UK Visas & Immigration closed no Visa Application Centres in Africa between 2017 and 2019. However, in the same period we opened additional centres in Kenya (Mombasa), Morocco (Casablanca) and Algeria (Oran). We have also introduced an annual Visa Application Centre in the Seychelles for our customers applying for student visas.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4455", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Seema Kennedy"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Ribble"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Seema Kennedy"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-09-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-09-09T15:41:37.943Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Visas: Africa"} , "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, which UK visa application centres in Africa were closed between 2017 and 2019.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"} ], "uin" : "266255"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132965", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132965/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
UK Visa & Immigration can confirm 23 countries do not have a UK Visa application and customers are advised to apply in an alternative location:<\/p>
Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Sao Tome & Principe, Seychelles, Somalia, Swaziland and Togo<\/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" : "2019-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-24T14:55:56.977Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Visas: Africa"}
, "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, which countries in Africa do not have a UK visa application centre.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"}
], "uin" : "266256"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132966", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132966/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Opening times of Visa Application Centres are determined by volumes of applications. The vast majority of Visa Application Centres are open every working day with the exception of the following; Gambia, Cameroon, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritius, Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo.<\/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" : "2019-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-24T15:00:08.667Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Visas: Africa"} , "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, which countries in Africa have a UK visa application centre which is not open each working day.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"} ], "uin" : "266257"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132058", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132058/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The following organisations registered in the North East are involved in current active projects within the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund challenge Prospering from the Energy Revolution<\/em>:<\/p> As per its funding settlement with HM Treasury, BEIS has allocated its research and innovation Official Development Assistance budget to two discrete funds: the Newton Fund, and the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).<\/p> <\/p> The Newton Fund has a total budget of £735 million (2014/15 \u2013 2020/21) and supports science and innovation collaborations with 17 partner countries. The fund aims to promote the economic development and social welfare of either the partner countries or, through working with the partner country, to address the wellbeing of communities.<\/p> <\/p> The GCRF is a funding stream that supports cutting edge research on global issues affecting developing countries. From 2016/17 to 2020/21, the GCRF will invest £1.5 billion in funding that harnesses the expertise of the UK\u2019s world-leading researchers.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4021", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Skidmore"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingswood"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Skidmore"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-18T14:09:15Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Overseas Aid: Research"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how his Department has allocated its allocation of Official Development Assistance research and innovation funding.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"}
], "uin" : "264394"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132172", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132172/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " BEIS has two research and innovation Official Development Funds: the Newton Fund and Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). The funds are distributed through the UK\u2019s main public bodies for the allocation of government research funds including UK Research and Innovation and the four National Academies.<\/p> <\/p> BEIS does not hold a record of the number of individuals supported across all funding bodies. However, since 2014, UK Research and Innovation (and its predecessor bodies) has supported over 2000 researchers based outside of the EU through Global Challenges Research Fund and Newton Fund programmes.<\/p> <\/p> A Newton funded research collaboration between experts from Fundação Oswaldo Cruz Recife (Fiocruz) and the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research played a major role in Brazil\u2019s response to the Zika epidemic. The first in the world to focus on Zika virus epidemiology, the project informed policy and resulted in basic understanding of the virus, paving the way for more advanced research to take place.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4021", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Skidmore"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingswood"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Skidmore"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-18T16:25:28.99Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Scientists: Migrant Workers"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many overseas scientists from outside the EU are funded by his Department through Official Development Assistance funding.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"}
], "uin" : "264395"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132173", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132173/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We are aware that some claimants who are working may find it difficult to access our Jobcentre Plus Service due to their work commitments. We have recently started a pilot to test the demand for Jobcentre Plus Services on a Saturday. The pilot which is aimed at working claimants, including those who are self-employed, offers a limited range of services, usually via a pre-booked appointment.<\/p> <\/p> The pilot is being delivered in seven different Jobcentre Plus Offices, spread across the country and with different geographical and demographic features - for example large inner city (such as Poplar) small rural offices such as Wick and Todmorden, and urban such as Dudley, York.<\/p> <\/p> Additionally, we are in the early stages of testing the demand for appointments in the early evening, again to meet the needs of our employed and self-employed claimants.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4014", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Reading West"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alok Sharma"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-18T15:00:33.197Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2019 to Question 252105, whether all universal credit claimants who work during working hours and who have been required to have an interview to verify evidence have been able to arrange a date and time for that interview outside DWP working hours.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"}
], "uin" : "264396"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132174", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132174/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " \u200bThe UK does not provide any support or funding to the Rapid Support Forces.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-18T14:32:15.753Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sudan: Armed Forces"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Sudanese military rapid support forces receive any funding from the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"}
], "uin" : "264397"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130945", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130945/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) believes that Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) \u2013 of people and ideas \u2013 is crucial for delivering excellence in research and innovation. It has made EDI a priority \u2013 as a national research and innovation funder, as an employer, and as an influential voice in wider research and innovation sectors.<\/p> <\/p> The seven Research Councils have historically collected information on applicants for and recipients of funding regarding age, gender, ethnicity, and disability. The councils do not collect information on social-economic group. Neither Innovate UK nor Research England collect diversity data of applicants or those in receipt of funding or loans.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Successive UK Governments have supported the principle that funding for basic research should be awarded through competitive processes on the basis of excellence and likely impact - as assessed through peer review. This is widely considered to be a underpinning factor in the success of UK research, and a key enabler of value for money for tax payers money. Consequently, HM Government takes an arms length approach to research funding, in line with the Haldane Principle.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> In addition, initial analysis of 2018-19 funding data from the seven research councils by gender shows that:<\/p> <\/p> UKRI aims to publish a UKRI-wide EDI Strategic Framework in Autumn 2019, which will help UKRI to bring together and scrutinise evidence on what works, develop and prioritise actions, and ensure that EDI is considered and supported in all that UKRI does.<\/p> <\/p> Work is currently underway to improve data collection and analysis capabilities about the people UKRI funds. A detailed cross-UKRI analysis of funding data will be published in Autumn 2019.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4021", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Skidmore"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingswood"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Skidmore"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-13T13:05:02.877Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "UK Research and Innovation: Grants"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the diversity of UK Research and Innovation grant recipients by (a) gender, (b) ethnicity, (c) disability and (d) socio-economic group.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"}
], "uin" : "262366"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130868", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130868/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The terms of international exchanges are the responsibility of individual higher education institutions. The main exchange programme supported through public funding in the UK is Erasmus+, a European Union programme for education, training, youth and sport, which provides funding for both EU and non-EU students to come to UK universities.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4021", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Skidmore"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingswood"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Skidmore"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-13T16:03:57.093Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Educational Exchanges"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support his Department provides to EU universities wanting to send non-EU students to UK universities on exchange programmes.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"}
], "uin" : "262364"}
], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "next" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=Chi+Onwurah&_page=1&max-date=2019-06-18", "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 1534, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]}
}
UKRI has appointed Professor Jennifer Rubin, Executive Chair, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as the UKRI Champion for EDI, and established an External Advisory Group for EDI. The group is working with UKRI to identify and prioritise areas.<\/p>