Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers were dispersed in the asylum system while in the late stages of pregnancy in (a) 2022, (b) 2023 and (c) 2024; and how many of those dispersals were at the request of (i) the pregnant woman and (ii) her treating clinician.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office did not record this data in a reportable format for the years requested but has since developed a tool that should enable the Department to do so in the future. This is still being tested given the complexities involved.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many requests for deferred biometric enrolment from student visa applicants in Gaza have been (a) received, (b) refused and (c) accepted since 7 October 2023.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office does not currently publish data regarding the number of biometric deferral requests submitted or approved.

The Home Office has put in place systems to issue expedited visas, with biometric checks conducted prior to arrival in the UK for all Chevening scholars from Gaza.  We are in the process of doing the same for a group of students in Gaza who have been awarded fully funded scholarships covering course fees and living costs at UK universities so they can start their studies in Autumn 2025. The Government is doing everything it can to support their safe exit and onward travel to the UK. The situation on the ground in Gaza makes this extremely challenging.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether plans to extend the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain will be applied to (a) UK Ancestry Visa holders and (b) other visa holders with the right to vote in general elections.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Settlement in the UK is a prerequisite for becoming a British citizen and brings lifelong benefits. Settlement is also an important step in integrating and contributing to local communities and the wider country.

We will therefore reform the current rules around settlement so that individuals must earn their right to a privileged immigration status in the UK through the long-term contribution they bring to our country. We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and will provide details of how the scheme will work after that.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to (a) monitor and (b) assess the risk posed by climate emissions to UK (i) financial stability and (ii) pension funds.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) is responsible for identifying and addressing risks to the UK financial system. The FPC’s latest remit was set out by the Chancellor in November 2024. It sets out that the Committee should regard the risks posed by climate change, including physical and transition risks, as relevant to its primary objective, and consider how these risks could impact financial stability over the near and long term, including where appropriate through its stress testing frameworks. The remits for the Financial Policy Committee and Prudential Regulation Committee also make clear that they should support the Government’s approach to accelerate the transition to a climate resilient, nature positive, and net zero economy.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made to develop the Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Defence is developing a Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Taskforce to provide a clear, trauma-informed and survivor-centred approach to tackling sexual harassment and abuse, simplifying access to support and strengthening partnerships with NHS Sexual Assault Referral Centres, local authorities and specialist charities. We have identified two regional locations that will each have a small team of specialised posts dedicated to delivering initiatives focussed on prevention, education and support; these have an anticipated pilot launch date of December 2025.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) respond to the humanitarian situation in Somalia and (b) help mitigate (i) regional and (ii) humanitarian impacts.

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

The UK is a major humanitarian donor to Somalia. Last financial year the UK contributed £65 million to humanitarian efforts in Somalia, reaching over 1.6 million people. These funds provide emergency cash support, water and sanitation services and specialised health and nutrition treatment. They will also fund efforts to boost the climate resilience of communities, to mitigate the risk of natural disaster, and provide assistance for people already displaced by extreme weather. The UK is driving efforts to reform the humanitarian system in Somalia to improve impact and value for money, including increasing Somalia's access to international climate finance.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of the £120m funding increase for Sudan is going to (a) local and (b) national organisations; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the funding strengthens the longer-term resilience of communities.

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

National organisations in Sudan are leading the humanitarian response to the brutal conflict. Recognising their critical role in delivery, the UK's humanitarian programme partners with national organisations. For example, the UK is one of the largest contributors to the UN's Sudan Humanitarian Fund and the Mercy Corps Cash Consortium, which provides vital support to Mutual Aid Groups and Emergency Response Rooms who operate on the ground. In addition, through our Sudan Stability and Growth Programme, we are supporting long-term efforts to promote community resilience and poverty reduction by enabling reforms in economic growth, governance, and local conflict management.

Wealth taxes

Digital ID

Five-year indefinite leave to remain pathway for Skilled Worker visa holders

Skilled Worker Visa eligibility rules and transport workers

Global Sumud Flotilla

Protection of survivors of domestic abuse under the Hague Convention

Overseas aid budget

State visit to the UK of US President Donald Trump

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Greyhound racing

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Found: Munt Wera Hobhouse Jo White Adrian Ramsay Freddie van Mierlo Mrs Elsie Blundell Sir Roger Gale Carla Denyer

Found: Munt Wera Hobhouse Jo White Adrian Ramsay Freddie van Mierlo Mrs Elsie Blundell Sir Roger Gale Carla Denyer

Found: Munt Wera Hobhouse Jo White Adrian Ramsay Freddie van Mierlo Mrs Elsie Blundell Sir Roger Gale Carla Denyer

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