Tag: Stuart C. McDonald

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which exceptional circumstances applied to each grant of family reunion made outside the rules during the last five years.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office does not hold the specific information in the format requested. The questions cover a number of different casework operations and the information is not recorded centrally in a way which can be reported on directly.

To obtain the information would involve examining individual case records and would incur disproportionate cost. We do not currently plan to change the data that is centrally recorded and published on this category of applications.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refused asylum seekers were granted, continued on, or reinstated back onto, support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 after lodging an appeal with the First-tier Tribunal (Asylum Support) in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15.

James Brokenshire

This information is not recorded centrally and is not readily available. It could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-01-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on introducing fortification of bread with folic acid.

Jane Ellison

We are considering all aspects of preconception health as a priority, including the uptake of folic acid. We want children to have the best possible start in life and ensuring optimal maternal health is a key part of this.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-03-24.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to hold a public consultation on the proposed closures of HM Revenue and Customs offices in Scotland.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) plans to create two new Regional Centres in Scotland, in Glasgow and Edinburgh in 2019-20, accommodating between 5,700 and 6,300 employees. HMRC’s new Regional Centres will give its staff all they need including a modern office environment, close to good travel and transport links. They will provide stable, high quality jobs and offer a wide range of opportunities for training and promotion and allow its staff to follow more varied career paths than have previously been possible.

HMRC will help all its staff work through their options. It will give everyone the opportunity to discuss their personal circumstances with their manager ahead of any office closures or moves, so they know about any issues that need to be taken into account when making decisions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Compass asylum accommodation contract with Clearsprings Ready Home Limited for the region of Wales and South West England, how many faults were reported or identified from Compass inspections for each contractual pay period in 2014-15 and 2015-16; and how many such faults were not resolved within the agreed contractual timescales.

James Brokenshire

Providers are contractually required to provide safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped accommodation to comply with the Housing Act 2004 and the Decent Homes Standard. Providers are monitored closely to ensure accommodation meets these standards and the contracts include measures to ensure any issues are quickly addressed. These performance standards are defined in the contract and are managed using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) including those which measure whether an individual property is compliant with contractual obligations following an inspection and also the number of service users effected if a fault is not repaired within the contract timescales.

The Home Office does not centrally record the number of individual faults reported or identified during accommodation inspections, or the number of individual faults not resolved within the agreed timescales. The requested information could therefore only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-05-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department plans to take to enforce the new £35,000 settlement threshold for Tier 2 skilled workers.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office published a full impact assessment on the changes to Tier 2 settlement rules when they were laid before Parliament on 15 March 2012. The impact assessment is available on the gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/117957/impact-assessment-tier2.pdf.

Alternative routes available for Tier 2 workers unable to meet the minimum earnings threshold would depend on their individual circumstances. For the most part, economic migrants who wish to change their basis of stay in the UK are expected to leave and re-apply for an alternative visa from their home country. However, in-country switching is permitted in some categories, for example into Tier 1 routes aimed at high value migrants.

Tier 2 migrants who apply for settlement and do not meet the requirements will be refused. Those who do not qualify for an alternative route and have reached the maximum period of limited leave allowed under Tier 2 should make plans to leave the United Kingdom. Any migrant who has over stayed the validity of their visa or otherwise failed to regularise their stay in the UK may be removed if they refuse or fail to leave of their own volition. They may also be liable to prosecution under the Immigration Act 1971.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-07-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to update the list of medical conditions covered by industrial injuries disablement benefit.

Justin Tomlinson

The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) is the scientific body with the statutory role of advising Ministers on the list of prescribed diseases under the Industrial Injures Disablement Benefit scheme. In particular, which diseases and occupations should be prescribed for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit purposes.

IIAC continually reviews the scientific literature to ascertain whether the necessary level of proof may have become available with regard to diseases and occupations not currently included or if further consideration is required in respect of those already listed.

IIAC will revisit any subject if new, sound and consistent scientific evidence becomes available. The Government will then give careful consideration to any advice the Council may provide, and consider legislative proposals in the light of that advice.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refused asylum seekers have been supported in Scotland under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 for (a) up to two years, (b) more than two years and (c) more than four years.

James Brokenshire

The table below shows the number of failed asylum seekers that have been supported under section 4 for the requested periods. This data defines refused asylum seekers as those who have been found to not require international protection and have received a final decision on their application.

Time on Support Count

Under 2 Years 52

Under 4 Years 26

Over 4 Years 2

Total = 80

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been accommodated in hostel-type accommodation provided by Compass in each Compass region in each month since 1 April 2015; and how many such people have been held under (a) section 98, (b) section 95 and (c) section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

James Brokenshire

In general, there are two types of accommodation used for asylum seekers. First, Initial Accommodation (“IA”) which is mainly full board and is provided while the support application is being assessed. Second, “dispersal accommodation”, generally shared flats, maisonettes and houses, is provided once the person is found to be eligible for support. The length of time someone will stay in an Initial Accommodation centre will vary from person to person according to their particular circumstances. However, the Home Office aims to process their application for financial support and move straightforward cases to longer term dispersal accommodation in participating dispersal towns and cities within 19 days.

The Home Office does not centrally record the number of people housed in initial accommodation under each section of the 1999 Act. It could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-03-24.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to consult with people in Cumbernauld on the proposed closure of HM Revenue and Customs Cumbernauld office.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) plans to create two new Regional Centres in Scotland, in Glasgow and Edinburgh in 2019-20, accommodating between 5,700 and 6,300 employees. HMRC’s new Regional Centres will give its staff all they need including a modern office environment, close to good travel and transport links. They will provide stable, high quality jobs and offer a wide range of opportunities for training and promotion and allow its staff to follow more varied career paths than have previously been possible.

HMRC will help all its staff work through their options. It will give everyone the opportunity to discuss their personal circumstances with their manager ahead of any office closures or moves, so they know about any issues that need to be taken into account when making decisions.