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1130501

	registered interest
	date	06/06/2019
	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, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2019 to Question 254185 on Immigration: EU Nationals, if he will place in the Library, a copy of the algorithm applied by his Department during automated residency checks.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	261208
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>Guidance on the automated checks process has been published on gov.uk and a copy of this will be placed in the Library. <br /><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check." target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check.</a></p><p>The rules for assessing continuous residence are already set out in the Immigration Rules. The automated checks simply apply these principles to the data provided by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and The Department for Work and Pensions. The automated checks replace the need, where data exists, for an applicant to submit any other forms of evidence.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 11/06/2019 11:11:01 question first ministerially corrected 11/06/2019 11:31:13 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes attachment 1 file name How_the_automated_check_calculates_the_period_of_residence.docx title The Automated Checks - EU Settlement Scheme previous answer version 121701 answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1503999

	registered interest
	date	02/09/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Seasonal Workers: Ukraine
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what immigration options to remain in the UK beyond the end of (a) September and (b) December 2022 will be available to Ukrainian Seasonal Worker visa holders who entered the UK after 18 March 2022; and whether those visa holders will be required to leave the UK and apply for a separate visa to re-enter the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	45788
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2022 answer text <p>Following the Russian incursion into Ukraine, the Home Office quickly created the Ukraine Extension Scheme to support Ukrainian nationals who were already lawfully in the UK on visas that had or may expire.</p><p> </p><p>These Ukrainian nationals are able to extend their permission to stay to 36 months. In line with the two other Ukraine schemes, and have all the rights and access to benefits in line with those schemes.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office is constantly keeping these schemes under review.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 08/09/2022 16:56:02 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove previous answer version 17762 answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1361201

	registered interest
	date	19/10/2021
	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 reduce the administrative requirements on EU citizens with Settled Status to prove their status without physical documentation when accessing essential services.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	58821
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2021 answer text <p>We are enabling other government departments and public authorities to be able to automatically access immigration status information. Currently, this includes the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and NHS England and Wales.</p><p>The data made available is specific to the need of each department and contains only the necessary information to inform their decision making. By making data available in this way, we are reducing the number of occasions on which an individual has to prove their status in the UK. The Borders, Immigration and Citizenship Privacy Notice provides information about how we share data with other government departments.</p><p>When applying for banking services, all individuals are required to provide proof of their identity as part of anti-money laundering, regulatory ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) checks.</p><p>We have produced guidance for financial providers to help them understand the documents we issue, including eVisas, and how they can be used as proof of identity for the purposes of KYC checks. This can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/biometric-residence-documents-information-for-financial-providers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/biometric-residence-documents-information-for-financial-providers</a></p><p>As detailed in this guidance, financial institutions can check someone’s identity, using the online ‘View and Prove’ service at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/check-immigration-status" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/check-immigration-status</a>.</p><p>This enables checks to be conducted without physical documents changing hands or the checker having to assess the authenticity of the documents and whether the person presenting it is the rightful holder.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 22/10/2021 16:29:16 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 26353 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1361202

	registered interest
	date	19/10/2021
	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 guidance her Department is providing to (a) banks and (b) mortgage lenders on (i) EU Settled Status and (ii) accepting digital proof of that status.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	58822
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2021 answer text <p>We are enabling other government departments and public authorities to be able to automatically access immigration status information. Currently, this includes the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and NHS England and Wales.</p><p>The data made available is specific to the need of each department and contains only the necessary information to inform their decision making. By making data available in this way, we are reducing the number of occasions on which an individual has to prove their status in the UK. The Borders, Immigration and Citizenship Privacy Notice provides information about how we share data with other government departments.</p><p>When applying for banking services, all individuals are required to provide proof of their identity as part of anti-money laundering, regulatory ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) checks.</p><p>We have produced guidance for financial providers to help them understand the documents we issue, including eVisas, and how they can be used as proof of identity for the purposes of KYC checks. This can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/biometric-residence-documents-information-for-financial-providers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/biometric-residence-documents-information-for-financial-providers</a></p><p>As detailed in this guidance, financial institutions can check someone’s identity, using the online ‘View and Prove’ service at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/check-immigration-status" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/check-immigration-status</a>.</p><p>This enables checks to be conducted without physical documents changing hands or the checker having to assess the authenticity of the documents and whether the person presenting it is the rightful holder.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 22/10/2021 16:29:36 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 26355 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1365983

	registered interest
	date	03/11/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Driving Licences: Foreign Nationals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on ensuring that no foreign national resident in the UK is prevented from travelling overseas because their passports is being held by DVLA outside the agreed timescale for processing provisional driving licence applications.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	69074
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2021 answer text <p>The DVLA recognises the importance to applicants of having possession of their identity documents for a range of reasons, including overseas travel.</p><p>The DVLA has introduced additional online services, recruited additional staff, and secured extra office space to help reduce waiting times. DVLA staff are working as quickly as possible to return people’s documentation to them when processing a driving licence application.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 10/11/2021 09:26:28 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 31315 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1458346

	registered interest
	date	19/04/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Visas: Ukraine
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the conditions are for Ukrainians in the UK on (a) family visas and (b) the Homes for Ukraine Scheme regarding leaving the UK and returning; and whether there are restrictions regarding their leave and visa conditions such as those in the UK on Tier 2 and Tier 4 visas.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	155696
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2022 answer text <p>Ukrainians in the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine Scheme are not subject to conditions linked to leaving and returning to the UK. Successful applicants are granted three years’ leave to remain, and can work and access public services during this time.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 26/04/2022 17:19:19 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 65289 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1463703

