We have been in correspondence with the Scottish Government concerning the Tier 4 visa pilot. There is no pilot study currently being conducted into post-study work visas.<\/p>
The Tier 4 visa pilot is part of the Home Office\u2019s continued efforts to ensure that the UK maintains an excellent offer to attract the brightest and best to study at our world-leading institutions. The pilot is deliberately narrow in scope, with the institutions selected on the basis of their consistently low level of visa refusals. Its main aim is to test the benefits of a differentiated approach within Tier 4, whilst ensuring any changes do not undermine the robust application of immigration requirements.<\/p>
The pilot helps simplify the visa application process for international students looking to study on a Masters\u2019 course, in the UK, of 13 months or less. Whilst it will also help to support students who wish to switch into a work route by extending the leave period following the end of their study to up to six months, it does not make any changes to the Tier 2 visa route and is not a return to the post-study work visa route.<\/p>
The four selected institutions were consulted regarding its implementation. Should the pilot be successful, the Home Office will consult key stakeholders about its possible expansion.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4311", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Williams of Trafford"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-09-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-09-22T12:57:32.673Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-09-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Visas: Overseas Students"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what consultations took place with the Scottish Government in advance of the announcement of the pilot study on post-study work visas in July.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4168", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale"} ], "uin" : "HL1785"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/392030", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/392030/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Asylum seekers, including dependants of asylum seekers, who are destitute are provided with accommodation and a cash allowance to cover their \u201cessential living needs\u201d - the legal test. The level of the allowance is kept under regular review.<\/p>
The most recent review showed that the asylum support payments provided to larger household groups comfortably exceeded what is necessary to meet essential living needs. The revised rates which will come into force in August are still sufficient to meet those needs. There should therefore be no impact on the voluntary sector.<\/p>
In conducting the review, in addition to other sources of information, research was undertaken into the actual costs of particular essential items, including the cost of food stuffs, clothing, toiletries, household cleaning stuffs and non-prescription medication, as well as travel and communications.<\/p>
In conducting the review, due regard was given the Public Sector Equality Duty and the assessment was that the reduced payments were still sufficient to meet those needs. The statement also sets out the methodology used in the review. A copy of the statement was recently provided on request to the House of Commons library. A copy of the letter to the members of the National Asylum Stakeholders Forum is also available on request.<\/p>
Along with accommodation, and free access to health care and education, the essential living needs covered by the asylum support rates are compatible with the UN Convention on the Rights of the child, and include nutrition, clothing and access to social, cultural and religious life.<\/p>
As a member of the European Union, the EU Directives on reception conditions for asylum seekers place Sweden under the same international obligations as the UK in respect of the provision of support to asylum seekers. Thus like the UK, Sweden provide accommodation and subsistence to those asylum seekers who are in need of such assistance.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL1782"} , {"_value" : "HL1783"} , {"_value" : "HL1784"} , {"_value" : "HL1786"} , {"_value" : "HL1787"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-28T15:44:48.467Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asylum Support (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2015"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government, regarding the Asylum Support (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2015, what support other than cash is received by a family of four asylum seekers in Sweden, as referred to in paragraph 7.7 of the Explanatory Memorandum.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2652", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Hamwee"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Hamwee"} ], "uin" : "HL1785"} ], "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"]} }