Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to his Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, whether the expansion of the Point-Based System to increase in the standard qualifying period for settlement to 10 years would apply to future applicants to the British National (Overseas) visa scheme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.
Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in the normal way in due course, and where necessary, will be subject to consultation.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made assessment of the potential merits of waiving the Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship salary threshold requirements for civil servants.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Government keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, and will set out our policies in each relevant area in the upcoming Immigration White Paper.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of the Government taking over sponsorship of migrant care staff from employers.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
It is a fundamental principle of sponsorship that those who benefit most directly from employing migrant workers play their part in ensuring the immigration system is not abused, and the Government therefore has no plans to take over sponsorship of migrant care staff from employers.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help prevent the coercive control of older people for financial gain.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government recognises the devastating impact that financial and economic abuse can have on victims. Whilst anyone can suffer from domestic abuse, we know that older victims, especially where dependent on others, may find it more difficult to recognise that they are experiencing coercive control and economic abuse and seek help.
The Government supports access to specialist services for all victims of domestic abuse. The Home Office funds Hourglass, a specialist organisation focused on the abuse and neglect of older people, to provide enhanced helpline support to victims and survivors of coercive control and domestic abuse in England and Wales. Hourglass also works with other frontline organisations to ensure safer ageing, including by raising awareness of economic abuse.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) HSBC and (b) Standard Chartered on the impact of their policies on not recognising the British National (Overseas) passport as a valid document on the ability of Hong Kongers with a British National (Overseas) passport to access their pensions.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
We are aware of the difficulties British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) status holders are experiencing in seeking early withdrawal of their pension held by the Mandatory Provident Fund in Hong Kong. The root of the problem is the Chinese Government's decision not to recognise the BN(O) passport as a valid identity document in Hong Kong.
The Government firmly opposes the discrimination of BN(O)s in this way and will continue to urge the Hong Kong authorities and all relevant bodies to facilitate early drawdown of funds as is the case for other Hong Kong residents who move overseas permanently. The conduct of UK banking institutions is not a matter for the Home Office, but I have asked my officials to raise this matter with HM Treasury.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of his Department's revised guidance on the Ukraine Family Scheme visa.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Caseworker guidance is reviewed periodically to ensure it remains relevant, accurate and aligned to the emerging development of the schemes over time.
Updates were made on 7 December to both the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship scheme guidance in line with changes to the biometric requirements, providing clarification to eligibility criteria.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the visa application process for people from El Salvador.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
The Home Office contracts two commercial partners, VFS and TLS Contact, to operate its global network of Visa Application Centres (VACs) who provide application centres in over 230 locations across 138 countries.
There is a biometric enrolment location in San Salvador, run by our commercial partner VFS, which normally operates two to four times per month, in line with seasonal demand, at which customers can submit their UK visa application. This provision is sufficient to meet demand levels. VFS monitor capacity and provide additional dates as necessary, to ensure appointment capacity is in line with customer demand. Customers are able to purchase a service in advance of their appointment which allows them to keep their passport with them whilst their visa application is being processed, if they require it for other purposes.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme to (a) further European countries and (b) South and Central American countries.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
We remain open to negotiating Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) arrangements with other countries and territories. However, as each YMS is subject to a bilateral, reciprocal agreement which also provides benefit to UK nationals, with the detail negotiated and agreed between the relevant parties, we are unable to disclose the status of negotiations as they occur. Further details of additional YMS agreements will be announced once they are concluded.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what Border Control procedures are in place for British (a) Ambassadors and (b) High Commissioners when they re-enter the UK.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
British Ambassadors and High Commissioners are required to satisfactorily establish their identity and nationality when entering the UK in the same way as any other British citizen.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with her Peruvian counterpart on undocumented migrants from that country who attempt to enter the UK.
Answered by Robert Jenrick - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
The Home Secretary has not had any conversations with her Peruvian counterpart on the issue of undocumented migrants attempting to enter the UK.