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506637

registered interest
date	08/04/2016
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Overseas Students: English Language
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to caseworkers on handling applications from international students to study at UK colleges and universities in a way that ensures the applicants are not disadvantaged by accusation of fraud in English language tests made by ETS.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C. McDonald
uin	33039
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/04/2016 answer text <p>UK Visas and Immigration caseworkers were issued with guidance on how to handle applications made by international students who had taken ETS English language tests in February 2014. This guidance has been updated as required. This is part of the reasonable and proportionate action we have taken in response to the clear evidence provided by ETS to identify those who had sought to profit from abuse of the English language testing system. The guidance does not disadvantage students who obtained an ETS test certificate properly, but ensures that due scrutiny is being applied by caseworkers where individuals have been identified as having obtained invalid test certificates.</p><p>We received the determination in the case of Qadir and SM from the Upper Tribunal on 8 April, providing full reasons for the summary decision handed down on 23 March. Although the Upper Tribunal found that the Home Office did discharge the evidential burden on it in establishing fraud at ETS test centres and that each appellant would need to establish an innocent explanation, it went on to allow the appeals. We are disappointed by the decision and we are currently reviewing it with a view to challenging before the Court of Appeal. Given this, there are no current plans to issue further updated guidance to caseworkers following the recent Upper Tribunal determination.</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 14/04/2016 14:55:31 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire previous answer version 54800 answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

506650

registered interest
date	08/04/2016
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrants: English Language
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her policy is on reconsidering the cases of people who had their leave to remain wrongly cancelled, or who were wrongly detained or removed, on the basis of allegations of fraud in English language tests made by ETS in response to the Upper Tribunal ruling in Qadir v Secretary of State, 23 March 2016.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C. McDonald
uin	32974
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2016 answer text <p>We received the determination in the case of Qadir and SM from Upper Tribunal on 8 April which provides the full reasons for the decision which were not included in the summary handed down on 23 March. Although the Upper Tribunal found that the Home Office did discharge the evidential burden on it in establishing fraud at ETS test centres and that each appellant would need to establish an innocent explanation, it went on to allow the appeals. We are disappointed by the decision and we are currently reviewing it with a view to challenging before the Court Of Appeal. Given this there are no current plans to reconsider earlier decisions.</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 18/04/2016 14:17:29 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

487164

registered interest
date	24/03/2016
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Educational Testing Service
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish all correspondence between her Department and ETS relating to allegations of English language text fraud.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C. McDonald
uin	32637
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2016 answer text <p>There are on-going criminal investigations and prosecutions into matters connected with cheating in ETS tests and it would be inappropriate to release any information or details of correspondence in the circumstances.</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 11/04/2016 12:28:18 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

487165

registered interest
date	24/03/2016
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Educational Testing Service
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will commission an independent inquiry into the role of (a) her Department and (b) ETS related to allegations of English Language Test fraud.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C. McDonald
uin	32636
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2016 answer text <p>The investigation into the abuse of English language testing in 2014 revealed extremely serious, large scale, organised fraud and it is right that the Home Office took decisive action in respect of those against whom there was evidence of cheating. We are disappointed by the decision of the Upper Tribunal and, once we have the full determination, we will consider our next steps carefully, including an appeal of this decision.</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 11/04/2016 16:12:48 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

487166

registered interest
date	24/03/2016
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Educational Testing Service
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what independent scrutiny her Department commissioned of reports of invalid and questionable results in English Language tests conducted by ETS.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C. McDonald
uin	32659
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2016 answer text <p>We are disappointed by the decision of the recent Upper Tribunal. Once we have the full determination we will carefully consider next steps, including appealing the decision.</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 11/04/2016 12:26:26 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

