Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of 30 month reviews of refugee status.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The change to reduce refugee permission to stay to 30 months is the first step towards implementing the “core protection” model, announced as part of the reforms last autumn.
We are committed to ensuring our policies are sustainable and do not place unnecessary burdens on the taxpayer, and this policy is no different. We do not want people to remain on Core Protection for the long term, and only those who do remain on Core Protection will have their protection needs regularly reviewed. We will encourage refugees to switch out of the Core Protection route wherever possible into a new, bespoke work and study route to access family reunion and settlement rights with new fees and conditions in accordance with the rules of that route.
Reviews will be targeted based on objective country information, and any other new information that comes to light, allowing us to make the most efficient use of resources. We will continue to monitor staffing levels and will deploy our workforce flexibly subject to business needs as we have done in the past.
The approach to reviewing status will be efficient and targeted; we will reassess where country conditions or personal circumstances have changed significantly.
To do this we will build on the efficiencies that have already seen record levels of initial decisions being made, including use of AI, such as our policy search tool or case summarisation which are already assisting asylum decision makers.
The Home Office continues to invest in a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives to speed up decision making and reduce the time people spend in the asylum system and decrease the number of people who are awaiting an interview or decision. This will enable us to maximise our capacity and progress cases in a more efficient and cost-effective way.
Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of 30 month reviews of refugee status on the Home Office asylum claims backlog.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The change to reduce refugee permission to stay to 30 months is the first step towards implementing the “core protection” model, announced as part of the reforms last autumn.
We are committed to ensuring our policies are sustainable and do not place unnecessary burdens on the taxpayer, and this policy is no different. We do not want people to remain on Core Protection for the long term, and only those who do remain on Core Protection will have their protection needs regularly reviewed. We will encourage refugees to switch out of the Core Protection route wherever possible into a new, bespoke work and study route to access family reunion and settlement rights with new fees and conditions in accordance with the rules of that route.
Reviews will be targeted based on objective country information, and any other new information that comes to light, allowing us to make the most efficient use of resources. We will continue to monitor staffing levels and will deploy our workforce flexibly subject to business needs as we have done in the past.
The approach to reviewing status will be efficient and targeted; we will reassess where country conditions or personal circumstances have changed significantly.
To do this we will build on the efficiencies that have already seen record levels of initial decisions being made, including use of AI, such as our policy search tool or case summarisation which are already assisting asylum decision makers.
The Home Office continues to invest in a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives to speed up decision making and reduce the time people spend in the asylum system and decrease the number of people who are awaiting an interview or decision. This will enable us to maximise our capacity and progress cases in a more efficient and cost-effective way.
Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of 30 month reviews of refugee status on asylum seekers with protected characteristics; and what mechanisms she will put in place to assess threats to those asylum seekers with protected characteristics when making decisions on whether it is safe for those individuals to be sent back to their own country.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Equalities considerations are at the front and centre of our work. As required through the Public Sector Equality Duty, Home Office officials consider equality impacts throughout the policy development process, and the impact that asylum reforms will have on those with protected characteristics, is no exception. Equality impacts will be considered for individual policies as they continue to be developed. These will be kept under review to ensure that there are no unintended impacts on people with protected characteristics.
Every asylum claim will be considered on its own merits, taking into account evidence that a person provided as part of their claim, and the latest objective country information. Where it is concluded that the person is no longer at risk on return, their protection status may be revoked and they may be removed.
We recognise that there are particular sensitivities when it comes to vulnerable individuals, including those with protected characteristics, and we will always take our responsibilitiesto these individuals extremely seriously. No one who is at risk of persecution or serious harm in their country will be expected to return there.
Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will re-open the family reunion scheme.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The family reunion route was suspended to ease the pressures that local authorities and public services have been placed under due to the recent significant increase in people arriving under this route in recent years.
Outstanding applications will continue to be considered under the family reunion rules in place prior to the commencement of the suspension, including those that are at appeal.
During the suspension, the Government is taking forward wider asylum and family reforms to place the system on a fairer, controlled and sustainable footing. Further information on forthcoming changes will be set out in due course. In the meantime, other family routes remain available, including Appendix FM.
Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her 5th March policy announcements on the asylum system on levels of homelessness in the UK.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Replacing the statutory duty to support with a power, and making it a condition of support not to work illegally were included in the 5th March policy announcements. The aim of these measures is to reduce misuse of support, not to make people homeless or deny support to those who genuinely need it and have no way to support themselves.
Our intention is that support will only go to those who are genuinely destitute and actively engaging with the asylum system, not those seeking to exploit it. These changes will give us greater flexibility to take firmer action against individuals who do not comply.
The Restoring Order and Control statement set out the overall direction of the future policy. The intention is to replace the current statutory duty with a more flexible framework, using the discretionary power that can take account of a wider range of factors when assessing and providing asylum support. These factors may include:
- Whether individuals have alternative means of supporting themselves such as right to work
- Whether individuals have complied with relevant immigration conditions; and
- behaviour and conduct in the UK.
Support will only be withdrawn where there has been a breach of the rules. Any withdrawal of support is done on a case-by-case basis, with any mitigating circumstances or vulnerabilities considered in the decision-making process.
We are engaging with MHCLG and other stakeholders on the potential impact of these changes, particularly on homelessness. We will also ensure that the needs of vulnerable people are properly considered as part of the decision-making process, including the needs of families with children. We are committed to ensuring that proposals are considered carefully, so that they support creation of a system which is both fair and sustainable.
Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to The New Decent Homes Standard: policy statement, updated 28 January 2025, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential impact of the 2035 implementation date for the New Decent Homes Standard on incidence of illness caused by i) damp and mould and ii) other poor conditions in the private rented sector.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care works with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the links between housing conditions and health, including the risks associated with damp, mould, and other hazards. The jointly published guidance Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home sets out the health risks of damp and mould and the steps landlords should take to address these issues. This guidance is avaiable at the following link:
The Decent Homes Standard (DHS) is part of the package of Government action and investment to support improvements in the quality of rented homes, including implementation of Awaab’s Law, the Renters’ Rights Act, and minimum energy efficiency standards. One aim of these measures is to reduce illness linked to damp, mould, and other housing hazards.
The new DHS prioritises safety, decency, and warmth. The Department of Health and Social Care’s engagement has focused on the health-related aspects of the DHS. Decisions on the implementation timetable have been led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and informed by consultation with the sector. The Government expects landlords to begin taking action now to ensure their properties meet the DHS. We recognise, however, that it will take time to plan and deliver works sustainably. The Department of Health and Social Care will work with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to produce guidance to support implementation of the DHS. The DHS is avaiable at the following link: