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1605447

registered interest
date	20/03/2023
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Habitual Residence Test
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department have made of the potential merits of changing the requirements of past presence tests for social security benefits to take account of peoples inability to travel during the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	169328
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/03/2023 answer text <p>The past presence test (PPT) is a qualifying condition for the DWP disability and carer benefits and ensures claimants have a substantial and recent connection to the UK.</p><p> </p><p>There are a number of exemptions to the PPT which are clearly set out in secondary legislation. The PPT policy is kept under review and changes are made when appropriate, as shown by the amendments that have been made over the last few years in response to different situations; for example, introducing exemptions for refugees, those granted humanitarian status and for some people fleeing the conflicts in Afghanistan and Ukraine.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants who were abroad and could not return to Great Britain due to travel restrictions during the COVID-19 epidemic were advised that they could continue to be paid for as long as those restrictions remained in place. Once restrictions were lifted, allowing for travel back, then claimants were expected to do so if they wanted to continue to receive payment.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 169330 question first answered 28/03/2023 11:48:07 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1605448

registered interest
date	20/03/2023
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Habitual Residence Test
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department have made of the potential merits of changing the requirements of past presence tests for applicants to the over 80 pension to take account of peoples inability to travel during the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	169329
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2023 answer text <p>The Category D State Pension is a non-contributory pension for those aged 80 and over who either have no basic State Pension or whose State Pension is less than the current Category D rate of £85.00 per week and who meet the residency conditions. The residency conditions include the requirement to have been resident in Great Britain for 10 years in a continuous period of 20 years which includes the day before the person’s 80<sup>th</sup> birthday or any day thereafter. This residence requirement is a different test to the “past presence test” which applies to certain disability and carers benefits.</p><p> </p><p>The Category D State Pension does not form part of the new State Pension for those who reach State Pension age on or after 6<sup>th</sup> April 2016. No assessment has been made of the merits of changing the residence requirements in light of the Covid 19 travel restrictions.</p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Laura Trott question first answered 23/03/2023 12:42:29 answering member 4780 label Biography information for Laura Trott
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1605449

registered interest
date	20/03/2023
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Habitual Residence Test
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will take steps to review social security benefit applications rejected on the basis of the past presence test, in the context of people's inability to travel during the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	169330
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/03/2023 answer text <p>The past presence test (PPT) is a qualifying condition for the DWP disability and carer benefits and ensures claimants have a substantial and recent connection to the UK.</p><p> </p><p>There are a number of exemptions to the PPT which are clearly set out in secondary legislation. The PPT policy is kept under review and changes are made when appropriate, as shown by the amendments that have been made over the last few years in response to different situations; for example, introducing exemptions for refugees, those granted humanitarian status and for some people fleeing the conflicts in Afghanistan and Ukraine.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants who were abroad and could not return to Great Britain due to travel restrictions during the COVID-19 epidemic were advised that they could continue to be paid for as long as those restrictions remained in place. Once restrictions were lifted, allowing for travel back, then claimants were expected to do so if they wanted to continue to receive payment.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 169328 question first answered 28/03/2023 11:48:07 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1605450

registered interest
date	20/03/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Naturalisation
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 changing the requirement for naturalisation applicants to have been in the UK for five years before the qualifying period, in the context of people's inability for people to travel during the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	169331
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2023 answer text <p>The Nationality and Borders Act 2022 introduced the power to allow the Secretary of State to waive the requirement for an applicant to be in the UK at the start of the residential qualifying period for naturalisation. Published guidance sets out when discretion would normally be exercised and covers absence due to the pandemic. Guidance also makes it clear that we would apply the same approach to extended period of absences from the UK due to covid restrictions.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick grouped question UIN 169332 question first answered 23/03/2023 10:09:04 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1605451

registered interest
date	20/03/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Naturalisation
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 changing the requirement for naturalisation applicants via the spousal route to have been in the UK for three years before the qualifying period, in the context of people's inability to travel during the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	169332
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2023 answer text <p>The Nationality and Borders Act 2022 introduced the power to allow the Secretary of State to waive the requirement for an applicant to be in the UK at the start of the residential qualifying period for naturalisation. Published guidance sets out when discretion would normally be exercised and covers absence due to the pandemic. Guidance also makes it clear that we would apply the same approach to extended period of absences from the UK due to covid restrictions.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick grouped question UIN 169331 question first answered 23/03/2023 10:09:04 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1604395

registered interest
date	15/03/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Malawi and Mozambique: Storms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support communities affected by Cyclone Freddy in (a) Malawi and (b) Mozambique.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	166256
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2023 answer text <p>The UK is working closely with the Governments of Malawi and Mozambique to respond to Cyclone Freddy. In Malawi, we are supporting the Emergency Operations Centre established in Blantyre and working closely with partners to rapidly identify the needs of those affected. We are looking at options for further UK support including to help those still stranded, to help manage trauma cases and to extend our support to tackle the ongoing cholera outbreak. In Mozambique, we are providing shelter and dignity kits for up to 30,000 people and providing extra funding to reduce the cholera risk.</p> answering member constituency Sutton Coldfield answering member printed Mr Andrew Mitchell question first answered 20/03/2023 09:17:58 answering member 1211 label Biography information for Mr Andrew Mitchell
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1602849

registered interest
date	09/03/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Orchestras: Tax Allowances
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the increased Orchestral Tax Relief beyond April 2023.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	162221
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2023 answer text <p>The Government recognises the value of the UK’s world leading creative industries and arts sectors.</p><p> </p><p>Since orchestra tax relief (OTR) was introduced in 2016, £62 million has been paid out in support of 2,640 productions as of the year 2021-2022.</p><p> </p><p>At Autumn Budget 2021, the Government temporarily increased the headline rate of OTR in recognition of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the sectors.</p><p> </p><p>The Government acknowledges the concerns of industry about the upcoming taper of the rate in April, and will keep this under review.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 14/03/2023 14:25:22 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1601971

registered interest
date	07/03/2023
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, if she will provide the details of the last three (a) dates when and (b) locations where she last met with (i) individuals who arrived in the UK on small boats and (ii) charitable or non-governmental organisations who provide support services to asylum seekers.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	160311
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2023 answer text <p>All meetings held by the Home Secretary in her Ministerial capacity are routinely released in quarterly Departmental transparency returns. The latest transparency returns can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/home-office-ministers-hospitality-data" target="_blank">Home Office: ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 13/03/2023 11:21:01 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1601091

registered interest
date	03/03/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Ethiopia: Humanitarian Aid
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken recent steps to help support (a) peace building and (b) food security in the Oromia region of Ethiopia.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	157662
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2023 answer text <p>During the Foreign Secretary's visit to Ethiopia in December 2022 he met Prime Minister Abiy and discussed the importance of peace for the whole of Ethiopia. The UK has welcomed the commitment in the November 2022 Pretoria peace agreement to implement a comprehensive national transitional justice policy and is encouraging the agreement's full implementation. The UK's Ambassador to Ethiopia discussed the violence in Oromia in a meeting with Justice Minister Gedion in March 2023. Through our Human Rights and Peacebuilding Programme the UK is supporting the investigative capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and facilitating dialogue between groups from across Ethiopia. I [Minister Mitchell] announced a £16 million package of humanitarian funding in January 2023 which will support more than 600,000 people facing the impact of drought and conflict across Ethiopia, including Oromia, with food supplies and other nutrition support.</p> answering member constituency Sutton Coldfield answering member printed Mr Andrew Mitchell question first answered 14/03/2023 10:29:03 answering member 1211 label Biography information for Mr Andrew Mitchell
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1601171

registered interest
date	03/03/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Eritrea: Religious Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help protect religious freedom in Eritrea.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	157663
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2023 answer text <p>Freedom of religion or belief, of the media and of travel are important rights. The British Embassy in Asmara regularly raises human rights issues with the Eritrean Government, with the freedom of religion or belief being one of the UK's priorities; the Embassy has consistently called for the release of those arbitrarily incarcerated for their religion. The UK has encouraged the Eritrean Government to implement in full the agreed recommendations of the 2019 UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review, through which we have raised our views, and to cooperate with the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Eritrea.</p> answering member constituency Sutton Coldfield answering member printed Mr Andrew Mitchell grouped question UIN 157664 157665 question first answered 13/03/2023 17:50:56 answering member 1211 label Biography information for Mr Andrew Mitchell
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady