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  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with (a) the police and (b) retailers on the sale of zombie knives in the UK.

    Karen Bradley

    The Government continues to work with the police and partners to ensure we reduce violence and knife crime, and in the year ending June 2015, knife crime recorded by the police was 17% lower than 2010. We are aware of concerns about zombie knives and we are currently considering representations including the letter of 13 January from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for the West Midlands and on 21 January from the prospective mayoral candidate for London Zac Goldsmith. A reply will be sent shortly and we will offer to meet with the PCC.

    We are currently considering what action to take against the prevalence of zombie knives on our streets. We are talking to retailers, including Amazon, about the action they can take. There are strict laws on the sale of knives to under 18s and on how knives can be marketed. We are concerned about any knives being carried in public especially if used to threaten and inflict violence. It is a criminal offence to possess a knife in public without good reason, and if a person is convicted a second time they now face a minimum mandatory custodial sentence following the introduction of this change by the Government in July 2015.

  • Andy Burnham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andy Burnham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Burnham on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of people had their passports checked on exiting the UK at (a) Dover and (b) all UK airports, seaports and ferry ports in (i) 2013, (ii) 2014 and (iii) 2015.

    Mrs Theresa May

    Embarkation controls were abolished in two phases in 1994 and 1998, as the paper-based checks were deemed outdated and checks were not carried out on all modes of transport. Consequently the Home Office does not hold the data requested.

    Since April 2015 exit data has been collected by carriers from all scheduled international commercial services departing the UK from air and sea ports and from international rail stations, except those services not within the scope. Departure data is collected by carriers and port operators and transmitted to Home Office systems, where work takes place to match it to arrival data, visa conditions and other information as appropriate.

  • Andy Burnham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andy Burnham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Burnham on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people had their passports checked on entry to the UK at (a) Dover and (b) all UK airports, seaports and ferry ports in (i) 2013, (ii) 2014 and (iii) 2015.

    Mrs Theresa May

    The total number of passengers that underwent passport checks at all UK airports, seaports and ferry ports is set out in the table below. Figures for 2015 cover January to September only as data for October to December is not yet available.

    Year

    No of passengers’ passports checked

    2013

    111.4 million

    2014

    117.0 million

    2015

    96.0 million

    (NB. 2015 covers January –September only: October – December is not yet available).

    Passengers that enter the UK through the port of Dover undergo passport checks in advance of their boarding a ferry at the UK’s juxtaposed controls at Calais and Dunkirk; this data is not held centrally.

    “

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received on lowering the Tier 2 visa scheme’s minimum salary threshold for chefs.

    James Brokenshire

    Acquiring this information on visa applications from chefs would involve examining each individual case record held by UK Visas & Immigration for the Tier 2 category. To do so would incur a disproportionate cost.

    The Home Office regularly receives representations to lower the criteria (including the salary requirement) for sponsoring chefs under Tier 2, the skilled worker route. Tier 2 is, however, reserved for graduate level occupations. We continue to welcome the very top chefs who promote innovative and authentic cuisine here in the UK — and these types of skilled chefs are on the shortage occupation list. The salary threshold applied to chefs was based on expert advice from the independent Migration Advisory Committee.

    We have been clear, however, that the restaurant industry needs to move away from an unsustainable reliance on migrant workers. We want to nurture more home-grown talent and encourage young people in this country who want to pursue a skilled career. This means the restaurant sector offering training to attract and recruit resident workers to meet their staffing needs.

    The industry is starting to make progress in this area, recruiting and training more chefs in the UK, and this needs to continue.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for Tier 2 visas were made by people holding job offers to become chefs in each year since such visas were introduced; and how many such applications were successful.

    James Brokenshire

    Acquiring this information on visa applications from chefs would involve examining each individual case record held by UK Visas & Immigration for the Tier 2 category. To do so would incur a disproportionate cost.

    The Home Office regularly receives representations to lower the criteria (including the salary requirement) for sponsoring chefs under Tier 2, the skilled worker route. Tier 2 is, however, reserved for graduate level occupations. We continue to welcome the very top chefs who promote innovative and authentic cuisine here in the UK — and these types of skilled chefs are on the shortage occupation list. The salary threshold applied to chefs was based on expert advice from the independent Migration Advisory Committee.

    We have been clear, however, that the restaurant industry needs to move away from an unsustainable reliance on migrant workers. We want to nurture more home-grown talent and encourage young people in this country who want to pursue a skilled career. This means the restaurant sector offering training to attract and recruit resident workers to meet their staffing needs.

    The industry is starting to make progress in this area, recruiting and training more chefs in the UK, and this needs to continue.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the effect of the Tier 2 visa scheme’s minimum salary threshold on the ability of curry restaurants to recruit chefs from abroad.

    James Brokenshire

    Acquiring this information on visa applications from chefs would involve examining each individual case record held by UK Visas & Immigration for the Tier 2 category. To do so would incur a disproportionate cost.

    The Home Office regularly receives representations to lower the criteria (including the salary requirement) for sponsoring chefs under Tier 2, the skilled worker route. Tier 2 is, however, reserved for graduate level occupations. We continue to welcome the very top chefs who promote innovative and authentic cuisine here in the UK — and these types of skilled chefs are on the shortage occupation list. The salary threshold applied to chefs was based on expert advice from the independent Migration Advisory Committee.

    We have been clear, however, that the restaurant industry needs to move away from an unsustainable reliance on migrant workers. We want to nurture more home-grown talent and encourage young people in this country who want to pursue a skilled career. This means the restaurant sector offering training to attract and recruit resident workers to meet their staffing needs.

    The industry is starting to make progress in this area, recruiting and training more chefs in the UK, and this needs to continue.

  • Andy Burnham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andy Burnham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Burnham on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to lay before Parliament an Order removing the International Sikh Youth Federation from the list of proscribed organisations.

    Mrs Theresa May

    I intend to lay an order to deproscribe the group at the earliest practical opportunity, subject to Parliamentary availability and agreement.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987 to include a requirement to stipulate the time of death.

    James Brokenshire

    There are no plans at present to amend the Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987 to include time of death at death registration.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects the eighth place on the Board of the Gangmasters’ Licensing Authority to be filled.

    Mike Penning

    In agreement with the Chair of the Gangmasters’ Licensing Authority (GLA), the intention is to fill these positions once the Immigration Bill has been enacted and reforms to the GLA are confirmed.

  • David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many suspensions of terrorist warning index checks took place without a reason for that suspension in each of the last five years.

    James Brokenshire

    In November 2011, the then Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration found that the then UKBA had carried out a number of suspensions of Warnings Index Checks without due ministerial authority. Since then, Border Force has operated to a Ministerially-approved mandate that requires it to undertake Warnings Index Checks against all passengers arriving into the UK on scheduled, commercial routes; and Secure ID Checks against passengers that require a visa to enter the UK. These checks have not been suspended at any port since November 2011.