Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent by her Department in the last four quarters on paying for asylum seekers to travel from asylum accommodation in Oxford East to the nearest reporting centre in Hounslow.

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

Individuals who have claimed asylum may apply for assistance with travel expenses to attend a reporting event where they are in receipt of asylum support and reside more than three miles from their reporting location. Applications from individuals residing within three miles may be considered where there is an exceptional need.

The Home Office does not hold readily available centrally collated data on expenditure specifically relating to travel from asylum accommodation in Oxford East to the reporting centre in Hounslow.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart concerning the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons' role in relation to potential chemical weapons use in Sudan.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the response provided to Question HL3376 on 6 October 2026. As we set out in our national statement at the 113th Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on 6 October, we note with particular concern reports of chemical weapon use in Sudan and continue to call for the completion of a thorough, transparent, impartial and credible national investigation and for its findings to be shared with the OPCW as soon as possible.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Sudanese Armed Forces' investigation into chemical weapons use.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the response provided to Question HL3376 on 6 October 2026. As we set out in our national statement at the 113th Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on 6 October, we note with particular concern reports of chemical weapon use in Sudan and continue to call for the completion of a thorough, transparent, impartial and credible national investigation and for its findings to be shared with the OPCW as soon as possible.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on the quality of evidence relating to the alleged use of chemical weapons at the Al Jaili oil refinery of a delay to the examination of that evidence by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the response provided to Question HL3376 on 6 October 2026. As we set out in our national statement at the 113th Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on 6 October, we note with particular concern reports of chemical weapon use in Sudan and continue to call for the completion of a thorough, transparent, impartial and credible national investigation and for its findings to be shared with the OPCW as soon as possible.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the progress of the investigation by the Sudanese Armed Forces into the use of chemical weapons.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the response provided to Question HL3376 on 6 October 2026. As we set out in our national statement at the 113th Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on 6 October, we note with particular concern reports of chemical weapon use in Sudan and continue to call for the completion of a thorough, transparent, impartial and credible national investigation and for its findings to be shared with the OPCW as soon as possible.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of Ofcom’s progress in implementing the remaining duties under the Online Safety Act 2023, and whether those measures will adequately protect children from exposure to harmful gendered content online.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Online Safety Act 2023 requires in-scope services to proactively tackle the most harmful illegal content, much of which disproportionately affects women and girls. Services must also protect children from harmful content, including misogynistic content. The Government has called on all platforms to implement the measures recommended in Ofcom’s guidance, A safer life online for women and girls.

Ofcom has pushed a roadmap setting out the remaining duties to be implemented under the Act. The Government is keeping the regulatory framework under review and will take whatever steps are needed to keep children safe online.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Online Safety Act 2023 in protecting children from harmful gendered content, including misogynistic content and harmful stereotypes, where that content is recommended or amplified by social media platforms’ algorithmic systems.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Online Safety Act requires platforms to address algorithmic risks, including promotion of illegal content and content harmful to children, including hateful misogynistic content.

We expect companies to implement Ofcom’s recommended measures for making platforms safer for women and girls, including deprioritising harmful content in recommender algorithms and de-monetising content promoting misogynistic abuse.

Ofcom undertakes and publishes research into online harms, including misogynistic content, which the Department draws on alongside external evidence.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what data her Department holds on the extent to which children are recommended or exposed to misogynistic, anti-feminist or other harmful gendered content by social media platforms.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Online Safety Act requires platforms to address algorithmic risks, including promotion of illegal content and content harmful to children, including hateful misogynistic content.

We expect companies to implement Ofcom’s recommended measures for making platforms safer for women and girls, including deprioritising harmful content in recommender algorithms and de-monetising content promoting misogynistic abuse.

Ofcom undertakes and publishes research into online harms, including misogynistic content, which the Department draws on alongside external evidence.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is her Department's assessment of the potential impact on the UK's security of recent changes to the operation of the expert panel of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism.

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

The Home Office is aware of the proposed changes to the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism’s Independent Advisory Committee and the concerns raised by some of its members. Independent challenge and expert input are important to the effective operation of multistakeholder organisations, and the Home Office will continue to support these principles through its engagement with the GIFCT.

Terrorist and violent extremist activity online, and its role in radicalisation, remains a key concern for the Government. Engagement with industry is essential to tackling this threat, and the GIFCT provides an important forum for bringing together expertise from across industry, governments, civil society and academia.

The Home Office continues to engage with technology companies bilaterally and through multilateral forums such as the GIFCT, to support collaboration and information sharing in tackling terrorist and violent extremist activity online.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that leaseholders can request a full fibre broadband connection.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the importance of accelerating gigabit-capable broadband deployment across the UK. The consultation on legislative proposals to address broadband rollout in leasehold flats was published on 15th December and closed on 16th February 2026. The proposals are based on leasehold law and are applicable in England and Wales.

It was confirmed in the King’s Speech on 13 May 2026 that the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill would include provisions to create a new right for leaseholders in flats to request improvements, such as gigabit-capable broadband. This will be introduced to parliament as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact on the security of UK citizens and their families of the Houthis in Yemen.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The safety of British nationals overseas is a priority for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). We continue to advise against all travel to Yemen due to the ongoing conflict and security threats, including those posed by Houthi activity and condemn the attacks and escalation by the Houthis. Following recent attacks in Saudi Arabia, we have updated our Travel Advice to advise against all but essential travel to Jeddah, Dammam and all Saudi airports except Medina International Airport. We keep our Travel Advice under constant review and urge British nationals to follow it closely.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of 9 September 2026 to Question 21369 and of 22 September 2026 to Question 28809 on Asylum: Sudan, for what reasons her Department does not (a) collect and (b) publish data 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)

Home Office published official statistics provide a comprehensive view of the number of asylum claims published in table Asy_D01a of the ‘Asylum claims and initial decisions datasets’ and the number of asylum seekers receiving support published in table Asy_D09 of the ‘Asylum support detailed datasets’. However, the specific percentage of Sudanese nationals who claim asylum following a grant of entry clearance as a student who go on to claim asylum support cannot be calculated from this data. The information requested is not available in a reportable format.

Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. These reviews allow us to balance the production of our regular statistics whilst developing new statistics for future releases.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of renters being excluded from proposed measures to facilitate access to full fibre broadband on the level of digital inclusion.

Answered by Vicky Foxcroft - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the importance of digital inclusion and is committed to ensuring that people can benefit from access to fast, reliable broadband services. This is why we are working to ensure 99% of UK premises can access gigabit broadband coverage by 2032. Legislative measures being taken through the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill intend to remove barriers to gigabit-capable broadband deployment in leasehold flats. Renters living in affected premises may benefit where these measures support improved broadband availability in their building.

We continue to engage with stakeholders to understand the impacts of our proposals and consider their effects on residents, including tenants, as part of our broader objective of supporting nationwide access to high-quality digital connectivity, alongside continuing to expand our evidence base on digital inclusion, for example through our new Public Engagement Survey.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department retains responsibility for the Women in Tech Taskforce and, if so, which Minister is responsible for it.

Answered by Vicky Foxcroft - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

Following Machinery of Government changes, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has assumed responsibility for the Women in Tech Taskforce. As Minister for Digital Skills and Inclusion, Vicky Foxcroft co-chairs the Taskforce alongside Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon, the Government’s Women in Tech Envoy.

The Women in Tech Taskforce last met on 6 July 2026 and is scheduled to meet again in the coming weeks. Taskforce members and officials meet regularly to develop and advance interventions that government and industry can implement together to address the systemic barriers that prevent women from entering, remaining in, and progressing within the technology sector.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of whether existing legislation enables broadband providers to upgrade all existing infrastructure in multi-dwelling units to full fibre.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to ensuring at least 99% of premises receive gigabit broadband coverage by 2032 and, as of January 2026, Ofcom report that 88% of UK premises can access a gigabit-capable connection.

The telecoms sector have highlighted that access to multi-dwelling units remain a barrier to network rollout. As confirmed in the King’s Speech, following a consultation on legislative proposals for broadband rollout in leasehold flats, measures will be taken forward in the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with his Chinese counterparts on ​ensuring that cyanide exports do not contribute to the illicit gold trade.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The illicit gold trade funds conflict, undermines the rule of law, harms the environment, and perpetuates human rights abuses. The UK is taking action: in July 2026, we sanctioned seven entities and four individuals in gold and finance networks fuelling Sudan's conflict.

As the UK is an OECD member, UK businesses apply OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains. The UK regularly engages international partners, including China, on responsible business conduct, supply chain transparency, and international standards.

We encourage all countries to support responsible sourcing, due diligence and risk management across supply chains to curb illicit gold production.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce the link between homelessness and reoffending.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Stable accommodation is key to reducing reoffending. Offenders without accommodation on release have a reoffending rate of almost double that of those in settled accommodation. Ending rough sleeping is a key priority of the Prime Minister, and the Ministry of Justice is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to deliver the National Plan to End Homelessness, including a commitment to halve prison leaver homelessness and increase the number of prison leavers in settled accommodation by the end of this Parliament.

We are taking action through our Community Accommodation Service Tier 3 (CAS3), which provides up to 84 nights of temporary accommodation for prison leavers at risk of homelessness. Alongside this, 50 prison-based Strategic Housing Specialists work with probation and local authorities across England and Wales to secure accommodation before release and strengthen pre-release planning.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce regional variations of women released from prison into homelessness.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Government recognises that women leaving prison can face distinct and interconnected barriers to securing accommodation, including experiences of domestic abuse and trauma, mental health or substance misuse needs, financial insecurity and caring responsibilities. These factors can make safe, appropriate and sustainable accommodation particularly important to women’s resettlement. Stable accommodation supports effective resettlement and reduces the risk of re-offending.

A minimum of 10% of places across the Community Accommodation Service are allocated to women, in women-only properties. Strategic Housing Specialists also work across the women’s estate with probation teams, Homelessness Prevention Teams and local authorities to identify needs early and improve access to appropriate accommodation before release.

Through the National Plan to End Homelessness, the Government has made a commitment to halving the proportion of prison leavers under probation supervision released with no fixed abode by the end of this Parliament. Regional and local data are published to support action to improve consistency and address geographical variation.

We will continue to invest in integrating digital community accommodation services, to make it easier to identify and match individuals to the right housing support and accommodation at the right time. We will also continue to collaborate with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and other Government Departments, to develop a strong foundation from which we can work together to end homelessness.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of women released from prison into homelessness.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Government recognises that women leaving prison can face distinct and interconnected barriers to securing accommodation, including experiences of domestic abuse and trauma, mental health or substance misuse needs, financial insecurity and caring responsibilities. These factors can make safe, appropriate and sustainable accommodation particularly important to women’s resettlement. Stable accommodation supports effective resettlement and reduces the risk of re-offending.

A minimum of 10% of places across the Community Accommodation Service are allocated to women, in women-only properties. Strategic Housing Specialists also work across the women’s estate with probation teams, Homelessness Prevention Teams and local authorities to identify needs early and improve access to appropriate accommodation before release.

Through the National Plan to End Homelessness, the Government has made a commitment to halving the proportion of prison leavers under probation supervision released with no fixed abode by the end of this Parliament. Regional and local data are published to support action to improve consistency and address geographical variation.

We will continue to invest in integrating digital community accommodation services, to make it easier to identify and match individuals to the right housing support and accommodation at the right time. We will also continue to collaborate with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and other Government Departments, to develop a strong foundation from which we can work together to end homelessness.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce the particular risk for women leaving prison homeless.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Government recognises that women leaving prison can face distinct and interconnected barriers to securing accommodation, including experiences of domestic abuse and trauma, mental health or substance misuse needs, financial insecurity and caring responsibilities. These factors can make safe, appropriate and sustainable accommodation particularly important to women’s resettlement. Stable accommodation supports effective resettlement and reduces the risk of re-offending.

A minimum of 10% of places across the Community Accommodation Service are allocated to women, in women-only properties. Strategic Housing Specialists also work across the women’s estate with probation teams, Homelessness Prevention Teams and local authorities to identify needs early and improve access to appropriate accommodation before release.

Through the National Plan to End Homelessness, the Government has made a commitment to halving the proportion of prison leavers under probation supervision released with no fixed abode by the end of this Parliament. Regional and local data are published to support action to improve consistency and address geographical variation.

We will continue to invest in integrating digital community accommodation services, to make it easier to identify and match individuals to the right housing support and accommodation at the right time. We will also continue to collaborate with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and other Government Departments, to develop a strong foundation from which we can work together to end homelessness.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which Department is responsible for holding discussions with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in relation to oversight of the gold sector.

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

The Home Office leads the Government’s engagement with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on transnational organised crime.

Through overseas missions, the FCDO leads international engagement on illicit gold, working with partners (including UNODC) and industry to tackle it.

Tackling illicit gold is a cross-government issue, drawing on the expertise of the Home Office, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), HM Revenue and Customs, the National Crime Agency and other organisations.

FCDO, Home Office, and government departments will continue to work together, including in engagement with UNODC where appropriate, to strengthen the international response to illicit gold.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what resources her Department is giving the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to help administer new safe and legal routes to the UK.

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

We are working closely with UNHCR on the development and operationalisation of the UKs safe and legal routes including the resources they require in order to support delivery.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether new safe and legal routes to the UK will be open to refugees from Sudan.

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

The new named community sponsorship route and the new refugee study route will open to applications from prospective lead sponsors later in October, with the first arrivals of refugees for both routes expected from autumn 2027 onwards. The refugee work route is expected to open next year.

Further details of the new routes, including eligibility requirements, will be announced in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the UK Resettlement Scheme will be open to refugees from Sudan.

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

As announced by the Home Secretary on 28 September, the Home Office has started receiving new referrals for the United Kingdom Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) in 26/27.

The UKRS is not restricted by nationality. Sudanese refugees who are outside their country of origin may therefore be considered for resettlement where they are identified and referred by an approved referral partner on the basis of their vulnerability and protection needs.

Further information is available in the published UK Resettlement Scheme policy guidance.