Tag: Home Office

The press release issued by the Home Office on 22 August 2022.

The UK’s top high-growth businesses will have greater flexibility and power to entice the world’s top talent through the new Scale-up visa, the government announced today (22 August).

UK businesses experiencing impressive success will be eligible to sponsor talented individuals, from scientists and engineers to architects and programmers, to support their growth and contribute to boosting the UK’s economy.

Unlike other sponsored visas, the Scale-up visa allows businesses to employ high-skilled individuals who will receive 2 years’ leave to remain in the UK without requiring further sponsorship or permission beyond the first 6 months.

This will further enhance the government’s overall offer to businesses through the points-based immigration system to hire eligible employees from anywhere in the world. The Scale-up visa will give them greater flexibility to hire, often in-demand, talent they need so they can go to the next level, while boosting the UK’s high-skilled pool.

Minister for Safe and Legal Migration Kevin Foster said:

“Rapidly growing businesses, like small enterprises, tech and financial services, need the right level of support to go to the next level. Through our Scale-up visa, we’re enabling businesses to focus on their growth and innovation by giving them more freedom to bring in the diverse skills and experience they need, making them more attractive on an international stage.

By supporting our high-growth tech, financial services and small businesses, we are ensuring the UK remains a global hub for emerging technologies and innovation while enhancing productivity across the economy – creating jobs, growth and prosperity across Britain.”

Irene Graham OBE, CEO of the ScaleUp Institute said:

“The ScaleUp Institute welcomes the launch of the Scale-up visa. This is something we have recommended since our inception and should provide a much-needed fast track service to enable local growth companies to access the talent they need more quickly.

Scaleups add over £1 trillion a year and more than 3 million jobs to the UK economy, and are present in every community, hiring people from at home and abroad, as they drive growth into their local areas and beyond.

The visa should help with the skills demands. We look forward to continuing to work with the government as this service evolves to ensure it fully addresses scaling business needs and works effectively.”

Scaling up is an important phase for high-growth businesses to continue growing and drive their international competitiveness. By bringing in sought-after expertise and skills, enterprises can boost their innovation and productivity and in turn keep contributing to the UK’s economy.

Companies, including small businesses and those in the tech and financial services sectors, that have achieved growth of 20% or more in either employment or turnover year-on-year for at least 3 years and employed a minimum of 10 people at the start of the 3 years will be eligible to sponsor talented individuals through the Scale-up visa.

Eligible businesses will be able to attract highly skilled talent including:

scientists
engineers
programmers
software developers
research and development professionals
economists
architects
technicians
financial and investment advisers

The press release issued by the Home Office on 20 August 2022.

The Home Secretary Priti Patel has visited Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium to see the valuable work that football clubs, the police and sport bodies are doing to prevent antisocial behaviour and increase fans’ enjoyment of the game after disorder at matches last season.

The Home Office is working closely with the police and football bodies to ensure the matchday enjoyment of the majority of fans and families is not ruined by the selfishness of a few who invaded football pitches, threw flares, and abused players and fans at matches in England and Wales last season.

The Home Secretary met officials from the Premier League and Brentford Football Club, which came top of a recent Premier League survey for matchday fan experience, and saw the new safe standing areas within the Gtech Community Stadium for fans, toured the control room and spoke with the security team about the valuable work they do to ensure match days are positive experiences for spectators.

She also spoke with staff members who work on programmes such as Premier League Kicks, which has been working in local communities to inspire thousands of young people. Premier League Kicks started in 2006 – with Brentford one of 4 pilot clubs – and has a long history of using the power of football and the value of sports participation to help youngsters in some of the country’s most high-need areas.

The Home Secretary urged football fans across England and Wales to respect others’ enjoyment of the game, and the law, or risk receiving a football banning order (FBO) preventing them from attending home and away matches, including potentially the World Cup in Qatar, if they attack or abuse other fans, staff, players or managers.

Home Secretary, Priti Patel, said:

“There is no place for the ugly scenes we saw at some matches in England and Wales last season and it is good to see the positive work being done by clubs like Brentford to ensure our stadia are safe places for families and children to enjoy the beautiful game.

I am determined not to let a small minority ruin matches for true fans as the football season gets under way and we are working closely with the police and the football authorities to tackle antisocial and criminal behaviour.

I wholeheartedly support the extra measures all football bodies and clubs are bringing to keep fans safe and would encourage police and the courts to make full use of Football Banning Order legislation which we have recently extended to online abuse and will be shortly bringing in to root out class A drugs at matches.”

FBOs are a preventative behavioural order designed to prevent violence, disorder and harm and are imposed by a court, following an application or on conviction for a football-related offence.

Nearly 1,400 troublemakers have already been targeted by FBOs and banned by the courts.

