Tag: Lord Roberts of Llandudno

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the past five years, what percentage of applicants aged between 18 and 25 have been granted leave to remain in the United Kingdom on compassionate grounds; and how many applicants are still waiting for a decision.

    Lord Bates

    People in all immigration application routes have the potential to be granted leave to remain on compassionate grounds. There is no formal application category for ‘compassionate grounds’. The Home Office therefore cannot determine the percentage of applicants between 18 and 25 who have been granted leave to remain in the United Kingdom on compassionate grounds or how many applicants are still waiting for a decision.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2014-06-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recent hangings in India; and what steps they will take to ensure that the values set out in the Commonwealth Charter are being upheld in that country.

    Baroness Warsi

    The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), expressed his concern about the recent gang rape and death of the two girls in Budaun on 28 May.

    We are committed to working with the Government of India and international partners to address the problem of gender-based violence, human trafficking and child exploitation in India. Through the Department for International Development (DFID) programme, the UK supports measures in India’s 120 poorest districts to promote the empowerment and access to benefits and services of excluded groups. DFID India also provides support to national and state governments in India which includes helping girls to complete basic education and further tackling violence against women and girls. We will continue with work with the government of India on this important issue, and continue to encourage all Commonwealth countries to uphold the values set out in the Commonwealth Charter.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which countries currently receive United Kingdom international aid; and how much was paid to each of those countries in (1) 1995, (2) 2000, (3) 2005, (4) 2010, and (5) 2013.

    Baroness Northover

    Information on the countries currently receiving United Kingdom international aid; and how much was paid to each of those countries in (1) 1995, (2) 2000, (3) 2005, (4) 2010 has been placed in the House of Lords library. Figures for 2013 are currently being compiled and will be published in Statistics on International Development in October 2014.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to make legal aid-funded immigration representation available to migrants detained in HMP The Verne.

    Lord Faulks

    Currently, advice on immigration matters within the scope of Legal Aid can be given to detainees in HMP The Verne by any provider that holds an Immigration & Asylum contract with the Legal Aid Agency (LAA).

    Earlier this year the LAA conducted an expression of interest exercise among existing contract holders providing immigration surgeries at other Immigration Removal Centres, with four providers confirmed as interested in operating surgeries in HMP The Verne. Communications will be issued shortly regarding when these services are likely to commence.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is their intention for on-site legal surgeries be held in HMP The Verne.

    Lord Faulks

    Earlier this year the Legal Aid Agency conducted an expression of interest exercise among existing contract holders providing immigration surgeries at other Immigration Removal Centres, with four providers confirmed as interested in operating surgeries in HMP The Verne. Communications will be issued shortly regarding when these services are likely to commence.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they gave to (1) the death of detainee Christine Case, and (2) allegations of sexual assault, at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre in permitting Serco to retender to run that facility; and whether they will disclose the tender documents submitted by all applicants who entered bids to run (1) Harmondsworth, and (2) Colnbrook, Immigration Removal Centres.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    I apologise it has not been possible to answer this question within the usual ten day deadline. I will write to the Noble Lord, Lord Roberts of Llandudno, before the summer recess and will place a copy of that letter in the House library.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2014-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to continue enforced removals to Mogadishu, Somalia, pending the publication of an official decision on the country guidance case and an official statement by the Home Secretary; and, if so, why.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    There are no existing court judgments that have found that all removals to Somalia are unsafe or should be suspended. An existing country guidance judgment promulgated in November 2011 recognised that many but not all Somalis returning to the country after a significant time abroad would be at risk on return. However, the determination also recognised that the country situation was improving and each case needed to be considered on its individual merits.

    We are awaiting a country guidance determination on the country situation in Somalia. However, the High Court has previously ruled that automatic stays on removal simply because a country guidance case is pending are not necessary. A stay of removal is at the discretion of the courts in each particular case and on its own facts.

    We will continue to assess each case on its individual merits against the latest country information and existing, relevant caselaw.

    We will only enforce the return of Somali nationals who we, and the courts, are satisfied are not at risk on return and who do not elect to leave voluntarily.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2014-03-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the recent finding in the Demos report, Introducing Generation Citizen, that 84 per cent of 14- to 17-year-olds intend to vote when they attain the age of 18, how they intend to ensure that such intentions to vote translate into first-time voting behaviour amongst young people; and what steps they are taking to ensure that education establishments are committed to registering all 16- and 17-year-olds to vote.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The new key stage 4 citizenship programme to be taught from September 2014 requires that pupils should be taught about “the different electoral systems used in and beyond the United Kingdom and actions citizens can take in democratic and electoral processes to influence decisions locally, nationally and beyond.”

    The government has also made available £4.2 million funding to all 363 local authorities and valuation joint boards in Great Britain and 5 national organisations. Electoral registration officers have been encouraged to support the delivery of Rock Enrol! in their area, a learning resource which not only provides an opportunity for young people to register to vote, but enables them to discuss the importance of doing so.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to encourage (1) attainers, and (2) all eligible voters, to apply to register to vote online; and, whether they have plans to combine (1) electoral registration, and (2) voting, with incentives such as discounted council tax or local prize-draws.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    UK Youth and Scottish Youth Parliament, who both received a share of the £4.2 million funding for maximising registration, are developing and testing approaches to promote engagement of young people with the democratic process. The Government has made available for free the Rock Enrol! learning resource, and is working with the Higher Education sector to promote on-line registration during course enrolment for students. Over the summer the Electoral Commission will be running a nationwide media campaign which will make prominent reference to the new online registration page.

    The Government has no plans to legislate to require Electoral Registration Officers and Returning Officers to incentivise electoral registration and voting, such as with discounted council tax or prize draws.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2014-03-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether migrants detained in HM Prison The Verne from 24 March will have access to (1) Rule 35 procedures to determine whether their health would be damaged by detention, for example, due to a history of torture, (2) mobile telephones and the internet, (3) the ability to receive telephone calls from solicitors, family and friends, and (4) on-site legal advice surgeries; and if not, why not.

    Lord Faulks

    HM Prison The Verne started taking immigration detainees as scheduled from 24 March 2014. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) will retain The Verne as a prison in the short term. Its designation as a prison will be reviewed later this year, with the intention of completing the re-designation to an immigration removal centre by the end of September 2014.

    While The Verne retains its designation as a prison it will be governed by Prison Rules rather than Detention Centre Rules. As The Verne is not governed by Detention Centre Rules, Rule 35 of those rules is not applicable.

    Detainees held at The Verne will be treated in the same way as other detainees held within the prison estate. As such they will not have access to mobile telephones or the internet, nor will they be able to receive telephone calls. They will, however, be able to make telephone calls and will have access to both social and legal visits.

    There is a dedicated Home Office Immigration Enforcement Team on site who will see detainees routinely on induction and upon request. In addition, independent immigration advice will be provided by Migrant Help.