George Galloway Portrait

George Galloway

Workers Party of Britain - Former Member for Rochdale

First elected: 29th February 2024


George Galloway is not a member of any APPGs
George Galloway has no previous appointments


Division Voting information

George Galloway has voted in 171 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
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All Debates

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
John McDonnell (Labour)
(15 debate interactions)
John Bercow (Speaker)
(11 debate interactions)
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Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(20 debate contributions)
Leader of the House
(15 debate contributions)
Department for Transport
(14 debate contributions)
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Legislation Debates
Football Governance Bill 2023-24
(1,120 words contributed)
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View all George Galloway's debates

Latest EDMs signed by George Galloway

21st May 2024
George Galloway signed this EDM as a sponsor on Wednesday 22nd May 2024

Children's Hospice Week

Tabled by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
That this House notes Children's Hospice Week 2024, celebrated from 15 to 21 May 2024 in partnership with Together for Short Lives; highlights that Children's Hospice Week is the only week in the year dedicated to raising awareness and funds for children's hospice and palliative care services across the UK, …
13 signatures
(Most recent: 24 May 2024)
Signatures by party:
Scottish National Party: 4
Labour: 4
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Independent: 1
Workers Party of Britain: 1
Conservative: 1
20th May 2024
George Galloway signed this EDM as a sponsor on Tuesday 21st May 2024

Hamilton Academical and the Scottish Championship

Tabled by: Angela Crawley (Scottish National Party - Lanark and Hamilton East)
That this House congratulates Hamilton Academical Football Club following their promotion to the Scottish Championship for the 2024-25 season; recognises that the club achieved promotion via the play-offs in which they defeated Alloa Athletic 5-4 on aggregate in the semi-finals and Inverness Caledonian Thistle 5-3 on aggregate in the final …
11 signatures
(Most recent: 24 May 2024)
Signatures by party:
Scottish National Party: 9
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Workers Party of Britain: 1
View All George Galloway's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by George Galloway, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


George Galloway has not been granted any Urgent Questions

2 Adjournment Debates led by George Galloway

Monday 13th May 2024
Wednesday 19th June 2013

George Galloway has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

George Galloway has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 32 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
2 Other Department Questions
14th May 2024
To ask the hon. Member for Lancaster and Fleetwood, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2024 to Question 25444 on Political Parties: Registration, if she will ask the Commission to make an assessment of the consistency of those rules with the approval of a description on a ballot paper of the Liberal Party that includes reference to Steve Radford's candidate.

All applications to register new party descriptions are assessed against the criteria set out in law. The criteria are designed to ensure voters can mark the ballot paper with confidence.

The description referenced was registered 23 years ago. The Commission has since updated its approach to descriptions that feature individuals’ names, to ensure the statutory criteria which prevent voters from being misled or confused are met.

The Commission periodically reviews the registers of political parties to ensure registered details continue to meet the statutory tests. It will consider descriptions that include an individual’s name as part of its programme of future reviews.

9th May 2024
To ask the hon. Member for Lancaster and Fleetwood, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if she will hold discussions with the Electoral Commission on the reasons for which it rejected the application from (a) Kingston Independent Residents Group and (b) Workers Party Britain on registering a description that included the leaders of those parties.

Parties have the option to register descriptions which can appear on the ballot paper, instead of the party name. As the registrar for political parties, electoral law requires the Commission to assess whether a party’s description meets the requirements set out in law. If it does not, the description cannot be registered.

If a person, other than the candidate, is named in a description and thus appeared on the ballot paper, it is likely to mislead a voter about the candidate standing in their area. It would not therefore meet the legal requirements for a description, and the Commission would be required to refuse it.

4th Mar 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will have discussions with Royal Mail on the allocation of the RO postcode to Rochdale.

The allocation of postcodes is an operational matter for Royal Mail as an independent business. The Government does not have a role in Royal Mail’s operational decisions.

Kevin Hollinrake
Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
14th May 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the reduction in the level of real-terms funding since 2010 on schools in Rochdale constituency; and if she will make it her policy to increase the level of real-term funding for schools in Rochdale constituency to 2010 levels.

