Contributions
2,215 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDManston UpdateI am grateful to the right hon. Lady for those questions. She asked how long we have been aware of diphtheria cases. When I addressed the House for the first time, on 1 November,…28 Nov 2022HANSARDPoints of Orderindicated assent.28 Nov 2022HANSARDManston UpdateThe hon. Lady raises an important point. No doubt it is correct that there will be wide variances across the country, and I will raise that point with the Dame Jenny Harries and…28 Nov 2022HANSARDManston UpdateI have now held a meeting with all local authorities in Wales and across the United Kingdom, and later this week I am rescheduling the meeting to which representatives from the…28 Nov 2022HANSARDManston UpdateI am aware of my hon. Friend’s concern and am happy to look into it. From my prior experience in local government, I think it is not unusual for multi-agency meetings to be…28 Nov 2022HANSARDManston UpdateAs I said in answer to earlier questions, there are thorough screening procedures, both immediately on arrival in Dover and then later at Manston. There is an extensive medical…28 Nov 2022HANSARDManston UpdateI am the Minister for Immigration, so it is perfectly logical that I come to the House and answer questions on this area. We provide clothing to migrants when they arrive at…28 Nov 2022HANSARDManston UpdateMy hon. Friend is right that those arriving at Western Jet Foil frequently present with conditions, some of which have been picked up in the course of their travels. For example,…28 Nov 2022HANSARDManston UpdateThe right hon. Lady says not stately homes. Unfortunately, there are stately homes being used for this purpose. That is an outrage and we need to change it. My hon. Friend the…28 Nov 2022HANSARDManston UpdateI respect the right hon. Lady’s point of view and experience, but it has not taken a death for the Home Office to focus on this issue. This individual’s death is deeply…28 Nov 2022HANSARDManston UpdateThe UKHSA’s advice to me is that the risk to the broader UK population is very low because of the high prevalence of our vaccination programme—over 90% of the British public has…28 Nov 2022HANSARDManston UpdateThe site is operating legally now. The current law allows the Home Secretary to detain individuals for 24 hours, save in exceptional circumstances. At the moment, the site has few…28 Nov 2022HANSARDManston UpdateI am grateful to the right hon. Lady for her kind words. It has always been my approach, from day one, to ensure that Manston is brought into a legal and decent state. I am…28 Nov 2022HANSARDHotel Asylum Accommodation: Local Authority ConsultationOn asylum seekers working, there are respectable arguments on both sides of the issue. I take the view that, for a range of different reasons, there are already significant pull…23 Nov 2022HANSARDHotel Asylum Accommodation: Local Authority ConsultationWe want to have the most productive relationship with local government that we possibly can. As a former Local Government Secretary, I know just how effective local government can…23 Nov 2022HANSARDHotel Asylum Accommodation: Local Authority ConsultationMy hon. Friend is absolutely right that we must power through the backlog, which has been allowed to reach an unacceptable level. We will do so by raising the productivity of…23 Nov 2022HANSARDHotel Asylum Accommodation: Local Authority ConsultationI am grateful to Liverpool City Council for the work that it is doing. We have set out a funding package for the council. I will be happy to keep in touch with the hon. Lady, if…23 Nov 2022HANSARDHotel Asylum Accommodation: Local Authority ConsultationWe have provided £3,500 per asylum seeker to local authorities such as Stoke-on-Trent, so that they have further support. The hotels that have been procured there are fully funded…23 Nov 2022HANSARDHotel Asylum Accommodation: Local Authority ConsultationI have been concerned by the reports that the hon. Lady raised and have asked my officials to investigate them. I would be happy to discuss them with her, if that would be useful.…23 Nov 2022HANSARDHotel Asylum Accommodation: Local Authority ConsultationMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. There is a global migration crisis, and the mass movement of individuals across the world, including in Europe, will be one of the big features…23 Nov 2022