	registered interest
	date	17/05/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Immigration Bail
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the guidance on Reporting and Offender Management Version 4.0, published on 6 May 2022, was amended to include the current guidance on Accompanied Reporting.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	3576
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2022 answer text <p>The purpose of reporting is to ensure those without leave to remain in the UK and illegal entrants remain in close contact with the Home Office. A reporting requirement of bail is used to enable case progression, interviews, offers of voluntary departure and travel document applications to be conducted to support removal actions. A person on a reporting regime will be considered for a variety of methods to report including in person within a Centre or a combination of telephone reporting, digital bail or electronic monitoring.</p><p>There has been no change to the current guidance on accompanied reporting. It remains at the discretion of the ROM manager and all representations will be considered. This was present in v1 issued 2017 and has not been amended since:</p><p><strong><em>Accompanied reporting </em></strong></p><p><em>The reporting centre manager has discretion as to whether a person reporting may have someone accompany them, such as a legal representative, a support or charity organisation worker, or volunteer. Where the person reporting is vulnerable, or where they are reporting for the first time, are typical examples of when assistance is requested. </em></p><p><em>You should not consider accompanied reporting to be routine, but it can be permitted in exceptional cases where specific requests are made to the reporting centre manager. A person accompanying the reporting person must only be allowed into the waiting area, you must not permit them to intervene on the person’s behalf at the counter.</em></p><p>A change in the new guidance is new asylum applicants will not be required to report until a negative decision is made on their application, unless exceptional circumstances apply, for example the applicant is also a foreign national offender (FNO), a restricted access case or a TCU case, these will be decided on a case-by-case basis.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 3577 question first answered 24/05/2022 09:27:00 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 2253 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1463704

	registered interest
	date	17/05/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Immigration Bail
	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 impact of not permitting volunteers to accompany refugees and asylum seekers when attending reporting centres except in exceptional cases on (a) immigration compliance and (b) wellbeing of those reporting.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	3577
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2022 answer text <p>The purpose of reporting is to ensure those without leave to remain in the UK and illegal entrants remain in close contact with the Home Office. A reporting requirement of bail is used to enable case progression, interviews, offers of voluntary departure and travel document applications to be conducted to support removal actions. A person on a reporting regime will be considered for a variety of methods to report including in person within a Centre or a combination of telephone reporting, digital bail or electronic monitoring.</p><p>There has been no change to the current guidance on accompanied reporting. It remains at the discretion of the ROM manager and all representations will be considered. This was present in v1 issued 2017 and has not been amended since:</p><p><strong><em>Accompanied reporting </em></strong></p><p><em>The reporting centre manager has discretion as to whether a person reporting may have someone accompany them, such as a legal representative, a support or charity organisation worker, or volunteer. Where the person reporting is vulnerable, or where they are reporting for the first time, are typical examples of when assistance is requested. </em></p><p><em>You should not consider accompanied reporting to be routine, but it can be permitted in exceptional cases where specific requests are made to the reporting centre manager. A person accompanying the reporting person must only be allowed into the waiting area, you must not permit them to intervene on the person’s behalf at the counter.</em></p><p>A change in the new guidance is new asylum applicants will not be required to report until a negative decision is made on their application, unless exceptional circumstances apply, for example the applicant is also a foreign national offender (FNO), a restricted access case or a TCU case, these will be decided on a case-by-case basis.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 3576 question first answered 24/05/2022 09:27:00 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 2252 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1470246

	registered interest
	date	14/06/2022
	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, whether she plans to publish her Department’s lessons learned review of the transition to ASPEN cards for asylum seekers in summer 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	17925
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2022 answer text <p>The Government is aware of the report. The vast majority of service users have now received and activated their new Aspen card since the service went live on Monday 24th May 2021.</p><p>These cards are working and being used successfully to make purchases or withdraw funds (dependent on asylum seeker support type). Where replacement cards have been requested, they are being actioned swiftly and are being dispatched to service users accordingly. Card activation rates continue to increase. We are proactively working with partners to ensure that any eligible service users receive their new Aspen card and activate it successfully. In the interim, Emergency Cash Payments (ECPs) are being provided to support their critical needs.</p><p>There are no plans to publish the department’s Lessons learned review.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 29/06/2022 10:07:59 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove previous answer version 7491 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1470247

	registered interest
	date	14/06/2022
	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 assessment her Department has made of the implications for her policies of the findings of AsylumMatters’ November 2021 report, Lessons Learned: How government contracts failed people seeking asylum, again.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	17926
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2022 answer text <p>The Government is aware of the report. The vast majority of service users have now received and activated their new Aspen card since the service went live on Monday 24th May 2021.</p><p>These cards are working and are being used successfully to make purchases or withdraw funds (dependent on asylum seeker support type). Where replacement cards have been requested, they are being actioned swiftly and are being dispatched to service users accordingly. Card activation rates continue to increase. We are proactively working with partners to ensure that any eligible service users receive their new Aspen card and activate it successfully. In the interim, emergency cash payments (ECPs) are being provided to support their critical needs.</p><p>There are no plans to publish the department’s lessons learned review.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 29/06/2022 10:10:11 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove previous answer version 7489 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1125626

