Due to an unexpected spike in calls a large queue of callers built. To ensure those in the queue were able to speak with an agent before 5pm the line closed to NEW callers at 3.15pm (45 minutes earlier than normal). Agents continued to assist queued callers up until 6pm. We continue to closely monitor and review call volumes to match staffing capacity to anticipated demand.<\/p>
Analysis of the spike on 17th<\/sup> June is currently being undertaken to ensure a closure of this nature is not required in the future.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4451", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kevin Foster"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Torbay"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kevin Foster"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-23T10:26:40.22Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "UK Visas and Immigration: Telephone Services"}
, "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, for what reason the UKVI MP Urgent Inquiries line closed at least 20 minutes early on 17 June 2022.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bournemouth East"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Tobias Ellwood"}
], "uin" : "21114"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1471740", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1471740/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Performance against target has been impacted by a significant increase in the volume of correspondence received, including the unprecedented amount of correspondence about the situation in Afghanistan and more recently in Ukraine.<\/p> The Department continues to prioritise enquiries related to Ukraine and recognises it has not been able to meet service standard in other cases. Actions are being taken to clear backlogs and drive-up performance. MPs can escalate urgent and compassionate cases via the team at Portcullis House.<\/p> The Department continues to recruit additional resources and has recently been loaned staff from non-operational areas to assist in clearing the backlogs.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4451", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kevin Foster"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Torbay"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kevin Foster"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-23T10:30:11.41Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Members: Correspondence"}
, "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 recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of her Department's response rate to enquiries from hon. Members.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4571", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gill Furniss"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gill Furniss"}
], "uin" : "21244"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1471742", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1471742/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Performance against target has been impacted by a significant increase in the volume of correspondence received, including the unprecedented amount of correspondence about the situation in Afghanistan and more recently in Ukraine.<\/p> The Department continues to prioritise enquiries related to Ukraine and recognises it has not been able to meet service standard in other cases. Actions have been taken to clear backlogs and drive-up performance. MPs can escalate urgent and compassionate cases via the team at Portcullis House.<\/p> The Department continues to recruit additional resources and has recently been loaned staff from non-operational areas to assist in clearing the backlogs.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4451", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kevin Foster"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Torbay"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kevin Foster"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-23T10:05:41.843Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Home Office: Telephone Services"}
, "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 new enquiries her Department\u2019s MP hotline teams have processed in each month of 2022 up to 20 June.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1548", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jessica Morden"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newport East"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jessica Morden"}
], "uin" : "21147"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1471413", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1471413/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance grants by nationality in the \u2018Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release<\/a>\u2019. Data on the number of visas granted to Afghan nationals is published in table Vis_D02 of the \u2018entry clearance visa applications and outcomes detailed datasets<\/a>\u2019. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the \u2018Notes\u2019 page of the workbook. The latest data relates to the year ending March 2022. Additionally, the Home Office publishes a high-level overview of the data in the \u2018summary tables<\/a>\u2019. The \u2018contents\u2019 sheet contains an overview of all available data on entry clearance visas.<\/p> <\/td> Calls Answered<\/td> Total Enquiries handles through calls<\/td><\/tr> Jan-22<\/td> 1327<\/td> 1650<\/td><\/tr> Feb-22<\/td> 1344<\/td> 1659<\/td><\/tr> Mar-22<\/td> 1808<\/td> 2383<\/td><\/tr> Apr-22<\/td> 1967<\/td> 3632<\/td><\/tr> May-22<\/td> 3716<\/td> 7118<\/td><\/tr> Jun-22<\/td> 2902<\/td> 4884<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>