In the last 12 months the government has significantly expanded the scope of FBOs in order to crack down on disorder by:

– adding football-related online hate crime to the list of offences for which a FBO can be imposed on conviction so that those who are convicted of online racism and other hate crimes connected to football can be banned from stadia, in the same way that violent offenders are barred from grounds

– committing to add football-related class A drugs crimes to the list of offences for which a FBO can be imposed on conviction, sending a strong signal to those who use class A drugs in and around football matches that their behaviour will not be tolerated and that they will no longer be able to attend games

In addition, FBOs have recently been extended to the women’s domestic game, showing that regardless of which games fans are attending, violence and hate will not be tolerated.

Recently the Football Association (FA), Premier League and English Football League (EFL) announced they were introducing new measures and stronger sanctions across the game to tackle the increased antisocial and criminal behaviours seen at football grounds last season and to underline the importance of a safe matchday environment. The football bodies are making it clear such acts are dangerous, illegal and have severe consequences.

From the start of season 2022 to 2023, all offenders will be reported by clubs to the police and prosecution could result in a permanent criminal record, which may affect their employment and education, and could result in a prison sentence. The FA will also be enforcing a tougher charging and sanctioning policy for clubs, which will reinforce these measures.

Furthermore, anyone who enters the pitch, and those carrying or using pyrotechnics or smoke bombs, will now receive an automatic club ban. These bans could also be extended to accompanying parents or guardians of children who take part in these activities.

Premier League Chief Executive, Richard Masters, said:

“Everyone should feel safe and able to enjoy a football match. In coming together with clubs and partners across football, we are making clear the type of incidents we saw last season must stop. If we don’t take collective and sustained action, it may only be a matter of time before someone is seriously injured, or worse.

The new measures introduced at the start of this season are a strong response to a significant increase in fan behaviour issues, but we know it is the minority who have behaved unacceptably and unlawfully.”

Premier League football should be a fantastic experience for everyone and we don’t want matches to be marred by these sorts of events.

Culture Secretary, Nadine Dorries, said:

“We are on the side of football fans and understand the passion and emotion that comes with supporting a team.

As the new season gets into full swing we want to remind people we will not tolerate antisocial behaviour and have strengthened the powers under our football banning order legislation to tackle drug use and hate crimes.

Together with the work being done by the football authorities, we are helping root out those who seek to disrupt match days so proper fans can enjoy a fantastic football experience.”

The press release issued by the Home Office on 18 August 2022.

The Home Secretary has sent out an urgent warning today (Thursday 18 August) to dangerous foreign criminals and immigration offenders in the UK that the government will not rest until they are removed and our streets are made safer.

The vow comes as new statistics show the Home Office has removed 1,741 foreign national offenders (FNO) from the UK since the start of 2022, including 487 Albanian FNOs. Almost 1,000 Albanians in total (FNOs and immigration offenders) have been returned.

The renewed focus on removals, part of the New Plan for Immigration, is fulfilling the government’s commitment to keep the British public safe and tackle illegal migration.

Yesterday (Wednesday 17 August) the Home Secretary agreed a landmark deal with Pakistan, to remove Pakistani nationals with no legal right to remain in the UK, including criminals, failed asylum seekers and immigration offenders.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

“This work shows we will stop at nothing to remove those with no right to be here and I am proud that we have removed almost 1,000 Albanian foreign national offenders and immigration offenders this year so far, including some who crossed the Channel illegally to come to the UK.

I want to be crystal clear though that this is just the beginning. I have tasked Home Office teams to renew their pursuit of dangerous criminals who devastate lives and communities and leave their victims and families to pick up the pieces. They must be swiftly removed so we can make our streets safer.

The British public rightly expect us to crack down hard on those abusing the system which is why our new Nationality and Borders Act will help end the cycle of last-minute claims and appeals that can delay removals.”

Today, Home Office statistics show:

the UK has removed 1,741 foreign national offenders since January 1, 2022

– 487 FNOs removed to Albania, including individuals convicted of rape, sexual offences, indecent assault of a minor, death by dangerous driving, facilitating illegal entry to the UK, trafficking, kidnap, robbery, carrying weapons, dealing Class A drugs, violence and burglary
the 487 criminals had 606 convictions between them

– in July 2022, 243 foreign national offenders were removed from the UK on both charter and scheduled flights
Albanian foreign national offenders returned this year include:

– an individual sentenced to 18 years for Class A (cocaine) drug supply worth more than £2 million, was returned on a charter flight in June

– an individual sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for intent to supply Class A drugs, was returned on a charter flight in July

– an individual sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and to meet a child following grooming, was returned on a charter flight in June

The UK also removed immigration offenders and illegal migrants who had entered the UK clandestinely – via small boats or hidden in lorries.

Immigration offenders and illegal migrants removed this year include:

– an individual first encountered in June 2022 following his arrest on suspicion of driving with excess drugs. He claimed to have entered the UK in the back of a lorry in 2021 but did not make himself known to authorities. The individual was detained for removal to Albania and agreed voluntarily to return in July 2022.

– an individual first encountered in July 2022 after arriving via a small boat crossing the Channel. He claimed to have come the UK for economic reasons.

– an individual who entered the UK concealed in a lorry in 2015. The person made no claims to the Home Office. He was encountered and detained on 23 April 2022. He returned voluntarily on a charter flight in May after 12 days in detention.

The individuals were removed via charter or scheduled returns.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 17 August 2022.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has signed a major new agreement which will return foreign criminals and immigration offenders from the UK to Pakistan.

This is the fifth returns agreement the Home Secretary has signed in 15 months delivering for the British public through the New Plan for Immigration.

Today (Wednesday 17 August) Priti Patel met with the Interior Secretary, Yousaf Naseem Khokhar and the Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK, Moazzam Ahmad Khan, to sign the reciprocal agreement.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

“I make no apology for removing dangerous foreign criminals and immigration offenders who have no right to remain in the UK. The British public have quite rightly had enough of people abusing our laws and gaming the system so we can’t remove them.

This agreement, which I am proud to have signed with our Pakistani friends, shows the New Plan for Immigration in action and the government delivering.

Our new Borders Act will go further and help end the cycle of last-minute claims and appeals that can delay removals.”

Pakistan nationals make up the seventh largest number of foreign criminals in prisons in England and Wales totalling nearly 3% of the foreign national offender population.

The agreement underlines both countries’ ongoing commitment to tackling the issue of illegal migration and the significant threats it poses to both nations. The agreement also includes ongoing work to improve and expand UK-Pakistani law enforcement cooperation.

Since January 2019 the UK has removed 10,741 foreign national offenders globally (to year ending December 2021).

The press release issued by the Home Office on 8 August 2022.

Total funding for policing in 2022 to 2023 is nearly £17 billion – the highest for over a decade. By April 2023 we will have invested over £3.5 billion in supporting the recruitment of 20,000 additional police officers through the Police Uplift Programme, of which 13,790 have been recruited so far.

It is therefore crucial that we deliver the best possible value for the public from this investment. This review will improve our understanding of effectiveness and productivity in policing, identifying the barriers and the most efficient operating models.

The review will also look at the scope for using new technology or streamlining processes and removing bureaucracy to drive efficiency and better outcomes.

The review will be led by Sir Stephen House, supported by an advisory board including Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Fire Service (HMICFRS), the chief executive of the College of Policing and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC). Terms of reference will published in due course, following agreement by the advisory board and Home Office. It is expected to report within 12 months and with interim findings in spring 2023.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Chair, Martin Hewitt, said:

“We want to provide the best possible policing to the public. This review, commissioned by the Home Office and led by the NPCC, will make recommendations on how to improve effectiveness and productivity in policing, identifying the barriers and the most efficient operating models.

In the coming weeks, we will work with Sir Steve to draw together an advisory board of policing partners and external experts to shape the terms of reference and put a review team in place.”

The press release issued by the Home Office on 4 August 2022.

Victims and survivors of terrorist attacks will continue to receive the practical and emotional support they need, as the government announces further funding to four organisations providing this vital support.

Cruse Bereavement Support, the Peace Foundation, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Victim Support have been supported by government funding since October 2020.

Backed by this funding, these organisations have been able to set up a 24/7 support line, offer mental health assessments and referrals, provide bereavement support and establish long-term peer support networks.

Today’s funding extension will ensure that all victims of terrorism can continue to access these support services, regardless of when the attack happened.

Home Secretary, Priti Patel, said:

“We recognise the victims of terror attacks can be affected in more ways than many of us could ever contemplate.

The continuation of funding will ensure those affected by terrorist attacks can be provided with a broad range of practical and emotional support in their attempt to work through these traumatic events.”

This year marks the fifth anniversary of several horrific terrorist attacks that took place in 2017.

The Home Office’s Victims of Terrorism Unit recognises a victim to be anyone affected by a terrorist attack, whether that be someone who has suffered physical, mental or emotional harm, those who have been bereaved (including extended family members), witnesses and first responders to the scene of the incident.

The services are available to anyone affected by an attack in the UK, or those returning to the UK following an attack overseas.

Victim Support run a 24/7 support line to provide victims with immediate, practical, and easily accessible support. They can be contacted on 08 08 16 89 111 or via live chat

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust’s service focuses on outreach, screening, assessment and onwards referral for psychological treatments.

Cruse Bereavement Support provide bereavement support for victims who are not currently eligible to receive support under the Homicide Service.

The Peace Foundation facilitate a long-term peer support network for victims of terrorism and provide one-to-one casework support.

Further information about the support services available to victims can be found at victimsofterrorism.campaign.gov.uk.