This government is committed to providing a world class education system for all children and has invested significantly in education to achieve that. Overall school funding, including the recently announced additional pensions funding, is rising to £60.7 billion in 2024/25, which is the highest ever level in real terms per pupil. This means that real terms funding for schools in England has increased rather than decreased since 2010.

Through the National Funding Formula (NFF), funding is distributed fairly based on the needs of each school and their pupils and all schools attract a per pupil increase in funding. Mainstream schools in the Rochdale Constituency are attracting an extra £1 million in 2024/25 compared to 2023/24 through the schools NFF, which is an increase of 1.9% per pupil in their pupil-led funding. This means schools in the Rochdale Constituency will attract over £112.1 million, based on the schools NFF. Constituency figures are based on an aggregation of school-level allocations through the NFF, and final allocations will depend on the local authority’s funding formula.

Damian Hinds
Shadow Secretary of State for Education
4th Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the reasons for poor literacy among primary school children from (a) low income and (b) other families; what steps she is taking to ensure that all children are able to read well when they leave primary school; and if she will make a statement.

The Government is committed to eliminating illiteracy and wants all children to read easily, fluently and with good understanding. Our new English curriculum places a renewed focus on the requirement for pupils to learn to read through systematic synthetic phonics, as evidence shows this is the most effective approach to early reading. We do not have plans to introduce a national task force for literacy as we believe poor reading outcomes are best addressed through the implementation of the English curriculum and the other steps we have taken to improve literacy levels for all children, alongside measures to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. The Department believes that good headteachers are best placed to support the needs of their pupils.

To boost the quality of phonics teaching, we have provided £23.7 million in match funding to over 14,000 schools, enabling them to buy systematic synthetic phonics products and training. We have also introduced a phonics screening check. The first three years of the check have enabled teachers to identify nearly 568,000 six-year-olds who needed extra support.

For pupils who do not reach the expected level in reading by the end of primary school, we have introduced the Year 7 Catch-up Premium. This funding – £500 per pupil – enables secondary schools to deliver additional support for those pupils that most need it.

The Government has also committed £8.8 billion of pupil premium funding for schools in England for the period between 2011-12 and 2015-16. The pupil premium gives schools the extra resources they need to close the attainment gap between those from poorer and wealthier backgrounds, including in reading outcomes.

The 2014 Key Stage Two results show that our reforms are already having an effect: a record proportion of children (89%) reached the expected standard of reading (up three percentage points from last year). Attainment in reading has increased for disadvantaged pupils from 73% in 2011 to 78% in 2013, an increase of five percentage points.

Unfortunately, pressures on the diary of my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, mean she cannot promise to visit Bradford.

4th Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will visit Bradford West constituency to observe the issue of children who are leaving primary school who are unable to read well; and if she will take steps to eradicate that problem.

The Government is committed to eliminating illiteracy and wants all children to read easily, fluently and with good understanding. Our new English curriculum places a renewed focus on the requirement for pupils to learn to read through systematic synthetic phonics, as evidence shows this is the most effective approach to early reading. We do not have plans to introduce a national task force for literacy as we believe poor reading outcomes are best addressed through the implementation of the English curriculum and the other steps we have taken to improve literacy levels for all children, alongside measures to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. The Department believes that good headteachers are best placed to support the needs of their pupils.

To boost the quality of phonics teaching, we have provided £23.7 million in match funding to over 14,000 schools, enabling them to buy systematic synthetic phonics products and training. We have also introduced a phonics screening check. The first three years of the check have enabled teachers to identify nearly 568,000 six-year-olds who needed extra support.

For pupils who do not reach the expected level in reading by the end of primary school, we have introduced the Year 7 Catch-up Premium. This funding – £500 per pupil – enables secondary schools to deliver additional support for those pupils that most need it.

The Government has also committed £8.8 billion of pupil premium funding for schools in England for the period between 2011-12 and 2015-16. The pupil premium gives schools the extra resources they need to close the attainment gap between those from poorer and wealthier backgrounds, including in reading outcomes.

