Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1675985

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Families
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the proposed changes to the minimum salary threshold for family visas include renewals to spousal visas.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	5634
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2023 answer text <p>The revised minimum income requirement will be implemented in spring 2024.</p><p>The Government will set out any transitional provisions associated with the increase in the minimum income requirement in January.</p><p>Any applications already submitted will be considered in line with the existing policy.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 14/12/2023 12:24:37 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1675997

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrant Workers: Visas
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 his Department's news story entitled Home Secretary unveils plan to cut net migration, published on 4 December 2023, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the planned increase in the earning threshold for overseas workers on (a) people whose existing work visas do not meet the threshold and (b) international students moving from graduate visas to work visas that do not meet the threshold.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	5643
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2023 answer text <p>The Government will provide further details on what transitional arrangements will apply in due course.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 5646 question first answered 13/12/2023 14:47:15 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1676000

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrant Workers: Visas
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 his Department's news story entitled Home Secretary unveils plan to cut net migration, published on 4 December 2023, whether he plans to introduce transitional protection measures for people whose existing visas do not meet the new threshold and require renewal after the increased threshold is introduced.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	5646
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2023 answer text <p>The Government will provide further details on what transitional arrangements will apply in due course.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 5643 question first answered 13/12/2023 14:47:15 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1676007

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
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, with reference to his Oral Statement of 4 December 2023 on Legal Migration, Official Report, column 41, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposals announced in that Statement on the visa status of (a) Ukrainian refugees and (b) others who have claimed asylum in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	5653
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2023 answer text <p>Our Points Based System enables the Government to prioritise the skills and talent we need to help our economy grow and support our NHS, while encouraging investment in, and protecting, our own resident workforce.</p><p>In arriving at this package of measures, we have been mindful of the need to balance the impacts on economic growth and the needs of the labour market.</p><p> </p><p>The Ukraine schemes are temporary visa schemes, all those who are granted permission to remain in the UK under them are provided 36 months leave, given access to benefits, healthcare and are able to work.</p><p> </p><p>Asylum seekers who are in the UK asylum system and have had their asylum claim outstanding for 12 months or more, through no fault of their own, are allowed to work in jobs on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL). The government will be commissioning the Migration Advisory Committee to advise on the future composition of the Immigration Salary List, the successor to the SOL.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 14/12/2023 13:08:00 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1654513

registered interest
date	19/07/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Science: Innovation and Research
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing the cost of (a) the immigration health surcharge and (b) student visas on the (i) global influence of UK-based science and (ii) ability to attract international (A) researchers and (B) innovators.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	195287
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2023 answer text <p>The Science &amp; Technology Framework sets out the government’s plan to cement the UK as a Science and Technology superpower by 2030 and the government is committed to ensuring the UK’s immigration system supports economic growth and remains competitive in attracting and retaining the best international researchers and innovators.</p><p>As announced on 13 July, increases to student visa fees and the immigration health surcharge will help to cover the cost of the migration and border system and help to improve it, as well as cover the genuine cost to the NHS of providing healthcare to those who use it.</p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman question first answered 06/09/2023 11:38:56 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1654514

registered interest
date	19/07/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Entry Clearances
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact of increases in visa costs for international students and researchers on the higher education sector.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	195288
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2023 answer text <p>The department has been successful in delivering the International Education Strategy ambition of hosting at least 600,000 students per year by 2030 for the last two years, and the government fully expects the UK to continue to be an attractive destination for international students.</p><p>We are increasing fees across a range of immigration routes, including for people coming here to live, work and study, at a time of record high migration numbers. It is the government’s policy that those who use and benefit most from the immigration system should contribute towards the cost of operating the system, reducing the burden on the UK taxpayer.</p><p>Our visa fees are competitive globally and there is little evidence that fee increases to date have significantly affected demand on work, study and tourism routes.</p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 05/09/2023 10:54:52 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1654515

registered interest
date	19/07/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrants: Health Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her planned timetable is for when increases in the cost of (a) works visas, (b) study visas and (c) the immigration health surcharge will come into effect.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	195289
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2023 answer text <p>We will lay regulations in the Autumn to amend the immigration and nationality fee and IHS levels and set out which immigration routes are impacted.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 07/09/2023 10:44:59 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1654516