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2019
	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, with reference to page six of the Data Protection Impact Assessments cited in the Memorandum of Understanding on information sharing between the Home Office and Department for Work and Pensions and page nine of the Memorandum of Understanding on information sharing between the Home Office and HMRC on the EU Settlement Scheme, if he will place copies of those Data Protection Impact Assessments in the Library.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	252532
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>The Home Office has carried out a Data Protection Impact Assessment as part of the data sharing arrangements with Her Majesty’s Revenue &amp; Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions to support the EU Settlement Scheme, and a copy of this will be placed in the Library shortly.</p><p>As part of this process, we have had due regard, in accordance with the public sector equality duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, to impacts on those who share a protected characteristic. This is reflected in the Policy Equality Statement for the EU Settlement Scheme, and a copy of this will be placed in the Library shortly.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 252533 question first answered 17/07/2019 15:51:01 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1125627

	registered interest
	date	09/05/2019
	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, with reference to the Equality Impact Assessment cited in the Memorandum of Understanding on information sharing between the Home Office and Department for Work and Pensions on the EU Settlement Scheme, if he will place a copy of that Equality Impact Assessment in the Library.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	252533
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>The Home Office has carried out a Data Protection Impact Assessment as part of the data sharing arrangements with Her Majesty’s Revenue &amp; Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions to support the EU Settlement Scheme, and a copy of this will be placed in the Library shortly.</p><p>As part of this process, we have had due regard, in accordance with the public sector equality duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, to impacts on those who share a protected characteristic. This is reflected in the Policy Equality Statement for the EU Settlement Scheme, and a copy of this will be placed in the Library shortly.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 252532 question first answered 17/07/2019 15:51:01 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1126466

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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, if his Department will manually check for a system error where an application to the EU Settlement Scheme receives a wholly or partially unsuccessful result from the automated residency check.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	254182
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>As set out in the MoUs with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), if the automated check is unsuccessful or the person cannot be found during the initial check made during the online application, a Home Office caseworker may instigate the check again following the submission of the application if there is reason to believe a successful match is possible and it will benefit the applicant.</p><p>Information on how the automated checks calculate periods of UK residence as well as the tax and benefit records that are included in the automated checks has been published on gov.uk and can be found here: <br><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check</a>.</p><p>Page 27 of the published MoU with HMRC indicates this agreement will be in place until April 2026. The date of April 2026 was considered appropriate to account for all applications to be received under the scheme – including those granted pre-settled status at first application with limited UK residence and would therefore need several years more time in the UK before qualifying for settled status. The exchange of data will only occur when an application is received under the scheme. The MoU is also subject to biennial review to ensure it remains accurate and fit for purpose.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 254183 254185 254186 question first answered 20/05/2019 10:14:54 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1126467

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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, with reference to page 21 of the Memorandum of Understanding between HMRC and the his Department on the EU Settlement Scheme, for what reason the exchange of data between HMRC and his Department will continue until April 2026.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	254183
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>As set out in the MoUs with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), if the automated check is unsuccessful or the person cannot be found during the initial check made during the online application, a Home Office caseworker may instigate the check again following the submission of the application if there is reason to believe a successful match is possible and it will benefit the applicant.</p><p>Information on how the automated checks calculate periods of UK residence as well as the tax and benefit records that are included in the automated checks has been published on gov.uk and can be found here: <br><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check</a>.</p><p>Page 27 of the published MoU with HMRC indicates this agreement will be in place until April 2026. The date of April 2026 was considered appropriate to account for all applications to be received under the scheme – including those granted pre-settled status at first application with limited UK residence and would therefore need several years more time in the UK before qualifying for settled status. The exchange of data will only occur when an application is received under the scheme. The MoU is also subject to biennial review to ensure it remains accurate and fit for purpose.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 254182 254185 254186 question first answered 20/05/2019 10:14:55 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1126468

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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, whether the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration will have a remit to inspect (a) HMRC and (b) the Department for Work and Pensions in respect of the processing of the data of applicants to the EU Settlement Scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	254184
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>The UK Borders Act 2007 (section 48) already allows the Independent Chief Inspector to inspect the efficiency and effectiveness of services provided by any person acting in relation to the discharge of immigration, nationality, asylum and customs functions.</p><p>The EU Settlement Scheme is primarily an immigration regime. The Independent Chief Inspector, therefore, already has the necessary powers to inspect activities undertaken by the Department for Work and Pensions and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, in support of the EU Settlement Scheme application process.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 20/05/2019 10:13:03 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1126469

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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, if he will publish the algorithm applied by his Department during automated residency checks.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	254185
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>As set out in the MoUs with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), if the automated check is unsuccessful or the person cannot be found during the initial check made during the online application, a Home Office caseworker may instigate the check again following the submission of the application if there is reason to believe a successful match is possible and it will benefit the applicant.</p><p>Information on how the automated checks calculate periods of UK residence as well as the tax and benefit records that are included in the automated checks has been published on gov.uk and can be found here: <br><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check</a>.</p><p>Page 27 of the published MoU with HMRC indicates this agreement will be in place until April 2026. The date of April 2026 was considered appropriate to account for all applications to be received under the scheme – including those granted pre-settled status at first application with limited UK residence and would therefore need several years more time in the UK before qualifying for settled status. The exchange of data will only occur when an application is received under the scheme. The MoU is also subject to biennial review to ensure it remains accurate and fit for purpose.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 254182 254183 254186 question first answered 20/05/2019 10:14:55 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1126470

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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, whether the automated residency check for applications to the EU Settlement Scheme will check applicants' records on (a) working tax credit and (b) child tax credit.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	254186
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>As set out in the MoUs with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), if the automated check is unsuccessful or the person cannot be found during the initial check made during the online application, a Home Office caseworker may instigate the check again following the submission of the application if there is reason to believe a successful match is possible and it will benefit the applicant.</p><p>Information on how the automated checks calculate periods of UK residence as well as the tax and benefit records that are included in the automated checks has been published on gov.uk and can be found here: <br><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check</a>.</p><p>Page 27 of the published MoU with HMRC indicates this agreement will be in place until April 2026. The date of April 2026 was considered appropriate to account for all applications to be received under the scheme – including those granted pre-settled status at first application with limited UK residence and would therefore need several years more time in the UK before qualifying for settled status. The exchange of data will only occur when an application is received under the scheme. The MoU is also subject to biennial review to ensure it remains accurate and fit for purpose.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 254182 254183 254185 question first answered 20/05/2019 10:14:55 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1126804

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2019
	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, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2018 to Question 196233 and with reference to page 14 of the Memorandum of Understanding between HMRC and the Home Office on the EU Settlement Scheme, what is defined as a genuine business need to access data.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	254812
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>A genuine business need means only staff at the Home Office and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs who require access to the data to carry out their duties will be granted access.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 22/05/2019 13:09:40 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1126808

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Migrants: Detainees
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information contained in medical records from an individual in immigration detention can be shared with National Referral Mechanism Competent Authorities for purposes other than law enforcement.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	254813
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>Home Office Immigration Removal Centre staff have a duty to refer potential victims of modern slavery into the National Referral Mechanism.</p><p>Only data that is required to enable the Single Competent Authority to make a reasonable grounds decision may be shared. All data, including that held within medical records, can only be shared with an individual’s consent.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 254814 question first answered 20/05/2019 16:05:51 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1126809

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Migrants: Detainees
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data collected by Immigration Removal Centre staff on an individual in immigration detention can be shared with National Referral Mechanism Competent Authorities for purposes other than law enforcement.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	254814
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>Home Office Immigration Removal Centre staff have a duty to refer potential victims of modern slavery into the National Referral Mechanism.</p><p>Only data that is required to enable the Single Competent Authority to make a reasonable grounds decision may be shared. All data, including that held within medical records, can only be shared with an individual’s consent.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 254813 question first answered 20/05/2019 16:05:51 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1130160

	registered interest
	date	05/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority’s budget will be increased for the coming year to reflect its wider remit as expanded by the Immigration Act 2016.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	260614
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>Funding for the GLAA was increased in 2016/17 and 2017/18 to reflect its wider remit and has been maintained at that level into 2019/20. Funding for future years will be decided as part of the spending review.</p><p>It is for the GLAA to determine how best to allocate its resources in the light of the intelligence available to it.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins grouped question UIN 260615 260616 question first answered 10/06/2019 12:07:31 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1130161

	registered interest
	date	05/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the volume of intelligence on potential labour abuse and exploitation received by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority; and whether funding for that authority has been assessed against the volume of that intelligence.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	260615
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>Funding for the GLAA was increased in 2016/17 and 2017/18 to reflect its wider remit and has been maintained at that level into 2019/20. Funding for future years will be decided as part of the spending review.</p><p>It is for the GLAA to determine how best to allocate its resources in the light of the intelligence available to it.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins grouped question UIN 260614 260616 question first answered 10/06/2019 12:07:31 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1130162

	registered interest
	date	05/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority: 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 plans to reduce the funding allocated by his Department to the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	260616
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>Funding for the GLAA was increased in 2016/17 and 2017/18 to reflect its wider remit and has been maintained at that level into 2019/20. Funding for future years will be decided as part of the spending review.</p><p>It is for the GLAA to determine how best to allocate its resources in the light of the intelligence available to it.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins grouped question UIN 260614 260615 question first answered 10/06/2019 12:07:31 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1130500

	registered interest
	date	06/06/2019
	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, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2019 to Question 252534 on Immigration: EU Nationals, if he will place in the Library, a copy of the Equality Impact Assessment on the EU Settlement Scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	261207
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>A Policy Equality Statement, which sets out the Government’s consideration of the impacts of the EU Settlement Scheme on those who share a protected characteristic, will be published shortly.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 11/06/2019 11:08:09 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1130502

	registered interest
	date	06/06/2019
	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, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2019 to Question 254812, whether staff at the Home Office and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will access that data for the purposes of the EU Settlement Scheme exclusively.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	261209
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs has full access to a person’s tax records as per HMRC’s statutory responsibilities and their access to tax records data is not limited to the EU Settlement Scheme.</p><p>Similarly, Department for Work and Pensions has full access to a person’s benefit and pension records as per DWP’s statutory responsibilities and their access to these records is not limited to the scheme. The Home Office processes a calculation of residence on based the data provided and does not retain access to the source data in an application to the EU Settlement Scheme as confirmed by the MOU.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 261212 question first answered 11/06/2019 11:13:32 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1130503

	registered interest
	date	06/06/2019
	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, with reference to the letter dated 1 May 2019 from the Minister of State for Immigration to the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, if his Department will include data on the responses received to the question of whether applicants have been continuously resident for less than five years, or more than five years, in relation to the outcome of the application in the monthly Official Statistics report on the EU Settlement Scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	261210
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>The first official statistics on the operation of the ‘EU Settlement Scheme Sta-tistics, April 2019’ were published on 30th May 2019 and can be found at:<br><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics-april-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics-april-2019</a></p><p>The Home Office is committed to publishing more detailed quarterly statistics on the EU Settlement Scheme as a whole, alongside our Immigration Statistics from August 2019. Home Office statisticians are currently considering the content and will take into account the views of statistics users.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 11/06/2019 11:32:44 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1130504

