{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?hansardHeading=UK+Visas+and+Immigration%3A+Staff", "definition" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?hansardHeading=UK+Visas+and+Immigration%3A+Staff", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_metadata=all&hansardHeading=UK+Visas+and+Immigration%3A+Staff", "first" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_page=0&hansardHeading=UK+Visas+and+Immigration%3A+Staff", "hasPart" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?hansardHeading=UK+Visas+and+Immigration%3A+Staff", "isPartOf" : "https://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?hansardHeading=UK+Visas+and+Immigration%3A+Staff", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1473129", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1473129/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
There are 106 people employed in UK Visas and Immigration\u2019s MPs correspondence team.<\/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" : "2022-07-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-07-04T14:42:37.56Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "UK Visas and Immigration: Staff"} , "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 people are employed in the UK Visas and Immigration MP's correspondence team.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4829", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sam Tarry"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ilford South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sam Tarry"} ], "uin" : "24686"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1462041", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1462041/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We are committed to ensuring our operational teams have the resources they need to run an efficient and effective system, and we actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand.<\/p>
Over 500 staff are supporting our Ukrainian work. Improvements including a simplified application form and casework system enhancements have sped up decision-making and improved the system, while ensuring vital security checks are carried out.<\/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" : "2022-05-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-05-19T16:28:16.473Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-05-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "UK Visas and Immigration: Staff"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider increasing the number of caseworker staff the UKVI has redeployed to process Ukrainian visa applications.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"}
], "uin" : "593"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1455073", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1455073/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We are committed to ensuring our operational teams have the resources they need to run an efficient and effective system.<\/p>
We actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet caseworking demand of the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and the Ukraine Family Scheme which we have launched in response to the crisis in Ukraine.<\/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" : "2022-03-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-03-31T16:01:32.797Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-03-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "UK Visas and Immigration: Staff"} , "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, whether her Department has been allocated additional resources to fund the necessary increase in staff to provide the additional capacity to the UKVI team following the announcement of and the opening of the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4371", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Brendan O'Hara"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Argyll and Bute"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Brendan O'Hara"} ], "uin" : "148220"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1455081", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1455081/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We are committed to ensuring our operational teams have the resources they need to run an efficient and effective system, and we actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand, including from pressures relating to Ukraine. Over 27,000 visas have already been issued under our two schemes to assist Ukrainians fleeing conflict.<\/p>
The Home Office and the commercial provider operating our Visa Application Centres have surged staff across Europe to meet demand, where we can offer over 13,000 appointments to visa applicants, and UKVI staff in the UK are working seven days a week to process applications.<\/p>
As part of the Home Office\u2019s commitment to make it easier for applicants to apply to our schemes, since 15 March Ukrainians with valid passports no longer need to go to a Visa Application Centre to give their biometrics before they come to the UK.<\/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" : "2022-03-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-03-31T16:23:49.083Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-03-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "UK Visas and Immigration: Staff"} , "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, with reference to the recent allocation of resources to visa application centres, what assessment she has made of when UKVI will have sufficient capacity to tackle the backlog of applications from Ukrainian refugees.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4371", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Brendan O'Hara"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Argyll and Bute"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Brendan O'Hara"} ], "uin" : "148221"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1453553", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1453553/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We are committed to ensuring our operational teams have the resources they need to run an efficient and effective system. We actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand, including from pressures relating to Ukraine.<\/p>
UKVI has redeployed caseworking staff in the UK to work seven days a week to process Ukraine applications, and has temporarily loaned in staff from other departments like HM Revenue and Customs to help manage demand.<\/p>
The Home Office and the commercial provider operating our Visa Application Centres have also surged staff across Europe to meet demand, where we can offer over 13,000 appointments to visa applicants, and UKVI staff in the UK are working seven days a week to process applications.<\/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" : "2022-04-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-04-13T10:35:06.12Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-03-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "UK Visas and Immigration: Staff"} , "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 her Department has made of the adequacy of staffing levels within UK Visa and Immigration in the context of the refugee crisis arising from the war in Ukraine.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4467", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Drew Hendry"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Drew Hendry"} ], "uin" : "145908"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258858", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258858/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
It is unclear which application route the Hon. Member is referring to.<\/p>
If in relation to the issuing of Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs), the Home Office works closely with the DVLA, which produces BRPs, and TNT/Fedex, which delivers them, to ensure service level agreements are met and performance is improved, through improved reconciliation reporting and clearer escalation processes.<\/p>