registered interest
date	19/07/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Overseas Students: Health Services and Visas
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 allow international students to split the cost of their (a) visa and (b) immigration health surcharge over the duration of their visa, in the context of planned increases in those costs.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	195290
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2023 answer text <p>There is no intention to permit the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) to be paid in instalments. The IHS is designed to be paid up-front, in full, so an individual’s healthcare is covered for the duration of their immigration permission in the UK.</p><p>The immigration and nationality fees regulations 2018 require visa fees to be paid in full in order for the application to be valid. There are currently no plans to change this requirement.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 07/09/2023 10:48:07 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1650483

registered interest
date	05/07/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Broadband: Rural Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the rollout of broadband services in semi-rural areas in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	192664
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/07/2023 answer text <p>Currently, 97.6% premises across the UK have access to a superfast connection (&gt;=30 Mbps) and 76.4% have gigabit-capable coverage. In Scotland, these figures are 95.7% and 70.2% for superfast and gigabit-capable respectively. Through Project Gigabit the Government aims to reach at least 85% gigabit-capable coverage across the UK by 2025 and then to reach near-universal coverage as soon as possible.</p><p>For urban areas, a key part of the Government’s approach is to promote increased competition in broadband delivery. We have made it as easy and attractive as possible for firms to build their networks in the UK, and we now have a thriving market of over 80 providers investing nearly £35bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK.</p><p>To support coverage in rural areas, 31 local and regional procurements have now been launched within England, with 12 of these now in the contract delivery stage.</p><p>Within Scotland, the Scottish Government undertook a Public Review during March and April 2023 to seek responses from broadband suppliers and other interested parties on current and planned commercial coverage of gigabit broadband. The Scottish Government has also undertaken initial market engagement with suppliers on their potential interest in Project Gigabit contracts in Scotland, prior to procurements commencing later this year.</p><p>The Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% (R100) project is also providing gigabit broadband coverage to 115,000 premises that do not have access to superfast broadband, with £49.5 million funding from the UK government. This project has covered over 24,000 premises to date.</p><p>Premises in Scotland can also benefit from support through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, which provides up to £4,500 towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable infrastructure for homes and businesses, while remaining sub-superfast premises are also eligible for support from the Scottish Government’s Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme.</p> answering member constituency Pudsey answering member printed Stuart Andrew grouped question UIN 192665 192666 question first answered 12/07/2023 07:47:22 answering member 4032 label Biography information for Stuart Andrew
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1650484

registered interest
date	05/07/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Broadband: Rural Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions her Department has had with (a) the Scottish Government and (b) local government on improving broadband speeds in semi-rural areas.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	192665
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/07/2023 answer text <p>Currently, 97.6% premises across the UK have access to a superfast connection (&gt;=30 Mbps) and 76.4% have gigabit-capable coverage. In Scotland, these figures are 95.7% and 70.2% for superfast and gigabit-capable respectively. Through Project Gigabit the Government aims to reach at least 85% gigabit-capable coverage across the UK by 2025 and then to reach near-universal coverage as soon as possible.</p><p>For urban areas, a key part of the Government’s approach is to promote increased competition in broadband delivery. We have made it as easy and attractive as possible for firms to build their networks in the UK, and we now have a thriving market of over 80 providers investing nearly £35bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK.</p><p>To support coverage in rural areas, 31 local and regional procurements have now been launched within England, with 12 of these now in the contract delivery stage.</p><p>Within Scotland, the Scottish Government undertook a Public Review during March and April 2023 to seek responses from broadband suppliers and other interested parties on current and planned commercial coverage of gigabit broadband. The Scottish Government has also undertaken initial market engagement with suppliers on their potential interest in Project Gigabit contracts in Scotland, prior to procurements commencing later this year.</p><p>The Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% (R100) project is also providing gigabit broadband coverage to 115,000 premises that do not have access to superfast broadband, with £49.5 million funding from the UK government. This project has covered over 24,000 premises to date.</p><p>Premises in Scotland can also benefit from support through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, which provides up to £4,500 towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable infrastructure for homes and businesses, while remaining sub-superfast premises are also eligible for support from the Scottish Government’s Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme.</p> answering member constituency Pudsey answering member printed Stuart Andrew grouped question UIN 192664 192666 question first answered 12/07/2023 07:47:23 answering member 4032 label Biography information for Stuart Andrew
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith