Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to assist UK citizens whose children have been rendered stateless as a result of incorrect advice regarding dual nationality provided by foreign authorities; and if she will review guidance and support available to families affected.

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

As responsibility for nationality rests with the Home Office, this has been transferred to the Secretary of State for the Home Department for a substantive response.

Where a child is not a British citizen at birth, UK law provides a number of statutory routes which allow children to be registered as British citizens where the relevant legal criteria are met, including in circumstances where the child would otherwise be stateless. British nationality law allows dual nationality, but it is for other states to set and apply their own nationality laws.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer from Lord Hanson of Flint on 24 March (HL15656), whether they will now answer the question put: namely, 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.

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

To support the de-commissioning of biometric residence cards (BRCs), cards issued since 2 August 2021 had an expiry date of 31 December 2024, irrespective of the length of immigration leave granted to the card holder. Cards were issued under the EU Settlement Scheme to non-EEA nationals granted pre-settled or settled status who did not already hold a BRC issued under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 (the free movement regime). From 30 June 2021 to 31 December 2025, there were 110,228 grants of pre-settled status to non-EEA nationals. Whether these pre-settled status holders subsequently apply for settled status with their BRC is dependent on customer behaviour and their individual circumstances, but the change in HC1691 allows those who wish to do so to remain on a fully digital journey. Without this change, as we pass 18 months since the expiry date of most BRCs for this cohort, a significant portion would be required to attend a UK visa application centre to re-enrol their biometrics, creating an unsustainable demand on UK Visas and Citizenship Application Services.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of potential merits of making English language training compulsory for asylum seekers who do not have English language proficiency.

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

The Government has set out its commitment to supporting successful integration, as highlighted in the Immigration White Paper. Being able to communicate effectively in English is essential for accessing public services, participating in civic life, securing employment, and building strong connections within local communities. Without sufficient language skills, individuals may face barriers to integration and increased risk of social isolation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New UK–Nigeria partnership to speed up removals, published on 19 March 2026, what measures the agreement contains to ensure the protection of Nigerian (a) women and (b) children at risk of exploitation.

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

On 18 March 2026, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed a UK-Nigeria Migration Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Nigerian Interior Minister, the Hon. Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

The Home Office pro-actively engages with key international partners to maintain, strengthen and improve returns cooperation and supporting processes. The UK uses a range of returns agreements and operational arrangements to support removals. It would not be appropriate to comment on discussions with individual countries, as this could undermine ongoing negotiations.

All returns under the UK–Nigeria partnership are conducted in accordance with UK law and international obligations, with safeguarding considerations applied throughout the process. Existing protections for vulnerable individuals, including identification of potential victims of modern slavery, which includes women and children, continue to apply.

The partnership streamlines the returns process, reducing processing and detention time, which in turn reduces operational costs. No additional resources have been allocated to Immigration Enforcement as a result of the UK–Nigeria partnership. The agreement is focused on improving efficiency and delivery within existing resources.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New UK–Nigeria partnership to speed up removals, published on 19 March 2026, whether additional resources have been allocated to immigration enforcement as a result of that agreement.

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

On 18 March 2026, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed a UK-Nigeria Migration Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Nigerian Interior Minister, the Hon. Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

The Home Office pro-actively engages with key international partners to maintain, strengthen and improve returns cooperation and supporting processes. The UK uses a range of returns agreements and operational arrangements to support removals. It would not be appropriate to comment on discussions with individual countries, as this could undermine ongoing negotiations.

All returns under the UK–Nigeria partnership are conducted in accordance with UK law and international obligations, with safeguarding considerations applied throughout the process. Existing protections for vulnerable individuals, including identification of potential victims of modern slavery, which includes women and children, continue to apply.

The partnership streamlines the returns process, reducing processing and detention time, which in turn reduces operational costs. No additional resources have been allocated to Immigration Enforcement as a result of the UK–Nigeria partnership. The agreement is focused on improving efficiency and delivery within existing resources.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New UK–Nigeria partnership to speed up removals, published on 19 March 2026, whether similar return agreements are being negotiated with other countries.

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

On 18 March 2026, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed a UK-Nigeria Migration Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Nigerian Interior Minister, the Hon. Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

The Home Office pro-actively engages with key international partners to maintain, strengthen and improve returns cooperation and supporting processes. The UK uses a range of returns agreements and operational arrangements to support removals. It would not be appropriate to comment on discussions with individual countries, as this could undermine ongoing negotiations.

All returns under the UK–Nigeria partnership are conducted in accordance with UK law and international obligations, with safeguarding considerations applied throughout the process. Existing protections for vulnerable individuals, including identification of potential victims of modern slavery, which includes women and children, continue to apply.

The partnership streamlines the returns process, reducing processing and detention time, which in turn reduces operational costs. No additional resources have been allocated to Immigration Enforcement as a result of the UK–Nigeria partnership. The agreement is focused on improving efficiency and delivery within existing resources.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New UK–Nigeria partnership to speed up removals, published on 19 March 2026, what savings are expected from faster removals.

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

On 18 March 2026, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed a UK-Nigeria Migration Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Nigerian Interior Minister, the Hon. Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

The Home Office pro-actively engages with key international partners to maintain, strengthen and improve returns cooperation and supporting processes. The UK uses a range of returns agreements and operational arrangements to support removals. It would not be appropriate to comment on discussions with individual countries, as this could undermine ongoing negotiations.

All returns under the UK–Nigeria partnership are conducted in accordance with UK law and international obligations, with safeguarding considerations applied throughout the process. Existing protections for vulnerable individuals, including identification of potential victims of modern slavery, which includes women and children, continue to apply.

The partnership streamlines the returns process, reducing processing and detention time, which in turn reduces operational costs. No additional resources have been allocated to Immigration Enforcement as a result of the UK–Nigeria partnership. The agreement is focused on improving efficiency and delivery within existing resources.

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 recent trends in (a) visa extensions and (b) visa switches on her Department’s net migration targets.

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

The Home Office publishes a variety of analysis considering the impact of the visa system on net migration. Home Office Impact Assessments and wider analysis can be found here: Migration analysis at the Home Office - GOV.UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to promote the adoption of standards such as BS 25700 to support organisations in meeting their obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

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

This Government is clear that no company in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain and encourages businesses to monitor their supply chains with rigour, to uncover and remedy any instances of modern slavery they may find.

The Government published new transparency in supply chains statutory guidance in March 2025. This new guidance is more comprehensive, practical and ambitious – calling on businesses to go further and faster.

The Home Office worked with a wide group of stakeholders from business, academia and civil society to ensure the guidance reflects current best practice and international standards, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Due Diligence Guidance.

This will support businesses to produce high quality statements, which are underpinned by effective measures to prevent and effectively respond to modern slavery.

The BSI standard on modern slavery (BSI25700) provides similar guidance to support businesses assess and monitor their supply chains. We encourage businesses to draw on all available guidance and standards to continue to improve their supply chain monitoring.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment on the impact of the changes to immigration rules on those currently in the visa renewal process.

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

In relation to the 2026 Spring Rules change, the Home Office has updated our identity requirements. The change to Rule 34(5)(a) will reduce the need for applicants to keep having to attend a Visa and Citizenship Application Service (VCAS) centre every time they make an immigration application for further permission to stay in the UK. This change will enable applicants who have previously enrolled their biometrics under controlled conditions, such as at a VCAS centre, and who are making a new in-country immigration application, to have their identity reused. The change to facilitate the re-use of digital identity neither creates new powers nor extends identity reuse to applicants overseas but will have required one-off implementation costs to the public sector. While unquantified, these implementation costs are likely to be offset by ongoing efficiency savings from modernising, digitising and streamlining application processes, which improve the customer experience whilst maintaining public safety.

In respect of wider Spring Rules changes, the Home Office has produced two impact assessments and two economic notes for the four Immigration Rules changes which met the threshold for requiring one. These are published alongside the Exploratory Memorandum and Statement of Changes on the GOV.UK website: Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 1691, 5 March 2026 - GOV.UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Child Poverty Strategy, published on 5 December 2025, what discussions the Home Office have had with the Department for Education about the guidance to local authorities on statutory duties under section 17 of the Children Act 1989; and what steps they have taken to ensure that safeguarding and the best interests of children are considered in that guidance.

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

Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 establishes the general duty of local authorities in England to safeguard and promote the welfare of children within their area who are in need and, so far as is consistent with that duty, to promote the upbringing of such children by their families.

I can confirm that the Home Office is working with the Department for Education alongside other government departments and the NRPF network to produce guidance to assist local authorities in their duties to those with No Recourse to Public Funds as part of the Child Poverty Strategy.

The duty Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 duty does not apply to the Home Office. Instead, Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 places a duty on the Home Office to make arrangements for ensuring that immigration, asylum, nationality and general customs functions are discharged having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in the UK.

The statutory guidance, called ‘Every Child Matters’, issued under Section 55 (3), sets out the key arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children as they apply both generally to public bodies who deal with children in the UK (Part 1) and specifically to the Home Office (Part 2).

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to introducing enforceable duties on chief officers of police to ensure that officers comply with (1) the "Believe, React, Fast" duty to require a prompt and appropriate response to reports of domestic abuse and rape and serious sexual offences, including risk assessment, recording and safeguarding, and (2) the Gaia Principle, campaigned for by the Gemini Project, requiring diligent identification and consideration of all relevant intelligence relating to suspects.

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

We expect all reports of a sexual offence to be treated seriously from the point of disclosure. Police officers must follow all reasonable lines of enquiry, and this includes seeking out relevant information on suspects in VAWG offences.

The National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection is supporting police forces to implement Operation Soteria, helping ensure sexual offence investigations are always suspect-focused, and rolling out Raneem’s Law to embed independent domestic abuse specialists in police control rooms.

Police officers are already required to act diligently in the exercise of their duties, as part of the statutory standards of professional behaviour, a breach of which can result in disciplinary action. In addition, the Code of Ethics, published by the College of Policing in 2024, includes guidance on ethical and professional behaviour in policing. This makes it clear that the police must “gather, verify and assess all appropriate and available information”, which correlates with the policing commitment to pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry.

The recently published Police Reform White Paper outlined this Government’s commitment to drive quality, consistency and efficiency in policing and ensure it is set up to deliver for the public. These reforms will create a more consistent service by holding police forces accountable for delivery, supported by new powers to intervene where forces fall short.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the monitoring of domestic extremist groups.

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

The government is delivering a fundamental reset of how we counter extremism, ensuring we have the tools, capabilities, and partnerships to match the scale and nature of an evolving threat.

As announced in the Government’s Protecting What Matters publication, the Home Office is expanding the Prevent Disruptions team, which horizon scans for extremist influence and events, with additional resource to understand and disrupt extremist networks at a national and local level. This builds on strong action by the team over the past two years, where the highest harm extremists from across the political spectrum were targeted and stopped from spreading their divisive views.

We will also publish an annual ‘State of Extremism’ report which will arm frontline, public sector workers with the information they need to identify and confront extremism in the UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve information sharing between the Community Security Trust and the Counter Terrorism Policing Operations Centre.

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

The Government recognises the importance of effective engagement between policing and communities, including representative bodies, in protecting communities from hate crime, terrorism, and wider security threats.

Whilst it would not be appropriate to comment on specific arrangements, the Government continues to support strong partnership working between the police and communities, including through established relationships with organisations such as the Community Security Trust.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.

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

Ministerial private offices in the Home Office have a mean of 6 staff members, at grades ranging from Executive Officer to Grade 6 (excluding the Principal Private Secretary and one other member of staff, who are Senior Civil Servants). Staff are contracted between 36 and 37 hours per week depending on their terms and conditions, and their base remuneration is on this basis. An additional allowance is paid in recognition of the expectation that private office staff face additional and out of hours demands. The most recent publication of Home Office salaries (December 2024) lists the salary bands for these grades as:

Pay bands for the Senior Civil Service are centrally determined.

Staff turnover for calendar year 2025 was 68%.

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 117978 on Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, how many registrations have been entered on the enhanced tier since the scheme's inception; and which countries have been identified on the enhanced tier.

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

The Foreign Influence Registration scheme came into force on 1 July 2025 with Russia and Iran specified on the enhanced tier.

The Government do not intend to provide details of registrations beyond those that appear on the public Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) register, as doing so could identify information not intended to be published and undermine the scheme’s objectives. Registrations under the enhanced tier are not published unless they relate to political influence activities; there are also circumstances in which publication will not occur, for example where publication could create a risk to the safety or interests of the UK.

An annual report on the operation of FIRS will be laid before Parliament. This will include, among other things, the number of registrations under both tiers, the number of information notices issued, and the number of people charged and prosecuted for failing to comply with the scheme’s requirements. The first report will be published as soon as practicable after 30 June 2026.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the statement of 12 March 2026, Official Report, on Defending Democracy Taskforce, if he will make it his policy to ensure political parties are provided via the Parliamentary Parties Panel with the contact details of the relevant local police force contacts, for the dedicated superintendent co-ordinator for Operation Bridger, in each Police Force area with May 2026 elections.

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

The Home Office remains firmly committed to protecting elected representatives and those standing for election.

If a candidate is in immediate danger, they should call 999 and reference Operation Bridger for Members of Parliament or Operation Ford for locally elected representatives.

For non‑emergency incidents, reports should be made via 101 or online, again referencing Operation Bridger or Operation Ford as appropriate. This will ensure that Bridger Leads and/or the Force Elected Official Advisors are notified of any incidents affecting candidates standing in the May 2026 elections.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are considering further legislative measures to strengthen the UK's response to hostile state espionage.

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

The National Security Act 2023 overhauled and updated our espionage offences and created a suite of measures to enable our law enforcement and intelligence agencies to deter, detect and disrupt the full range of modern-day state threats.

The Government keeps all counter-espionage legislation under review to ensure it continues to allow us to tackle the growing and diversifying range of state threats that have evolved since the UK last substantively legislated on this issue.

Last year, the previous Home Secretary commissioned Jonathan Hall KC (the Independent Reviewer of State Threats Legislation) to conduct a review evaluating what powers under terrorism legislation could be emulated to tackle state-based security threats to the UK. Mr Hall KC recommended introducing a State Threats Proscription-style Tool that would be more effective in disrupting state-linked organisations, along with several other recommendations. The Government will legislate to take forward these recommendations, as parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2026 to question 114022 on Extradition, how many of the requests received were from Bangladesh.

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

Further to our response to question 114022, which requested the number of Category 2 Type B requests we had received between 5^th July 2024 and the date of that request 23rd February 2026.

In accordance with our policies and after careful consideration we have decided not to release the information on requests received from Bangladesh between 5^th July 2024 and today’s date. This is because disclosure of figures where five or fewer requests have been made may lead to the identification of an individual request. This might prejudice ongoing law enforcement proceedings.

Please note that this information is taken from local management information and has not been quality assured to the level of published National Statistics. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department gives weight to written consultation responses from organisations which are deemed extremist.

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

It is up to each department to carry out due diligence when choosing to engage with any organisation or individual and, if asked, we will advise and share information to help others inform their decisions. As announced in the Protecting What Matters publication last week, we are currently updating and embedding the 2024 engagement principles which will assist public bodies to not confer legitimacy, funding or influence on extremist groups.

We will also publish an annual ‘State of Extremism’ report which will arm frontline, public sector workers with the information they need to identify and confront extremism in the UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has her Department made of the adequacy of the capacity of local government to resource Trading Standards teams to tackle counterfeit goods sales from high street shops.

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

In the 2025 Autumn Budget, the Government allocated £10 million per year for three years to tackle high street illegality. This funding includes the creation of the High Streets Illegality Taskforce, enhancements to Trading Standards capabilities and support for at least 45 additional law enforcement officers.

The Government does not have control over how local authorities plan their enforcement activities or apportion staff/resource to tackling harms. Local authorities are independent of central government and make their own workforce and enforcement decisions based on local need.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that individuals without (a) driving licences and (b) valid passports can use alternative forms of photo identification, such as senior citizen bus passes, for identity verification purposes.

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

An identity document is defined in section 7 of the Identity Documents Act 2010, which includes passports, certain Home Office‑issued immigration documents, and UK or foreign driving licences. [legislation.gov.uk]

The forms of identification that are accepted in any given circumstance depend on the specific legal or operational requirements of the organisation conducting the check.

Home Office guidance already allows for a range of documents to be used for identity verification, depending on the purpose of the check. In contexts where statutory identity documents such as passports or driving licences are not available, alternative forms of photo identification may be accepted where they meet the necessary security, verification and assurance standards.

It is for the relevant organisation or scheme owner to determine which documents are suitable for their operational needs, provided they meet applicable legal and safeguarding requirements. The Government continues to work with public bodies and service providers to support proportionate and secure approaches to identity verification.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will ensure that hon. Members are consulted on proposals for provision of asylum accommodation within their constituencies.

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

The Home Office works closely with local authorities on all proposals for asylum accommodation. Engagement with local authority officials is a vital part of the procurement and mobilisation process, ensuring they are aware of ongoing activity in their areas and able to provide local insight and intelligence at an early stage to inform decision making.

This approach supports our commitment to ensuring that the provision of asylum accommodation is informed by local context and that any impacts on communities and services are minimised.

However, to protect the safety and security of those being housed, we do not consult with local residents or publish details of procurement decisions in the public domain.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government on what date the role of the police commissioners in Wales will cease; whether the responsibility of the work of those commissioners will be transferred to the Senedd; if so, on what date; and if not, what plans they have for a replacement system, and when they will make a final decision on this matter.

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

The Government announced on 13 November 2025 that it plans to abolish the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) model across England and Wales at the end of their current term of office in May 2028.

Policing is a reserved matter. We are working closely with the Welsh Government, as well as other Welsh Stakeholders including Welsh local government, police forces and other partners, to ensure new governance arrangements provide strong and effective police governance in Wales. We will bring forward legislation to set out the new policing governance system for England and Wales when Parliamentary time allows.

We will continue to engage with Welsh Government and other Welsh stakeholders on matters relating to policing to ensure that Welsh priorities are fully considered within the existing devolution settlement.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure full compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, in respect of the conditions in which living animals used for scientific purposes before and during these procedures are kept.

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

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 is enforced by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) in the Home Office which operates a robust regulatory framework to ensure that animals used for scientific purposes are kept in appropriate conditions both before procedures take place and throughout the conduct of those procedures.

ASPA requires a three-tier system of licensing covering establishments, projects, and individuals. All licensed establishments must comply with standards for animal protections set out in ASPA and in the Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Animals Bred, Supplied or Used for Scientific Purposes which governs the accommodation, care, monitoring and veterinary oversight of the animals.

Licensed establishments are also required to have key named individuals in place, including veterinary surgeons and animal welfare officers, who are responsible for the health, care and welfare of animals and for advising on their use before and during regulated procedures. Establishments must operate local ethical review processes to provide ongoing oversight of animal welfare, review care and housing arrangements, and ensure that licence conditions are met.

ASRU assures compliance with these requirements through a programme of announced and unannounced audits. Any instances of non-compliance are taken seriously and addressed in accordance with ASRU’s published compliance policy, which provides for a range of regulatory responses, including enforcement action where necessary.

In 2025, ASRU implemented organisational reforms to strengthen delivery of its regulatory functions including increasing the size of its inspectorate, further enhancing oversight of animal protections across licensed establishments.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether organisations subject to a policy of non-engagement are barred from (a) applying for and (b) receiving government funding.

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

Organisations who do not meet due diligence checks will not be eligible for government funding. It is up to each department to carry out due diligence when choosing to engage with, or fund, any organisation or individual and, if asked, we will advise and share information to help others inform their decisions.

As announced in the Protecting What Matters publication last week, we are currently updating and embedding the 2024 engagement principles which will assist public bodies to not confer legitimacy, funding or influence on extremist groups.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to prevent registered sex offenders from changing their names by deed poll.

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

The system for managing sex offenders and those that pose a risk of sexual harm is a crucial part of preventing sexual violence and delivering our mission to halve violence against women and girls.

The Crime and Policing Bill will introduce a range of legislative changes which will strengthen the management of registered sex offenders. Where the police consider it necessary to protect the public or children or vulnerable adults from sexual harm, it will enable them to serve a notice on offenders requiring them to seek the police’s authorisation before applying to change their name on a specified identity document (namely, a UK passport, driving licence or immigration document). The legislative changes will also require RSOs to notify the police of an intended change of name at least seven days in advance of using it, or if that is not reasonably practicable, as far in advance of their using it as it reasonably practicable.

Our name change restriction focuses on ID documents, which are required for work, overseas travel, and accessing services, because that is where name changes can be monitored and a restriction robustly enforced.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 59 of her Department's document entitled Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls, Volume 1: Strategy, published on 18 December 2025, whether her discussions with stakeholders on the misuse of joint financial products will include domestic abuse service providers.

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

In the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, HM Treasury undertook work with key stakeholders to explore how joint mortgages are used as a tool of abuse and how victims and survivors can be better supported.

The Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy considers economic abuse as a key theme in recognition of the particular challenges victim-survivors’ can face in accessing financial products and services. This includes exploring how joint mortgages are used as a tool of abuse and how victims and survivors can be better supported. As part of this, HM Treasury are working closely with charity Surviving Economic Abuse who have been appointed a member of the Financial Inclusion Committee going forward to help inform the delivery of key interventions.

In addition, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) also held lived experience sessions with victim-survivors of economic abuse as part of their Mortgages Rule Review which HM Treasury also engaged in.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many staff, broken down by grade, are in the Home Office adjudication team which considers matters relating to asylum accommodation and representations from local authorities.

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

The Home Office has a dedicated function responsible for assessing matters relating to asylum accommodation and for considering representations made by local authorities.

Staff involved in this activity work across a range of grades and responsibilities, and their work forms part of wider operational roles rather than a separately recorded staffing group. As such, the Home Office does not hold a discrete breakdown of staff numbers by grade for this specific function.

The Department keeps staffing levels under regular review to ensure it can respond effectively and proportionately to operational demand, including the handling of local authority representations.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the safety of Myanmar nationals deported back to their country; and whether it is their current policy to do so.

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

The Government keeps the situation in Myanmar under close review. The UK does not remove individuals where there is a real risk of persecution or serious harm, and all cases are considered on their individual merits.

We only seek to return those whose asylum claims have been unsuccessful, or who otherwise have no lawful right to remain in the UK. By definition, they do not need protection and are not at risk on return. Furthermore, we only seek to return those who have no lawful right to remain in the UK.

Returns are only conducted when it is safe and practical to do so.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many antisemitic hate crimes involving arson have been recorded in the last 12 months.

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

In the year ending March 2025, the police forces in England and Wales recorded four arson offences that were identified as being religious hate crimes targeted at Jewish people.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of police vehicles are currently equipped with defibrillators.

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

The Home Office does not collect data on the number of emergency police vehicles fitted with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Police forces are operationally independent from Government, and therefore decisions on the use of AEDs would be an operational matter for them.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many emergency police vehicles are not currently fitted with a defibrillator.

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

The Home Office does not collect data on the number of emergency police vehicles fitted with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Police forces are operationally independent from Government, and therefore decisions on the use of AEDs would be an operational matter for them.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what support is in place to help (1) victims of technology-facilitated abuse, and (2) the police, to secure evidence of victims' past reporting of such abuse from the relevant technology companies.

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

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is investing £550 million over the next three years for victim and witness support services.

The 42 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) across England and Wales receive annual grant funding from the Ministry of Justice’s victim and witness budget to commission local support services for victims of all crimes, including victims of technology-facilitated abuse. PCCs allocate funding for victim services at their discretion, based on their assessment of local need.

In addition, the Ministry of Justice provides Victim Support with grant funding to deliver a 24/7 Live Chat and My Support Space service, providing free online support to victims across England and Wales.

Review the security industry, including safety, training, equipment, and justice. Frontline SIA security officers face violence daily. We need stronger training, protective equipment, staffing rules and justice for assaults to keep them safe and supported.

The implementation of a mandatory DNA database could help solve crimes more quickly and aid in the resolution of unclosed cases.
It could also be an aid in removing potential suspects from police workloads if they aren't a DNA match.

We want the Government to overturn the new UK entry requirements for Dual Nationality UK persons to visit their home, their heritage and their family introduced in February 2026.

Create an immediate exemption to the current suspension of study visas for Afghan nationals, so Afghan women and girls can obtain UK education visas (including university, foundation and English pathways) with appropriate safeguards, and publish clear guidance for applicants and institutions.

Allow Myanmar people who meet the visa requirements for studying in the UK to be able to come and benefit from a UK education and contribute to the UK and Myanmar now and in the future.

Allow people with valid leave to remain who apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) to travel outside the UK and the Common Travel Area while their application is pending without it being treated as withdrawn. With eVisas, their valid immigration status and leave period can be easily verified

Any driver/rider who causes death or injury by dangerous driving should receive a lifetime ban from driving/riding. If subsequently caught driving/riding, they should receive a substantial custodial sentence.

The Government should pass a Substance Abuse and Addiction Act. It should let families, with medical evidence and court oversight, request compulsory assessment when severe addiction risks life, ensure quicker treatment, better integrated services, more safeguards, and lawful early intervention.

We want the Government to keep the current B1 English requirement for Skilled Worker visa holders already in the UK and ensure the new B2 requirement applies only to future applicants.

We ask the UK Government to review and remove the student visa ‘emergency brake’ affecting certain countries. Visa decisions should be based on individual merit, not nationality. The policy risks restricting genuine students and harming the UK’s reputation as a global education destination.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 only recognises abuse between people who are “personally connected,” meaning intimate partners or family members. Abuse can occur in other domestic settings, such as shared housing and victims in these situations will not receive the same protection under the law.

We call on the Government to create a dedicated safe and legal route for Iranians to enter and have refuge in Britain, to save lives.

Stop the pilot scheme to pay families of failed asylum seekers up to £40K to leave the UK. In our view, Government cannot be allowed to pay people who have not gotten asylum with our taxpayer money. There is a cost of living crisis, and we think we need money for defence. We should also exit ECHR.

Knife crime continues to harm communities across the UK. Weapons like machetes and hunting knives are capable of causing devastating injuries and are too easily obtained. We believe stronger regulation is needed to reduce violent crime and protect public safety.

Amend the Firearms Act 1968 to create a regulated licensing category for specialist defensive tasers, enabling lawful possession by female adults aged 18+ with mandatory training and safeguards, to support personal safety in the context of high levels of violence against women and vulnerable adults.

To combat false and unwarranted bogus asylum applications which we believe make up a significant proportion of all current applications, give the British public a referendum on withdrawal from this treaty which we think is outdated and flawed & only benefits nations other than the British public.

Create a law like the free period product law in Scotland, which mandates that local authorities and education providers must make period products available free of charge. We would like the Government to fund free period products to be available in all public buildings.

The law must change so intended parents in surrogacy arrangements are recognised as their child’s legal parents from birth. Families should not have to go through months of court proceedings and social worker visits to be recognised as the parents of a child they planned and love.

Review cost of migrants without visas accessing the NHS, as we feel it is unfair that many citizens pay taxes to fund public services like NHS and have to wait for a long time to access care.

The UK government should stop its pilot scheme offering failed asylum seekers our hard earned money for them to leave the UK.

Found: Lord Hanson of Flint Minister of State 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF www.gov.uk/home-office

Found: 7219 6083 hleuroaffairs@parliament.uk The Rt Hon the Lord Hanson of Flint Minister of State, Home Office

Found: PAC recommendation: In its Treasury Minute response, the Home Office should set out the arrangements

Found: PAC recommendation: In its Treasury Minute response, the Home Office should set out the arrangements

Found: PAC recommendation: In its Treasury Minute response, the Home Office should set out the arrangements

Found: PAC recommendation: In its Treasury Minute response, the Home Office should set out the arrangements

Found: PAC recommendation: In its Treasury Minute response, the Home Office should set out the arrangements

Found: PAC recommendation: In its Treasury Minute response, the Home Office should set out the arrangements

Found: First, we have MHCLG’s devolution agenda, the arrival of elected mayors and the moves in the Home Office

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish auditable cost records for Afghan resettlement schemes.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Afghan resettlement is a cross-Government effort, with costs incurred by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and other Government departments including the Home Office, Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

On 18 March 2026, the NAO published a report which detailed the costs of the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP) in response to the Department’s provision of information on MOD spending to the NAO. Part Three of this report sets out funding for the schemes, the costs incurred to date, and expected future costs. This report can be accessed via the link below:

https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/investigation-into-the-afghan-resettlement-schemes.pdf

The report lays out that, since 2021, His Majesty’s Government (HMG) has spent £3.1 billion on the ARP. HMG estimates a total cost of £5.5-6 billion on Afghan resettlement activity throughout the life of the programme. This figure is kept under review using the latest data available.

The MOD and its cross-Government partners will continue to update Parliament including the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee in line with usual processes throughout the course of the ARP.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether there is a national standard or equivalent for defibrillator provision in emergency vehicles; and if so, whether they will publish that standard.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There is no national standard for defibrillator provision in all emergency vehicles, and the Government has not considered centralised procurement arrangements. There are no current plans to make legislative changes to mandate the provision of defibrillators in all emergency vehicles. For National Health Service ambulance services, all NHS ambulances carry defibrillators.

The Home Office has advised that Fire Services and police forces are operationally independent from the Government, and therefore decisions on the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) would be an operational matter for them.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has confirmed there are already local models of joint working between emergency services, for example where firefighters are trained to respond alongside ambulance services, including basic life support and AED use. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government supports effective collaboration that strengthens public safety.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Defibrillators that all emergency service vehicles, including newly acquired emergency vehicles, be legally required to carry defibrillators.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There is no national standard for defibrillator provision in all emergency vehicles, and the Government has not considered centralised procurement arrangements. There are no current plans to make legislative changes to mandate the provision of defibrillators in all emergency vehicles. For National Health Service ambulance services, all NHS ambulances carry defibrillators.

The Home Office has advised that Fire Services and police forces are operationally independent from the Government, and therefore decisions on the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) would be an operational matter for them.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has confirmed there are already local models of joint working between emergency services, for example where firefighters are trained to respond alongside ambulance services, including basic life support and AED use. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government supports effective collaboration that strengthens public safety.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given, if any, to centralised procurement arrangements to equip emergency vehicle fleets with defibrillators at scale.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There is no national standard for defibrillator provision in all emergency vehicles, and the Government has not considered centralised procurement arrangements. There are no current plans to make legislative changes to mandate the provision of defibrillators in all emergency vehicles. For National Health Service ambulance services, all NHS ambulances carry defibrillators.

The Home Office has advised that Fire Services and police forces are operationally independent from the Government, and therefore decisions on the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) would be an operational matter for them.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has confirmed there are already local models of joint working between emergency services, for example where firefighters are trained to respond alongside ambulance services, including basic life support and AED use. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government supports effective collaboration that strengthens public safety.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Levitt on 2 March (HL Dec col 1066), what milestones they have established for the joint departmental team tasked with developing the delivery plan for online and offline pornography parity to ensure that the plan is published within six months of the Crime and Policing Bill receiving Royal Assent.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recognises that there is a clear and urgent need for greater parity between the treatment of harmful pornography online and offline. Following Baroness Bertin’s independent review, a joint team, formed by the Home Office, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Ministry of Justice, and Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will examine the evidence to inform the Government’s approach to pornography policy, including consideration of how best to achieve parity between online and offline pornography. This evidence will include the effectiveness of existing regulatory regimes, such as the on-demand programme services regulatory framework. The Government has committed to publishing a delivery plan within six months of the Crime and Policing Bill receiving Royal Assent, and further information regarding the delivery plan will be set out in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Levitt on 2 March (HL Deb col 1066), what assessment they have made of the existing regulatory framework for on-demand programme services as a model to deliver regulatory parity between online and offline pornography.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recognises that there is a clear and urgent need for greater parity between the treatment of harmful pornography online and offline. Following Baroness Bertin’s independent review, a joint team, formed by the Home Office, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Ministry of Justice, and Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will examine the evidence to inform the Government’s approach to pornography policy, including consideration of how best to achieve parity between online and offline pornography. This evidence will include the effectiveness of existing regulatory regimes, such as the on-demand programme services regulatory framework. The Government has committed to publishing a delivery plan within six months of the Crime and Policing Bill receiving Royal Assent, and further information regarding the delivery plan will be set out in due course.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the consistency between the number of beagles licensed for use in scientific experiments approved by the Home Office between January and December 2025 and the Government's Replacing Animals in Science strategy published in November 2025.

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

No assessment has been made of the of the consistency between the number of beagles licensed for use in scientific experiments approved by the Home Office between January and December 2025 and the Government's Replacing Animals in Science strategy. The Labour Manifesto commits to partnering with scientists, industry and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing. It is not yet possible to replace all animal use due to the complexity of biological systems and regulatory requirements for their use. Any work to phase out animal testing must be science-led, in lock step with partners.

Found: Sexual Abuse, The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, 20 October 2022 5 Home Office

The UK suspended Sudanese study visas citing a surge in asylum claims. However, we believe most students are genuine and law-abiding. We think this blanket ban denies education, punishes lawful students, and disrupts futures. Parliament must reinstate visas and protect students’ right to study.

Found: The Home Office imposed a visa brake after student asylum claims surged 470% between 2021 2025.

To stop the tax payers from funding money for illegal migrants deportation.
No money should be paid to intice illegal migrants to leave.
This country should not help fund any migration for illegal migrants.
If we do not give them any money or housing they will leave.
This country is skint

Found: Stop the home office giving illegal migrant familys £40,000 from tax payers

We demand the reversal of the ban on Myanmar student visas, as it is discriminatory and unnecessary. Instead, we support changes to the asylum system, or even a ban on asylum applications from Myanmar students, rather than a blanket ban that disproportionately affects all Myanmar students.

Found: The Home Office claims this is due to a sixteen fold increase in asylum applications from Myanmar students

Found: office Jobs Prevent Work in progress Scheduled: Autumn 2026 Departments: Home Office

Found: Secretary of State for Justice in consultation with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Home Office

Found: acronyms have been used for providers: FCDO = “Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office”, HO = “Home Office

Found: 4351.16171499398 0.308983583057069 3733.66229873395 0.286403522384288 -617.499416260034 -0.141915988581198 Home Office

Found: departments and enforcement bodies: Department of Business and Trade (DBT), HM Revenue& Customs (HMRC), Home Office

Found: are: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Home Office

Found: them. 7 • Refer victims into the NRM (in England and Wales this includes notifying the Home Office

Found: PAC recommendation: By July 2026, the Home Office should write to us setting out the key metrics it

Found: PAC recommendation: In its Treasury Minute response, the Home Office should set out the arrangements

Found: Policy name: Foreign nationals in prison, Home Office referrals, repatriation, immigration, deportation

Found: from instructions on notifying embassies on reception, referring newly sentenced prisoners to the Home Office

Found: FWA enforces these criminal offences on behalf of the Home Office (in Great Britain) and the Department

Found: This was again provided initially on a 50:50 basis by the Home Office and DBT, but latterly mainly by

Found: Throughout you have approached the role with real vigour, creating momentum for the Home Office to examine

Found: another on tackling online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) content commissioned by the Home Office

Found: In the event that the individual has been found by the Home Office, relevant local authority and/or

Found: Over the past year we have worked closely with the Home Office and other partners on the preparatory

Found: Office’s section 27 statutory guidance on what premises and events will be required to do, which the Home Office

Found: Regulation of decapods: letter from the Home Office

Found: Regulation of decapods: letter from the Home Office

Found: The Home Office has appointed PA Consulting and Plexal as the new delivery partners for the Accelerated

Found: diligence, it was determined that the ruling has the same impact for CNC cases as it does for Home Office

Found:

Found: Whilst we are not part of the remit of this initial review, I am engaging with the Home Office and

Found: This was again provided initially on a 50:50 basis by the Home Office and DBT, but latterly mainly by

Found: Completed inspections – reports awaiting publication  An inspection of Home Office management of contact

Found: Policy name: Foreign nationals in prison, Home Office referrals, repatriation, immigration, deportation

Found: from instructions on notifying embassies on reception, referring newly sentenced prisoners to the Home Office

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

Found: FWA enforces these criminal offences on behalf of the Home Office (in Great Britain) and the Department

Found: [5] Home Office, “Forensic Information Databases Strategy Board,” [Online].

Found: them. 7 • Refer victims into the NRM (in England and Wales this includes notifying the Home Office

Found: departments and enforcement bodies: Department of Business and Trade (DBT), HM Revenue& Customs (HMRC), Home Office

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

Found: support delivery of the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF); and funded by the MHCLG and Home Office

Found: RB thought that there may be a bit of push back from the police and the Home Office, but they have been

Found: The Home Office has stated that the first grants of EUSS pre-settled status will not expire until mid

Found: Employers and landlords are also required to notify the Home Office of persons who have not applied.

Found: Employers and landlords are also required to notify the Home Office of persons who have not applied.

Found: The Home Office has since provided assurances to the Welsh Government that it will send timely reminders

Found: not one of those circumstances, and so by imposing a requirement to upgrade residence status the Home Office

Found: This will be done by the Home Office on the basis of automated residence checks (i.e. those whom the

Found: Government understands that the UK Government has no plans to review settled status holders, and the Home Office

Found: Government understands that the UK Government has no plans to review settled status holders, and the Home Office

Found: The Home Office will use existing data to verify eligibility for settled status.

Found: The Home Office will use existing data to verify eligibility for settled status.

Found: Employers and landlords are also required to notify the Home Office of persons who have not applied.

Found: one of those circumstances, and so by imposing a requirement to upgrade residence status the Home Office

Found: It is something that we've raised before to the Home Office directly, but I think it's something that

Found: This will be done by the Home Office on the basis of automated residence checks (i.e. those whom the

Found: In March 2016, the Home Office published its Modern Crime Reduction Strategy.

Found: testing to take account of household circumstances, income and capital is undertaken by the DWP/Home Office

Found: It is agreed with the Home Office.