We continue to engage with key stakeholders, including NGOs, International Organisations and local authorities on the UK\u2019s approach to asylum and resettlement, including the approach to family reunion for refugees.<\/p>
The Government has committed to rebalancing the system to focus more resource on the most vulnerable refugees through our aid programmes and resettlement whilst ensuring the in country system provides protection for those in need but also ensures those with no lawful basis to stay in the UK are returned. Our policies and approach must reflect the capacity and resources of Government and local authorities.<\/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" : "2018-03-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-23T17:53:26.46Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asylum"} , "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 progress her Department has made on the implementation of the asylum and resettlement strategy; and if she will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4614", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Hugh Gaffney"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Hugh Gaffney"} ], "uin" : "133453"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/867483", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/867483/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK Immigration Rules have a comprehensive framework for refugees and their families to be safely reunited in the UK. Our family reunion policy allows immediate family members of those granted protection here to reunite with them. The Immigration Rules also provide for relatives with protection in the UK to sponsor children in serious and compelling circumstances. The Mandate resettlement scheme also allows those recognised by the UNCHR as refugees to join close family members here in the UK.<\/p>
In addition, there is provision in the policy to grant visas outside the Rules in exceptional circumstances, which caters for extended family members who otherwise do not qualify under the Rules.<\/p>
We do not believe there are unnecessary barriers to family reunion for refugees. Over the last five years there have been 24,700 family reunion visas issued \u2013and this is in addition to the numbers granted asylum here or resettled here under our resettlement schemes.<\/p>
We are listening carefully to concerns raised on this issue by Non-Governmental Organisations and others. We are currently reviewing our approach to family reunion as part of the Government\u2019s wider asylum and resettlement policy strategy. We will be following the passage of the Family Reunion Family Member\u2019s Bill closely and will continue our productive discussions in this area.<\/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" : "2018-03-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-23T11:54:22.117Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Refugees: Families"} , "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, whether she plans to amend the rules on refugee family reunion to include the extended definition of family in the Dublin III Regulation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4614", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Hugh Gaffney"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Hugh Gaffney"} ], "uin" : "133458"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 2, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }