Every parliamentary written question tabled by Rupert Lowe this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1,581–1,600 of 2,390 · this parliament
What the cost to the public purse was of cleaning in hotels housing irregular migrants in 2024.
The cost of laundry and cleaning services at hotels are included in the overall payment made for the use of each property rather than through any separate contractual arrangement.
If she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of legal aid for irregular migrants in 2024.
Expenditure data for irregular migrants across all legal aid schemes is not held centrally.Where proceedings are before a court or tribunal in England or Wales, legal aid is available to individuals who qualify for services irrespective of their immigration status.The Legal Aid Agency publishes information about case volumes and expenditure data for the immigration and asylum category as part of its official statistics. Please see tables 5.2-5.3 for volume an expenditure data for Legal Help and Controlled Legal Representation – this covers advice and representation before the Immigration Tribunal. Tables 6.1-6.10 set out volume and expenditure date for Civil Representation – this covers representation before the county courts and higher courts including High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
Communities and Local Government, if she will provide a breakdown of sponsors of the Homes for Ukraine scheme by nationality.
We are very grateful for the continued generosity of sponsors in opening up their homes to support Homes for Ukraine guests.The department does not hold information on the nationality of sponsors. However, since 19 February 2024, Homes for Ukraine sponsors of new guests are required to be British or Irish citizens, or have settled status in the UK, on the date of the guest’s visa application.
If she will make an estimate of the number of children who do not speak English as a first language.
The department publishes information on whether a pupil’s first language is known or believed to be other than English. This data can be found in the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publication, which is based on the January school census. The most recent figures are available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics.A pupil is recorded to have English as an additional language if they are exposed to a language at home that is known or believed to be other than English. This measure is not a measure of English language proficiency or a good proxy for recent immigration.
How many non-disclosure agreements were signed by staff in hotels hosting irregular migrants in each of the last five years.
The Home Office is not responsible for the employment of staff in asylum hotels and is not aware of any such arrangements they may have signed.
What the cost to the public purse was of laundrette services for irregular migrants housed in hotels through contracted services in 2024.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 2 December 2024 to Question UIN 15593.
How many people were employed by Border Force in each month in 2024.
The total number of people employed by Border Force is routinely published within the annual Home Office annual reports and accounts, available at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK.
Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with (a) local authority officers and (b) local authority elected representatives on the cancellation of local elections in Norfolk; and if she will publish those discussions.
The Secretary of State has not had discussions with these local authorities on the cancellation of local elections.
If she will make a comparative assessment of paperwork filled in by (a) Border Force officers and (b) equivalent immigration systems.
Border Force’s paperwork is continuously assessed to ensure it is effective and appropriate for its purpose.
Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with (a) local authority officers and (b) local authority elected representatives on the cancellation of local elections in Suffolk; and if she will publish those discussions.
The Secretary of State has not had discussions with these local authorities on the cancellation of local elections.
If she will make it her policy that Border Force personnel have the same standard of equipment as police officers.
Border Force staff are provided with all the equipment that is necessary and appropriate to do their job.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 27480 on Commonwealth Scholarships Programme, if she will list the (a) subject areas and (b) courses undertaken by those funded through the Commonwealth Scholarship in the last five years.
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK publishes its Annual Reports, which provide information on the subject areas and courses undertaken by scholarship recipients. The most recent report was laid before Parliament on 17 December 2024 and is available on gov.uk. Further details can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/csc-annual-reports
With reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 3 (Yorkshire & Humber), procurement reference CF-0333600D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
With reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 4 (West Midlands), procurement reference CF-0333700D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
With reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 9 (South East), procurement reference CF-0334400D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
With reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 6 (East of England), procurement reference CF-0334100D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of low skilled immigration worker visa grants on job opportunities for low skilled domestic workers.
The Government publishes economic assessments of policy measures implemented. Analysis undertaken to support changes to the immigration system are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-analysis-at-the-home-office.This Government is taking a new approach, linking skills and visa policy to reduce the reliance on overseas recruitment.
With reference to her Department's contract entitled Emergency Transport for Staff and Illegal Migrants including Minors, procurement reference CF-0122300D58000000L5A4EAK3, which modes of transport are provided under the contract; what the cost to the public purse is of those modes of transport; and for what purpose they are provided.
Details of the contract including Statement of Requirements, Purpose and mode of transport, is published on Contract Finder at Emergency Transport for Staff and Illegal Migrants including Minors - Contracts FinderObtaining a breakdown of expenditure on the contract at the level of granularity requested is only something that could be done for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the (a) total amount of people who are exempted from paying council tax for religious reasons and (b) estimated total value of council tax exemptions for religious reasons in each local authority in the last financial year.
It is not true to say that individuals can be exempt from council tax for religious reasons. A dwelling may be exempt from council tax where it is unoccupied but is held for the purposes of being occupied by a minister, of any religious denomination, in order for them to perform their duties.Based on the latest available data 1,203 dwellings were in receipt of this exemption in England in 2024. The Government does not collect data on the council tax revenue foregone in providing this exemption.
With reference to her Department's document entitled Contract for the provision of Language Analysis Services, notice 2022/S 000-009633, how many and what proportion of people who were determined by the supplier under the Contract to have made a false claim of origin were given (a) asylum (b) any other grant of protection or leave.
Language analysis reports are not used to determine a claimant’s place of origin as standalone evidence, but they provide expert additional evidence for caseworkers to be considered alongside other decision-making information.Link to the published policy guidance on language analysis can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/language-analysis-instruction.This guidance will be updated shortly to incorporate the new supplier.