Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the remit of the Defending Democracy Taskforce will be extended to consider what action may be required to protect democratic integrity in the UK from sectarianism.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Defending Democracy Taskforce (DDTF) has a mandate from the Prime Minister to coordinate and drive forward a whole of government response to the full range of threats to our democracy, including protecting democratic integrity.

The Taskforce monitors evolving threats as they arise and remains flexible to respond effectively and promptly where necessary.

For example, the Joint Election Security and Preparedness (JESP) Unit, which sits jointly between Cabinet Office and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government is standing up an election cell ahead of upcoming local elections in England and devolved elections in Scotland and Wales.

This brings together government departments, the police, the intelligence agencies, the Devolved Governments, and external partners to monitor and respond to any emerging issues across physical, cyber and information security.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Written Statement of 2 March 2026 on Asylum changes, HCWS1373, what recent steps her Department has taken to introduce community sponsorship.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

In the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government committed to transforming its approach to safe and legal routes. This included the creation of a named sponsorship scheme to enable community groups to sponsor refugees and displaced persons.

Work is underway to deliver the named community sponsorship route. The Government is working with a range of stakeholders to design and develop the new pathway.

Further details, including timeframes for the launch of the route, will be provided in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of Chevening scholars from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan have claimed asylum in the United Kingdom following the completion of their scholarships.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the number of people claiming asylum where the latest leave held prior to claim was a study visa is published in table Asy_D01a of the ‘Asylum claims and initial decisions datasets’. The number of student entry clearance visas issued is published in table Vis_D02 of the 'Entry clearance visas datasets'.

A full Impact Assessment has been published for the Visa Brake policy; see Table 1 for historic volumes of asylum claims linked to visa for the relevant nationalities and routes in scope of the Brake.

The requested information on asylum claims from Chevening scholars is not available from published statistics.

Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. These reviews allow us to balance the production of our regular statistics whilst developing new statistics for future release.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for the number of (a) enforced and (b) voluntary asylum-related removals in 2025 for all nationalities.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes data on returns in the ’Immigration System Statistics quarterly release’. Data on enforced and voluntary asylum-related returns in 2025 can be found in Ret_05 with a further breakdown by top 10 nationalities in Ret_04 of the ‘Returns summary tables’.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to announce transitional arrangements for people who are awaiting the outcome of an asylum claim submitted before 2 March 2026.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The family reunion route was suspended to ease the pressures that local authorities and public services have been placed under due to the recent significant increase in people arriving under this route in recent years.

Outstanding applications will continue to be considered under the family reunion rules in place prior to the commencement of the suspension, including those that are at appeal.

During the suspension, the Government is taking forward wider asylum and family reforms to place the system on a fairer, controlled and sustainable footing. Further information on forthcoming changes will be set out in due course. In the meantime, other family routes remain available, including Appendix FM.

Those who claimed asylum or made further submissions before 2 March 2026, and who are eligible for protection, will receive 5 years’ permission to stay in accordance with the transitional arrangements included in the Immigration Rules laid on 5 March 2026.

We will encourage refugees to switch out of the Core Protection route wherever possible into a new, bespoke work and study route to access family reunion and settlement rights with new fees and conditions in accordance with the rules of that route.

Refugees granted refugee status or humanitarian protection (as well as those arriving under one of the UK’s resettlement schemes) have immediate access to the labour market and benefits, including employment support from Department for Work and Pensions work coaches. Unemployed refugees are eligible for full funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages learning.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how refugees on the core protection route will be supported to transition on to work and study visas.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The family reunion route was suspended to ease the pressures that local authorities and public services have been placed under due to the recent significant increase in people arriving under this route in recent years.

Outstanding applications will continue to be considered under the family reunion rules in place prior to the commencement of the suspension, including those that are at appeal.

During the suspension, the Government is taking forward wider asylum and family reforms to place the system on a fairer, controlled and sustainable footing. Further information on forthcoming changes will be set out in due course. In the meantime, other family routes remain available, including Appendix FM.

Those who claimed asylum or made further submissions before 2 March 2026, and who are eligible for protection, will receive 5 years’ permission to stay in accordance with the transitional arrangements included in the Immigration Rules laid on 5 March 2026.

We will encourage refugees to switch out of the Core Protection route wherever possible into a new, bespoke work and study route to access family reunion and settlement rights with new fees and conditions in accordance with the rules of that route.

Refugees granted refugee status or humanitarian protection (as well as those arriving under one of the UK’s resettlement schemes) have immediate access to the labour market and benefits, including employment support from Department for Work and Pensions work coaches. Unemployed refugees are eligible for full funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages learning.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to resume refugee family reunion.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The family reunion route was suspended to ease the pressures that local authorities and public services have been placed under due to the recent significant increase in people arriving under this route in recent years.

Outstanding applications will continue to be considered under the family reunion rules in place prior to the commencement of the suspension, including those that are at appeal.

During the suspension, the Government is taking forward wider asylum and family reforms to place the system on a fairer, controlled and sustainable footing. Further information on forthcoming changes will be set out in due course. In the meantime, other family routes remain available, including Appendix FM.

Those who claimed asylum or made further submissions before 2 March 2026, and who are eligible for protection, will receive 5 years’ permission to stay in accordance with the transitional arrangements included in the Immigration Rules laid on 5 March 2026.

We will encourage refugees to switch out of the Core Protection route wherever possible into a new, bespoke work and study route to access family reunion and settlement rights with new fees and conditions in accordance with the rules of that route.

Refugees granted refugee status or humanitarian protection (as well as those arriving under one of the UK’s resettlement schemes) have immediate access to the labour market and benefits, including employment support from Department for Work and Pensions work coaches. Unemployed refugees are eligible for full funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages learning.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether their department plans to collect and publish data on the number of modern slavery and human trafficking police investigations, after this is no longer done by the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Unit.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Department has been working closely with the Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Unit (MSOICU) to review the programme’s functions and agree contingency arrangements to ensure key functions are preserved following the programme’s closure. This includes the collection of modern slavery police investigation data.

The current investigations data only provides a partial and incomplete picture, as not all forces submit returns. Once in post, we will work with the new National Police Chiefs Council lead to consider the most effective approach to collecting consistent data on modern slavery investigations in the future.

As part of the wider police reforms, national strategic policing priorities will be developed to improve policing standards and performance. The Home Office will consider how modern slavery measures and data collection can be reflected within these.

We will continue to draw on data already collected by the Home Office, Crown Prosecution Service and the Ministry of Justice, including data on recorded offences and criminal justice outcomes, to support our understanding of modern slavery trends and performance.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating a national register for people found guilty of exploiting children for criminal activity.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

This Government is committed to tackling child criminal exploitation and going after the gangs who are luring children into violence and crime. That is why we are introducing a new offence of child criminal exploitation (CCE) and new civil preventative orders (CCE prevention orders) in the Crime and Policing Bill to target those responsible for criminally exploiting children and to help ensure that children are identified as victims and receive the support and protection they need.

CCE prevention orders are designed to specifically target the criminal exploitation of children and will include tailored restrictions and/or requirements the court deems necessary to manage the risk posed to a specific child or children generally. The orders will be able to impose a notification requirement, on the subject of the order, where the court deems it necessary. This will require someone to notify their name and address (and any subsequent changes) to the local police force, to ensure that police are aware of, and able to monitor, individuals who pose a CCE threat.

County Lines is the most violent model of drug supply and a harmful form of child criminal exploitation. Through the County Lines Programme, we continue to target exploitative drug dealing gangs and break the organised crime groups behind the trade. Since July 2024, law enforcement activity through the County Lines Programme taskforces has resulted in more than 3,000 deal lines closed, 8,200 arrests, (including the arrest and subsequent charge of over 1,600 deal line holders) 4,300 safeguarding referrals of children and vulnerable people, and 900 knives seized.

While the majority of county lines originate from the areas covered by the Metropolitan Police Service, West Midlands Police, Merseyside Police, Greater Manchester Police and West Yorkshire Police, we recognise that this is a national issue which affects all forces. This is why we fund the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC) to monitor the intelligence picture and co-ordinate the national law enforcement response. The County Lines Programme forces (MPS, West Midlands, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and British Transport Police) also regularly conduct joint operations with importing forces. In addition, we have established a dedicated fund which provides local police forces, including Leicestershire and other forces in the East Midlands, with additional funding and support to tackle county lines.

As part of the County Lines Programme we also provide specialist support for children and young people to escape county lines and child criminal exploitation. Since July 2024 more than 620 children and young people have received dedicated specialist support through our county lines support service. To support parents, we also fund a national confidential helpline and support service, SafeCall, for young people and their families or carers affected by county lines exploitation.

In addition, the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the UK’s framework for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. This includes victims of criminal and sexual exploitation. First Responder Organisations (FROs), including the police and local authorities, have a statutory duty to refer any child who is a potential victim of modern slavery and human trafficking into the NRM to ensure they are effectively identified and supported.

Whilst child victims of exploitation are supported by local authorities who have primary responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, the Government-funded County Lines Programme and Independent Child Trafficking Guardian (ICTG) service provide additional support. The ICTG service currently covers two-thirds of local authorities across England and Wales, including the East Midlands, and we are in the process of expanding the service to provide national coverage across England and Wales, which will begin in 2027.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent children from being exploited by drug gangs in (a) Leicester, (b) the East Midlands and (c) the UK.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

This Government is committed to tackling child criminal exploitation and going after the gangs who are luring children into violence and crime. That is why we are introducing a new offence of child criminal exploitation (CCE) and new civil preventative orders (CCE prevention orders) in the Crime and Policing Bill to target those responsible for criminally exploiting children and to help ensure that children are identified as victims and receive the support and protection they need.

CCE prevention orders are designed to specifically target the criminal exploitation of children and will include tailored restrictions and/or requirements the court deems necessary to manage the risk posed to a specific child or children generally. The orders will be able to impose a notification requirement, on the subject of the order, where the court deems it necessary. This will require someone to notify their name and address (and any subsequent changes) to the local police force, to ensure that police are aware of, and able to monitor, individuals who pose a CCE threat.

County Lines is the most violent model of drug supply and a harmful form of child criminal exploitation. Through the County Lines Programme, we continue to target exploitative drug dealing gangs and break the organised crime groups behind the trade. Since July 2024, law enforcement activity through the County Lines Programme taskforces has resulted in more than 3,000 deal lines closed, 8,200 arrests, (including the arrest and subsequent charge of over 1,600 deal line holders) 4,300 safeguarding referrals of children and vulnerable people, and 900 knives seized.

While the majority of county lines originate from the areas covered by the Metropolitan Police Service, West Midlands Police, Merseyside Police, Greater Manchester Police and West Yorkshire Police, we recognise that this is a national issue which affects all forces. This is why we fund the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC) to monitor the intelligence picture and co-ordinate the national law enforcement response. The County Lines Programme forces (MPS, West Midlands, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and British Transport Police) also regularly conduct joint operations with importing forces. In addition, we have established a dedicated fund which provides local police forces, including Leicestershire and other forces in the East Midlands, with additional funding and support to tackle county lines.

As part of the County Lines Programme we also provide specialist support for children and young people to escape county lines and child criminal exploitation. Since July 2024 more than 620 children and young people have received dedicated specialist support through our county lines support service. To support parents, we also fund a national confidential helpline and support service, SafeCall, for young people and their families or carers affected by county lines exploitation.

In addition, the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the UK’s framework for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. This includes victims of criminal and sexual exploitation. First Responder Organisations (FROs), including the police and local authorities, have a statutory duty to refer any child who is a potential victim of modern slavery and human trafficking into the NRM to ensure they are effectively identified and supported.

Whilst child victims of exploitation are supported by local authorities who have primary responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, the Government-funded County Lines Programme and Independent Child Trafficking Guardian (ICTG) service provide additional support. The ICTG service currently covers two-thirds of local authorities across England and Wales, including the East Midlands, and we are in the process of expanding the service to provide national coverage across England and Wales, which will begin in 2027.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support children and families who have been victims of child exploitation by organised crime.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

This Government is committed to tackling child criminal exploitation and going after the gangs who are luring children into violence and crime. That is why we are introducing a new offence of child criminal exploitation (CCE) and new civil preventative orders (CCE prevention orders) in the Crime and Policing Bill to target those responsible for criminally exploiting children and to help ensure that children are identified as victims and receive the support and protection they need.

CCE prevention orders are designed to specifically target the criminal exploitation of children and will include tailored restrictions and/or requirements the court deems necessary to manage the risk posed to a specific child or children generally. The orders will be able to impose a notification requirement, on the subject of the order, where the court deems it necessary. This will require someone to notify their name and address (and any subsequent changes) to the local police force, to ensure that police are aware of, and able to monitor, individuals who pose a CCE threat.

County Lines is the most violent model of drug supply and a harmful form of child criminal exploitation. Through the County Lines Programme, we continue to target exploitative drug dealing gangs and break the organised crime groups behind the trade. Since July 2024, law enforcement activity through the County Lines Programme taskforces has resulted in more than 3,000 deal lines closed, 8,200 arrests, (including the arrest and subsequent charge of over 1,600 deal line holders) 4,300 safeguarding referrals of children and vulnerable people, and 900 knives seized.

While the majority of county lines originate from the areas covered by the Metropolitan Police Service, West Midlands Police, Merseyside Police, Greater Manchester Police and West Yorkshire Police, we recognise that this is a national issue which affects all forces. This is why we fund the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC) to monitor the intelligence picture and co-ordinate the national law enforcement response. The County Lines Programme forces (MPS, West Midlands, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and British Transport Police) also regularly conduct joint operations with importing forces. In addition, we have established a dedicated fund which provides local police forces, including Leicestershire and other forces in the East Midlands, with additional funding and support to tackle county lines.

As part of the County Lines Programme we also provide specialist support for children and young people to escape county lines and child criminal exploitation. Since July 2024 more than 620 children and young people have received dedicated specialist support through our county lines support service. To support parents, we also fund a national confidential helpline and support service, SafeCall, for young people and their families or carers affected by county lines exploitation.

In addition, the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the UK’s framework for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. This includes victims of criminal and sexual exploitation. First Responder Organisations (FROs), including the police and local authorities, have a statutory duty to refer any child who is a potential victim of modern slavery and human trafficking into the NRM to ensure they are effectively identified and supported.

Whilst child victims of exploitation are supported by local authorities who have primary responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, the Government-funded County Lines Programme and Independent Child Trafficking Guardian (ICTG) service provide additional support. The ICTG service currently covers two-thirds of local authorities across England and Wales, including the East Midlands, and we are in the process of expanding the service to provide national coverage across England and Wales, which will begin in 2027.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action is being taken to help improve the availability of domestic abuse services in rural areas.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

In the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, 'Freedom from Violence and Abuse’, we committed to developing a new cross-government statement on the commissioning of VAWG services. This will update the National Statement of Expectation, refresh the VAWG Commissioning Toolkit, and will improve the quality of commissioning. For England, the Safe Accommodation Duty for victims of domestic abuse, and the upcoming Duty to Collaborate for victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, and serious violence, will ensure local areas are able to tailor their provision to their local community and duty holders should consider the needs of rural victims as part of this.

This financial year (2025/26) the Home Office has invested £6m into specialist helplines to support victims in their greatest time of need. The VAWG Helplines are established to be accessible wherever you are across England and Wales. They provide advice and support to victims and assist in signposting and referrals to appropriate local services.

Last year, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) commenced a call for evidence across a network of rural stakeholders to inform understanding of the availability of support services and delivery methodologies that might be effective in rural areas. Defra will work to understand the findings of this evidence to help to confront the disparities in the provision of support so that every victim, whether in a city or a rural village, can access the help they need.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made towards meeting the Government’s target to halve violence against women and girls within the next decade.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

“Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls” was published on 18th December 2025 and sets out the strategic direction and concrete actions to prevent violence and abuse, pursue perpetrators, and support victims, and to deliver our commitment to halve VAWG in a decade.

Since July 2024, the Home Office has delivered a series of measures to tackle these crimes including: establishing the National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection; commencing the rollout of Raneem’s Law to strengthen protections for victims of domestic abuse; introducing Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in the first pilot areas; announcing £53 million of funding over four years to expand the Drive Project across England and Wales; and rolling out the Steps to Safety referral initiative.

Throughout 2026, we will begin delivering many of the commitments set out in the Strategy. This includes the publication of new statutory guidance on Domestic Homicide Reviews, as well as the further rollout of Raneem’s Law to improve the police response to victims and survivors of domestic abuse. Together, these measures represent significant steps towards meeting our ambition to halve VAWG within the next decade.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 2 October 2025 (HL10716), when they intend to publish the statutory guidance to accompany the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Public sexual harassment is a crime that often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women, feeling very unsafe. That is why tackling it is an important part of our mission on VAWG.

The “Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls”, published on 18th December 2025, committed to commence the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023 on 1 April 2026. This includes publication of the statutory guidance for police on the same day, which is a requirement of Section 2 of the Act. We are working directly with policing to ensure everything in is in place to support them in enforcing the aggravated offence from 1 April 2026.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of women killed in domestic homicides in their own homes.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

This Government is committed to protecting women and girls in all environments, public or private. The recently published ‘Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy’ sets out the steps we are taking to drive system-wide change, so that no life is lost to violence and abuse that could have been prevented.

The Home Office is working to develop the evidence base on domestic abuse related deaths by funding the Domestic Homicide Project, which captures information all domestic abuse related deaths, including homicides, from all 43 police forces in England and Wales. The project aims to improve our understanding of these deaths and identify how the response to domestic abuse can be improved.  Further information can be found at the following link: https://www.vkpp.org.uk/vkpp-work/domestic-homicide-project/.

In addition, Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) offer a vital opportunity for national and local agencies, local communities and society as a whole to learn lessons from domestic abuse related deaths and treat every death as preventable. We are currently reforming the DHR process to ensure learning is effectively identified and implemented to improve policy and practice and ultimately, prevent future deaths.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the proposed changes to make refugee protection time-limited are compatible with the United Kingdom’s obligations under Article 34 of the 1951 Refugee Convention to facilitate the naturalisation and integration of refugees.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

We take our international obligations, including those under the Refugee Convention 1951, very seriously. The proposed changes to reduce refugee permission to stay to 30 months are entirely in accordance with our international obligations.

This Government is committed to supporting refugees and those granted protection in the UK to fully integrate and contribute to the British economy and society, in a way that promotes community cohesion. All refugees and those granted protection in the UK should be able to fully integrate into life here and become self-sufficient, providing for themselves and their families, and contributing to the economy, aligning with Article 34 of the 1951 Refugee Convention. We will not remove anyone to their own or any other country where they have a well-founded fear of persecution or are at risk of serious harm.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what metrics are being used to measure progress on reducing violence against women and girls.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

We will measure progress against our ambition to halve VAWG is through a headline metric of the combined prevalence estimate of the proportion of people (aged 16 and over) who experienced any of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking in the previous 12 months, as measured by the Crime Survey for England and Wales.

Given the complexity and breadth of these crimes, a single metric cannot fully capture progress. We will therefore track a set of supporting headline metrics, focused on female homicide, repeat domestic abuse, and the prevalence of sexual harassment.

These measures will be underpinned by a wider range of sub-metrics, such as measures of online harms, to assess progress across government against the pillars of the Strategy.

Further detail on our performance framework can be found on page 70 of Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2026 to question 115217, what timeline the Government is working to in considering the best way to measure the prevalence of VAWG among children and young people in the Freedom from Violence and Abuse Strategy.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

As stated in response to your question on 3^rd March, we recognise the importance of understanding the experiences of children and young people. As such the performance framework in the Freedom from Violence and Abuse Strategy includes a sub-metric on the prevalence of VAWG among children and young people and work is ongoing to determine the most robust and appropriate way to measure this. We will continue to develop this approach as the wider framework evolves.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many additional caseworkers they estimate will be required to conduct periodic reviews of refugees' status, and whether additional funding has been allocated for this purpose.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

We want to encourage refugees to integrate more fully into the communities providing them sanctuary and we will encourage refugees to switch out of the Core Protection route wherever possible into a new, bespoke work and study route. In addition to the wider the socio-economic advantages, this will also enable them to access family reunion and settlement rights with new fees and conditions in accordance with the rules of that route.

We are committed to ensuring our policies are sustainable and do not place unnecessary burdens on the taxpayer, and this policy is no different. In terms of resources and processing, only those who do remain on Core Protection will have their protection needs regularly reviewed. Reviews will be targeted based on objective country information, and any other new information that comes to light, allowing us to make the most efficient use of resources. We will continue to monitor staffing levels and will deploy our workforce flexibly subject to business needs as we have done in the past.

The approach to reviewing status will be efficient and targeted; we will reassess where country conditions or personal circumstances have changed significantly.

To do this we will build on the efficiencies that have already seen record levels of initial decisions being made, including use of AI, such as our policy search tool or case summarisation which are already assisting asylum decision makers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the administrative and staffing resources required within the Home Office to review the protection needs of refugees at 30-month intervals.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

We want to encourage refugees to integrate more fully into the communities providing them sanctuary and we will encourage refugees to switch out of the Core Protection route wherever possible into a new, bespoke work and study route. In addition to the wider the socio-economic advantages, this will also enable them to access family reunion and settlement rights with new fees and conditions in accordance with the rules of that route.

We are committed to ensuring our policies are sustainable and do not place unnecessary burdens on the taxpayer, and this policy is no different. In terms of resources and processing, only those who do remain on Core Protection will have their protection needs regularly reviewed. Reviews will be targeted based on objective country information, and any other new information that comes to light, allowing us to make the most efficient use of resources. We will continue to monitor staffing levels and will deploy our workforce flexibly subject to business needs as we have done in the past.

The approach to reviewing status will be efficient and targeted; we will reassess where country conditions or personal circumstances have changed significantly.

To do this we will build on the efficiencies that have already seen record levels of initial decisions being made, including use of AI, such as our policy search tool or case summarisation which are already assisting asylum decision makers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of temporary protection status on refugee integration, including access to employment, housing, and higher education.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

We want to encourage refugees to integrate more fully into the communities providing them sanctuary and we will encourage refugees to switch out of the Core Protection route wherever possible into a new, bespoke work and study route. In addition to the wider the socio-economic advantages, this will also enable them to access family reunion and settlement rights with new fees and conditions in accordance with the rules of that route.

We are committed to ensuring our policies are sustainable and do not place unnecessary burdens on the taxpayer, and this policy is no different. In terms of resources and processing, only those who do remain on Core Protection will have their protection needs regularly reviewed. Reviews will be targeted based on objective country information, and any other new information that comes to light, allowing us to make the most efficient use of resources. We will continue to monitor staffing levels and will deploy our workforce flexibly subject to business needs as we have done in the past.

The approach to reviewing status will be efficient and targeted; we will reassess where country conditions or personal circumstances have changed significantly.

To do this we will build on the efficiencies that have already seen record levels of initial decisions being made, including use of AI, such as our policy search tool or case summarisation which are already assisting asylum decision makers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what modelling they have undertaken of the likely impact of 30-monthly reviews on asylum decision backlogs and processing times.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

We want to encourage refugees to integrate more fully into the communities providing them sanctuary and we will encourage refugees to switch out of the Core Protection route wherever possible into a new, bespoke work and study route. In addition to the wider the socio-economic advantages, this will also enable them to access family reunion and settlement rights with new fees and conditions in accordance with the rules of that route.

We are committed to ensuring our policies are sustainable and do not place unnecessary burdens on the taxpayer, and this policy is no different. In terms of resources and processing, only those who do remain on Core Protection will have their protection needs regularly reviewed. Reviews will be targeted based on objective country information, and any other new information that comes to light, allowing us to make the most efficient use of resources. We will continue to monitor staffing levels and will deploy our workforce flexibly subject to business needs as we have done in the past.

The approach to reviewing status will be efficient and targeted; we will reassess where country conditions or personal circumstances have changed significantly.

To do this we will build on the efficiencies that have already seen record levels of initial decisions being made, including use of AI, such as our policy search tool or case summarisation which are already assisting asylum decision makers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to establishing additional safe and legal routes for refugees to the United Kingdom alongside the Community Sponsorship Scheme.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Restoring Order and Control policy statement set out how the Government would transform its approach to safe and legal routes. Alongside the new community sponsorship route, the Government committed to the creation of capped routes for refugee and displaced students to study in the UK, and for skilled refugees and displaced people to come to the UK for work.

Work is underway to operationalise these new routes and further details will be provided in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help support refugee integration.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Refugees can already access the labour market, benefits, employment support and funded English language support.

After the introduction of our asylum reforms, we will create new work and study routes for those who are receiving protection, which will provide a faster path to lifetime settlement.

And we will introduce new safe and legal routes – again, with a faster path to settlement – as we move away from unsafe and illegal routes into this country

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle coercive control by ex-partners.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Controlling or coercive behaviour is an insidious and often under-recognised form of domestic abuse.

To improve the multi-agency response to coercive or controlling behaviour and reflect latest policy and practice, we will update statutory guidance by the end of this year.

We will also improve the policing response to all VAWG, through our £13m investment in the new National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the European Convention on Human Rights on levels of illegal immigration.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

We are committed to the ECHR. But it must evolve to reflect modern challenges like mass migration and ability to protect the public. That is why we are working with international partners to modernise its application.

We will also tighten how Article 8 is applied at domestic level to prevent gaming of the system and ensure the public interest is given proper weight in immigration decisions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of a public awareness campaign around the commencement of the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act on 1 April 2026 in (a) deterring perpetrators, and (b) encouraging victims to come forward.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Public sexual harassment is a crime that often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women, feeling very unsafe. That is why tackling it is an important part of our mission on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

Our “Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls”, published on 18th December 2025, committed to commence the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023 on 1 April 2026. This includes publication of the statutory guidance for police on the same day, which is a requirement of Section 2 of the Act. We are working directly with policing to ensure everything is in place to support them in enforcing the aggravated offence from 1 April 2026.

The Government recognises the importance of challenging and changing the behaviour of perpetrators of public sexual harassment. That is why we are exploring opportunities to further raise public awareness of the Act and are exploring introducing a public sexual harassment awareness course to be offered to perpetrators to challenge and address their behaviours and reduce offending.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to make (a) the police, and (b) the public aware of the commencement of the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act on 1 April 2026.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Public sexual harassment is a crime that often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women, feeling very unsafe. That is why tackling it is an important part of our mission on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

Our “Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls”, published on 18th December 2025, committed to commence the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023 on 1 April 2026. This includes publication of the statutory guidance for police on the same day, which is a requirement of Section 2 of the Act. We are working directly with policing to ensure everything is in place to support them in enforcing the aggravated offence from 1 April 2026.

The Government recognises the importance of challenging and changing the behaviour of perpetrators of public sexual harassment. That is why we are exploring opportunities to further raise public awareness of the Act and are exploring introducing a public sexual harassment awareness course to be offered to perpetrators to challenge and address their behaviours and reduce offending.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her proposed timeline is for issuing guidance to police forces on the commencement of the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act on 1 April 2026.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Public sexual harassment is a crime that often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women, feeling very unsafe. That is why tackling it is an important part of our mission on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

Our “Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls”, published on 18th December 2025, committed to commence the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023 on 1 April 2026. This includes publication of the statutory guidance for police on the same day, which is a requirement of Section 2 of the Act. We are working directly with policing to ensure everything is in place to support them in enforcing the aggravated offence from 1 April 2026.

The Government recognises the importance of challenging and changing the behaviour of perpetrators of public sexual harassment. That is why we are exploring opportunities to further raise public awareness of the Act and are exploring introducing a public sexual harassment awareness course to be offered to perpetrators to challenge and address their behaviours and reduce offending.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has allocated funding towards a public awareness campaign for the commencement of the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act on 1st April 2026.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Public sexual harassment is a crime that often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women, feeling very unsafe. That is why tackling it is an important part of our mission on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

Our “Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls”, published on 18th December 2025, committed to commence the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023 on 1 April 2026. This includes publication of the statutory guidance for police on the same day, which is a requirement of Section 2 of the Act. We are working directly with policing to ensure everything is in place to support them in enforcing the aggravated offence from 1 April 2026.

The Government recognises the importance of challenging and changing the behaviour of perpetrators of public sexual harassment. That is why we are exploring opportunities to further raise public awareness of the Act and are exploring introducing a public sexual harassment awareness course to be offered to perpetrators to challenge and address their behaviours and reduce offending.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her department has to provide additional funding under the Neighbourhood Policing Grant for 2026/27 to help meet the neighbourhood policing recruitment target given to Devon and Cornwall Police Force.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

As part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, the Government has committed to delivering 13,000 additional neighbourhood policing personnel by the end of this Parliament.

Funding available to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) will be up to £18.4 billion in 2026-27, an increase of up to £796 million. In 2026-27 Devon and Cornwall Police will receive up to £483.5 million of funding, an increase of up to £19.4 million compared to 2025-26, which equates to a 4.2% cash increase, or a 1.9% real terms increase

For Year 2 of the Neighbourhood Policing Grant, forces will be given their share of a £363 million ringfence. This funding is subject to forces delivering their share of growth in 2026-27, contributing to a total increase of 4,750 FTE from the March 2025 baseline. Devon and Cornwall Police have been allocated £8,590,680 of the Year 2 ringfence.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to require that, once an eviction notice has been served to a traveller encampment, the same group cannot establish a further unlawful encampment within a defined radius of the original site.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Planning policy is clear that local authorities should assess the need for traveller sites in their area, and then plan to meet that need, in the same way they plan for all forms of housing.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government recently consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework, which includes proposals that aim to give greater clarity on how traveller sites should be planned for, and which seeks views on the impacts of our policies on Gypsies and Travellers. The consultation closed on 10 March and responses are being analysed.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help tackle illegal traveller encampments where the same group repeatedly relocates within a local area, requiring the local authority to obtain a new possession order.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Planning policy is clear that local authorities should assess the need for traveller sites in their area, and then plan to meet that need, in the same way they plan for all forms of housing.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government recently consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework, which includes proposals that aim to give greater clarity on how traveller sites should be planned for, and which seeks views on the impacts of our policies on Gypsies and Travellers. The consultation closed on 10 March and responses are being analysed.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to publish the report on the College of Policing and National Police Chiefs’ Council review and recommendations on Non-Crime Hate Incidents.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The final report of the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council Review of Non-Crime Hate Incidents is expected to be published in the coming weeks.

The Government will set out its response to the Review’s recommendations at that time.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department operates a policy of ending study visas for nationalities where asylum claims from students go beyond a certain percentage.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

From 26 March 2026, we will refuse sponsored study visa applications from main applicants outside of the UK who are nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan. Additionally, we will refuse Skilled Worker visa applications from main applicants outside of the UK who are nationals of Afghanistan.

Almost 8,000 students from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Sudan and Cameroon have claimed asylum since 2021. This is over 470% of their 2021 level. Without action, asylum claims will start to outstrip visas issued – and in the case of Afghan workers has already done so.

Due to the impact of asylum claims on border operations and the wider immigration system, these high numbers are not sustainable.

The UK keeps its visa system under regular review and decisions on changes are informed by a range of factors.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2026 to Question 119435 on Asylum: Sudan, how many of those who claimed asylum were Chevening Scholars.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Available data on asylum claims linked to study visas for Sudan is referenced in the answer to Question 119435.

The requested information on asylum claims from Chevening scholars is not available from published statistics.

Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. These reviews allow us to balance the production of our regular statistics whilst developing new statistics for future release.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the number of international students by university and by nationality who dropped out of university in the academic year 2024/2025.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office does not currently publish data on the number of student visas issued for individuals attending specific universities, nor does it provide information regarding students who fail to complete their course.

Information on Home Office Entry Clearance Student visas can be found in the Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will review fees for ILR applications and make them full-cost recovery only.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

There are no plans to reduce the fee for indefinite leave to remain to full-cost recovery. The Home Office does not make a profit from fees and any income from fees set above the cost of processing is utilised for the purpose of running the Migration and Borders system, reducing reliance of taxpayer funding.

Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review and any reduction in fees would need to be considered in terms of its impact on the funding of the Migration & Borders system.

The right to stay indefinitely is one of the most valuable entitlements offered for those seeking to enter or remain in the UK, and it is right that the fee should be higher than most for migrants staying temporarily in the UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to her statement of 5 March 2026 that extending the waiting period for Indefinite Leave to Remain for 350,000 low skilled workers from five to between fifteen and twenty years is necessary to avoid a £10 billion drain on public finances, what the fiscal impact is of this group on the current fiscal balance in the year five years after arrival, and what is the impact on the debt/GDP ratio (both as defined in the government’s Fiscal Rules).

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The analysis undertaken by the Home Office to estimate the £10bn figure is set out at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-lifetime-net-fiscal-costs-for-care-workers-and-their-adult-dependants/estimated-lifetime-net-fiscal-costs-for-care-workers-and-their-adult-dependants

This analysis is based on work undertaken by the Migration Advisory Committee which includes further detail on the characteristics and time profile of fiscal impacts and is available at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6938108633c7ace9c4a41e42/The_Fiscal_Impact_of_Immigration_Final__1_.pdf

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to her statement of 5 March 2026 that extending the waiting period for Indefinite Leave to Remain for 350,000 low skilled workers from five to between fifteen and twenty years is necessary to avoid a £10 billion drain on public finances, in approximately which year after arrival does the Government's analysis show that main applicants and their dependents transition from making a net fiscal contribution to becoming a net fiscal cost.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The analysis undertaken by the Home Office to estimate the £10bn figure is set out at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-lifetime-net-fiscal-costs-for-care-workers-and-their-adult-dependants/estimated-lifetime-net-fiscal-costs-for-care-workers-and-their-adult-dependants

This analysis is based on work undertaken by the Migration Advisory Committee which includes further detail on the characteristics and time profile of fiscal impacts and is available at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6938108633c7ace9c4a41e42/The_Fiscal_Impact_of_Immigration_Final__1_.pdf

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to her statement of 5 March 2026 that extending the waiting period for Indefinite Leave to Remain for 350,000 low skilled workers from five to between fifteen and twenty years is necessary to avoid a £10 billion drain on public finances, in approximately which year after arrival does her Department's analysis show that main applicants and their dependents transition from making a net fiscal contribution to becoming a net fiscal cost.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The analysis undertaken by the Home Office to estimate the £10bn figure is set out at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-lifetime-net-fiscal-costs-for-care-workers-and-their-adult-dependants/estimated-lifetime-net-fiscal-costs-for-care-workers-and-their-adult-dependants

This analysis is based on work undertaken by the Migration Advisory Committee which includes further detail on the characteristics and time profile of fiscal impacts and is available at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6938108633c7ace9c4a41e42/The_Fiscal_Impact_of_Immigration_Final__1_.pdf

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to her statement of 5 March 2026 that extending the waiting period for Indefinite Leave to Remain for 350,000 low skilled workers from five to between fifteen and twenty years is necessary to avoid a £10 billion drain on public finances, how much of this lifetime fiscal £10 billion cost her Department estimates is saved by its policy of delaying the qualification for settlement by 10 years, and how much of the fiscal cost remains incurred in the scenario that this policy is not pursued.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The analysis undertaken by the Home Office to estimate the £10bn figure is set out at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-lifetime-net-fiscal-costs-for-care-workers-and-their-adult-dependants/estimated-lifetime-net-fiscal-costs-for-care-workers-and-their-adult-dependants

This analysis is based on work undertaken by the Migration Advisory Committee which includes further detail on the characteristics and time profile of fiscal impacts and is available at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6938108633c7ace9c4a41e42/The_Fiscal_Impact_of_Immigration_Final__1_.pdf

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 11 March (HL14954), what factors led to the decision to introduced a revised move on period of 42 days.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

In reaching this decision, a range of evidence, including key findings from the evaluation of the 56-day pilot, operational data, and forecasted impacts on the asylum accommodation estate were considered. The Home Office will continue to work closely with our partners to reduce barriers and support effective transitions from asylum accommodation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the National Centre for Social Research evaluation of the pilot move on period for newly recognised refugees to leave asylum accommodation.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The evaluation report cannot be shared externally until we have two satisfactory external peer reviews. Once approved, the report will be published on GOV.UK as part of the Home Office Research Series.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what change there has been in the number of hotels used to accommodate asylum seekers since 4 July 2024 for which the latest data is available.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Exiting all asylum hotels as soon as possible is one of the Government’s top priorities and must be executed through a controlled, managed and orderly plan of work. This plan involves reducing inflow, speeding up caseworking, maximising utilisation of our estate, continuing to increase returns and exploring the use of large sites as suitable alternative accommodation.

From a high of over 400 asylum hotels in summer 2023 at a cost of nearly £9 million a day. As of 4 January 2026, there are 197 hotels in use. We will close every asylum hotel as soon as possible and before the end of this Parliament.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with (a) Police Scotland and (b) Scottish trading standards bodies on compliance and enforcement activity relating to the sale in Scotland of non-convertible imitation firearms sold as costume, prop and fancy dress items and indistinguishable from real firearms.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office has not had recent discussions with Police Scotland or Scottish trading standards bodies in relation to realistic imitation firearms that are not readily convertible to fire live ammunition. Chief Constables have operational responsibility for enforcing the legislation which applies to realistic imitation firearms.

Section 36 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 makes it an offence for a person to manufacture, sell, import or cause a realistic imitation firearm to be brought into Great Britain and it also makes it an offence to modify an imitation firearm so that it becomes a realistic imitation firearm. Section 37 of that Act provides for specified defences to this offence which include making the realistic imitation firearm available for theatrical performances, the production of films or television programmes, and the organisation and holding of certain historical re-enactments or skirmishing activities.

In addition, it is an offence under section 19 of the Firearms Act 1968 for a person to have an imitation firearm in their possession in public without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the suspension of refugee family reunion and the introduction of income-threshold requirements for family reunification on women and children.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The decision on whether to publish equality impact assessments, considered through the development of the announced asylum reforms, will be taken by Ministers once the policy development stage has concluded.

The Government recognises the importance of family, including for this vulnerable group of individuals. However, as a responsible Government, we have to recognise the pressures that are being placed on public services, in part as a result of the number of people arriving under refugee family reunion.

The current pressures are not sustainable and we have to take urgent action to help manage the burdens that are being felt by local authorities and public services more generally. Impacts on vulnerable individuals and equalities considerations are at the front and centre of our work. As required through the Public Sector Equality Duty, we consider equality impacts throughout the policy development process, refugee family reunion is no exception.

The Government is committed to meeting its obligations and to providing effective support to ensure that victims are assisted in their recovery from their experiences of exploitation or trafficking. We are carefully considering the impact of proposed reforms on victims of trafficking and exploitation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to publish equality impact assessments for new asylum reforms.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The decision on whether to publish equality impact assessments, considered through the development of the announced asylum reforms, will be taken by Ministers once the policy development stage has concluded.

The Government recognises the importance of family, including for this vulnerable group of individuals. However, as a responsible Government, we have to recognise the pressures that are being placed on public services, in part as a result of the number of people arriving under refugee family reunion.

The current pressures are not sustainable and we have to take urgent action to help manage the burdens that are being felt by local authorities and public services more generally. Impacts on vulnerable individuals and equalities considerations are at the front and centre of our work. As required through the Public Sector Equality Duty, we consider equality impacts throughout the policy development process, refugee family reunion is no exception.

The Government is committed to meeting its obligations and to providing effective support to ensure that victims are assisted in their recovery from their experiences of exploitation or trafficking. We are carefully considering the impact of proposed reforms on victims of trafficking and exploitation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the enforcement of Section 2A of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office maintains a rigorous approach to enforcing Section 2A of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA), which embeds the statutory principles of replacement, reduction and refinement (the 3Rs). All applications proposing the use of animals undergo a robust assessment to ensure that non-animal alternatives have been fully explored, that any animal use is fully justified and that potential harms are minimised. Compliance with the 3Rs is actively monitored by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit through a programme of audit and enforcement activity.

All establishments which test on animals are required to establish an Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB). AWERBs have a statutory responsibility under ASPA to advise on the application of the 3Rs within establishments. The Home Office has commissioned the Animals in Science Committee for advice on strengthening the effectiveness of AWERBs.

In November 2025, the Government published “Replacing animals in science: a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods”. This strategy commits to delivery of recommendations published in the ‘Rawle Report’, which involve strengthening Home Office processes for assuring full implementation of the 3Rs. The report is available here: https://nc3rs.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-02/Rawle%20project%20report.pdf.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of compliance with legal requirements in proposed asylum reforms on victims of trafficking.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The decision on whether to publish equality impact assessments, considered through the development of the announced asylum reforms, will be taken by Ministers once the policy development stage has concluded.

The Government recognises the importance of family, including for this vulnerable group of individuals. However, as a responsible Government, we have to recognise the pressures that are being placed on public services, in part as a result of the number of people arriving under refugee family reunion.

The current pressures are not sustainable and we have to take urgent action to help manage the burdens that are being felt by local authorities and public services more generally. Impacts on vulnerable individuals and equalities considerations are at the front and centre of our work. As required through the Public Sector Equality Duty, we consider equality impacts throughout the policy development process, refugee family reunion is no exception.

The Government is committed to meeting its obligations and to providing effective support to ensure that victims are assisted in their recovery from their experiences of exploitation or trafficking. We are carefully considering the impact of proposed reforms on victims of trafficking and exploitation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance or oversight mechanisms are in place to ensure that police forces do not lose prosecutions due to the expiry of statutory time limits; and whether the Government plans to review safeguards relating to such time limits in cases involving threats of serious violence.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes official statistics on the number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in England and Wales and their investigative outcomes on a quarterly basis. This includes outcome type 17 “Prosecution time limit expired”, and the requested information can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/police-recorded-crime-and-outcomes-open-data-tables#outcomes-open-data

Whilst some cases may exceed statutory time limits, we expect police forces to follow the Director’s Guidance on Charging (6th edition) and to apply consistent, robust case management practices. This includes ensuring investigations are developed into high quality case files and that decisions are diligently reviewed against evidential and disclosure standards, doing everything possible to avoid the loss of viable prosecutions.

When prosecutions fail due to shortcomings in police case management, victims retain formal avenues to seek reassurance and challenge decisions, such as the Victims’ Right to Review (VRR). This allows victims to request an independent reassessment of decisions not to charge or to discontinue proceedings. As part of this process, police undertake a review of the original decision, examining all available evidence and considering whether any further investigative steps or alternative outcomes are possible.

The VRR framework provides an important safeguard within the Criminal Justice System by ensuring that decisions are tested against appropriate evidential and public interest standards and that the rationale for those decisions is transparent and robust.

It is important to note however, that the VRR process cannot override decisions made where statutory time limits governing the prosecution of the offences apply. Summary only offences, must have a charge laid within six months of the offence date under section 127 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980. Once this statutory time limit has expired, proceedings cannot lawfully be initiated; as a result the VRR route cannot reinstate any proceedings.

In cases involving either way or indictable offences, where no statutory time limit applies, a successful VRR can lead to the reinstatement of proceedings if the review finds that the original decision was not sound.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recourse is available to victims when prosecutions collapse due to police case management.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes official statistics on the number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in England and Wales and their investigative outcomes on a quarterly basis. This includes outcome type 17 “Prosecution time limit expired”, and the requested information can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/police-recorded-crime-and-outcomes-open-data-tables#outcomes-open-data

Whilst some cases may exceed statutory time limits, we expect police forces to follow the Director’s Guidance on Charging (6th edition) and to apply consistent, robust case management practices. This includes ensuring investigations are developed into high quality case files and that decisions are diligently reviewed against evidential and disclosure standards, doing everything possible to avoid the loss of viable prosecutions.

When prosecutions fail due to shortcomings in police case management, victims retain formal avenues to seek reassurance and challenge decisions, such as the Victims’ Right to Review (VRR). This allows victims to request an independent reassessment of decisions not to charge or to discontinue proceedings. As part of this process, police undertake a review of the original decision, examining all available evidence and considering whether any further investigative steps or alternative outcomes are possible.

The VRR framework provides an important safeguard within the Criminal Justice System by ensuring that decisions are tested against appropriate evidential and public interest standards and that the rationale for those decisions is transparent and robust.

It is important to note however, that the VRR process cannot override decisions made where statutory time limits governing the prosecution of the offences apply. Summary only offences, must have a charge laid within six months of the offence date under section 127 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980. Once this statutory time limit has expired, proceedings cannot lawfully be initiated; as a result the VRR route cannot reinstate any proceedings.

In cases involving either way or indictable offences, where no statutory time limit applies, a successful VRR can lead to the reinstatement of proceedings if the review finds that the original decision was not sound.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Equality Impact Assessment prepared in connection with A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: Statement and Accompanying Consultation on Earned Settlement will be published prior to final policy decisions.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government’s Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including settlement and asylum.

Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.

The consultation included questions on equalities issues and sought views on the impact proposed changes might have on different groups, including the case for exemptions for vulnerable groups. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, implementation of the earned settlement arrangements will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we will make available when the full response to the consultation is published.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Earned Settlement proposals on women.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government’s Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including settlement and asylum.

Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.

The consultation included questions on equalities issues and sought views on the impact proposed changes might have on different groups, including the case for exemptions for vulnerable groups. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, implementation of the earned settlement arrangements will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we will make available when the full response to the consultation is published.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to reopen resettlement programmes, humanitarian visas or family reunion.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The UK continues to welcome refugees and people in need through our global resettlement schemes, which include the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Community Sponsorship and the Mandate Resettlement Scheme.

We are developing new capped sponsored refugee pathways across education, labour and community routes. This will ensure that there are routes available to support individuals in need of protection, but in a way that meets the need of UK communities.

During the suspension of Appendix Family Reunion, the Government is taking forward wider asylum and family reforms to place the system on a fairer, more controlled and sustainable footing. Further information on forthcoming changes will be set out in due course. In the meantime, other family routes remain available, including Appendix FM: Family Members, which was amended to allow applications from a partner and dependent children of a sponsor with protection status in the UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether work and study visas for refugees will only be available to those refugees who are assessed as in need of protection.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Restoring Order and Control policy statement set out how the Government would transform its approach to safe and legal routes. Alongside the new community sponsorship route, the Government committed to the creation of capped routes for refugee and displaced students to study in the UK, and for skilled refugees and displaced people to come to the UK for work.

Work is underway to operationalise these new routes and further details will be provided in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to open new community sponsorship safe routes.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

In the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government committed to launching new Safe and Legal routes. This includes the creation of a named sponsorship scheme to enable community groups to sponsor refugees and displaced persons.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether receiving Personal Independence Payment for a temporary period will impact access to the proposed extended settlement period.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Personal Independence Payments constitute public funds for the purposes of the Immigration Rules. It has not yet been determined what will constitute public funds or the purposes of adjustments to the qualifying period for settlement under the earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448).

No final decisions have been taken. The proposals have been the subject of a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received and will give careful consideration to these assessments in shaping the final model, including its application to vulnerable groups.

We have committed to undertaking economic and equality impact assessments in respect of the final model, which we will publish in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Earned Settlement proposals on migrant women experiencing (a) domestic abuse and (b) coercive control.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government’s Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including settlement and asylum.

Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.

The consultation included questions on equalities issues and sought views on the impact proposed changes might have on different groups, including the case for exemptions for vulnerable groups. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, implementation of the earned settlement arrangements will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we will make available when the full response to the consultation is published.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure that her earned settlement proposals support migrant women.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government’s Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including settlement and asylum.

Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.

The consultation included questions on equalities issues and sought views on the impact proposed changes might have on different groups, including the case for exemptions for vulnerable groups. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, implementation of the earned settlement arrangements will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we will make available when the full response to the consultation is published.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has conducted a risk assessment of fully online English language testing for migrants seeking to come to the UK.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office has carefully considered the risks of a remote delivery model as part of the procurement to replace current Secure English Language Testing arrangements.

The key risks centre on maintaining the integrity and security of the immigration system, including identity assurance, protection against impersonation, and confidence in the reliability of test results. The Home Office has engaged the market to understand what capability is available to maintain high standards of security and integrity and has developed a robust security schedule and solution requirements to ensure this remains at the heart of the digital by default solution.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an internal (a) estimate and (b) similar type of projection for the net fiscal impact of immigrants in the UK over their lifetimes since July 2024.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Migration Advisory Committee has produced an assessment of the lifetime fiscal impact of migrants in the UK, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6938108633c7ace9c4a41e42/ The_Fiscal_Impact_of_Immigration_Final__1_.pdf

Further analysis of those on a Family visa is included in the 2025 Annual Report: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/migration-advisory-committee-annual-report-2025/migration-advisory-committee-mac-annual-report-2025-accessible#chapter-1-fiscal-analysis-of-the-family-visa

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been waiting more than 4 months for UPE phase 1 extension.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

A range of processing data including case outcomes on Ukraine visa applications, can be found at: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK and Migration transparency data - GOV.UK

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued on whether the BNO partners and dependents can apply for ILR with the main applicant before they become eligible, in circumstances where BNO partners and dependents have later BNO visa expiration dates than the main BNO status holder.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The published guidance for BN(O) visa holders and their family members wishing to settle in the UK is published at: British National (Overseas) visa: Settle in the UK - GOV.UK.

The relevant guidance for caseworkers is available at: Hong Kong British National (Overseas) (BNO) route: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether receiving statutory maternity leave will be considered receipt of public funds and impact a mother’s length of settlement route under the earned settlement model.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.

Contributory benefits and statutory payments are not classed as public funds for immigration purposes. As such, individuals subject to a no recourse to public funds condition but who have paid the necessary National Insurance contributions or have relevant periods of employment or self-employment can access these benefits.

As part of this consultation, we also sought views on the potential impact of the proposed changes, including whether those on maternity leave should be exempt from certain requirements.

Implementation of the earned settlement arrangements will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the 18 month review of visa brakes will be conducted.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The visa brake is not intended to be permanent and will be kept under regular review by the Home Office in close consultation with other government departments. The brake will only be released once the government considers it appropriate to do so. The decision on whether or not to release the brake will be taken by the Secretary of State for the Home Department after consideration of a range of inputs from across government.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of those in the UK on Skilled Worker and Study visa routes have gone on to claim asylum by nationality, per quarter for the last four quarters.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes data on visas and asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. The number of Skilled Worker and Study entry clearance visas and extensions, broken down by nationality, is published in table Vis_D02 of the 'Entry clearance visas datasets' and table Exe_D01 of the 'Extensions datasets'. Data on asylum claims broken down by nationality or broken down by route of entry is available in table Asy_D01 and table Asy_D01a of the ‘Asylum claims and initial decisions datasets’. The Home Office does not currently publish a full nationality breakdown for asylum claims by holders of Skilled Worker visas or study visas.

Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. These reviews allow us to balance the production of our regular statistics whilst developing new statistics for future release.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has undertaken an assessment of how the ‘earned settlement model’ will affect its commitments to ending child poverty and rough sleeping.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.

As part of this consultation, we sought views on the potential impact of the proposed changes, including the impact on children and vulnerable groups. We also asked whether vulnerable groups should be exempt from any of the proposed changes.

We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. Implementation of the earned settlement arrangements will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the new community sponsorship safe routes will be open to nationals from Sudan and Afghanistan.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

In the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government committed to transforming its approach to safe and legal routes. This included the creation of a named sponsorship scheme to enable community groups to sponsor refugees and displaced persons.

The Named sponsorship routes will enable community groups to identify and select refugees and displaced persons to sponsor.

Eligibility requirements for the route, including who can be sponsored, have yet to be set. Further details, including eligibility requirements, will be set out in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of restricting student visa access for women and girls from Afghanistan on the ability of those people to access education.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The UK has a proud tradition of supporting education, equality, and human rights, and we remain dedicated to helping the people of Afghanistan. Our current £151 million aid program (equivalent to 13.3 billion Afghanis) provides vital life-saving support to the country’s most vulnerable people, especially women and girls. We are committed that at least 50% of those reached by UK aid in Afghanistan are women and girls.

As set out in the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government remains committed to the introduction of capped safe and legal routes for refugees and displaced people to come to the United Kingdom. These new safe and legal routes will start this autumn with a student refugee route, with the first arrivals in Autumn 2027. Dedicated humanitarian routes are the appropriate way to combine compassion and control with securing our border.

In the past 3 years more Afghan students claimed asylum than we issued new student visas in each year. This does not achieve the appropriate balance between compassion, control and a secure border.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds information that shows introducing an earned settlement model would lead to an increase in people departing the UK.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.

In addition to the consultation, the Department has undertaken research with existing visa holders to understand the potential behavioural impacts of an earned settlement approach.

We are carefully considering the responses to the consultation and any behavioural evidence.

Implementation of the earned settlement arrangements will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure that delays in deciding visa extension and in-country switching applications for existing care workers do not lead to the loss of experienced staff from care homes supporting vulnerable residents during the transition period to 2028.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

UK Visas and Immigration is not currently experiencing any delays in the processing of visa extensions or applications for switching in-country. Up to date processing times can be found at: Visa processing times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK, and, Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK.

The adult social care sector enjoys direct access to UKVI, via Directors of Adult Social Services across England and DHSC funded Regional Partnerships. Contact information can be found here: Support offer to international ASC workers whose employer's sponsor licence has been revoked - GOV.UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking with her Ethiopian counterpart to improve the efficiency of returns of Ethiopian nationals with no right to remain in the UK.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office, working with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, engages regularly with the Ethiopian Government to support the return of Ethiopian nationals with no right to remain in the UK.

In February 2026 the Foreign Secretary visited Ethiopia and discussed cooperation on illegal migration and returns with Ethiopian counterparts, and officials are taking forward further technical and operational engagement to enhance cooperation on returns.

The Government has removed or deported nearly 60,000 illegal migrants and foreign criminals since it took office.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the new refugee study and work pathway schemes will open.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

In the Restoring Order and Control statement, the Government committed to the creation of safe and legal routes. This included capped routes for refugees and displaced students to come to the UK to study or for work.

On 5 March the Home Secretary set out in a speech that starting this Autumn we will be opening a new student refugee route, with the first arrivals in Autumn 2027.

Policy development and delivery planning are ongoing. Further details, including on timelines for the work route, will be set out in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 38 of the policy paper entitled Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, published on 9 March 2026, when the first annual State of Extremism report will be published.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Our annual ‘State of Extremism’ report will support public sector staff to tackle extremism.

This will include information on what extremism looks like today in the UK – groups, narratives and ideologies, including Islamist and Extreme Right – as well as the action this government is taking to disrupt these extremist threats.

The first iteration of this will be published by the end of 2026.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment was made of the potential impact of the decision to introduce student visa breaks for nationals of Sudan and Afghanistan on access to higher education in those countries.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Equality Impact Assessments have been completed in line with the Equality Act 2010 for the emergency brakes on Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan. These were completed alongside extensive cross-government assessments and consultations as each nationality was under consideration.

The UK takes its humanitarian, development, and conflict prevention work seriously and remains committed to supporting countries affected by conflict, instability, and poverty. In Afghanistan, the UK’s £151 million aid programme (equivalent to 13.3 billion Afghanis) provides lifesaving support to vulnerable communities, with a commitment that at least half of those reached are women and girls.

The UK is equally committed to supporting people in Sudan, Myanmar, and neighbouring regions. The UK provides £146 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan this financial year, assisting over 2.5 million people since the conflict began in 2023. In Myanmar, the UK continues to support a more stable future for the population, providing humanitarian assistance to more than 1.4 million people in the past year and essential health services to 1.3 million. Since the 2021 military coup, the UK has supplied over £190 million in assistance to help address the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.

As set out in the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government remains committed to the introduction of capped safe and legal routes for refugees and displaced people to come to the United Kingdom. These new safe and legal routes will start this autumn with a student refugee route, with the first arrivals in Autumn 2027. Dedicated humanitarian routes are the appropriate way to combine compassion and control with securing our border.

Continuing to operate a Study route where, for example, in the past 3 years more Afghan students claimed asylum than we issued new student visas in each year, does not achieve the appropriate balance between compassion, control and a secure border.

The Impact Assessment published alongside the Statement of Changes on 5 March sets out the anticipated costs and potential savings of the visa brakes.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment was made of the potential impact on atrocity prevention in the decision to introduce student visa breaks for nationals of Sudan.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Equality Impact Assessments have been completed in line with the Equality Act 2010 for the emergency brakes on Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan. These were completed alongside extensive cross-government assessments and consultations as each nationality was under consideration.

The UK takes its humanitarian, development, and conflict prevention work seriously and remains committed to supporting countries affected by conflict, instability, and poverty. In Afghanistan, the UK’s £151 million aid programme (equivalent to 13.3 billion Afghanis) provides lifesaving support to vulnerable communities, with a commitment that at least half of those reached are women and girls.

The UK is equally committed to supporting people in Sudan, Myanmar, and neighbouring regions. The UK provides £146 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan this financial year, assisting over 2.5 million people since the conflict began in 2023. In Myanmar, the UK continues to support a more stable future for the population, providing humanitarian assistance to more than 1.4 million people in the past year and essential health services to 1.3 million. Since the 2021 military coup, the UK has supplied over £190 million in assistance to help address the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.

As set out in the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government remains committed to the introduction of capped safe and legal routes for refugees and displaced people to come to the United Kingdom. These new safe and legal routes will start this autumn with a student refugee route, with the first arrivals in Autumn 2027. Dedicated humanitarian routes are the appropriate way to combine compassion and control with securing our border.

Continuing to operate a Study route where, for example, in the past 3 years more Afghan students claimed asylum than we issued new student visas in each year, does not achieve the appropriate balance between compassion, control and a secure border.

The Impact Assessment published alongside the Statement of Changes on 5 March sets out the anticipated costs and potential savings of the visa brakes.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a cost-benefit analysis was conducted of the visa brake being applied to Sudanese and Afghan students.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Equality Impact Assessments have been completed in line with the Equality Act 2010 for the emergency brakes on Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan. These were completed alongside extensive cross-government assessments and consultations as each nationality was under consideration.

The UK takes its humanitarian, development, and conflict prevention work seriously and remains committed to supporting countries affected by conflict, instability, and poverty. In Afghanistan, the UK’s £151 million aid programme (equivalent to 13.3 billion Afghanis) provides lifesaving support to vulnerable communities, with a commitment that at least half of those reached are women and girls.

The UK is equally committed to supporting people in Sudan, Myanmar, and neighbouring regions. The UK provides £146 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan this financial year, assisting over 2.5 million people since the conflict began in 2023. In Myanmar, the UK continues to support a more stable future for the population, providing humanitarian assistance to more than 1.4 million people in the past year and essential health services to 1.3 million. Since the 2021 military coup, the UK has supplied over £190 million in assistance to help address the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.

As set out in the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government remains committed to the introduction of capped safe and legal routes for refugees and displaced people to come to the United Kingdom. These new safe and legal routes will start this autumn with a student refugee route, with the first arrivals in Autumn 2027. Dedicated humanitarian routes are the appropriate way to combine compassion and control with securing our border.

Continuing to operate a Study route where, for example, in the past 3 years more Afghan students claimed asylum than we issued new student visas in each year, does not achieve the appropriate balance between compassion, control and a secure border.

The Impact Assessment published alongside the Statement of Changes on 5 March sets out the anticipated costs and potential savings of the visa brakes.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help prevent radicalisation amongst religious groups.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

As a society we must not permit those that radicalise others into violence and terrorism to act with impunity. Prevent is about stopping people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism and tackles the ideological causes of terrorism and provides early intervention for people at risk of radicalisation.

Although Prevent does not target any one community and deals with all forms of terrorist ideologies, part of this work involves working closely with religious communities and organisations to support them in safeguarding individuals susceptible to radicalisation and disrupting groups that radicalise others, online and in communities.

Further information on the number of individuals referred to and supported through the Prevent Programme from April 2024-March 2025 can be found at Individuals referred to Prevent: to March 2025 - GOV.UK

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how she plans to expand the remit of the visa taskforce referenced in the Statement of 9 March 2026; what additional resources she will allocate to this work; how individuals identified as extremist risks will be assessed within visa processes; and how this policy will interact with existing Home Office counter-extremism and border security frameworks.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

As set out in the recently published "Protecting What Matters" document, overseas speakers of extremist concern will be identified and referred to specialist teams to take swift immigration action, including cancelling or refusing their visas or ETAs, should they attempt to travel to the UK.

To deliver this work, the Disruptions team, which horizon scans for extremist influence and events, will be expanded with additional operational and analytical resource. This builds on strong enforcement action by the team over the past two years, where the highest harm extremists from across the political spectrum were targeted and stopped from coming to the UK.

The Home Office already has sophisticated mechanisms in place to seek out and prevent extremist individuals from entering the UK. This work operates in conjunction with existing border security and immigration frameworks.

Each case will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. If an individual is deemed to be "non-conducive to the public good", then immigration officials may take action including refusal or cancelling entry clearance or permission to stay in the UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what transitional measures her Department is considering to mitigate the impact of new rules that British citizens with dual nationality must enter the UK with their British passport.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

We recognise the potential impact of changing travel requirements on dual British nationals who are seeking to travel to the UK without a valid British passport. We have therefore issued temporary operational guidance to carriers, who may at their own discretion accept some expired British passports as alternative documentation. Individuals who have previously had a British passport can apply for an emergency travel document if they urgently need to enter the UK.

Beneficiaries of the EU Withdrawal Agreement may enter the UK on production of a valid EU passport or (in the case of EEA and Swiss nationals) a national identity card and their valid EUSS status.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the new refugee study and work pathway schemes will be open to nationals from Sudan and Afghanistan.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

In the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government committed to transforming its approach to safe and legal routes. This included the creation of a named sponsorship scheme and capped routes for refugee and displaced students to come to the UK to study or for work.

Eligibility requirements for the route, including who will be eligible, have yet to be set. Further details, including eligibility requirements, will be set out in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the risks of remote testing in her Department's English Language Test.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office has carefully considered the risks of a remote delivery model as part of the procurement to replace current Secure English Language Testing arrangements.

The key risks centre on maintaining the integrity and security of the immigration system, including identity assurance, protection against impersonation, and confidence in the reliability of test results. The Home Office has engaged the market to understand what capability is available to maintain high standards of security and integrity and has developed a robust security schedule and solution requirements to ensure this remains at the heart of the digital by default solution.

Following rounds of pre-market engagement, the ongoing procurement is explicitly designed to test bidders' ability to meet these standards, and the Department will adopt only those solutions that demonstrably maintain the high level of assurance required.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will consider introducing cross-departmental guidance on compassionate death registration to ensure consistency across local authorities.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

There are currently no plans to introduce cross-departmental guidance on compassionate death registration. Medical professionals, registrars and others involved in the certification and registration processes all have guidance and training in place in accordance with their statutory functions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of decision‑making times on people subject to No Recourse to Public Funds restrictions who are awaiting the outcome of a family visa application.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The number of family visa applications outstanding for more than 12 months is not currently available from published statistics. The relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

All family visa applications are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with the Immigration Rules and in line with the published family visa processing times available here: Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK. Where applicants require their application to be expedited owing to their individual compelling and compassionate circumstances, we will consider each case on its own merit.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, including service standards for processing visa applications, where applicable. The department is also in the process of implementing technology changes to improve efficiency and support faster processing of family visa applications.

Applicants on certain family routes may choose to use optional priority or super priority services, where available, for an additional fee to receive a faster decision on their application. Applicants using the priority service will usually receive a decision within five working days.

Further information on the priority service is available here: Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application: Applying for a faster decision - GOV.UK

When an individual is considered for assessment of Change of Conditions, various No Recourse to Public Funds conditions are checked, with ‘destitution’ being one of these conditions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many family visa applications have been outstanding for more than 12 months; and what steps her Department is taking to expedite overdue cases.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The number of family visa applications outstanding for more than 12 months is not currently available from published statistics. The relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

All family visa applications are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with the Immigration Rules and in line with the published family visa processing times available here: Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK. Where applicants require their application to be expedited owing to their individual compelling and compassionate circumstances, we will consider each case on its own merit.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, including service standards for processing visa applications, where applicable. The department is also in the process of implementing technology changes to improve efficiency and support faster processing of family visa applications.

Applicants on certain family routes may choose to use optional priority or super priority services, where available, for an additional fee to receive a faster decision on their application. Applicants using the priority service will usually receive a decision within five working days.

Further information on the priority service is available here: Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application: Applying for a faster decision - GOV.UK

When an individual is considered for assessment of Change of Conditions, various No Recourse to Public Funds conditions are checked, with ‘destitution’ being one of these conditions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the visa brake on nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan on women at risk of gender-based and sexual violence.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Equality Impact Assessments have been completed in line with the Equality Act 2010 for the visa brakes on Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan.

The UK takes its humanitarian, development, and conflict prevention work seriously and remains committed to supporting countries affected by conflict, instability, and poverty. In Afghanistan, the UK’s £151 million aid programme (equivalent to 13.3 billion Afghanis) provides lifesaving support to vulnerable communities, with a commitment that at least half of those reached are women and girls.

The UK is committed to supporting people in Sudan, Myanmar, and neighbouring regions. The UK provides £146 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan this financial year, assisting over 2.5 million people since the conflict began in 2023. In Myanmar, the UK continues to support a more stable future for the population, providing humanitarian assistance to more than 1.4 million people in the past year and essential health services to 1.3 million. Since the 2021 military coup, the UK has supplied over £190 million in assistance to help address the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.

As set out in the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government remains committed to the introduction of capped safe and legal routes for refugees and displaced people to come to the United Kingdom. Work is underway to develop these routes, including confirming the eligibility criteria and the number of places to be made available for each new safe and legal route.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has she made of the potential security threat posed to police forces in England and Wales by the use of Chinese software connected vehicles.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Government prioritises national security and does not routinely provide details on operational matters or specific threats.

The Home Office works closely with the National Technical Authorities, Police Digital Service, National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC), alongside other Government Departments, to fully understand and address cyber vulnerabilities, proportional to the perceived threat. This collaborative effort covers all connected vehicles, including those using Chinese software

The government will continue to promote good practice in cybersecurity, support transparency on data collection and usage, and coordinate with the transport sector to strengthen the security of vehicles.

NPCC have shared guidance to all Chief Constables on understanding and effectively managing risks from Connected Vehicles. We will continue to work with partners to ensure the guidance remains up to date and that forces follow guidance appropriately.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, published on 5 March (HC1691), what estimate they have made of the number of individuals who will be affected by the changes to the EU Settlement Scheme to extend the period to 60 months in which an individual can use an expired biometric residence card as proof of their identity and nationality; and on what evidential basis that decision was taken.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The change in HC1691 extends the current provision which allows a non-EEA national to use an expired biometric residence card (BRC) as proof of their identity and nationality, where the BRC is up to 18 months expired. The change therefore allows a wider cohort of BRC holders to remain on a fully digital application journey, without having to attend a UK visa application centre. It also assists wider UK Visas and Immigration customers by lowering demand on UK Visas and Citizenship Application Services.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help mitigate the potential impact of delays in family visa applications on applicants who are unable to work while awaiting a decision.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The number of family visa applications outstanding for more than 12 months is not currently available from published statistics. The relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

All family visa applications are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with the Immigration Rules and in line with the published family visa processing times available here: Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK. Where applicants require their application to be expedited owing to their individual compelling and compassionate circumstances, we will consider each case on its own merit.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, including service standards for processing visa applications, where applicable. The department is also in the process of implementing technology changes to improve efficiency and support faster processing of family visa applications.

Applicants on certain family routes may choose to use optional priority or super priority services, where available, for an additional fee to receive a faster decision on their application. Applicants using the priority service will usually receive a decision within five working days.

Further information on the priority service is available here: Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application: Applying for a faster decision - GOV.UK

When an individual is considered for assessment of Change of Conditions, various No Recourse to Public Funds conditions are checked, with ‘destitution’ being one of these conditions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 118003, on Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, whether the absence of Iran on the public Foreign Influence Registration Scheme register is because (a) there has been no recorded political influence activities relating to Iran or (b) they have not been published on the public register.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Unless an exception to publication applies, registrations relating to political influence activity are published on the register once processed by the FIRS case management team. Publication of political influence activities will ensure that the public is informed of influence over issues which may affect their daily lives, such as policy decisions, votes in parliament, the proceedings of a political party or an election or referendum. Registrations under the enhanced tier which do not relate to political influence activity will not be published.

The Government will be publishing an annual report setting out, among other things, the number of registrations under both tiers, number of information notices issued, the number of persons charged with an offence and the number of persons convicted of an offence. The first report will be published as soon as practicable after 30 June 2026.

It would not be appropriate to provide separate information outside these processes as to do so could identify information not intended to be published and undermine the scheme’s objectives.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many people from (1) Afghanistan, (2) Cameroon, (3) Myanmar, (4) Sudan, (5) China, and (6) Nigeria, are in the UK on student visas.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas and in-country extensions by visa type and nationality in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Table 1 contains data on the requested nationalities for sponsored study visa grants and table 2 contains data on the requested nationalities for extensions on sponsored study visas. The data provided is for main applicants and dependants. Not everyone granted a visa, or extension, will currently be in the UK. The latest data is up to the end of December 2025.

The Home Office publishes the Migrant Journey report which provides data on the number of individuals who hold valid Study-related leave, by nationality, at the end of a given year within their immigration journey. Data on the number of migrants holding valid leave on a study route at the end of a given year are published in table MJ_D01 of the Migrant Journey detailed dataset and table 3. Not everyone with valid leave will currently be in the UK – the dataset counts people with valid immigration status rather than confirmed presence in the country. The latest data is up to the end of December 2024.

Table 1 – Grants on Sponsored Study Student visas, year ending 2021 to year ending 2025

Table 2 – Grants on Sponsored Study Student extensions, year ending 2021 to year ending 2025

Table 3 – Number of journeys where an individual held sponsored study leave at the end of 2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, between 1 January 2021-31 December 2025, under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, how many 'service' licences were granted for multiple generic projects.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

To obtain this information would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.

The Home Office will only grant licences where it is satisfied that the statutory requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 have been met, including that the work is scientifically justified and that there is no suitable nonanimal alternative.

The Home Office publishes annual statistics on scientific procedures on living animals in Great Britain, which include information on the number of procedures carried out, the species used, and the purposes for which procedures are undertaken.

The Home Office also publishes non-technical summaries of all licenced programme of work, setting out their objectives, predicted harms, expected benefits, and the number and types of animals to be used.

In addition, the Animals in Science Regulation Unit publishes an annual report setting out the total number of project licences granted each year.

The annual report and annual statistics for 2025 are due for publication later this year. Non-technical summaries are published on a quarterly basis.

The annual reports are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-regulation-unit-annual-reports

The non-technical summaries are available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/non-technical-summaries-of-projects-granted-under-aspa

The annual statistics are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/scientific-procedures-on-living-animals-great-britain-2024

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Metropolitan Police about measures being taken to ensure the safety of participants at counter-protests to the Al-Quds march.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, wrote to the Home Secretary on 9 March requesting her consent to an order under section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986 to prohibit processions and counter-processions in relation to Al Quds Day.

The Home Secretary approved the order, to prevent serious public disorder. The Government’s foremost duty is the protection of its citizens, and this includes ensuring the safety of participants at the protest and counter-protests, as well as the wider public.

It is the responsibility of police to manage protests and maintain a balance between the right to protest and the need to protect the public from serious disruption or harm. Forces regularly engage with communities to understand the impact of protests.

There are no official Government figures on the number of arrests or public order incidents recorded at Al Quds Day demonstrations in London, however the Metropolitan Police publicised that in 2024 there were 10 arrests, and in 2025 there was one arrest.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what engagement they have had with representatives of the Iranian diaspora in the UK regarding protests linked to the government of Iran.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, wrote to the Home Secretary on 9 March requesting her consent to an order under section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986 to prohibit processions and counter-processions in relation to Al Quds Day.

The Home Secretary approved the order, to prevent serious public disorder. The Government’s foremost duty is the protection of its citizens, and this includes ensuring the safety of participants at the protest and counter-protests, as well as the wider public.

It is the responsibility of police to manage protests and maintain a balance between the right to protest and the need to protect the public from serious disruption or harm. Forces regularly engage with communities to understand the impact of protests.

There are no official Government figures on the number of arrests or public order incidents recorded at Al Quds Day demonstrations in London, however the Metropolitan Police publicised that in 2024 there were 10 arrests, and in 2025 there was one arrest.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many arrests or public order incidents have been recorded at Al-Quds Day demonstrations in London over the past ten years.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, wrote to the Home Secretary on 9 March requesting her consent to an order under section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986 to prohibit processions and counter-processions in relation to Al Quds Day.

The Home Secretary approved the order, to prevent serious public disorder. The Government’s foremost duty is the protection of its citizens, and this includes ensuring the safety of participants at the protest and counter-protests, as well as the wider public.

It is the responsibility of police to manage protests and maintain a balance between the right to protest and the need to protect the public from serious disruption or harm. Forces regularly engage with communities to understand the impact of protests.

There are no official Government figures on the number of arrests or public order incidents recorded at Al Quds Day demonstrations in London, however the Metropolitan Police publicised that in 2024 there were 10 arrests, and in 2025 there was one arrest.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance has been given on whether Public Space Protection Orders can be used against unauthorised traveller sites.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not issue specific guidance on the use of PSPOs against individual crime or ASB types, including unauthorised traveller sites.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to confirm how many child sex offenders have been deported in each year since 2020, broken down by the number of previous convictions.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The information you have requested on foreign national offenders (FNOs) returned from the UK (of which ‘deportation’ is a legal subset) who have been convicted of sexual offences against a child is not available from published statistics.

Work is currently underway to improve the quality of information held by the department on FNOs. The Home Office intends to publish more detailed information on FNOs returned. Further information on this work can be found at: Statistics on foreign national offenders and the immigration system - GOV.UK.

A breakdown by the number of previous convictions is not centrally held, and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and, where appropriate, we will pursue their deportation.

Between this Government coming to power and January 2026, over 8700 FNOs have been returned either voluntarily or by enforced means. This is a 32% increase on the number of FNOs returned in the same period 19 months prior. Figures on deportations, which are a subset of enforced returns, are not separately available.

Found: Tapp MP Minister for Migration & Citizenship 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF www.gov.uk/home-office

Found: The Home Office does not monitor how many DHRs involve suicide rather than homicide, or how many suicide

Found: deliver a targeted influencing behaviour communication campaign pilot in partnership with the Home Office

Found: There are also Home Office police perpetrator Domestic Abuse panels, which cover the compounding factors

Found: that in April 2025, MHCLG was made the lead department for wildfire in England, as opposed to the Home Office

Found: that in April 2025, MHCLG was made the lead department for wildfire in England, as opposed to the Home Office

Found: First, he noted “a significant volume of files in the Home Office archive” documenting cases in which

Found: recovery arrangements are in place.”50 However, beyond the role of the Security Minister in the Home Office

Found: the retail sector HC 355 8th Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage HC 351 7th Asylum accommodation: Home Office

Found: Domestically, the Home Office,226 leads on addressing malign information activity aimed at UK audiences

Found: civil contingencies has resided with Dan Jarvis who has a joint Minister of State role in the Home Office

Found: Since the advent of democratic devolution, numerous Home Office and Ministry of Justice policies have

Found: co-chaired by HMPPS and Welsh Government, which brings together policy officials from MoJ, HMPPS, Home Office

Found: of a Review of Women with Particular Vulnerabilities in the Criminal Justice System, London: Home Office

Found: Changes in Immigration Rules (HC 1691) and one linked instrument and Further Information from the Home Office

Found: Correspondence to and from the Home Office, relating to withdrawal of the visa concession for temporary

Found: PSNI0029 - Policing and security in Northern Ireland Home Office Written Evidence

Found: the retail sector HC 355 8th Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage HC 351 7th Asylum accommodation: Home Office

Found: to inform establishments, HM Prison and Probation Service and the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office

Found: I hope, for many, many, many reasons, that the Home Office is successful in its work to get the costs

Found: We hope that the Home Office takes this forward along with groups like the DFE and DWP as well.

Found: Anne Marie Chebib: I am sure you are aware of the Home Office work being done at the moment in terms

Found: parents generally cannot work and must rely on below-poverty-level asylum support payments from the Home Office

Found: doi:10.1016/J.JVB.2009.01.001 12 Home Office & Mahmood, S. (2026) Home Secretary’s speech on immigration

Found: led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, alongside Prevention Partnerships led by the Home Office

Found: The Home Office Families that were interviewed for The Children’s Society’s report A Lifeline for All

Found: However, the recent consultation on earned settlement from the Home Office runs counter to this, consulting

Found: Benefit, while improving educational and developmental outcomes.23 The Strategy does note that the Home Office

Found: Strengthening data linkage between Home Office, DWP and local authorities would improve visibility of

Found: Moreover, the situation is likely to worsen significantly as a result of new Home Office policies on

Found: We hope that the Home Office takes this forward along with groups like the DFE and DWP as well.

Found: Anne Marie Chebib: I am sure you are aware of the Home Office work being done at the moment in terms

Found: Steve Smart: We were engaged with the Home Office in the creation of the national fraud strategy.

Found: Steve Smart: We were engaged with the Home Office in the creation of the national fraud strategy.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 114873 on Home Office: Redundancy Pay, whether exit payments made to the last two Cabinet Secretaries were eligible for the £30,000 tax-free allowance.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

It is a longstanding policy not to comment on individual employment matters. The guidance on tax on severance payments is here: https://www.gov.uk/termination-payments-and-tax-when-you-leave-a-job/what-you-pay-tax-and-national-insurance-on

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what forms of photographic identification are accepted from applicants who do not hold a UK passport or driving licence during the PIP application process.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

All PIP customers are required to verify their identity during the application process. This can be done using a variety of evidence, including photographic identification if appropriate.

The following documentation can be used by British Nationals making a PIP application as part of the process to verify their identity:

• British Passport
• UK Driving Licence

• Armed Forces ID card (can only be accepted face-to-face)
• Police warrant card (can only be accepted face-to-face)
• National Health Service (NHS) ID card containing a biometric chip (can only be accepted face-to-face)
• ID cards carrying the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) accreditation logo (UK and Channel Islands)
• HM Armed Forces Veteran Card (can only be accepted face-to-face)
• A certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen, which indicates the holder is entitled to take up employment in the UK

In some circumstances - where they fully meet the lay conditions - someone who is not a British national can claim PIP. The Eligibility criteria to claim PIP for someone who is not a British National can be found here: Personal Independence Payment (PIP): Eligibility - GOV.UK

You must:

• normally live in or show that you intend to settle in the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
• not be subject to immigration control (unless you’re a sponsored immigrant)

If you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you and your family usually also need settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to get PIP. The deadline to apply to the scheme was 30 June 2021 for most people, but you might still be able to apply.

If a customer meets this eligibility criteria, then the following documents can be provided to prove their identity:

• Passport of European Union (EU) or other nationalities
• Identity cards from an EU or European Economic Area (EEA) country that follow Regulation - 2252/2004 - EN - EUR-Lex (link is external)
• A residence permit, registration certificate or document certifying or indicating permanent residence issued by the Home Office to a national of an EEA country or Switzerland
• A permanent residence card issued by the Home Office or the Border and Immigration Agency to the family member of a national of a EEA country or Switzerland
• A passport or other travel document endorsed to show that the holder is exempt from immigration control and either:
• is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK
• has the right of abode in the UK
• has no time limit on their stay in the UK

• An Immigration Status Document issued by the Home Office or the United Kingdom Border Agency to the holder with an endorsement indicating that the person named in it, is allowed to stay indefinitely in the United Kingdom or has no time limit on their stay in the United Kingdom

• EU or other nationalities photo-card driving licence accompanied by an international driving permit, valid up to 12 months up to the date of when the individual entered the UK (can only be accepted face-to-face)
• ARC (Application Registration Card) and Home Office Decision Grant Letter. These documents can be used together if the information is the same and confirmed by the Home Office to verify ID, but only by exception, when a refugee has not had their UKVI account created by the Home Office to access their eVisa. One without the other cannot be accepted
• Home Office ‘View and Prove’ eVisa service (can only be accepted face-to-face).

Please note that although a document is listed, there may be a need for accompanying evidence alongside any of these to sufficiently prove someone’s identity.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many PIP claimants were required to show a form of identification during their application in the last five years.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

All PIP customers are required to verify their identity during the application process. This can be done using a variety of evidence, including photographic identification if appropriate.

The following documentation can be used by British Nationals making a PIP application as part of the process to verify their identity:

• British Passport
• UK Driving Licence

• Armed Forces ID card (can only be accepted face-to-face)
• Police warrant card (can only be accepted face-to-face)
• National Health Service (NHS) ID card containing a biometric chip (can only be accepted face-to-face)
• ID cards carrying the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) accreditation logo (UK and Channel Islands)
• HM Armed Forces Veteran Card (can only be accepted face-to-face)
• A certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen, which indicates the holder is entitled to take up employment in the UK

In some circumstances - where they fully meet the lay conditions - someone who is not a British national can claim PIP. The Eligibility criteria to claim PIP for someone who is not a British National can be found here: Personal Independence Payment (PIP): Eligibility - GOV.UK

You must:

• normally live in or show that you intend to settle in the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
• not be subject to immigration control (unless you’re a sponsored immigrant)

If you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you and your family usually also need settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to get PIP. The deadline to apply to the scheme was 30 June 2021 for most people, but you might still be able to apply.

If a customer meets this eligibility criteria, then the following documents can be provided to prove their identity:

• Passport of European Union (EU) or other nationalities
• Identity cards from an EU or European Economic Area (EEA) country that follow Regulation - 2252/2004 - EN - EUR-Lex (link is external)
• A residence permit, registration certificate or document certifying or indicating permanent residence issued by the Home Office to a national of an EEA country or Switzerland
• A permanent residence card issued by the Home Office or the Border and Immigration Agency to the family member of a national of a EEA country or Switzerland
• A passport or other travel document endorsed to show that the holder is exempt from immigration control and either:
• is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK
• has the right of abode in the UK
• has no time limit on their stay in the UK

• An Immigration Status Document issued by the Home Office or the United Kingdom Border Agency to the holder with an endorsement indicating that the person named in it, is allowed to stay indefinitely in the United Kingdom or has no time limit on their stay in the United Kingdom

• EU or other nationalities photo-card driving licence accompanied by an international driving permit, valid up to 12 months up to the date of when the individual entered the UK (can only be accepted face-to-face)
• ARC (Application Registration Card) and Home Office Decision Grant Letter. These documents can be used together if the information is the same and confirmed by the Home Office to verify ID, but only by exception, when a refugee has not had their UKVI account created by the Home Office to access their eVisa. One without the other cannot be accepted
• Home Office ‘View and Prove’ eVisa service (can only be accepted face-to-face).

Please note that although a document is listed, there may be a need for accompanying evidence alongside any of these to sufficiently prove someone’s identity.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effectiveness of licensing regulations to protect people from alcohol-related harms.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Licensing Act 2003, which is overseen by the Home Office, requires licensing authorities to promote objectives relating to the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the protection of children from harm, and the prevention of public nuisance, which together provide important safeguards against alcohol‑related harms.

The Government is considering how best to take forward recommendations to develop a modern, proportionate, and enabling licensing system. This work is being led by the Department for Business and Trade and the Home Office with support from other departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care, to ensure public health is fully considered.

We will continue to work across Government to consider what other measures might be needed to reduce the negative impact excessive alcohol consumption is having on health, crime, and the economy.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Home Office decisions on the finances of universities.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The new International Education Strategy reflects the positive impact of international students. It confirms our continued commitment to welcoming students who meet the requirements to study in the UK.

The system must, however, ensure that international students make a positive contribution to the communities in which they study. The ‘Restoring control over the immigration system’ White Paper contains measures that will achieve a reduction in net migration, whilst maintaining the UK’s globally competitive position and boosting our skills base.

The department expects the UK to remain an attractive study destination. The most recent data shows that applications from Sponsored Study visa main applicants in the year ending January 2026 were 2 per cent higher than the previous year. The data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/monthly-entry-clearance-visa-applications-january-2026/monthly-entry-clearance-visa-applications-january-2026.

Whilst we recognise international students’ value, reliance on international fee income is a risk to some providers' income. HE providers must ensure their business models provide long-term sustainability.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) alcohol advertising and (b) websites selling alcoholic products provide reference to addiction support platforms.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In the United Kingdom, the Advertising Standards Authority is responsible for regulating advertising through enforcing the codes set by the Committees of Advertising Practice and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice. There are rules about ensuring alcohol and drinking are portrayed in a responsible way, for instance adverts generally should not imply, condone, or encourage immoderate, irresponsible, or anti-social drinking. The codes do not currently require alcohol advertisements to signpost to addiction support services.

Online sales of alcohol are regulated under the Licensing Act 2003. There is currently no statutory requirement for online retailers to signpost to addiction support platforms.

The Department of Health and Social Care will continue to work with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, as the lead Government department responsible for advertising, and the Home Office, as the department responsible for licensing, to understand the evidence base and explore policy responses for addressing alcohol harms.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress officials in UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has made on developing target areas of research for alternative methods for animal testing; and whether UKRI has any plans to consult with civil society organisations who have expertise in this area as part of this process.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

On 11 November 2025 the Government published Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, which outlines the steps we will take to achieve this. The Labour Manifesto commits to partnering with scientists, industry and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing. The Government consulted civil society, industry and academia during development of the strategy and continues to do so during delivery, including through regular Home Office meetings. We also intend to publish areas of research interest later this year. UKRI has an important role in this but is not the only delivery partner

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of student loans issued in each of last five years for which data is available were for students with settled status, expressed in (a) monetary terms and (b) number of students.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is not able to provide the requested data on settled status in the required timescale.

Settled status is a residency category, which is data held by the Student Loans Company (SLC).

However, changes in the application process over time, including the transition to electronic applications and introduction of new products, systems and processes in line with the legislation, mean that data held for earlier cohorts is held differently across multiple SLC systems.

As a result, it is not currently possible to produce robust settled status data within the required timescales. The department and the SLC are undertaking work to improve the quality and consistency of data provided.

Once this work is complete, the department expects to be able to provide information in response to such questions.

The department is not able to provide the requested data on immigration status. The SLC does not hold immigration status data. Immigration status data is held by the Home Office and is used by the SLC as part of the assessment for loan eligibility. However, as the SLC does not hold immigration status data in their own systems, this breakdown cannot be provided.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of student loans issued in each of the last five years for which data is available were for students with a non-Common Travel Area immigration status.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is not able to provide the requested data on settled status in the required timescale.

Settled status is a residency category, which is data held by the Student Loans Company (SLC).

However, changes in the application process over time, including the transition to electronic applications and introduction of new products, systems and processes in line with the legislation, mean that data held for earlier cohorts is held differently across multiple SLC systems.

As a result, it is not currently possible to produce robust settled status data within the required timescales. The department and the SLC are undertaking work to improve the quality and consistency of data provided.

Once this work is complete, the department expects to be able to provide information in response to such questions.

The department is not able to provide the requested data on immigration status. The SLC does not hold immigration status data. Immigration status data is held by the Home Office and is used by the SLC as part of the assessment for loan eligibility. However, as the SLC does not hold immigration status data in their own systems, this breakdown cannot be provided.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the student loan outlay is by immigration status of the student cohort for the last five years for which data is available.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department is not able to provide the requested data on settled status in the required timescale.

Settled status is a residency category, which is data held by the Student Loans Company (SLC).

However, changes in the application process over time, including the transition to electronic applications and introduction of new products, systems and processes in line with the legislation, mean that data held for earlier cohorts is held differently across multiple SLC systems.

As a result, it is not currently possible to produce robust settled status data within the required timescales. The department and the SLC are undertaking work to improve the quality and consistency of data provided.

Once this work is complete, the department expects to be able to provide information in response to such questions.

The department is not able to provide the requested data on immigration status. The SLC does not hold immigration status data. Immigration status data is held by the Home Office and is used by the SLC as part of the assessment for loan eligibility. However, as the SLC does not hold immigration status data in their own systems, this breakdown cannot be provided.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2026 to Question 119270 on Ammunition: Lead, if she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of a decrease in demand for ammunition containing lead following the introduction of proposed restrictions on commercial ammunition on a) the availability, b) the price, and c) the reliability of ammunition containing lead intended to be used for law enforcement purposes.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The decision to restrict the use of Lead in Ammunition under UK REACH was made following a consideration of the risk, the availability of alternatives and the socio-economic impacts. The UK REACH Restriction on lead in ammunition does not include the use of lead ammunition by the military, police, government security services, private maritime security companies and for border force purposes including storage. My officials have engaged with the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence on this restriction.

The UK REACH restriction gives a three-year transition period for most uses to allow users and suppliers time to adapt to the restriction. There are also several derogations and exemptions for continued use of lead ammunition after the ban comes into effect. Lead bullets can continue to be used at outdoor shooting ranges that meet the conditions necessary for the derogation. It is estimated that over 90% of shooting ranges will be able to meet these conditions. The majority of lead bullets used in the UK are used at outdoor shooting ranges. The use of small calibre bullets for live quarry shooting is not included in the restriction.

GB manufacturers can continue to manufacture and sell lead ammunition for non-civilian purposes that are not in scope of the restriction. GB manufacturers will be able to continue to export lead ammunition overseas. Lead ammunition can be imported for unrestricted uses.

The existing UK supply of lead rimfire bullets is a mix of domestic production and imports, while the supply of UK lead centrefire bullets is understood to be imported from abroad.

There is an opportunity for GB companies to innovate and secure economic growth in manufacturing non-lead ammunition more widely.

I would be happy to meet with the Rt Hon. Member.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2026 to Question 119270 on Ammunition: Lead, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of a decrease in the size of UK orders for ammunition containing lead following the introduction of proposed restrictions on commercial ammunition on a) the ability for the UK to attract overseas orders of ammunition containing lead used for law enforcement purposes, and b) the price of such orders.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The decision to restrict the use of Lead in Ammunition under UK REACH was made following a consideration of the risk, the availability of alternatives and the socio-economic impacts. The UK REACH Restriction on lead in ammunition does not include the use of lead ammunition by the military, police, government security services, private maritime security companies and for border force purposes including storage. My officials have engaged with the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence on this restriction.

The UK REACH restriction gives a three-year transition period for most uses to allow users and suppliers time to adapt to the restriction. There are also several derogations and exemptions for continued use of lead ammunition after the ban comes into effect. Lead bullets can continue to be used at outdoor shooting ranges that meet the conditions necessary for the derogation. It is estimated that over 90% of shooting ranges will be able to meet these conditions. The majority of lead bullets used in the UK are used at outdoor shooting ranges. The use of small calibre bullets for live quarry shooting is not included in the restriction.

GB manufacturers can continue to manufacture and sell lead ammunition for non-civilian purposes that are not in scope of the restriction. GB manufacturers will be able to continue to export lead ammunition overseas. Lead ammunition can be imported for unrestricted uses.

The existing UK supply of lead rimfire bullets is a mix of domestic production and imports, while the supply of UK lead centrefire bullets is understood to be imported from abroad.

There is an opportunity for GB companies to innovate and secure economic growth in manufacturing non-lead ammunition more widely.

I would be happy to meet with the Rt Hon. Member.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2026 to Question 119270 on Ammunition: Lead, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure, following the introduction of restrictions on the production of ammunition containing lead for commercial purposes, that ammunition containing lead intended to be used for law enforcement purposes is a) available, b) affordable, and c) timely.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The decision to restrict the use of Lead in Ammunition under UK REACH was made following a consideration of the risk, the availability of alternatives and the socio-economic impacts. The UK REACH Restriction on lead in ammunition does not include the use of lead ammunition by the military, police, government security services, private maritime security companies and for border force purposes including storage. My officials have engaged with the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence on this restriction.

The UK REACH restriction gives a three-year transition period for most uses to allow users and suppliers time to adapt to the restriction. There are also several derogations and exemptions for continued use of lead ammunition after the ban comes into effect. Lead bullets can continue to be used at outdoor shooting ranges that meet the conditions necessary for the derogation. It is estimated that over 90% of shooting ranges will be able to meet these conditions. The majority of lead bullets used in the UK are used at outdoor shooting ranges. The use of small calibre bullets for live quarry shooting is not included in the restriction.

GB manufacturers can continue to manufacture and sell lead ammunition for non-civilian purposes that are not in scope of the restriction. GB manufacturers will be able to continue to export lead ammunition overseas. Lead ammunition can be imported for unrestricted uses.

The existing UK supply of lead rimfire bullets is a mix of domestic production and imports, while the supply of UK lead centrefire bullets is understood to be imported from abroad.

There is an opportunity for GB companies to innovate and secure economic growth in manufacturing non-lead ammunition more widely.

I would be happy to meet with the Rt Hon. Member.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2026 to Question 119270 on Ammunition: Lead, if she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the proposed restrictions on commercial ammunition containing lead on UK sovereign capability to supply ammunition for law enforcement purposes.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The decision to restrict the use of Lead in Ammunition under UK REACH was made following a consideration of the risk, the availability of alternatives and the socio-economic impacts. The UK REACH Restriction on lead in ammunition does not include the use of lead ammunition by the military, police, government security services, private maritime security companies and for border force purposes including storage. My officials have engaged with the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence on this restriction.

The UK REACH restriction gives a three-year transition period for most uses to allow users and suppliers time to adapt to the restriction. There are also several derogations and exemptions for continued use of lead ammunition after the ban comes into effect. Lead bullets can continue to be used at outdoor shooting ranges that meet the conditions necessary for the derogation. It is estimated that over 90% of shooting ranges will be able to meet these conditions. The majority of lead bullets used in the UK are used at outdoor shooting ranges. The use of small calibre bullets for live quarry shooting is not included in the restriction.

GB manufacturers can continue to manufacture and sell lead ammunition for non-civilian purposes that are not in scope of the restriction. GB manufacturers will be able to continue to export lead ammunition overseas. Lead ammunition can be imported for unrestricted uses.

The existing UK supply of lead rimfire bullets is a mix of domestic production and imports, while the supply of UK lead centrefire bullets is understood to be imported from abroad.

There is an opportunity for GB companies to innovate and secure economic growth in manufacturing non-lead ammunition more widely.

I would be happy to meet with the Rt Hon. Member.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2026 to Question 119270 on Ammunition: Lead, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of restrictions on the production of ammunition containing lead for commercial purposes on the number of ammunition manufacturers who continue to produce bullets containing lead.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The decision to restrict the use of Lead in Ammunition under UK REACH was made following a consideration of the risk, the availability of alternatives and the socio-economic impacts. The UK REACH Restriction on lead in ammunition does not include the use of lead ammunition by the military, police, government security services, private maritime security companies and for border force purposes including storage. My officials have engaged with the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence on this restriction.

The UK REACH restriction gives a three-year transition period for most uses to allow users and suppliers time to adapt to the restriction. There are also several derogations and exemptions for continued use of lead ammunition after the ban comes into effect. Lead bullets can continue to be used at outdoor shooting ranges that meet the conditions necessary for the derogation. It is estimated that over 90% of shooting ranges will be able to meet these conditions. The majority of lead bullets used in the UK are used at outdoor shooting ranges. The use of small calibre bullets for live quarry shooting is not included in the restriction.

GB manufacturers can continue to manufacture and sell lead ammunition for non-civilian purposes that are not in scope of the restriction. GB manufacturers will be able to continue to export lead ammunition overseas. Lead ammunition can be imported for unrestricted uses.

The existing UK supply of lead rimfire bullets is a mix of domestic production and imports, while the supply of UK lead centrefire bullets is understood to be imported from abroad.

There is an opportunity for GB companies to innovate and secure economic growth in manufacturing non-lead ammunition more widely.

I would be happy to meet with the Rt Hon. Member.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2026 to Question 119270 on Ammunition: Lead, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of restrictions on the production of ammunition containing lead for commercial purposes on a) the availability, b) the price, and c) the reliability of ammunition containing lead intended to be used for law enforcement purposes.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The decision to restrict the use of Lead in Ammunition under UK REACH was made following a consideration of the risk, the availability of alternatives and the socio-economic impacts. The UK REACH Restriction on lead in ammunition does not include the use of lead ammunition by the military, police, government security services, private maritime security companies and for border force purposes including storage. My officials have engaged with the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence on this restriction.

The UK REACH restriction gives a three-year transition period for most uses to allow users and suppliers time to adapt to the restriction. There are also several derogations and exemptions for continued use of lead ammunition after the ban comes into effect. Lead bullets can continue to be used at outdoor shooting ranges that meet the conditions necessary for the derogation. It is estimated that over 90% of shooting ranges will be able to meet these conditions. The majority of lead bullets used in the UK are used at outdoor shooting ranges. The use of small calibre bullets for live quarry shooting is not included in the restriction.

GB manufacturers can continue to manufacture and sell lead ammunition for non-civilian purposes that are not in scope of the restriction. GB manufacturers will be able to continue to export lead ammunition overseas. Lead ammunition can be imported for unrestricted uses.

The existing UK supply of lead rimfire bullets is a mix of domestic production and imports, while the supply of UK lead centrefire bullets is understood to be imported from abroad.

There is an opportunity for GB companies to innovate and secure economic growth in manufacturing non-lead ammunition more widely.

I would be happy to meet with the Rt Hon. Member.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the contribution of Sudanese diaspora student activists in atrocity prevention initiatives in Sudan.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Ministers and officials continue to meet on a regular basis with a wide range of Sudanese civil society and diaspora groups in the UK and across the region to listen to their concerns, gain their valuable insights, and help to build an inclusive, united approach for transitioning to a civilian-led government once a lasting ceasefire is in place.

Most recently, on 9 March, Minister for International Development and Africa, Baroness Chapman, met with a number of NGOs, including diaspora representatives, to discuss how to strengthen humanitarian access and overcome restrictions on the entry of aid, as well as how best to drive forward our work to protect civilians and hold perpetrators to account in Sudan, through the UK-led Coalition for Atrocity Prevention.

On 24 February, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, Baroness Harriet Harman, also hosted an event in Berlin to discuss how to stop Violence Against Women and Girls in Sudan, consulting Sudanese activists and diaspora members, civil society representatives, UK and German policymakers and international partners. The event provided a platform for Sudanese women to inform UK and German thinking ahead of the April International Sudan Conference in Berlin.

The policy changes raised by the Rt Hon Member are a matter for the Home Office, along with any assessment of their impact.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the contribution of Sudanese diaspora student activists in pro-peace initiatives in Sudan.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Ministers and officials continue to meet on a regular basis with a wide range of Sudanese civil society and diaspora groups in the UK and across the region to listen to their concerns, gain their valuable insights, and help to build an inclusive, united approach for transitioning to a civilian-led government once a lasting ceasefire is in place.

Most recently, on 9 March, Minister for International Development and Africa, Baroness Chapman, met with a number of NGOs, including diaspora representatives, to discuss how to strengthen humanitarian access and overcome restrictions on the entry of aid, as well as how best to drive forward our work to protect civilians and hold perpetrators to account in Sudan, through the UK-led Coalition for Atrocity Prevention.

On 24 February, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, Baroness Harriet Harman, also hosted an event in Berlin to discuss how to stop Violence Against Women and Girls in Sudan, consulting Sudanese activists and diaspora members, civil society representatives, UK and German policymakers and international partners. The event provided a platform for Sudanese women to inform UK and German thinking ahead of the April International Sudan Conference in Berlin.

The policy changes raised by the Rt Hon Member are a matter for the Home Office, along with any assessment of their impact.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the outcomes from the Chevening Scholarship program for Sudanese nationals.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Ministers and officials continue to meet on a regular basis with a wide range of Sudanese civil society and diaspora groups in the UK and across the region to listen to their concerns, gain their valuable insights, and help to build an inclusive, united approach for transitioning to a civilian-led government once a lasting ceasefire is in place.

Most recently, on 9 March, Minister for International Development and Africa, Baroness Chapman, met with a number of NGOs, including diaspora representatives, to discuss how to strengthen humanitarian access and overcome restrictions on the entry of aid, as well as how best to drive forward our work to protect civilians and hold perpetrators to account in Sudan, through the UK-led Coalition for Atrocity Prevention.

On 24 February, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, Baroness Harriet Harman, also hosted an event in Berlin to discuss how to stop Violence Against Women and Girls in Sudan, consulting Sudanese activists and diaspora members, civil society representatives, UK and German policymakers and international partners. The event provided a platform for Sudanese women to inform UK and German thinking ahead of the April International Sudan Conference in Berlin.

The policy changes raised by the Rt Hon Member are a matter for the Home Office, along with any assessment of their impact.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she had with Cabinet colleagues prior to the recent decision concerning Sudanese student visas.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Ministers and officials continue to meet on a regular basis with a wide range of Sudanese civil society and diaspora groups in the UK and across the region to listen to their concerns, gain their valuable insights, and help to build an inclusive, united approach for transitioning to a civilian-led government once a lasting ceasefire is in place.

Most recently, on 9 March, Minister for International Development and Africa, Baroness Chapman, met with a number of NGOs, including diaspora representatives, to discuss how to strengthen humanitarian access and overcome restrictions on the entry of aid, as well as how best to drive forward our work to protect civilians and hold perpetrators to account in Sudan, through the UK-led Coalition for Atrocity Prevention.

On 24 February, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, Baroness Harriet Harman, also hosted an event in Berlin to discuss how to stop Violence Against Women and Girls in Sudan, consulting Sudanese activists and diaspora members, civil society representatives, UK and German policymakers and international partners. The event provided a platform for Sudanese women to inform UK and German thinking ahead of the April International Sudan Conference in Berlin.

The policy changes raised by the Rt Hon Member are a matter for the Home Office, along with any assessment of their impact.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of the prison population is made up of foreign national offenders; and how many foreign national offenders have been removed from the UK in the last 12 months.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

As of 31 December 2025, Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) made up 12% of the prison population of England and Wales. This is the latest available published data and can be found at Table 1_Q_11 in the attached link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6978d8c475d4437096552064/prison-population-31-Dec-2025.ods

The Home Office are responsible for the removal of FNOs, and their latest published data shows that between 1 February 2025 and 31 January 2026 there were 5,689 FNOs removed of which 3,044 were removed under the Early Removal Scheme. The full data can be found here: Returns from the UK between 1 December 2022 and 31 January 2026 - GOV.UK

All Foreign National Offenders who receive a prison sentence in the UK are referred for deportation at the earliest opportunity and will be barred from ever returning to the UK. Deportations of foreign national offenders including murderers and rapists are up 32%, with more than 8,700 deported since this Government came into power.

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Found: She subsequently developed her expertise in justice research, initially as a Home Office researcher,

Found: Gareth Davies Appointed as New Home Office Permanent Secretary

Found: must first be able to present a valid disregard from the relevant authority (for example, the Home Office

Found: The Department for Education, alongside the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care

Found: anticipate demand spikes, including UASC arrivals via the National Transfer Scheme regional rota and Home Office

Found: British National (Overseas) The Home Office published the latest UK immigration statistics on 27 November

Found: International borders UKHSA, the Home Office and the Department for Transport (DfT) will work together

Found: expertise, and trusted military-to-military access – to support the aims of the FCDO, Cabinet Office, Home Office

Found: Home Office Border Force – unpublished Home Office payroll data from 1 July 2024 (Note that we do not

Found: IAC evaluation: some limited evidence of that the Home Office review part of the process affected some

Found: views and experiences of Appellants in Person, legal officers, the judiciary, CTSC staff, and Home Office

Found: relevant government departments (in this case, groups such as the Local Government Association, Home Office

Found: • Visa complexity – visa application processes had become increasingly complex with limited Home Office

Found: sectors, rather than making specific occupational 15Using the Police Earnings Census at the Home Office

Found: Development Office FCO Foreign & Commonwealth Office HMRC HM Revenue & Customs HMT HM Treasury HO Home Office

Found: : An administrative data system used by all police forces in England and Wales, managed by the Home Office

Found: Joint visit with DfE and Home Office.

Found: Joint visit with DfE and Home Office.

Found:

Found: Villa,Navigation Way,Preston,Avon,PR2 2YP,England INFRARED CAPITAL PARTNERS LLP 1 397 Force HQ Home Office

Found: The regulations relating to CDs are controlled by the Home Office, but the general regulation and enforcement

Found: requirements for these medicines, refer to the Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations or contact the Home Office

Found: As part of its consultation, the Home Office conducted a survey of the taxi and PHV licensing authorities

Found: Licence Applications IA No: HO0277 RPC Reference No: RPC-3725(1)-HO Lead department or agency: The Home Office

Found: Tackling Exploitation in the Labour Market IA No: Lead department or agency: Joint BEIS and Home Office

Found: Home Office Name Date Minister of State EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Regulations

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Found: Lead Department/Agency Home Office Expected date of implementation October 2016 Origin Domestic Date

Found: Check to Alcohol and Late Night Refreshment Licence Applications Lead Department/Agency The Home Office

Found: Home Office July 2016

Found: Home Office July 2016

Found: Page 1 of 14 Published for Home Office staff on 09 March 2026

Found: Immigration Officers, Entry Clearance Officers and all staff of the Home Office will carry out their

Found: Contents Page 7 of 65 FFM introductory note Officials from the United Kingdom (UK) Home Office

Found: Page 1 of 39 Published for Home Office staff on 25 March 2026 Transit

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Found: The Home Office will immediately begin working with policing partners to put these recommendations into

Found: Department for Education (DfE), the Department for Energy, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Home Office

Found: Home Office evidence to the Police Remuneration Review Body, 2026 to 2027

Found: Home Office evidence to the Police Remuneration Review Body, 2026 to 2027

Found: 1 Home Office evidence to the Senior Salaries Review Body Chief police officers 2026-27 pay round

Found: Body must consider evidence from a variety of sources when giving advice on pay, including the Home Office

Found: Home Office Border Force – unpublished Home Office payroll data from 1 July 2024 (Note that we do not

Found: • Visa complexity – visa application processes had become increasingly complex with limited Home Office

Found: sectors, rather than making specific occupational 15Using the Police Earnings Census at the Home Office

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Found: expertise, and trusted military-to-military access – to support the aims of the FCDO, Cabinet Office, Home Office

Found: The Rt Hon Lord Hanson of Flint, Home Office Lords Minister, chaired the meeting.

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Found: application and for Student Finance Wales to accept alternative forms of documentation, such as the Home Office

Found: This is a Home Office contract, sub-contracted in Wales by The Salvation Army to Bawso.

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Found: • Work with the Home Office to reinvigorate efforts to introduce mobile evidential breath testing

Found: Operating under Home Office counting rules (Home Office, 2024), prevents the adding of fields to distinguish

Found: The Single Unified Safeguarding Review (SUSR) team has worked closely with the Home Office to implement