The 2014 Key Stage Two results show that our reforms are already having an effect: a record proportion of children (89%) reached the expected standard of reading (up three percentage points from last year). Attainment in reading has increased for disadvantaged pupils from 73% in 2011 to 78% in 2013, an increase of five percentage points.

Unfortunately, pressures on the diary of my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, mean she cannot promise to visit Bradford.

4th Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will set up an England-wide task force similar to the London Challenge to ensure that children who cannot read well are brought up to the required standard.

The Government is committed to eliminating illiteracy and wants all children to read easily, fluently and with good understanding. Our new English curriculum places a renewed focus on the requirement for pupils to learn to read through systematic synthetic phonics, as evidence shows this is the most effective approach to early reading. We do not have plans to introduce a national task force for literacy as we believe poor reading outcomes are best addressed through the implementation of the English curriculum and the other steps we have taken to improve literacy levels for all children, alongside measures to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. The Department believes that good headteachers are best placed to support the needs of their pupils.

To boost the quality of phonics teaching, we have provided £23.7 million in match funding to over 14,000 schools, enabling them to buy systematic synthetic phonics products and training. We have also introduced a phonics screening check. The first three years of the check have enabled teachers to identify nearly 568,000 six-year-olds who needed extra support.

For pupils who do not reach the expected level in reading by the end of primary school, we have introduced the Year 7 Catch-up Premium. This funding – £500 per pupil – enables secondary schools to deliver additional support for those pupils that most need it.

The Government has also committed £8.8 billion of pupil premium funding for schools in England for the period between 2011-12 and 2015-16. The pupil premium gives schools the extra resources they need to close the attainment gap between those from poorer and wealthier backgrounds, including in reading outcomes.

The 2014 Key Stage Two results show that our reforms are already having an effect: a record proportion of children (89%) reached the expected standard of reading (up three percentage points from last year). Attainment in reading has increased for disadvantaged pupils from 73% in 2011 to 78% in 2013, an increase of five percentage points.

Unfortunately, pressures on the diary of my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, mean she cannot promise to visit Bradford.

13th May 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish a circular economy strategy for plastics which sets (a) targets and (b) measures for the (i) elimination and (ii) recycling of single-use plastics.

The Resources and Waste Strategy sets out how we want to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042 and move towards a circular economy. In 2023 we published the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) which set out our progress in this area and future plans.

Where the evidence supports the case, we will not hesitate to introduce bans and other measures to limit its use. We have brought in multiple bans and restrictions, including most recently in October 2023, on the supply of many unnecessary single-use plastic items. To tackle the use of virgin plastic and incentivise the use of recycled plastic, the Government brought in the Plastic Packaging Tax in April 2022.

Meanwhile, our Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging reforms will incentivise businesses to use packaging that is more easily recyclable and where possible, eliminate single-use plastic.

We do not currently intend to publish any further strategies as we continue to work on our plans laid out in the EIP.

13th May 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to help ensure that National Highways reduces litter on (a) motorways, (b) access roads, (c) junctions and (d) verges.

National Highways are responsible for litter collection on motorways and some trunk roads. Local authorities manage litter collection on the rest of the roads in England including junctions and verges.

National Highways inspect and grade the Strategic Road Network (SRN) in accordance with Defra’s Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse and litter is picked almost every day on their roads. Their activities are reported and monitored via its corporate Performance Indicator outlined in the Roads Investment Strategy. The Office for Road and Rail also play an important role in monitoring on behalf of the Secretary of State, by ensuring that National Highways’ deliver its commitments.

14th May 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing the two-child limit for benefits.

There are no plans to make such an assessment.

24th Apr 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will meet representatives of Women Against State Pension Inequality to discuss the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman's findings and recommendations in its report entitled Women’s State Pension Age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, published on 21 March 2024.

In laying the report before Parliament at the end of March, the Ombudsman has brought matters to the attention of this House, and a further update to the House will be provided once the report's findings have been fully considered.

5th Feb 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) the UK and (b) Bradford West constituency have had jobseeker's allowance removed since June 2011.

The information requested in respect of JSA sanctions data is published at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

Guidance for users is available at:

https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm

Information for Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Department for Social

Development. Northern Ireland statistics can be found at:

http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats_and_research/benefit_publications.htm

5th Feb 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will commission research on the effects of removing benefits from people and undertake to report the outcome of such work to the House.

