Customers making immigration applications can no longer use Post Office branches to enrol their biometrics in the majority of cases. Most customers now enrol their biometrics at a UK Visas & Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) centre.<\/p>
The previous service offered by the Post Office was biometric enrolment only, whereas the new UKVCAS service brings together multiple services to make the application process more streamlined.<\/p>
The UKVCAS service is run by our commercial partner, Sopra Steria Ltd (SSL), who undertook market research to identify service locations; their research included the impact on customer travel time, cost and accessibility. The results of this were that 62% of customers will, on average, have to travel less than 25 miles to visit a core service point, with 78% travelling less than 50 miles.<\/p>
SSL can also cater for customers who wish to have more flexible, on-demand, mobile application services, for example at university campuses, employers\u2019 offices or individual customers\u2019 homes.<\/p>
As part of this contract SSL continuously captures and analyses customer feedback and reviews customer demand to ensure there is sufficient capacity. During May and June SSL opened six additional sites: Manchester, Cardiff, Exeter, Leeds, Sheffield and Edinburgh, with the view to open more.<\/p>
For information on the closest core and enhanced service points to Luton, please see the UKVCAS website at: https://www.ukvcas.co.uk/locations. <\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T15:56:55.137Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Biometrics: Luton"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the closure of the Crown post office in Luton on the accessibility to biometric information services for visa or immigration applications.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4013", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Gavin Shuker"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Luton South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Gavin Shuker"}
], "uin" : "277707"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139304", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139304/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The number and proportion of police officers who are signed-off from work with stress and work-related illness is not collected centrally by the Home Office.<\/p> The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of police officers on long-term absence as at 31st March each year, including long-term absence for sickness, but not specifically stress and work-related illness. Long-term absence includes officers on leave more than 28 days.<\/p> These data are available in the Absence Open Data tables published alongside the annual \u2018Police workforce\u2019 statistical bulletin, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-open-data-tables<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1561", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Nick Hurd"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T15:43:04.787Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Police: Sick Leave"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate his Department has made of the number and proportion of police officers who are signed-off from work with stress and work-related illness.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1200", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Greg Knight"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Yorkshire"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sir Greg Knight"}
], "uin" : "277661"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139314", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139314/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The proportionality test related to the immigration exemption in the Data Protection Act 2018 requires the rights of the individual data subject to be weighed against the likely prejudice to the maintenance of effective immigration control in so allowing such rights. It is not targeted at any individual cohort or schemes and may only be applied on a case by case basis<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T15:46:48.333Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Windrush Compensation Scheme"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 July 2019 to Question 276277 on Immigration: Windrush Generation, what the criteria of proportionality will be when applied to people applying to the Windrush compensation scheme.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4671", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Afzal Khan"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Manchester, Gorton"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Afzal Khan"}
], "uin" : "277850"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139315", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139315/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Letters setting out a final decision for a claim made under the Windrush Compensation Scheme will reference any payments made by another Government department.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T16:03:34.727Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Immigration: Windrush Generation"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 July 2019 to Question 276276, whether the reasons for a decision sent to a claimant will include HMRC and DWP data checks on the claimant's employment or benefits history.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4671", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Afzal Khan"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Manchester, Gorton"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Afzal Khan"}
], "uin" : "277851"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139342", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139342/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued for motoring offences in the \u2018Police Powers and Procedures, England and Wales\u2019 statistical bulletin, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales<\/a>. However, information on the type of vehicle issued with a FPN is not collected. Data for the 2018/19 financial year is due to be published in October 2019.<\/p> Enforcement of road traffic law is an operational matter for the police to determine in line with local priorities. There have been no discussions with the Mayor of London, the Metropolitan Police or Transport for London on the enforcement of the regulations governing the use of electric scooters.<\/p> The Future of Mobility: Urban Strategy, published on 19 March 2019 by the Department for Transport, includes a Regulatory Review to address the challenges of ensuring our transport infrastructure and regulations are fit for the future. One strand of this will look at options for enabling micromobility devices, and a consultation will be issued in due course. The Home Office will work with Dft as proposals are developed.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1561", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Nick Hurd"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "277624"}
, {"_value" : "277625"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T16:00:12.633Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Electric Scooters: Fixed Penalties"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fixed penalty fines have been issued to electric scooter riders by police in each of the last two years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/197", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Fitzpatrick"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Poplar and Limehouse"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Fitzpatrick"}
], "uin" : "277623"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139343", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139343/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued for motoring offences in the \u2018Police Powers and Procedures, England and Wales\u2019 statistical bulletin, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales<\/a>. However, information on the type of vehicle issued with a FPN is not collected. Data for the 2018/19 financial year is due to be published in October 2019.<\/p> Enforcement of road traffic law is an operational matter for the police to determine in line with local priorities. There have been no discussions with the Mayor of London, the Metropolitan Police or Transport for London on the enforcement of the regulations governing the use of electric scooters.<\/p> The Future of Mobility: Urban Strategy, published on 19 March 2019 by the Department for Transport, includes a Regulatory Review to address the challenges of ensuring our transport infrastructure and regulations are fit for the future. One strand of this will look at options for enabling micromobility devices, and a consultation will be issued in due course. The Home Office will work with Dft as proposals are developed.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1561", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Nick Hurd"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "277623"}
, {"_value" : "277625"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-22T16:00:12.68Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Electric Scooters"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with (a) the Mayor of London, (b) the Metropolitan Police and (c) Transport for London on the enforcement of the regulations governing the use of electric scooters on roads, pavements and cycle highways.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/197", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Fitzpatrick"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Poplar and Limehouse"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Fitzpatrick"}
], "uin" : "277624"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139347", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1139347/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "