activated with targeted assistance.</p><p>Emergency cash payments (ECPs) are a longstanding operational contingency provision which has been in place for several years. The position on ECPs has not changed, and they have been used to support service users who had issues with their Aspen card over the transition period.</p><p>The only element which has changed during the service transition is the value of payments (increasing from £20 to £40 per week) and the fact accommodation providers can now self-authorise Emergency Cash Payments to expedite requests. Emergency Cash Payments will continue to be provided to service users who have not yet activated their new Aspen card.</p><p>The Home Office is in regular dialogue with Charites and third sector partners about the support they provide to service users.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 24998 24999 question first answered 05/07/2021 15:50:47 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

1342451

registered interest
date	30/06/2021
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, what her policy is on asylum seekers in receipt of emergency payments following the transition to a new asylum support payment card.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C McDonald
uin	24998
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2021 answer text <p>Fully functioning Aspen cards, including translated instructions on how to activate them, were distributed to all service users via first class post prior to the transition date of 24 May. The majority of eligible card holders had completed this activation process by 24 May and have had access to funds via their card. However, some card holders had yet to successfully activate their card by this date. We continue to work with strategic delivery partners to ensure all cards are successfully received and activated with targeted assistance.</p><p>Emergency cash payments (ECPs) are a longstanding operational contingency provision which has been in place for several years. The position on ECPs has not changed, and they have been used to support service users who had issues with their Aspen card over the transition period.</p><p>The only element which has changed during the service transition is the value of payments (increasing from £20 to £40 per week) and the fact accommodation providers can now self-authorise Emergency Cash Payments to expedite requests. Emergency Cash Payments will continue to be provided to service users who have not yet activated their new Aspen card.</p><p>The Home Office is in regular dialogue with Charites and third sector partners about the support they provide to service users.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 24997 24999 question first answered 05/07/2021 15:50:47 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

1342453

registered interest
date	30/06/2021
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, whether she has plans to compensate charities that have provided emergency funds and food to people who have not had access to asylum support following the transition to a new payment card from May 2021.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C McDonald
uin	24999
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2021 answer text <p>Fully functioning Aspen cards, including translated instructions on how to activate them, were distributed to all service users via first class post prior to the transition date of 24 May. The majority of eligible card holders had completed this activation process by 24 May and have had access to funds via their card. However, some card holders had yet to successfully activate their card by this date. We continue to work with strategic delivery partners to ensure all cards are successfully received and activated with targeted assistance.</p><p>Emergency cash payments (ECPs) are a longstanding operational contingency provision which has been in place for several years. The position on ECPs has not changed, and they have been used to support service users who had issues with their Aspen card over the transition period.</p><p>The only element which has changed during the service transition is the value of payments (increasing from £20 to £40 per week) and the fact accommodation providers can now self-authorise Emergency Cash Payments to expedite requests. Emergency Cash Payments will continue to be provided to service users who have not yet activated their new Aspen card.</p><p>The Home Office is in regular dialogue with Charites and third sector partners about the support they provide to service users.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 24997 24998 question first answered 05/07/2021 15:50:48 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

1331211

registered interest
date	09/06/2021
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 she will make it her policy to ensure that any asylum seekers who have been adversely affected in the ongoing Aspen payment card transition will (a) have all back-payments due from 24 May 2021 automatically paid in full and (b) not suffer over-payment claw-backs of emergency payments given as a consequence of the payment card transition.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C McDonald
uin	13088
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/06/2021 answer text <p>Weekly payments are continuously accruing on Aspen cards for eligible asylum seekers, even if they have not yet received or activated their new card. Once successfully activated, service users can access their accrued funds, therefore no back-payments will be required.</p><p>The vast majority of cards have been activated and payments were available for those without ASPEN access.</p><p>The position on emergency cash payments and reconciliation of balances will be reviewed in due course.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 14/06/2021 16:59:32 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

1055899

registered interest
date	06/02/2019
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, whether he has held discussions with the Information Commissioner on the effect of the introduction of the Aspen on (a) data protection and (b) an individuals privacy.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C. McDonald
uin	217612
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2019 answer text <p>The introduction of the Aspen Card and its effect on data protection and privacy has not been discussed with the Information Commissioner.</p><p>As part of the project, consideration was given to the privacy aspects of the scheme. The terms and conditions relating to Aspen usage received appropriate legal scrutiny prior to being published and make it clear that personal data will be used only for the prevention of fraud and to preserve the integrity of the scheme which includes ensuring the welfare of card users</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 21/02/2019 16:44:01 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

1055900

registered interest
date	06/02/2019
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, how many asylum seekers have had their asylum support (a) suspended and (b) discontinued as a result of information obtained by the monitoring of the usage of an Aspen card.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C. McDonald
uin	217613
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2019 answer text <p>Where evidence comes to light that would suggest a supported asylum ap-plicant has access to alternative accommodation and support, we would invite the applicant to give an account of their activity.</p><p>Evidence can come from a number of sources, including Aspen usage data. Suspension and any subsequent discontinuation of support due to a breach of conditions carries a right of appeal. Data is not held in a publishable format.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 21/02/2019 16:45:37 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald