Alex Barros-Curtis

The Spending Review supports the UK’s R&D ambitions, with total Government investment in R&D rising to a record £20.4 billion in 2025/26

This will build on the investments we have already made in the Cardiff region such as £25 million through the Strength in Places Fund to build on regional strengths in advanced semiconductor materials and manufacturing, and £22 million to accelerate growth in the Cardiff Capital Region's media sector.

It is vital that elected representatives and their staff can discharge their duties without threat of intimidation or assault. We have seen wholly unacceptable behaviour, especially during the general election.

The Defending Democracy Taskforce is looking urgently at these issues, and I will update the House further in due course.

The Taskforce also regularly engages with all devolved administrations including Wales, on tackling our shared threats including protective security. Officials will be holding their next meeting with devolved administrations following the next Taskforce due to be held in early 2025.

Mr Speaker, it is vital that elected representatives and their staff can discharge their duties without threat of intimidation or assault.

We have seen wholly unacceptable behaviour, especially around the general election.

The Defending Democracy Taskforce is looking urgently at these issues and I will update the House further in due course.

Our Assisted Digital service (https://www.gov.uk/assisted-digital-help-online-applications) is available in the UK to provide support by phone and email to those who need help with IT-related aspects of creating a UKVI account.

Customers can also contact the UK Visas and Immigration Resolution Centre (https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk for support via email and webchat, and telephone. They also support people through the online journey by:

• helping them to access or recover their account
• helping them to update their personal details
• sharing status on behalf of people if they are unable to do so themselves.

The UK Visas and Immigration Resolution Centre can also help people with any technical issues with their online immigration status, and, where necessary, verify the person’s status through alternative means.

The Home Office is committed to ensuring everyone, including the most vulnerable, are properly supported as we transform our immigration system. On 18 September 2024, we announced that the Government is providing up to £4m in dedicated grant funding to a UK wide network of voluntary and community sector organisations to deliver valuable support to those who need it, during the transition from physical immigration documents to eVisas.

To date, grant funding agreements are in place with four organisations that will provide national coverage.

An extensive communications campaign is being delivered in support of the transition from physical immigration documents to eVisas, to raise awareness of eVisas, build understanding of how it applies to visa holders and checkers, and encourage them to take action. This includes activity and messaging specifically targeting biometric residence permit (BRP) holding customers to register for a UKVI account by the end of 2024, when most BRPs expire, if they were not automatically provided with a UKVI account and eVisa when their most recent immigration application was approved.

The dedicated eVisa communications activity has run from Spring 2024 onwards and has included regular updates to GOV.UK, including the establishment of a dedicated eVisa webpage at www.gov.uk/eVisa, and online resources such as eVisa support videos, direct messaging to customers via email and text message, and a wide-ranging programme of engagement with relevant stakeholders and international carriers. A national eVisa advertising campaign to raise awareness of these changes commenced on 10 October 2024.

All communications activity has directed visa holders to www.gov.uk/eVisa, and, where appropriate, has highlighted the range of available support.

Alongside this campaign, over 180 engagement events have also been undertaken in the last 12 months, with circa 26,000 participants, to raise awareness of the transition to eVisa with intermediaries, encouraging them to share information with their customers, staff, clients, and members.

During the transition to eVisas, we are closely monitoring the volume of customers who have registered for a UKVI account and the forecast total volume of affected customers. The total volume will be dictated by ongoing approvals under BRP generating routes through to the end of 2024. This data requires detailed assurance before it can be published externally, which is currently underway. We plan to make this data available on gov.uk in due course.

Currently, an extensive communications campaign is being delivered in support of the transition to eVisas, to help raise awareness of eVisas, build understanding of how it applies to visa holders and checkers, and encourage them to take action. This campaign is taking place alongside numerous engagement events; in the last 12 months, over 180 engagement events have been undertaken with circa 26,000 participants, to raise awareness of the transition to eVisa with intermediaries, encouraging them to share the information with their customers, staff, clients, and members.