The Home Office and Department for Education have today (1 July) launched a new voluntary transfer arrangement between local authorities for the care of unaccompanied children who arrive in the UK and claim asylum.

The National Transfer Scheme has been launched to encourage all local authorities to volunteer to support unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) so there is a more even distribution of caring responsibilities across the country.

Under the scheme, a child arriving in one local authority area already under strain caring for unaccompanied asylum seeking children may be transferred to another council with capacity.

The new arrangements were created after extensive consultation with the Local Government Association, the Association of Directors of Children’s Services and local authorities.

In support of the scheme, the government has also increased the amount of funding that it will provide to local authorities caring for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, with annual support for each child aged under 16 rising from £34,675 to £41,610.

Immigration Minister James Brokenshire said:

The UK has a proud tradition of offering sanctuary to all those in need of protection, including vulnerable asylum-seeking children and ensures their welfare and safety is at the heart of every decision made. This scheme has been established to promote a fairer distribution of caring responsibilities across the country in a way that protects the best interests of those children.

Local authorities have been tremendously generous in caring for migrant children, and we hope many more will come forward and share this important responsibility. We will continue to work closely with local authorities, devolved administrations and our other partners to implement this scheme, which will support councils such as Kent and Croydon who are caring for high numbers of UASC.

An interim transfer protocol which sets out the responsibility of a local authority when the child first arrives, the role of the central team in making transfer arrangements, and establishes guidelines about when a child should be transferred out of the area or region, has been published today to support the scheme’s launch.

Mr Bolt, who previously held senior positions in national security and crime-fighting, including at the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), took up the role of scrutinising the effectiveness and efficiency of the border and immigration functions performed by the Home Secretary in May 2015.

Since taking up the post, Mr Bolt and his team have reviewed and improved the inspection process making it more streamlined.

Extending his appointment empowers Mr Bolt to take a longer-term and more strategic look at the work of the Inspectorate, as evidenced by his recently published 3 year inspection plan which sets out to cover most of the Home Office’s border and immigration functions in some depth over the period 2016/17 to 2018/19.

He was originally appointed for a 2 year term ending on 30 April 2017. The Home Secretary and Permanent Secretary have extended Mr Bolt’s term from 2 to 5 years.

Home Secretary Theresa May said:

The role of providing detailed, independent scrutiny of our work and our performance in controlling immigration and protecting Britain’s borders is vital.

David Bolt has done an excellent job over the last year and extending his appointment enables David to continue his work with more authority, facilitating the continuing improvement of the work of the Inspectorate.

Independent Chief Inspector David Bolt said:

I am pleased to have been extended in my post as the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration. I have recently published an ambitious 3 year programme of inspections and now look forward to carrying this through, helping the Home Office to identify and make improvements to the efficiency and effectiveness of its border and immigration functions.

Minister for Security and Immigration (James Brokenshire):

I am today announcing some changes to fees for immigration and nationality applications made to the Home Office. The government reviews these fees on a regular basis and makes appropriate changes as necessary. The amended regulations are for fees set at or below the cost of processing the relevant applications.

We are making some targeted amendments to support the implementation of provisions in the Immigration Act 2014, including expanding the list of application routes required to pay a fee for the enrolment of biometrics. We are also taking the opportunity to amend one other fee to support economic growth.

Further details of the changes are provided in the Explanatory Memorandum for the regulations. The government intends to bring most of these amendments into force from 1 October, though some of the new fees will come into effect later in the year to align with changes to processes.

UK Visas and Immigration provides full details on how to apply for all of the Home Office’s products and services.

Immigration and Security Minister James Brokenshire today announced the new measures in the Immigration Act would be launched in Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and Wolverhampton as part of a phased introduction across the country.

The new law will mean private landlords will have to check the right of prospective tenants to be in the country if they want to avoid potentially being fined up to £3,000.

Immigration and Security Minister James Brokenshire said:

We are building an immigration system that is fair to British citizens and legitimate migrants and tough on those who abuse the system or flout the law.

The right to rent checks are quick and simple, but will make it more difficult for immigration offenders to stay in the country when they have no right to be here.

They will also act as a new line of attack against unscrupulous landlords who exploit people by renting out substandard, overcrowded and unsafe accommodation.

Landlords in the West Midlands will have all the advice and support they need in advance of the checks going live on 1 December.

Landlords will need to see evidence of a person’s identity and citizenship, for example a passport or biometric residence permit. Many responsible landlords already do this as a matter of routine, and most legal renters will have the correct documentation ready to hand. In most cases landlords will be able carry out these simple checks without need to contact the Home Office.

Copies of the documentation will need to be taken as evidence the checks have been carried out and retained for one year after the tenancy ends. Children under 18 will not need to be checked. More information about how to carry out a right to rent check is available online at www.Gov.uk including eligibility for a free online Home Office checking service to confirm whether someone has a right to rent. A helpline (0300 069 9799) is also available.

Following an evaluation of the implementation in the West Midlands next spring, the Home Office expects to continue with the phased introduction of checks across the UK next year.

The Immigration Act 2014, which became law earlier this year, is a landmark piece of legislation which builds on the government’s ongoing reforms to make sure the immigration system works in the national interest. The Act is focused on stopping illegal migrants using public services to which they are not entitled, reducing the pull factors which encourage people to come to the UK for the wrong reasons, and making it easier for the Home Office to remove people who should not be here.

• More information about landlord right to rent checks.
• Check your postcode to see if your rental property is affected by the checks.
• Subscribe for email updates to keep informed about right to rent checks
• More information about the Immigration Act.

The entrepreneur route is intended to allow migrants to set up businesses in the UK in order to create jobs and growth. However evidence from tax records shows that people on expiring student visas are transferring to entrepreneur status under the pretence of setting up a business when they are actually working in low skilled jobs.

Entrepreneur route targeted after the closure of the post-study work visa route

Visa statistics suggest that individuals and organised criminals began to target the entrepreneur option once the post study work visa, which allowed students to stay on after their studies, was axed in 2012.

We will take firm action to protect our immigration system

Immigration and Security Minister, James Brokenshire said:

This government is building an immigration system that is fair to British citizens and legitimate migrants and tough on those who abuse the system and flout the law.

Our reforms have cut net non-EU migration to levels not seen since the 1990s and slashed overall net migration by a third since its peak under the last government.

And we will not hesitate to take firm action to protect our immigration system further – particularly when there is evidence of criminals targeting what they think are weaknesses in the rules.

With the new clampdown students will only be able to switch using funds from a government-approved source, and post-study workers will need additional evidence of their business activities. In addition, those who have not yet started businesses and who do not have evidence of a genuine business will not be able to switch from the old post-study route onto an entrepreneur visa.

Immigration and Security Minister (James Brokenshire):

I am today announcing that I have formally approved a new restraint system for safely managing people being escorted during immigration removals.

This fulfils a commitment by this government to provide training for escort staff that reflects the environment they work in, both in-country and overseas. The bespoke training is tailored to the experience and behaviour of detainees and staff in immigration removals and provides practical tools to de-escalate situations and minimise the use of restraint.

The new system has been assessed by the Independent Advisory Panel for Non Compliance Management, chaired by Stephen Shaw. The panel was established to provide support to the National Offender Management Service in the design of the new training package, to provide independent advice on the quality and safety of the new package, in particular on the use of restraint techniques.

The report by the Independent Advisory Panel for Non Compliance Management is welcomed by the government. The report recognises the balance to be struck between treating detainees with respect and minimising the need for restraint, with our responsibility to enforce immigration law, which sometimes requires the use of physical intervention.

After careful consideration of the panel’s comprehensive assessment of the quality and safety of the new system, the government has accepted all of its recommendations. The new training for overseas and in-country escort staff will begin implementation on 28 July 2014.

I am placing a copy of the full report of the Independent Advisory Panel for Non Compliance Management and the government’s response to the report in the Library of the House. A redacted version of the Manual for Escorting Safely and supporting guidance will be published in due course.