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1452379

registered interest
date	17/03/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the backlog of applications for (1) asylum, or (2) temporary protection; and what assessment they have made of the effects these measures have had so far.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL7065
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2022 answer text <p>Asylum decision makers receive extensive mandatory training and mentoring on considering asylum claims. We have a robust quality assurance strategy in place to ensure asylum caseworkers meet the standard expected of them, and to ensure compliance with the published policy.</p><p>Asylum Operations has an internal audit process which assesses the quality of interviews, decisions, and the application of Home Office policy. We have Senior Case Worker assessments as well as independent auditors from Central Operations who audit asylum cases and provide quarterly reports. The quality of asylum interviews and decisions are systematically assessed against a detailed audit framework drawn up in consultation with external partners, which includes checks on compliance with existing asylum polices, relevant case law and the appropriate country of origin information reports.</p><p>To help reduce the backlog of applications for asylum or temporary protection we are investing in a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives which will speed up and simplify our processes, reduce the time people spend in the asylum system and decrease the number of people who are awaiting an interview or decision. These initiatives include conducting shorter, more focused interviews or omitting interviews where it is appropriate to do so, streamlining decision templates for grants and refusals and focusing on improving quality to ensure decisions are right first time. We have extensive recruitment and training plans in place, including career progression options to aid the retention of staff.</p><p>We are continuing to develop existing and new technology to help build on recent improvements such as digital interviewing and move away from a paper-based system. We are streamlining and digitising the case working process to enable more effective workflow, appointment booking and decision-making. Additionally, we have introduced specialist Decision Making Units, providing greater ownership and management of cohorts of asylum cases.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford grouped question UIN HL7066 question first answered 31/03/2022 14:51:36 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1452380

registered interest
date	17/03/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Interviews
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the quality of the first substantive interview for asylum applicants.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL7066
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2022 answer text <p>Asylum decision makers receive extensive mandatory training and mentoring on considering asylum claims. We have a robust quality assurance strategy in place to ensure asylum caseworkers meet the standard expected of them, and to ensure compliance with the published policy.</p><p>Asylum Operations has an internal audit process which assesses the quality of interviews, decisions, and the application of Home Office policy. We have Senior Case Worker assessments as well as independent auditors from Central Operations who audit asylum cases and provide quarterly reports. The quality of asylum interviews and decisions are systematically assessed against a detailed audit framework drawn up in consultation with external partners, which includes checks on compliance with existing asylum polices, relevant case law and the appropriate country of origin information reports.</p><p>To help reduce the backlog of applications for asylum or temporary protection we are investing in a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives which will speed up and simplify our processes, reduce the time people spend in the asylum system and decrease the number of people who are awaiting an interview or decision. These initiatives include conducting shorter, more focused interviews or omitting interviews where it is appropriate to do so, streamlining decision templates for grants and refusals and focusing on improving quality to ensure decisions are right first time. We have extensive recruitment and training plans in place, including career progression options to aid the retention of staff.</p><p>We are continuing to develop existing and new technology to help build on recent improvements such as digital interviewing and move away from a paper-based system. We are streamlining and digitising the case working process to enable more effective workflow, appointment booking and decision-making. Additionally, we have introduced specialist Decision Making Units, providing greater ownership and management of cohorts of asylum cases.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford grouped question UIN HL7065 question first answered 31/03/2022 14:51:36 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1452381

registered interest
date	17/03/2022
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Russia: Navtex
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures (1) they, and (2) the International Maritime Organization, are taking to prevent Russia using the NAVTEX system to spread false information.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL7067
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/03/2022 answer text <p>NAVTEX is a maritime communication system and is a conduit for safety messages enshrined in the Safety of Life at Sea international convention devoted to the perseveration of life at sea.</p><p> </p><p>The UK is deeply concerned with the Russian Federation’s use of NAVTEX for disinformation messaging with regard to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.</p><p> </p><p>The misuse of NAVTEX to broadcast propaganda endangers merchant shipping operating in the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. It is another example of the Russia Federation ignoring the responsibilities and behaviours a respectable nation state should demonstrate.</p><p> </p><p>On 18 March, the UK wrote to the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation to protest at this wholly inappropriate use of NAVTEX and urged IMO Member States to condemn Russia’s actions.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 30/03/2022 14:42:05 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1452382

registered interest
date	17/03/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Plastics: Pollution
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking towards securing a UNEA resolution for a treaty on plastic pollution; what timetable they are working to; and how they will monitor the effectiveness of any such treaty.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL7068
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2022 answer text <p>The UK is proud to have supported the proposal by Rwanda and Peru that led to the ambitious resolution on ending plastic pollution agreed at the continuation of the 5th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in March 2022.</p><p>As laid out in the adopted resolution, a series of Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) meetings will be held to negotiate the content of the treaty. The first meeting is due to take place in the second half of 2022 with the aim of concluding negotiations by the end of 2024.</p><p> </p><p>An Open-Ended Working Group meeting is scheduled for the first half of 2022, where the INC’s programme of work will be discussed.</p><p> </p><p>The introduction of any monitoring mechanisms, including on monitoring the effectiveness of the treaty, will be negotiated by the INC.</p><p> </p><p>At UNEA 5, the UK announced it had joined the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution as a founding member to drive a comprehensive and effective new treaty.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 31/03/2022 12:42:12 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1440249

