Stuart McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to prepare a report on the operation of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, in accordance with section 260 of that Act.
Stuart McDonald: The Minister was clear on the 1,500 cap, but he did not offer a defence of it. We are talking about people who in essence are now at risk because they assisted the UK mission. Why should we be saying to people, “Sorry, not this year—we’re full up”? Why should there be a cap?
Stuart McDonald: Thank you, Sir Charles. That is no problem at all. I thank all hon. Members for their powerful contributions. In particular, I thank the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon), who has done us a great service by securing this debate. In normal times, we would debate Afghanistan and the situation we have left it in much more frequently than we do. Obviously, other things have come to...
Stuart McDonald: Is that it? These answers are absolutely pathetic. Why can states and territories in the US, Canada and Australia successfully operate self-ID without interference or complaint from either neighbouring territories or central Government, but it cannot happen here even though we are supposed to have the most powerful devolved Parliament in the world? Why does the equalities unit fact sheet...
Stuart McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the report of the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration entitled An inspection of the immigration system as it relates to the agricultural sector, what steps she is taking to (a) monitor worker's conditions and (b) ensure that workers can seek redress for complaints on the seasonal workers scheme.
Stuart McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons her Department decided to increase the number of Seasonal Workers scheme operators; when she plans to appoint the new operators; and what are the criteria for operators being appointed.
Stuart McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that workers on the seasonal workers scheme who cannot switch between scheme operators can transfer between jobs, in the context of an increase in the number of labour providers in the scheme.
Stuart McDonald: Whether he has made a recent assessment of the impact of the UK leaving the European Union on Scotland.
Stuart McDonald: The brilliant EU citizens who contribute to Scotland’s communities, public services and economy include more than 100,000 people who currently have the precarious pre-settled status. The High Court in England recently ruled that the requirement of a further application to preserve their rights here was unlawful and contrary to the withdrawal treaty. Will the Secretary of State agree that...
Stuart McDonald: If the Government are indeed still committed to the recommendations of Wendy Williams, then, obviously, the Minister can have no problem in coming to the Dispatch Box to confirm that there will be a migrants commissioner. Can she tell us when we can expect the migrants commissioner to appear and to be appointed?
Stuart McDonald: I thank my predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow North East (Anne McLaughlin), for her fantastic work in this role, and in particular on the defence of human rights. On that theme, the former Victims’ Commissioner, Dame Vera Baird, recently highlighted the dangers of the Lord Chancellor’s so-called Bill of Rights, arguing that it would harm women, “affect victims of...
Stuart McDonald: That answer completely misunderstands how important convention case law has been in helping to protect victims of violence against women and girls. Even worse, in various December appearances, neither the Secretary of State nor the Prime Minister could bring themselves to rule out complete withdrawal from the European convention altogether, which would be a disaster for victims. Is this a...
Stuart McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2022 to Question 98774, how many (a) full-time equivalent staff are employed in his Contract Assurance Team and (b) inspections that team made of (i) contingency and (ii) dispersal accommodation between 1 April 2022 and 30 September 2022.
Stuart McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her Department's policy to give initial asylum decisions to applicants whilst they are housed in contingency hotels or barracks accommodation.
Stuart McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what (a) assessment he has made and (b) consultation he has undertaken on the potential merits of introducing an energy social tariff.
Stuart McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that households with children who need palliative care and who use pre-payment meters can access a secure and affordable supply of energy.
Stuart McDonald: If every country took this Government’s approach, this Rwanda approach, the countries that already host the overwhelming majority of refugees—the Jordans, the Lebanons, the Pakistans and the Ugandas of this world; the first countries—would be required to host all of them, while wealthy western countries such as the United Kingdom could pick and choose if and when they wanted to help...
Stuart McDonald: What steps she is taking to help improve (a) access to visas and (b) support for Ukrainian nationals.
Stuart McDonald: Ukrainian MPs who have met colleagues here have repeatedly asked for improvements to UK visit visa processes. Visitors from Ukraine must either go to Poland twice—first for biometrics and then to collect the visa—or wait there for several weeks. Will the Minister look at what can be done to make it simpler for those brave politicians and other Ukrainian citizens visiting their families...