Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many court cases there have been relating to not having a valid electronic travel authorisation.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office is yet to commence the legislative provision that will make it an offence to knowingly arrive in the UK without an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). Accordingly, there have been no cases in the courts brought on this basis. Further details of how the ETA requirement is being enforced will be published in due course.
Asked by: Simon Hoare (Conservative - North Dorset)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of visa applications under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme are determined within eight weeks in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
UKVI are currently assessing Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (UPE) visas within the published processing times. Information on visa processing times can be found at Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK
Average processing times do not form part of any current transparency data for Ukraine Extension Permission applications and are not published.
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
Resourcing arrangements are flexible across all visa routes, with decision-makers deployed to different areas at different times of the year. This enables UKVI to meet peaks in demand and operate efficiently throughout the operational year.
Asked by: Simon Hoare (Conservative - North Dorset)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken is to determine a visa extension under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
UKVI are currently assessing Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (UPE) visas within the published processing times. Information on visa processing times can be found at Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK
Average processing times do not form part of any current transparency data for Ukraine Extension Permission applications and are not published.
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
Resourcing arrangements are flexible across all visa routes, with decision-makers deployed to different areas at different times of the year. This enables UKVI to meet peaks in demand and operate efficiently throughout the operational year.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
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 recommencement of processing settlement applications from Syrians.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
On 14 July 2025, we published updated country information which enabled decision making to resume on Syrian asylum and settlement protection claims. Where an applicant arrived in the UK via the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, we will proceed straight to considering a grant of indefinite leave to remain in the UK. Claimants will be required to meet the relevant validity (i.e. apply on the relevant form and establish their identity) and suitability requirements (i.e. consideration of any criminals' convictions) of the settlement protection policy.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department’s policy is on managing applications from Syrians who entered the UK under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
On 14 July 2025, we published updated country information which enabled decision making to resume on Syrian asylum and settlement protection claims. Where an applicant arrived in the UK via the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, we will proceed straight to considering a grant of indefinite leave to remain in the UK. Claimants will be required to meet the relevant validity (i.e. apply on the relevant form and establish their identity) and suitability requirements (i.e. consideration of any criminals' convictions) of the settlement protection policy.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what they mean by "not considered to be conducive to the public good" in relation to the blocking of Eva Vlaardingerbroek from entering the United Kingdom; whether they will reverse this decision; and, if not, why not.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is our long-standing policy that we do not comment on individual cases.
I can advise you that following the refusal or cancellation of an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) document; the customer may still apply for the appropriate UK visa. This allows for a full consideration of their circumstances and may provide an alternative avenue to travel.
Asked by: Simon Hoare (Conservative - North Dorset)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what resource has been allocated to administer the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme in financial year (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
UKVI are currently assessing Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (UPE) visas within the published processing times. Information on visa processing times can be found at Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK
Average processing times do not form part of any current transparency data for Ukraine Extension Permission applications and are not published.
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
Resourcing arrangements are flexible across all visa routes, with decision-makers deployed to different areas at different times of the year. This enables UKVI to meet peaks in demand and operate efficiently throughout the operational year.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's document entitled A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: statement and accompanying consultation on earned settlement, updated on 28 November 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a retrospective application of the proposed changes to settlement rules on people currently on a five-year settlement pathway, including on lower income households and groups with protected characteristics.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.
The consultation seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. Transitional arrangements refer to temporary measures or rules put in place to manage the shift from one system, or policy framework, to another. Details of the earned settlement model, including any transitional arrangements for those already in the UK, will be finalised following that consultation.
The final model will also be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) contractual value, (b) annual spend to date and (c) forecast annual spend are for her Department's contract with Migrant Help between 2019 and 2029.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Information on the overall contract value is available publicly: AIRE - Advice Issue Reporting and Eligibility - Contracts Finder
Annual spend and forecast spend are considered commercially sensitive and cannot be disclosed.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been moved from the Copthorne Hotel since 22 January 2026; and how many asylum seekers are still located at the site.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office keeps the use of contingency accommodation under continual review to ensure that resources are managed responsibly while upholding our statutory obligations to support eligible asylum seekers.
However, for reasons of safety, security and the welfare of both service users and staff, the Home Office does not disclose operationally sensitive information relating to individual accommodation sites, including the movement of asylum seekers into or out of specific hotels.
It would not be appropriate for the department to comment on the operational status or use of any individual location.