Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what is his planned timetable for the publication of the triennial report into the operation of the Honours and Memorialisation secretariats.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The next report into the operation of the UK Honours System is expected in due course.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Department has evaluated the tax contribution of the sponsoring British partner when assessing the overall economic contribution of mixed-nationality families under the proposed new settlement requirements.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement model is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following that consultation.
However, the May 2025 Immigration White Paper and the command paper accompanying the current consultation, entitled A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, have both already committed to retaining a five-year route to settlement for the spouses and children of British citizens.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what evidential basis it is her policy that minimum individual earnings should determine eligibility for settlement, including for applicants with no access to public funds.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement model is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following that consultation.
However, the May 2025 Immigration White Paper and the command paper accompanying the current consultation, entitled A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, have both already committed to retaining a five-year route to settlement for the spouses and children of British citizens.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
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 proposed new earnings requirement for settlement on British children in families where one parent is a non-UK national with primary caring responsibilities.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement model is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following that consultation.
However, the May 2025 Immigration White Paper and the command paper accompanying the current consultation, entitled A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, have both already committed to retaining a five-year route to settlement for the spouses and children of British citizens.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government will consider assessing household income rather than individual income when determining eligibility for settlement under the proposed contribution-based requirements.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement model is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following that consultation.
However, the May 2025 Immigration White Paper and the command paper accompanying the current consultation, entitled A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, have both already committed to retaining a five-year route to settlement for the spouses and children of British citizens.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the proposed minimum earnings requirement for settlement applications will apply to family migration routes, including partners and spouses of British citizens.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement model is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following that consultation.
However, the May 2025 Immigration White Paper and the command paper accompanying the current consultation, entitled A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, have both already committed to retaining a five-year route to settlement for the spouses and children of British citizens.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his department will assist post-radiotherapy head and neck cancer patients who currently have to pay for private dentistry due to a lack of NHS dentistry places, despite regular check-ups being an essential part of their post-radiotherapy care.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will ensure that carers are not being pursued for overpayments where this was incurred due to incorrect operational guidance.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to my Written Statement of 25 November HCWS1092 and (at Col 22WS) Carer's Allowance Overpayments Review - Hansard - UK Parliament where I set out that the department will be reassessing historical and existing Carer’s Allowance cases with an earnings-related overpayment in England and Wales. This will cover the period between 2015 and summer 2025 where the treatment of fluctuating earnings may have given rise to an incorrect overpayment. I also said we would set out more details on the reassessment exercise in the New Year.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the planned timetable for the reassessment of carers allowance overpayments as a result of incorrect operational guidance.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to my Written Statement of 25 November HCWS1092 and (at Col 22WS) Carer's Allowance Overpayments Review - Hansard - UK Parliament where I set out that the department will be reassessing historical and existing Carer’s Allowance cases with an earnings-related overpayment in England and Wales. This will cover the period between 2015 and summer 2025 where the treatment of fluctuating earnings may have given rise to an incorrect overpayment. I also said we would set out more details on the reassessment exercise in the New Year.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the government plans to further regulate use by local authorities of glyphosate herbicides.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is not planning on further regulating glyphosate use by local authorities.
There is a legal requirement to minimise the use of pesticides along roads and in areas used by the public. It is for each Local Authority to decide the best way of delivering effective and cost-effective weed control in its operations without harming people or the environment.
The UK Pesticides National Action Plan (NAP) sets out how we intend to increase the uptake of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) across all sectors, including in amenity. Defra funded the recent publication of Parks for London’s Integrated Weed Management guide, which has been made open access. IPM lies at the heart of the government’s approach to minimise the environmental impact of pesticides.
A pesticide may only be placed on the market in Great Britain (GB) if the product has been authorised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), GB’s pesticide regulator. This only happens following a thorough scientific risk assessment that concludes all safety standards are met.