Correspondence Jan. 20 2026
Committee: Home Affairs Committee (Department: Home Office)Correspondence Jan. 20 2026
Committee: Home Affairs Committee (Department: Home Office)Correspondence Jan. 20 2026
Committee: Home Affairs Committee (Department: Home Office)Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department provide to people affected by fatal road traffic collisions.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This government takes road safety extremely seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads and to tackling the behaviours that make our roads less safe. On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.
The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce and prevent the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035. This target will focus the efforts of road safety partners across Britain, with measures to protect road users including the victims impacted by road traffic collisions.
Decisions on the support offered by trained police Family Liaison Officers to those affected by fatal road traffic collisions are operational matters for chief officers, supported by guidance from the College of Policing.
The Ministry of Justice provides annual funding to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to commission a range of local support services for victims of crime.
Asked by: Lord Pack (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee's recommendation in its 32nd Report (HL Paper 157), what progress they have made in reviewing whether police driving standards should be set in legislation; and what further steps they plan to take on this issue.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Police Crime Sentencing and Court Act 2022, introduced new training requirements and a new test for police drivers. Regulations subsequently laid in 2023 and 2025 prescribed police driver training standards.
The College of Policing also introduced licensing for police driving training providers in April 2024.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether migrant workers employed in the social care sector will be subject to the same settlement routes and qualifying periods as counterparts working in the NHS under the Health and Care visa.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, announced changes to the mandatory requirements and qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain. It is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.
The consultation seeks views on the impact proposed changes might have on different groups. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation.
The final model will also be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has assessed the potential impact of a 15-year baseline qualifying period for settlement on the functioning and long-term sustainability of social care services.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, announced changes to the mandatory requirements and qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain. It is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.
The consultation seeks views on the impact proposed changes might have on different groups. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation.
The final model will also be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the consultation entitled Earned settlement, published on 20 November 2025, whether it is her policy that the salary scale should apply to British National (Overseas) applicants.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.
BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements which include contributing to the Exchequer.
We are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation.
In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that English language immigration requirements are strengthened in the context of proposals to move English language testing for immigration purposes to a remotely proctored system.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The proposals contained within the Immigration White Paper 2025 will be delivered over the course of this Parliament, including new English Language Requirements.
The Home Office is committed to maintaining the highest standards of security and integrity in our immigration system whilst modernising services for legitimate applicants. The new service will enhance existing arrangements via robust and consistent identity management, increased monitoring of test takers and activity that is underpinned by stringent security and cyber security requirements. Detecting and combatting existing and emerging threats is at the centre of this service.