registered interest
date	11/03/2022
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Mikita Yemialyianau
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported imprisonment of Mikita Yemialyianan in Belarus; and what representations they have made to the government of that country about his case.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL6914
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2022 answer text <p>We are aware of the case of Mikita Yemialyianau. There are over 1,000 political prisoners in Belarus. We remain deeply troubled about the intolerable prison conditions in which detainees are held in Belarus. We urge the authorities to release political prisoners, immediately and unconditionally, and have raised this both bilaterally and multilaterally. The UK has imposed over 100 sanctions in response to the fraudulent elections, human rights violations, and repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Belarus. Moreover, this repression takes place in the context of Belarus' unacceptable support for Russia's illegal and unprovoked attack against Ukraine.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 25/03/2022 14:31:39 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1438588

registered interest
date	07/03/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Human Trafficking: Syria
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessments they have made of the reports by (1) the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Trafficked Britons in Syria, published on 10 February, and (2) Reprieve, published on 30 April 2021; and what steps they will take in response.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL6666
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2022 answer text <p>The Government has noted the reports of the All-Party Parliamentary Group and Reprieve, and thanks them for their continued engagement on these challenging issues.</p><p>We acknowledge that North East Syria is a complex, fragile environment with significant humanitarian and security concerns. The UK continues to work with international partners to support camps in Syria, funding the provision of critical supplies including food, water, healthcare and shelter. The continuing humanitarian and security issues will need to be addressed both by the local authorities in the region and the international community.</p><p>The Government’s highest priority is to ensure the safety and security of the UK. Those individuals who remain in Syria include some of the most dangerous, choosing to stay to fight or otherwise support Daesh.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 21/03/2022 17:15:01 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1438017

registered interest
date	03/03/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Students: Russia and Ukraine
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) Ukrainian, and (2) Russian, students in the UK can continue their studies in (a) schools, and (b) places of higher education; and what steps they will take to help those who want to complete their courses to do so.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL6615
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2022 answer text <p>Alongside our allies, we are united in support for Ukraine. The Department for Education has been working closely with the education sector and across government more widely to ensure that Ukrainian and Russian students are supported during this difficult time.</p><p> </p><p>This includes a new visa option for Ukrainian nationals, including students, that will provide them with an opportunity to extend their leave or switch to a graduate visa without having to leave the UK.</p><p> </p><p>We continue to welcome Ukrainian and Russian pupils and students to UK universities and schools, where we are proud of the long history we have defending values such as freedom of speech and freedom of publication. However, anyone subject to sanctions will have actions taken against them, including if they are in education.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise the current uncertainty will mean that many students may experience additional mental health challenges. Protecting student and staff wellbeing is vital and it is important students continue to be able to access the mental health and wellbeing support they need.</p><p> </p><p>All schools, including independent schools, have a legal duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children as part of the statutory safeguarding guidance, keeping children safe in education. The guidance sets out how schools should protect children from harm and what to do if they have concerns about a child. It includes guidance on bullying, child on child abuse and mental health. It sets out where schools should go to access specialist support for children.</p><p> </p><p>We encourage students to stay in touch with their higher education provider’s welfare teams as these services are likely to continue to be an important source of support. Providers are not only experts in their student population but also best placed to identify the needs of their students.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 17/03/2022 14:25:49 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1437607

registered interest
date	02/03/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees: Ukraine
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposals by the International Rescue Committee on Ukrainian refugees; and in particular, the proposal to offer visa-free access more widely than at present.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL6566
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/04/2022 answer text <p>Russia’s assault on Ukraine is an unprovoked, premeditated attack against a sovereign, democratic state. We stand with Ukraine.</p><p>Visa waivers are not the solution to allow those fleeing the conflict to come to the UK.</p><p>The UK has responded quickly and made changes to the immigration system, to support those affected by the conflict. The Ukraine Family Scheme has been set up which allows family members of British nationals, UK settled persons and certain others to come to or stay in the UK.</p><p>From 15 March Ukrainians, who are eligible for the family scheme with passports have been able to apply and get permission to come to the UK, fully online, from wherever they are; and will be able to give their biometrics once in the UK.</p><p>In addition, the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme allows Ukrainian nationals and their family members to come to the UK if they have a named sponsor under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.</p> answering member printed Lord Harrington of Watford question first answered 20/04/2022 15:51:17 answering member 4068 label Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton