The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average waiting time is for a standard Disclosure and Barring Service check.
Karen Bradley
The average time taken to process a standard disclosure and barring service check over the last 12 months for which figures are available (November 2014 – October 2015) is 5.97 calendar days.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jack Dromey on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, whether any reduction in the formula grant will be required for the (a) £1 billion Emergency Services Communication Programme and (b) £500 million additional counter-terrorism funding.
Mike Penning
The Spending Review settlement set out £1 billion investment in the Emergency Services Network (ESN). Final decisions on the treatment of ESN core infrastructure costs within the overall police settlement in 2016/17 will be confirmed as part of the provisional police funding announcement in mid-December.
The overall size of Counter Terrorism Policing Grant is negotiated completely separately from the rest of central Government funding to the police. The Spending Review announcement confirmed a real terms increase in funding for counter-terrorism policing. As in previous years, the Counter Terrorism Policing Grant will be ring-fenced. The amount of this funding in 2016/17 will be confirmed as part of the provisional police funding announcement in mid-December.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on interpreters working on behalf of the UK armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan who wish to seek resettlement in the UK.
Penny Mordaunt
For information on Iraq, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my noble Friend, the Minister of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Earl Howe, to the noble Lady, Baroness Jolly, in the House of Lords to Question HL3606.
In Afghanistan, the Ex-Gratia Redundancy Scheme offers nearly 500 eligible local staff, including interpreters, the opportunity to apply for relocation to the UK. More than 200 have already been granted visas and have moved to the UK with their immediate families. Others are going through the application process or are still in our employment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jack Dromey on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has been made of the cost to police forces of (a) the apprenticeship levy and (b) a single tier pension.
Mike Penning
Home Office officials have written to the National Policing Lead for Workforce Development to ensure that chief constables, who are the employers in each local force, are aware of the opportunity that apprenticeships present as they strive to develop greater workforce flexibility. A number of forces have already taken steps to develop apprentice models and a cross-force working group has been established by forces to consider the matter.
We worked closely with policing partners, as part of Spending Review preparations, to understand the impacts on forces of transition to the single-tier state pension. We continue to keep this under review.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jack Dromey on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has been made of potential changes in local council tax required to maintain overall police spending in real terms.
Mike Penning
The Home Office worked closely with policing partners and other Government Departments as part of Spending Review preparations to ensure flexibility on council tax is a key part of the Spending Review settlement for the police.
The Spending Review makes provision for overall police spending to be protected in real terms, when council tax income is taken into account. The ten Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England with the lowest precept levels in each year will be able to raise their police precept level by up to £5 per year over the Spending Review period, compared to the usual two per cent. These provisions are an integral part of the overall Spending Review settlement for the police.
It is right that PCCs, in consultation with local taxpayers, should decide the level of police precept in their area each year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the definition of Designated Individual referred to in paragraph 53 of the Guide to Powers and Safeguards published in the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill, CM 9152, of November 2015, will include parliamentarians.
Mr John Hayes
A Designated Person is an individual within a public authority who authorises a request for communications data and is independent of the investigation for which the authorisation is sought. They must apply additional considerations to an authorisation to access communications data in respect of sensitive professions which include Parliamentarians. This is set out in paragraph 51 of the Guide to the Powers and Safeguards in the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to allow the free movement of citizens between the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
James Brokenshire
The Government has no plans to legislate to introduce free movement between the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
The United Kingdom’s existing immigration arrangements, do nevertheless reflect the case for promoting mobility between countries. This includes the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme which allows 18-30 year olds from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other participating countries and territories to experience life in the UK for two years including the ability for them to work. We also continue to operate arrangements under which nationals of Commonwealth countries that have a UK-born grandparent may be admitted to work and settle in the United Kingdom through the UK Ancestry route. Also, citizens of Australia, Canada and New Zealand do not require a visa to visit the UK and the permitted activities of visitors include business related activities such as attending meetings and conferences, negotiating and signing business contracts and attending trade fairs for promotional work.
We have also introduced new measures such as the registered traveller scheme which offers expedited entry to the UK through use of the e-gates at the border.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Evans on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will revise the bidding procurement process for the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme in order to increase the number of bidders for the provision of mobile services.
Mike Penning
The Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) Mobile Services procurement attracted all national mobile network operators and on 13 November announced its intention to award a contract to EE. Subject to an application decision in the High Court on 8-9 December to lift the automatic suspension, following a challenge by one of the down-selected bidders, EE will be awarded the contract for Mobile Services.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the net contribution to the UK economy made by immigration from Australia, Canada and New Zealand in the last five years; and if she will make a statement.
James Brokenshire
No assessment of the net contribution to the UK economy made by immigration from Australia, Canada and New Zealand has been made.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assistance her Department plans to permit Serco to give the Diocese of Blackburn to facilitate the settlement of Syrian refugees in Preston.
Richard Harrington
The UK has been operating resettlement schemes for many years and we already have established and effective networks to accommodate and support resettled people. It is up to each individual local authority to decide how best to manage the resettlement of refugees in their area, and they are therefore free to choose their own delivery partners.