Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether criminal convictions given to Hong Kongers in Hong Kong courts under the National Security Act can result in denied Electronic Travel Authorisation to the UK.

Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

An application for an ETA must be refused where the applicant has been convicted of a criminal offence in the UK or overseas for which they have received a custodial or suspended sentence of 12 months or more, or has been convicted of a criminal offence in the UK or overseas unless more than 12 months have passed since the date of conviction.

Applicants whose ETA is refused are still free to apply for a visit visa, which will allow for a more thorough consideration of their circumstances by a decision-maker. Refusal of an ETA will not necessarily result in a subsequent visa application being refused; this will depend on individual circumstances and vary on a case-by-case basis.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what methods the Department is using to ensure young people with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) are being consulted on the future of SEND policy.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department recognises the importance of hearing directly from children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as part of developing SEND reforms.

Following engagement activity earlier this year that informed the department's reform programme, officials worked with the Council for Disabled Children (CDC) to hold 27 conversations with children and young people’s groups across England. These events helped inform the reforms, and provided opportunities for children and young people to share their views on what matters most to them and how they would like to be involved in shaping future policy.

The department has been carefully considering the feedback from children and young people. We will publish a response to the SEND consultation in due course and bring forward legislation at the earliest opportunity. Legislation will provide the foundation for our reforms, and we will continue to engage closely with young people, parents and professionals on how they will work in practice.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the sanctions announced on 17 July 2026 which covered a number of entities including some Sudanese-UAE registered companies involved in Rapid Support Forces financing and procurement, whether the Government has shared the information it holds relating to these designations with the Financial Action Task Force.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Financial Action Task Force (FATF) promotes global standards which aim to tackle money laundering, terrorist and proliferation financing, and assesses whether jurisdictions are taking effective action. As such the UK does not as a matter of course share information relating to our sanctions designations with them. However, as a FATF member, the UK regularly submits relevant evidence to FATF Assessment Teams during their periodic assessment process, as set out in FATF's Universal Procedures.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, at what time between 16 and 19 weeks trusts are assessed for providing the national standard of a scan to be provided between 16 to 19 weeks.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Pregnant women are offered at least two ultrasound scans during pregnancy, at 11 to 14 weeks and between 18 and 21 weeks. National Health Service trusts are measured against the NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme standard for the 20-week screening scan. This standard requires providers to offer the scan between 18 weeks and zero days, and 20 weeks and six days of pregnancy. The screening pathway should be completed by 23 weeks and zero days of pregnancy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, (a) to what extent and (b) via what methods midwives are assessed for asking whether treatment for abnormal cervical cells has taken place at the first appointment.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Assessment of midwifery practice is undertaken locally by National Health Service providers through clinical governance, supervision, record-keeping standards, training, and professional regulation requirements.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of Sudanese nationals who claim asylum following a grant of entry clearance as a student go on to claim asylum support.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

A high proportion of Sudanese nationals following a grant of entry clearance as a student go on to claim asylum. In Year-Ending September 2025, asylum claims linked to a student visa as a proportion of all student visa applications were 46% for Sudanese nationals.

Currently, asylum seekers in the UK receive a package of support which has become a financial burden on the taxpayer, with annual costs of £4 billion across accommodation and support last year.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 9 September 2026 to question 21369, whether her Department holds information on the percentage of Sudanese nationals who claim asylum following a grant of entry clearance as a student who go on to claim asylum support.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

The number of asylum claims linked to Student visas, and the number of individuals in receipt of asylum support, are published in the Immigration system statistics data tables. These can be broken down by nationality.

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