Contributions
280 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDUkrainian Asylum Seekers and RefugeesI can assure the noble Baroness that there is no reason at all why they should come here without a visa. It takes 48 hours to get a visa and there are very good legal routes for…07 Jun 2022HANSARDUkrainian Asylum Seekers and RefugeesI was about to explain to noble Lords our policy on children who have parental consent or that of a legal guardian as accepted by the Ukrainian Government. I hope to announce a…07 Jun 2022HANSARDUkrainian Asylum Seekers and RefugeesI thank the noble Lord for his Question. As of 29 May, 65,700 people have successfully come to the UK from Ukraine. That includes 23,100 on the Ukraine family scheme and 42,600…07 Jun 2022HANSARDUkrainian Asylum Seekers and RefugeesI reiterate what I have said before to my noble friend: we have a system for Ukrainian refugees to come to this country legitimately. It is my duty and honour to make sure that…07 Jun 2022HANSARDUkrainian Asylum Seekers and RefugeesThe noble Lord makes an excellent point. There is a source of delay where there has been an identification problem with the youngest child. I hope the new system we have in place…07 Jun 2022HANSARDUkrainian Asylum Seekers and RefugeesI reiterate that refugees from Ukraine are perfectly welcome to come here and there is absolutely no reason why they should be sent to Rwanda. They are welcome here, we have…07 Jun 2022HANSARDUkrainian Asylum Seekers and RefugeesThe noble Lord makes an excellent point and, I must say, one that I had not considered within my remit. I think it is something the Government should be doing, however, and I…07 Jun 2022HANSARDUkrainian Asylum Seekers and RefugeesI fully accept that those people could be a major asset to this or any other country. I am not aware of a separate policy for them. Of course, they could claim asylum as refugees…07 Jun 2022HANSARDUkrainian Asylum Seekers and RefugeesAgain, that is an excellent question. We do not know the number of visas that are running out but I know that we have measures in place to make sure that when those visas—student…07 Jun 2022HANSARDUkrainian Asylum Seekers and RefugeesI can assure the noble Lord that there are two very good legal channels for refugees from Ukraine to come to this country. There is therefore no reason at all for them to be sent…07 Jun 2022HANSARDUkrainian Asylum Seekers and RefugeesI am not aware of any plans the Government have to extend that to the EU settlement scheme.07 Jun 2022HANSARDHomes for Ukraine: Visa Application CentresI thank the noble Lord for his response. His first question was why young children need to have their biometrics done, and he said that it could mean they have to travel a long…28 Apr 2022HANSARDHomes for Ukraine: Visa Application CentresI can confirm to the noble Lord, Lord Dubs, that I have looked at every single individual case and hope that the cases to which he referred will be cleared up very quickly—in the…28 Apr 2022HANSARDHomes for Ukraine: Visa Application CentresI am afraid I cannot give my noble friend the answer I wanted to because, ironically, I was due to have a meeting with the Minister at the DfE at 11 am today to discuss that when…28 Apr 2022HANSARDHomes for Ukraine: Visa Application CentresMy Lords, with the leave of the House, I shall now repeat in the form of a Statement the Answer to an Urgent Question in the other place from my honourable friend Kevin Foster,…28 Apr 2022HANSARDHomes for Ukraine: Visa Application CentresI agree entirely with the noble Lord. I have pressed the FCDO, which is responsible for our on-ground response there, to make sure that this work is done. I am also commissioning…28 Apr 2022HANSARDHomes for Ukraine: Visa Application CentresI thank my noble friend for that question. Yes, I am continuing the online briefings. I have tried to have some online and some face to face; I do a weekly one for MPs. Today, I…28 Apr 2022HANSARDHomes for Ukraine: Visa Application CentresI thank the noble Lord, Lord Paddick, for his comments and will try to be as brief as he wants me to be. On the reasons for the visas, I do not recognise the one about the…28 Apr 2022HANSARDHomes for Ukraine: Visa Application CentresI can assure the noble Baroness that I will ensure that there is no discrimination at all in the way Ukrainians settle here. I will write to her on the specific point regarding of…28 Apr 2022HANSARDUkraine: RefugeesMy Lords, the past two hours, for once in my life, have left me more or less speechless. I promise noble Lords that that does not mean I am going to sit down. My maiden speech has…06 Apr 2022