	registered interest
	date	06/06/2019
	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, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2019 to Question 254186 and with reference to page 9 of the Memorandum of Understanding between his Department and the Department for Work and Pensions and to pages 12-13 of the Memorandum of Understanding between his Department and HMRC, for what reasons automated residency checks will not check applicants' records on working tax credit and child tax credit.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	261211
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs advice indicated that receipt of working tax credit and child tax credit are not currently available as a data set that we can interrogate through the automated checks.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 13/06/2019 11:46:07 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1130505

	registered interest
	date	06/06/2019
	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, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2019 to Question 254812 on Immigration: EU Nationals and with reference to page 14 of the Memorandum of Understanding on the EU Settlement Scheme between his Department and the Department for Work and Pensions, whether staff at the Department for Work and Pensions access to that data is restricted to the purposes of the EU Settlement Scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	261212
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs has full access to a person’s tax records as per HMRC’s statutory responsibilities and their access to tax records data is not limited to the EU Settlement Scheme.</p><p>Similarly, Department for Work and Pensions has full access to a person’s benefit and pension records as per DWP’s statutory responsibilities and their access to these records is not limited to the scheme. The Home Office processes a calculation of residence on based the data provided and does not retain access to the source data in an application to the EU Settlement Scheme as confirmed by the MOU.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 261209 question first answered 11/06/2019 11:13:32 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1131086

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Deportation: Democratic Republic of Congo
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of whether it is safe to deport nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo to that country.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	262356
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>We only return those who are without a legal right to remain in the UK, including foreign national offenders, when we and, where the individual has exercised a right of appeal, the courts deem it is safe to do so, on a case by case basis.</p><p>We are currently reviewing our assessment of risk faced by rejected asylum seekers and foreign national offenders on return to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). An updated country policy and information note setting out our position will be published in due course.The Home Office has regular discussions with the Foreign Office on a range of issues and has on a number of occasions discussed the subject of returns to the DRC to establish as full an assessment of the situation as possible.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 262357 262358 question first answered 13/06/2019 11:35:16 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1131087

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Deportation: Democratic Republic of Congo
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the safety of nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo who are returned to that country.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	262357
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>We only return those who are without a legal right to remain in the UK, including foreign national offenders, when we and, where the individual has exercised a right of appeal, the courts deem it is safe to do so, on a case by case basis.</p><p>We are currently reviewing our assessment of risk faced by rejected asylum seekers and foreign national offenders on return to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). An updated country policy and information note setting out our position will be published in due course.The Home Office has regular discussions with the Foreign Office on a range of issues and has on a number of occasions discussed the subject of returns to the DRC to establish as full an assessment of the situation as possible.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 262356 262358 question first answered 13/06/2019 11:35:17 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1131088

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Deportation: Democratic Republic of Congo
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions his officials have had with officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on issuing advice on the safety of returning nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo to that country.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	262358
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2019 answer text <p>We only return those who are without a legal right to remain in the UK, including foreign national offenders, when we and, where the individual has exercised a right of appeal, the courts deem it is safe to do so, on a case by case basis.</p><p>We are currently reviewing our assessment of risk faced by rejected asylum seekers and foreign national offenders on return to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). An updated country policy and information note setting out our position will be published in due course.The Home Office has regular discussions with the Foreign Office on a range of issues and has on a number of occasions discussed the subject of returns to the DRC to establish as full an assessment of the situation as possible.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 262356 262357 question first answered 13/06/2019 11:35:17 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1131342

	registered interest
	date	11/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Entry Clearances: Applications
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to improve the level of service provided by Sopra Steria for in-country visa services at UK visa and citizenship application service centres and enhanced service points across the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	263146
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2019 answer text <p>UKVI officials meet with Sopra Steria Limited (SSL) on a regular basis to review performance and drive improvements to service standards. We are aware that there are issues with capacity at the moment which means customers might not always be able to book an appointment at their earliest convenience.</p><p>We are working with SSL as a matter of priority on a number of actions to increase the capacity at service points and we expect availability to increase shortly. These measures include; four additional enhanced service points in Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester and Edinburgh over the last month, increasing appointments offered to customers across a number of existing sites and reducing the cost of out of hours appointments.</p><p>Planning is underway with Sopra Steria and we are looking at a range of options to ensure that there is sufficient capacity within the service to meet demand during the student Autumn surge period.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 17/06/2019 10:29:16 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1131344

	registered interest
	date	11/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Visas: Applications
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service centres and enhanced service points across the UK have sufficient capacity to handle the increase in demand that will result from the student surge period in September 2019.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	263147
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2019 answer text <p>UKVI officials meet with Sopra Steria Limited (SSL) on a regular basis to review performance and drive improvements to service standards. We are aware that there are issues with capacity at the moment which means customers might not always be able to book an appointment at their earliest convenience.</p><p>We are working with SSL as a matter of priority on a number of actions to increase the capacity at service points and we expect availability to increase shortly. These measures include; four additional enhanced service points in Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester and Edinburgh over the last month, increasing appointments offered to customers across a number of existing sites and reducing the cost of out of hours appointments.</p><p>Planning is underway with Sopra Steria and we are looking at a range of options to ensure that there is sufficient capacity within the service to meet demand during the student Autumn surge period.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 17/06/2019 10:30:43 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1133855