The Department does not remove benefits. A claimant may incur a sanction or become disentitled to their benefit if they do not meet their conditionality requirements.

As with all our policies, we will continue to keep the operation of the sanctions system under review to ensure that it continues to operate effectively and as fairly as possible. We also continue to make improvements as committed to in the Oakley Review, which goes further than the scope of the Review, to include all jobseekers allowance and all employment and support allowance.

We will continue to publish sanctions statistics on a quarterly basis.

5th Feb 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who have claimed jobseeker's allowance since June 2011 in (a) the UK and (b) Bradford West constituency have not found work and are no longer claiming benefits.

The information requested is not readily available, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

5th Nov 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have refused to take community work placements and have had benefits withdrawn as a result to date.

The information is not readily available. The Department works to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity.

5th Nov 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are on community work placements.

The information is not readily available. The Department works to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity.

5th Nov 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which charities, communities projects or businesses have withdrawn from the Community Work Placement scheme.

Community Work Placements are part of Help to Work. They help long-term unemployed people gain work experience which increases their confidence, helps them to gain vital skills and crucially, improves their chances of getting a job.

DWP contracts with prime providers. The prime providers source the community work placements. All placements must be of benefit to the community and must not be used to replace existing roles or fill vacancies for paid employment.

5th Nov 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what charities, community projects and businesses benefit from community work placements.

Community Work Placements are part of Help to Work. They help long-term unemployed people gain work experience which increases their confidence, helps them to gain vital skills and crucially, improves their chances of getting a job.

DWP contracts with prime providers. The prime providers source the community work placements. All placements must be of benefit to the community and must not be used to replace existing roles or fill vacancies for paid employment.

17th May 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help tackle teenage drug addiction.

Alcohol or drug dependence is rare in young people under the age of 18 years old, although they may be drinking problematically. The most effective and sustainable approach to reducing alcohol and drug harms in young people is by giving them the best start in life, the best education possible, and keeping them safe, well, and happy.

Statutory guidance on relationships, sex, and health education requires all primary and secondary school pupils to be taught the key facts and risks of alcohol and drug use, as well as how to manage influences and pressure, and keep themselves healthy and safe. The Department has worked with the PSHE Association to develop the lesson plans on alcohol and is currently commissioning an update of the resources, to be published later this year. Current resources are available at the following link:

https://pshe-association.org.uk/drugeducation

Through the cross-Government Drug Strategy, the Department has allocated £532 million of additional funding through to 2024/25, to support improvements in alcohol and drug treatment, including facilitating 5,000 more young people into age-appropriate treatment by 2024/25. Local authorities can also invest their allocation in options from a menu of interventions, some of which include strengthening the services available to young people and families.

The Government also has an information and advice service called Talk to FRANK, which aims to reduce alcohol and drug use and its harms by providing awareness to young people, parents and concerned others:

https://www.talktofrank.com/

24th Apr 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will meet the hon. Member for Rochdale to discuss (a) maternity and (b) accident and emergency services at Rochdale Infirmary.

I would be happy to meet with the hon. Member for Rochdale to discuss maternity services at Rochdale Infirmary.

3rd Nov 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the NHS budget in England and Wales was spent on management and administration in (a) 1984, (b) 1994, (c) 2004 and (d) 2013.

This Government has taken tough decisions to increase the National Health Service budget by £12.7 billion between 2010-11 and 2014-15. During this period, the Government’s NHS reforms will enable total administration costs to reduce by one-third in real terms, to release funding to NHS front-line services. Already, savings arising from the reforms released £1.5 billion last year and £1 billion in 2012-13 to front-line services.

Administration costs as a proportion of total NHS expenditure in the financial year 2013-14 was 2.9%. In 2010-11 the equivalent proportion was 4.3%.

From 2010 to July 2014, the number of infrastructure support staff in the NHS has reduced by from 205,695 to 183,685 a decrease of 21,010 (10.3%) including a decrease of 7,488 (17.7%) in managers and senior managers combined.

Before introducing administration costs in the Spending Review 2010, the Department collected data on NHS “management costs”, part of which now forms a sub-set of the current administration cost definition.

Management costs in primary care trusts/strategic health authorities and NHS trusts as a share of total NHS expenditure in 2003-04 was 3.7%.

Data for years 1984 and 1994 is not available.

This Government remains committed to reducing both management costs within the NHS and administration costs across the system in order to reduce bureaucracy and increase frontline care staff.

12th Mar 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, of which country's intelligence agencies the official arrested in Turkey in connection with the British girls who ran away from home to join ISIS is a member; and if he will make a statement.

We are grateful to Turkey for the close cooperation on all aspects of counter-terrorism work. We continue to work closely with the Turkish National Police Force and Turkish Embassy on this case. It is the long-standing policy of successive governments not to comment on intelligence matters.

11th Dec 2014
USA
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish details of any complicity or involvement by the UK Government while Tony Blair was Prime Minister over rendition, interrogation and detention by the Central Intelligence Agency which have been redacted from the report by the US Senate intelligence committee.

The US gave UK Agencies limited sight of some sections of the executive summary prior to its publication.

Our Agencies highlighted a small number of issues in the proposed text where changes would be necessary solely to protect UK national security and intelligence operations. None of these redactions related to allegations of UK involvement in detainee mistreatment.

We did not lobby, at any level, to have information removed or redacted in relation to UK involvement in rendition or mistreatment of detainees. The UK Government did not receive an advance copy of the report before publication.

In July 2010, the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the member for Witney (Mr Cameron) asked Sir Peter Gibson to lead an inquiry into whether Britain was implicated in the improper treatment, or rendition, of detainees held by other countries in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001. In December 2013 the Detainee Inquiry published a report on its preparatory work setting out a series of questions which the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament is now considering. This Committee will report to Parliament and to the public on the completion of its work.

10th Dec 2014
USA
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government (a) made any requests to and (b) was approached by the US Senate Intelligence Committee or the US administration on redaction of passages in that committee's report about the CIA's detention and interrogation programme.

The US gave UK Agencies limited sight of some sections of the executive summary prior to its publication. Our Agencies highlighted a small number of issues in the proposed text where changes would be necessary solely to protect UK national security and intelligence operations. None of these redactions related to allegations of UK involvement in detainee mistreatment. We did not lobby, at any level, to have information removed or redacted in relation to UK involvement in rendition or mistreatment of detainees. The UK Government did not receive an advance copy of the report before publication. In July 2010, the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) asked Sir Peter Gibson to lead an inquiry into whether Britain was implicated in the improper treatment, or rendition, of detainees held by other countries in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001. In December 2013 the Detainee Inquiry published a report on its preparatory work setting out a series of questions which the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament is now considering. This Committee will report to Parliament and to the public on the completion of its work.

5th Nov 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Israeli government condemning its (a) closure of the al-Aqsa mosque and other parts of the al-Sharif site in Jerusalem and (b) plan to build 1,000 housing units in illegal settlements in occupied East Jerusalem.

Our Ambassador to Tel Aviv delivered a clear message to the Israeli Cabinet Secretary on 30 October, advocating reopening of the mosque. The mosque re-opened on 31 October for men over 50 and for women. I issued a statement on 29 October condemning the announcement of plans for 1,060 new housing units in East Jerusalem. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have raised this issue with the Israeli National Security Adviser, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Political-Military Adviser, senior contacts at the National Security Council and the Cabinet Office.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of workers made unemployed, or displaced, as a result of immigration from countries outside the EU in the last year.

The Government commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to "research
the labour market, social and public service impacts of non-EEA migration; and
to advise on the use of such evidence in cost-benefit analyses of migration
policy decisions". The MAC's report published in 2012 called ‘Analysis of the
Impact of Migration'
(https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/25723
5/analysis-of-the-impacts.pdf), suggested that "between 1995 and 2010 an
additional 100 non-EU migrants were associated with a reduction in employment
of 23 native workers".

Recently, the Government published a report on the ‘Impacts of migration on UK
native employment: An analytical review of the evidence'
(https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/28708
6/occ109.pdf). This report is a comprehensive review of the evidence around
the displacement effect of migrants on UK native employment and builds on the
MAC 2012 report.

In addition, a report on the ‘Employment and Occupational skill levels among UK
and foreign nationals'
(https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/28250
3/occ108.pdf) finds that over most of the last decade, employment levels in the
UK rose faster among foreign nationals than among UK nationals. However, this
pattern has reversed, and over the last year around 90 per cent of employment
growth was accounted for by UK nationals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will abolish the differential rates for visas paid by British and EU non-British citizens living in the UK for dependents outside the EU and make the cost of all such visas the same as the EU rate.

Dependants of British citizens from non-EU countries who wish to enter the UK
are required to apply for entry under the Immigration Rules. In line with its
legislative powers, the Home Office sets immigration and nationality fees to
reflect the administrative cost of processing an application as well as
benefits and entitlements that may accrue if an applicant is successful. These
fees apply to foreign national family members of British citizens applying for
entry under the Immigration Rules. The Home Office believes that it is right
that those who use and benefit most from the immigration system contribute to
its running costs.

The rights of EU nationals to live and work in other European Union Member
States, and to be accompanied by their non-EU family members, are set out in
European Union law, in Directive 2004/38/EC ("the Free Movement Directive"), by
which all EU Member States are bound. The Free Movement Directive does not
cover the rights of EU citizens living in their country of nationality, so it
does not apply to British nationals living in the UK. The Free Movement
Directive requires Member States to issue entry clearance visas to non-EU
family members of EU nationals free of charge.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons there are differential rates for visas for dependents of British citizens coming from non-EU countries and visas for dependents of EU non-British citizens domiciled in Britain.

Dependants of British citizens from non-EU countries who wish to enter the UK
are required to apply for entry under the Immigration Rules. In line with its
legislative powers, the Home Office sets immigration and nationality fees to
reflect the administrative cost of processing an application as well as
benefits and entitlements that may accrue if an applicant is successful. These
fees apply to foreign national family members of British citizens applying for
entry under the Immigration Rules. The Home Office believes that it is right
that those who use and benefit most from the immigration system contribute to
its running costs.

The rights of EU nationals to live and work in other European Union Member
States, and to be accompanied by their non-EU family members, are set out in
European Union law, in Directive 2004/38/EC ("the Free Movement Directive"), by
which all EU Member States are bound. The Free Movement Directive does not
cover the rights of EU citizens living in their country of nationality, so it
does not apply to British nationals living in the UK. The Free Movement
Directive requires Member States to issue entry clearance visas to non-EU
family members of EU nationals free of charge.

7th May 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to the public purse has been of the UK's (a) participation in Operation Prosperity Guardian and (b) military air strikes on Yemen.

The Net Additional Costs of Military Operations will be identified and reported in the Annual Report and Accounts in due course.

13th May 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing a strategy to tackle youth homelessness.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 24417 on 8 May 2024.

1st May 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of mould in the (a) owner-occupied, (b) private rented and (c) social rented sector.

As set out in my answer to Question UIN 24168 on 3 May 2024, the English Housing Survey sets out levels of damp and mould in all tenures of residential accommodation. Details are available online.

For more information on the health impacts of damp and mould in homes, please see our consolidated guidance developed with the Department of Health and Social Care. It can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/damp-and-mould-understanding-and-addressing-the-health-risks-for-rented-housing-providers.

Following the tragic death of the two-year-old Awaab Ishak, due to the appalling housing conditions that Awaab Ishak and his family had to live in, the Secretary of State summoned the leadership of their landlord, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, to explain why such catastrophic failures had been allowed to happen. The Government has also legislated for ‘Awaab’s law’, introduced via the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023.

In his written statement of 9 January 2024 (HCWS174) the Secretary of State launched a consultation on how ‘Awaab’s law’ will operate in practice, including the specific requirements on social landlords. The consultation closed on 5 March 2024 and we are analysing the responses. Once this has been completed, we will bring forward secondary legislation as soon as possible.

The department, last year, provided £15 million of funding to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to tackle the worst cases of damp and mould. They have now completed improvements to around 4,000 homes.