454879

registered interest
date	24/02/2016
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Compass Contracts
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much was levied in respect of service credits in each key performance indicator designated met in respect of each Compass region in each year from 2012-13 to 2015-16 to date.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C. McDonald
uin	28212
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2016 answer text <p>The Home Office has a rigorous contract compliance regime in place to ensure that the required performance standards expected of all providers, as defined in the contracts, are met. This includes monthly contract management and quarterly strategic review meetings, as well as regular daily discussions with COMPASS providers’ operational delivery managers about day to day issues. The Home Office investigates complaints it receives from service users and third parties and works with contractors to ensure that any issues raised are addressed promptly.</p><p>Performance against each key performance indicator (KPI) is measured and may, dependent upon the level of non-conformance, lead to the application of a KPI score. The overall/total score across all KPIs is then used to determine the value of Service Credit (rebate) which should be deducted from the monthly invoice. If an individual KPI is met, no score is accrued and no service credit applies. The following table indicates the amount of service credits recovered following KPI non-conformance for each of the COMPASS contracts from the start of the contracts.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2013-2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014-2015</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015-2016 (YTD)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>TOTAL</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Serco SNI</strong></p></td><td><p>£773, 792</p></td><td><p>£156,156</p></td><td><p>£443, 545</p></td><td><p><strong>£1,373,493</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Serco NW</strong></p></td><td><p>£3,137, 017</p></td><td><p>£1,974</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p><strong>£3,138,991</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>G4S MEE</strong></p></td><td><p>£1,349, 475</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p><strong>£1,349, 475</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>G4S NEYH</strong></p></td><td><p>£368, 107</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p><strong>£368, 107</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>CRH WSW</strong></p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p><strong>0</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>CRH LSE</strong></p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p><strong>0</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>TOTAL</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£5,628, 391</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£158,130</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£443, 545</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>£6,230,066</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 02/03/2016 15:20:37 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire previous answer version 47904 answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

450259

registered interest
date	03/02/2016
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Compass Contracts
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what profit has been made by the three contractors and sub-contractors under the provision of contracts for asylum accommodation since the contract with Compass began in 2012-13.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C. McDonald
uin	25593
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2016 answer text <p>The Home Office is unable to release details of the profit / loss made against specific contracts as this information is commercially sensitive.</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 10/02/2016 13:33:15 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire previous answer version 44038 answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

450260

registered interest
date	03/02/2016
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Compass Contracts
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been accommodated in temporary dispersal accommodation under a contract with Compass for the provision of asylum accommodation in each Compass region in each month since April 2015.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C. McDonald
uin	25594
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2016 answer text <p>The Home Office does not centrally record the number of people accommodated in temporary dispersal accommodation each month and such information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 10/02/2016 13:30:47 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire previous answer version 44039 answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

449889

registered interest
date	02/02/2016
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Compass Contracts
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been accommodated in hostel-type accommodation provided by Compass in each Compass region in each month since 1 April 2015; and how many such people have been held under (a) section 98, (b) section 95 and (c) section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C. McDonald
uin	25466
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2016 answer text <p>In general, there are two types of accommodation used for asylum seekers. First, Initial Accommodation (“IA”) which is mainly full board and is provided while the support application is being assessed. Second, “dispersal accommodation”, generally shared flats, maisonettes and houses, is provided once the person is found to be eligible for support. The length of time someone will stay in an Initial Accommodation centre will vary from person to person according to their particular circumstances. However, the Home Office aims to process their application for financial support and move straightforward cases to longer term dispersal accommodation in participating dispersal towns and cities within 19 days.</p><p>The Home Office does not centrally record the number of people housed in initial accommodation under each section of the 1999 Act. It could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 05/02/2016 15:41:50 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald

447256

registered interest
date	25/01/2016
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees: France
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Refugees of 6 January 2016, Official Report, column 190WH, which French NGO the Government has supported significantly.
tabling member constituency	Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
tabling member printed	Stuart C. McDonald
uin	23830
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2016 answer text <p>The Home Secretary and French Interior Minister agreed in the UK-France Joint Declaration in August 2015 to set up a project aimed at protecting vulnerable people in the Calais migrant camp. The project is being delivered by the French NGO Terre D’Asile.</p><p>The UK has contributed €750,000 (£530,000) to fund the project which formally launched in December 2015.</p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire grouped question UIN 23838 question first answered 01/02/2016 18:01:51 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire previous answer version 41645 answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	4393 label Biography information for Stuart C McDonald