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Visas: Fees and Charges
	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 17 June 2019 to Question 263147 on Visas: Applications, what the new costs of out of hours appointments will be.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	267739
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2019 answer text <p>We are aware that increased demand has had an impact on short term appointment availability which means customers might not always be able to book an appointment at their earliest convenience.</p><p>We are working with Sopra Steria Limited (SSL) as a matter of priority on a number of actions to increase the capacity at service points and we expect availability to increase shortly. These measures include; six additional service points in Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Exeter in May and June. SSL are also increasing appointments offered to customers across a number of existing sites and have reduced the cost of out of hours appointments to £50 in the Croydon service point. Charges in other core sites currently range from £75 to £100, but we will continue to monitor prices and customer demand.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 26/06/2019 14:46:35 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1134842

	registered interest
	date	26/06/2019
	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, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2019 to Question 267306 on Immigration: EU Nationals, what estimate he has made of the number of applicants for whom tax credit records would be relevant.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	269726
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>The purpose of the automated checks is to help the applicant establish their continuous residence in the UK. Eligibility to receive benefits is not dependent upon being continuously resident in the UK. Benefits except Job Seekers Allowance and Maternity Allowance on their own are not strong indicators of continuous residence unless receipt of them persists over a period of 12 months. There are also overlaps with other data that is available from the checks. For instance, PAYE data covers most applicants who claim working tax credits and receipt of other benefits included in the checks will overlap with receipt of child tax credits. Child Benefit is not included in the automated checks because it is not a sufficient indicator of continuous UK residence. A full explanation of how the automated checks work has been published at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check." target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check.</a></p><p>Following analysis conducted on an anonymised sample of 10,000 applications submitted under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006, the Home Office estimated that the potential pool of resident EEA citizens who might benefit from tax credits data being included in the automated checks was around two per cent and this was before any consideration of the applicability of that data to proving continuous residence. Individuals who need to rely on tax credits to demonstrate their continuous residence are still able to provide documentary evidence of this as part of their application.</p><p>In accordance with section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, we have had due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 03/07/2019 15:35:26 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1135336

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2019
	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, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2019 to Question 267306, if he will place in the House of Commons Library a copy of any (a) minutes of meetings where the decision to exclude tax credit records was discussed or made and (b) equality impact assessment conducted to inform that decision.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	270376
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The purpose of the automated checks is to help the applicant establish their continuous residence in the UK. Eligibility to receive benefits is not dependent upon being continuously resident in the UK. Benefits except Job Seekers Allowance and Maternity Allowance on their own are not strong indicators of continuous residence unless receipt of them persists over a period of 12 months. There are also overlaps with other data that is available from the checks. For instance, PAYE data covers most applicants who claim working tax credits and receipt of other benefits included in the checks will overlap with receipt of child tax credits. Child Benefit is not included in the automated checks because it is not a sufficient indicator of continuous UK residence. A full explanation of how the automated checks work has been published at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check." target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check.</a></p><p>Following analysis conducted on an anonymised sample of 10,000 applications submitted under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006, the Home Office estimated that the potential pool of resident EEA citizens who might benefit from tax credits data being included in the automated checks was around two per cent and this was before any consideration of the applicability of that data to proving continuous residence. Individuals who need to rely on tax credits to demonstrate their continuous residence are still able to provide documentary evidence of this as part of their application.</p><p>In accordance with section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, we have had due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 02/07/2019 16:54:28 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1135337

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2019
	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, how many applicants to the EU Settlement scheme are recorded as being (a) male and (b) female in relation to the outcome of their applications.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	270377
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The second official statistics – ‘EU Settlement Scheme Statistics, May 2019’ – on the operation of the scheme were published on 20 June 2019, including applications received by nationality and constituent parts of the UK. These can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics-may-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics-may-2019</a></p><p>The Home Office is committed to publishing more detailed quarterly statistics on the EU Settlement Scheme, alongside our Immigration Statistics, from August 2019. Home Office statisticians and officials are currently considering the content and will take into account the views of statistics users.</p><p>The application process for the EU Settlement Scheme collects data on the applicant’s date of birth, nationality and, where appropriate, marital or civil partnership status. Other data on protected characteristics may be processed as part of the application.</p><p>In accordance with the public sector equality duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the Government continues to have due regard to the impacts of the EU Settlement Scheme on those who share a protected characteristic. A Policy Equality Statement, which sets out the Government’s consideration of the impacts of the scheme on those who share such a characteristic, will be published shortly.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 270378 270379 270380 question first answered 02/07/2019 15:57:53 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1135338

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2019
	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 data fields are processed by the EU Settlement scheme that are protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	270378
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The second official statistics – ‘EU Settlement Scheme Statistics, May 2019’ – on the operation of the scheme were published on 20 June 2019, including applications received by nationality and constituent parts of the UK. These can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics-may-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics-may-2019</a></p><p>The Home Office is committed to publishing more detailed quarterly statistics on the EU Settlement Scheme, alongside our Immigration Statistics, from August 2019. Home Office statisticians and officials are currently considering the content and will take into account the views of statistics users.</p><p>The application process for the EU Settlement Scheme collects data on the applicant’s date of birth, nationality and, where appropriate, marital or civil partnership status. Other data on protected characteristics may be processed as part of the application.</p><p>In accordance with the public sector equality duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the Government continues to have due regard to the impacts of the EU Settlement Scheme on those who share a protected characteristic. A Policy Equality Statement, which sets out the Government’s consideration of the impacts of the scheme on those who share such a characteristic, will be published shortly.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 270377 270379 270380 question first answered 02/07/2019 15:57:53 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1135339

