Every parliamentary written question tabled by Ben Obese-Jecty this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 501–520 of 575 · Home Office
Pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 30205 on Undocumented Migrants: Repatriation, how many voluntary returns were given financial support by the Voluntary Returns Service under the criteria of their claim for asylum in the UK having been refused between 4 July 2024 and 31 January 2025.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 6 February to Question 28420.
With reference to clause eight of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which civil servants would be eligible to serve as the Interim Border Security Commander.
The Border Security Command (BSC) was established on 5 July 2024 and Martin Hewitt CBE QPM took on the role of Border Security Commander on 7 October 2024. The BSC’s first priority is tackling organised immigration crime (OIC) and reducing irregular migration to the UK, and the Commander is already providing effective systems leadership to deliver this. Any announcements on how the BSC will report on its activities will be made in the normal way in due course.If the Secretary of State was obliged at some future point designate a civil servant as the Interim Border Security Commander, they would make the decision based on the individuals.
Whether she expects the Border Security Commander to publish an annual report for 2024-25.
The Border Security Command (BSC) was established on 5 July 2024 and Martin Hewitt CBE QPM took on the role of Border Security Commander on 7 October 2024. The BSC’s first priority is tackling organised immigration crime (OIC) and reducing irregular migration to the UK, and the Commander is already providing effective systems leadership to deliver this. Any announcements on how the BSC will report on its activities will be made in the normal way in due course.If the Secretary of State was obliged at some future point designate a civil servant as the Interim Border Security Commander, they would make the decision based on the individuals.
How many Afghan nationals have arrived via small boats since August 2021.
The Home Office publishes statistics on small boat arrivals to the UK in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on detected irregular arrivals by method of entry and nationality is published in table Irr_D01 of the ‘Irregular migration to the UK detailed datasets’ with the latest data up to the end of September 2024. Data up to the end of December 2024 is due to be published on 27 February 2025. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook.
How many Afghans who initially arrived in the UK by small boat are now part of the Afghan Resettlement Programme.
Individuals who arrive in the UK via small boat are not considered to meet the requirements for a grant of permission to remain in the UK, and are not therefore expected to be included in any of our resettlement schemes.
Pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2025 to Question 28425 on Afghanistan: Resettlement, how many and what proportion of the total number of Afghans in the UK arrived via the Afghan Resettlement Programme.
The Afghan Resettlement Programme, announced by the Defence Secretary on 18 December 2024, is not in itself an immigration scheme, but a single delivery pipeline to improve efficiency in the end to end relocation and in-UK resettlement of those arriving on our Afghan schemes.The latest published statistics for arrivals under the Afghan schemes can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6745f99683f3d6d843be975e/asylum-summary-sep-24-tables.ods.
How many voluntary returns have been given financial support by the Voluntary Returns Service under the criteria of returning to a developing country since 4 July 2024.
I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave him on 6 Febrrary to Question 28420.
With reference to her Department's press release entitled G7 countries agree new plan to dismantle migrant smuggling gangs, published on 4 October 2024, if she will publish that plan.
On 4 October 2024, G7 nations agreed a new plan to tackle the smuggling of migrants. This Action Plan will deliver a boost to UK law enforcement by fostering closer cooperation with G7 partners to bolster border security, combat transnational organised crime, and protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation by migrant smugglers. The Government published the Action Plan priorities and key overarching elements for collaboration on 21 October 2024 on the gov.uk website. (Action Plan to Prevent and Counter the Smuggling of Migrants (accessible) - GOV.UK)
What steps Border Security Command has taken support (a) law enforcement and (b) other partners to (i) understand, (ii) identify and (iii) tackle organised immigration crime.
I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave him on 23 January to Question 22404.
What steps Border Security Command has taken to improve understanding of the methodologies used to facilitate irregular migration.
I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave him on 23 January to Question 22404.
What steps Border Security Command has taken with the banking sector to (a) prevent illicit finance and (b) reduce the profits of organised crime groups facilitating irregular migration.
We created the Border Security Command which will apply public-private partnerships to Organised Immigration Crime (OIC) for the first time, including with the UK’s financial sector and financial institutions, to prevent the flow of illicit finance and degrade the profits of OCGs facilitating irregular migration. This will build on existing activity with banking institutions across the UK such as suspicious activity reports (SAR) which are routinely sent from UK banks to the National Crime Agency. All regulated financial institutions must make a SAR if they know or suspect, or have reasonable grounds for knowing or suspecting, that a person is engaged in money laundering or terrorist financing. It is a criminal offence if an institution does not report their knowledge, suspicion or reasonable grounds for knowing or suspecting.OIC remains a global threat, with no respect for national boundaries. Tackling it requires an international response, with governments and international organisations working together to develop strategic solutions and collaborative operations, across the whole irregular migration route, from source to destination countries. As such, the Border Security Command is working in partnership with like-minded international partners such as Italy, under the UK-Italy Illicit Finance Taskforce. The UK and Italy are global leaders in disrupting economic crime and under the taskforce both nations will be sharing law enforcement strategies, policy, and expertise to maximise our disruptive effect on financial flows into the UK, Italy and across Europe.In addition, our new irregular migration sanctions regime - a world first - will be a valuable additional capability to bring to bear against people smugglers.
How many individual voluntary returns have been awarded (a) up to £1,000, (b) between £1,000 and £2,000 and (c) between £2,000 and £3,000 by the Voluntary Returns Service since 4 July 2024.
I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave him on 6 Febrrary to Question 28420.
How many voluntary returns have been given financial support by the Voluntary Returns Service under the criteria of their claim for asylum in the UK having been refused since 4 July 2024.
I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave him on 6 Febrrary to Question 28420.
How many voluntary returns have been given financial support by the Voluntary Returns Service under the criteria of having received a letter from the Home Office confirming they are a victim of modern slavery since 4 July 2024.
I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave him on 6 Febrrary to Question 28420.
How many voluntary returns have been given financial support by the Voluntary Returns Service under the criteria of being part of a family group that will travel together, including someone under 18 years old since 4 July 2024.
I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave him on 6 Febrrary to Question 28420.
How many voluntary returns have been given financial support by the Voluntary Returns Service under the criteria of being under 18 and travelling alone since 4 July 2024.
I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave him on 6 Febrrary to Question 28420.
How many voluntary returns have been given financial support by the Voluntary Returns Service under the criteria of being under 21 and a care leaver since 4 July 2024.
I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave him on 6 Febrrary to Question 28420.
How many voluntary returns have been given financial support by the Voluntary Returns Service under the criteria of having been sleeping rough since 4 July 2024.
I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave him on 6 Febrrary to Question 28420.
Which intelligence agencies will work with Border Security Command.
I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave him on 23 January to Question 22404.
Who the members of the board of Border Security Command are.
I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave him on 23 January to Question 22404.