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2019
	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 reasons data disaggregated by protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 is not included in his Department's monthly official statistics on the operation of the EU Settlement Scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	270379
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The second official statistics – ‘EU Settlement Scheme Statistics, May 2019’ – on the operation of the scheme were published on 20 June 2019, including applications received by nationality and constituent parts of the UK. These can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics-may-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics-may-2019</a></p><p>The Home Office is committed to publishing more detailed quarterly statistics on the EU Settlement Scheme, alongside our Immigration Statistics, from August 2019. Home Office statisticians and officials are currently considering the content and will take into account the views of statistics users.</p><p>The application process for the EU Settlement Scheme collects data on the applicant’s date of birth, nationality and, where appropriate, marital or civil partnership status. Other data on protected characteristics may be processed as part of the application.</p><p>In accordance with the public sector equality duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the Government continues to have due regard to the impacts of the EU Settlement Scheme on those who share a protected characteristic. A Policy Equality Statement, which sets out the Government’s consideration of the impacts of the scheme on those who share such a characteristic, will be published shortly.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 270377 270378 270380 question first answered 02/07/2019 15:57:53 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1135340

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2019
	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, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2019 to Question 252534, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the compliance of the operation of the EU Settlement Scheme with the public sector equality duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	270380
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The second official statistics – ‘EU Settlement Scheme Statistics, May 2019’ – on the operation of the scheme were published on 20 June 2019, including applications received by nationality and constituent parts of the UK. These can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics-may-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics-may-2019</a></p><p>The Home Office is committed to publishing more detailed quarterly statistics on the EU Settlement Scheme, alongside our Immigration Statistics, from August 2019. Home Office statisticians and officials are currently considering the content and will take into account the views of statistics users.</p><p>The application process for the EU Settlement Scheme collects data on the applicant’s date of birth, nationality and, where appropriate, marital or civil partnership status. Other data on protected characteristics may be processed as part of the application.</p><p>In accordance with the public sector equality duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the Government continues to have due regard to the impacts of the EU Settlement Scheme on those who share a protected characteristic. A Policy Equality Statement, which sets out the Government’s consideration of the impacts of the scheme on those who share such a characteristic, will be published shortly.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 270377 270378 270379 question first answered 02/07/2019 15:57:53 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1135475

	registered interest
	date	28/06/2019
	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, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2019 to Question 261210, how many applicants who have asserted in their application that they have been continuously resident in the UK for more than five years have been granted pre-settled status to date.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	270743
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>All applicants granted pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme will have agreed that they have been continuously resident in the UK for less than five years either in the application or, post-submission, in discussion with a caseworker.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 03/07/2019 15:41:03 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1135476

	registered interest
	date	28/06/2019
	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, with reference to pages 9-10 of the Memorandum of Understanding between his Department and the Department for Work and Pensions and to pages 12-13 of the Memorandum of Understanding between his Department and HMRC, for what reasons automated residency checks will not check applicants' records on child benefit.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	270744
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>The purpose of the automated checks is to help the applicant establish their continuous residence in the UK. Eligibility to receive benefits is not dependent upon being continuously resident in the UK. Benefits except Job Seekers Allowance and Maternity Allowance on their own are not strong indicators of continuous residence unless receipt of them persists over a period of 12 months. There are also overlaps with other data that is available from the checks. For instance, PAYE data covers most applicants who claim working tax credits and receipt of other benefits included in the checks will overlap with receipt of child tax credits. Child Benefit is not included in the automated checks because it is not a sufficient indicator of continuous UK residence. A full explanation of how the automated checks work has been published at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check." target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check.</a></p><p>Following analysis conducted on an anonymised sample of 10,000 applications submitted under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006, the Home Office estimated that the potential pool of resident EEA citizens who might benefit from tax credits data being included in the automated checks was around two per cent and this was before any consideration of the applicability of that data to proving continuous residence. Individuals who need to rely on tax credits to demonstrate their continuous residence are still able to provide documentary evidence of this as part of their application.</p><p>In accordance with section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, we have had due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 270745 question first answered 03/07/2019 15:33:05 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1135477

	registered interest
	date	28/06/2019
	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, with reference to pages 9-10 of the Memorandum of Understanding between his Department and the Department for Work and Pensions and to pages 12-13 of the Memorandum of Understanding between his Department and HMRC, whether automatic residency checks will give equal weight when calculating length of residence to evidence of (a) one month of employment and (b) one month of claiming housing benefit, employment support allowance, carer's allowance, personal independence payments, disability living allowance, income support, incapacity benefit, attendance allowance, severe disability allowance and/or universal credit.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	270745
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <p>The purpose of the automated checks is to help the applicant establish their continuous residence in the UK. Eligibility to receive benefits is not dependent upon being continuously resident in the UK. Benefits except Job Seekers Allowance and Maternity Allowance on their own are not strong indicators of continuous residence unless receipt of them persists over a period of 12 months. There are also overlaps with other data that is available from the checks. For instance, PAYE data covers most applicants who claim working tax credits and receipt of other benefits included in the checks will overlap with receipt of child tax credits. Child Benefit is not included in the automated checks because it is not a sufficient indicator of continuous UK residence. A full explanation of how the automated checks work has been published at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check." target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check.</a></p><p>Following analysis conducted on an anonymised sample of 10,000 applications submitted under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006, the Home Office estimated that the potential pool of resident EEA citizens who might benefit from tax credits data being included in the automated checks was around two per cent and this was before any consideration of the applicability of that data to proving continuous residence. Individuals who need to rely on tax credits to demonstrate their continuous residence are still able to provide documentary evidence of this as part of their application.</p><p>In accordance with section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, we have had due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes grouped question UIN 270744 question first answered 03/07/2019 15:33:05 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1135859

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Members: Correspondence
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to respond to the letter of 19 June 2018 from the hon. Member for Sheffield Central in respect of Written Parliamentary Questions on Tier 2 Visas, CTS Reference number M8354/18.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	271487
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>The Home Office can confirm a substantive response to the questions raised is being prepared and apologises for the delay in responding.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 04/07/2019 15:40:42 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1135990

	registered interest
	date	01/07/2019
	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 estimate he has made of the number of applications that have been (a) received, (b) concluded and (c) turned down for the EU Settlement Scheme at 31 May 2019.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	271538
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>The second official statistics – ‘EU Settlement Scheme Statistics, May 2019’ – on the operation of the scheme were published on 20 June 2019, including applications received and decisions made to 31st May 2019. These can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics-may-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics-may-2019</a></p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 04/07/2019 15:28:18 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1138051

	registered interest
	date	10/07/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Entry Clearances: Applications
	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 17 June 2019 to Question 263146 on Visas: Applications, if he will ensure that the processing of in-country visa services by Sopra Steria will not result in increased prices for visa services for (a) international students and staff at UK universities and (b) universities.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	275742
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>The application fee for a visa or visa extension is paid to the Home Office and is not related to the service provided by Sopra Steria.</p><p>As part of the application process in the UK individuals must enrol their biometrics at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service centre which are run by Sopra Steria.</p><p>For the majority of applicants in the UK there are a variety of offerings for students and other employees at UK education institutions which include free appointments at core service points, access to enhanced service points and the premium lounge for a fee. Additionally, to help meet demand for the autumn increase in student applications a “Tier 4 Service Point” will also be offered by Sopra Steria for a fee. This cost of this is lower than the costs of an out of hours, enhanced service point or premium lounge appointments under the normal UKVCAS service and will save students the financial and logistical burden of travel.</p><p>As part of our governance processes, we work closely with SSL to ensure that excessive charges are not imposed on UKVI customers. Whilst SSL may offer added value services to customers, these are optional and aim to enhance the customer experience.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 15/07/2019 12:31:44 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1139832

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2019
	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, if he will place in the Library a copy of the algorithms citizen matching layer and business logic.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	278477
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>Under the EU Settlement Scheme, we conduct automated checks of certain tax and benefits records held by HM Revenue &amp; Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions, where the applicant chooses to provide their National Insurance number. The checks help to provide evidence of the applicant’s residence in the UK and remove or reduce the need for them to submit documentary evidence of this.</p><p>The business logic of how the checks calculate the period of residence is available on gov.uk at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-settlement-scheme-uk-tax-and-benefits-records-automated-check</a></p><p>We have also published there the memorandum of understanding with each department, reasons why records may not be found, and guidance on the wide range of other evidence we can use to confirm UK residence.</p><p>All applications under the scheme are decided by a caseworker.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 22/07/2019 15:40:43 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1139834

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2019
	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, if he will include data on administrative reviews in his Department’s monthly statistics report on applications made to the EU Settlement Scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	278478
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>The third official statistics – ‘EU Settlement Scheme Statistics, June 2019’ – on the operation of the scheme were published on 18 July 2019. These can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics-june-2019" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics-june-2019</a></p><p>The Home Office is committed to publishing more detailed quarterly statistics on the EU Settlement Scheme, alongside our Immigration Statistics, from August 2019. Home Office statisticians and officials are currently considering the content and will take into account the views of statistics users.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 22/07/2019 15:59:10 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1139840

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Crime: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of whether misogynistic crimes targeted at women should be treated as hate crimes by the police.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	278479
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government has asked the Law Commission to review the adequacy and parity of protection offered by the law relating to hate crime. This review covers both existing protected characteristics and whether additional strands, including sex and gender, should be added. The Law Commission will be undertaking a public consultation and we will consider the results of their report in due course.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 22/07/2019 15:38:36 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield

1140861

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2019
	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, how many applications for administrative review have been made to the EU Settlement Scheme; how many of those applications were (a) successful and (b) successful due to new evidence or an error by the caseworker in the original decision.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	280266
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2019 answer text <p>In the period up to 31 May 2019, the last point at which data was assured, 368 applications were received for administrative review of decisions made on applications under the EU Settlement Scheme. Of these:</p><p>• 30 administrative review applications were rejected, e.g. because no EU Settlement Scheme application had been received;</p><p>• in all the remaining 253 cases, the applicant was challenging a grant of pre-settled status rather than settled status, of which:</p><p>o 22 of these grants of pre-settled status were upheld following the administrative review; and <br>o 231 of these grants of pre-settled status were overturned, and the applicant was instead granted settled status following administrative review. In these cases, the applicant had generally accepted a grant of pre-settled status when making their application and then provided additional evidence of their eligibility for settled status with their application for administrative review.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 25/07/2019 15:26:59 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield