Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK to set end date for imports of Russian diesel and jet fuel via third countries, published on 12 June 2026, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of Russian crude oil entering UK supply chains after processing in third countries.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The licences support flexibility in UK supply and global markets. Regulation 76 of the Russia Regulations (2019) requires businesses to notify Government within 30 days of use, due to low volumes, figures notified to Government on diesel and jet fuel imported into the UK are suppressed to prevent the identification of individuals or businesses. Notification of Russian crude in UK supply chains is a new requirement under the general licence. We do not have comparative data to show trends of imports before this.
The Government has committed to reviewing the licence every two weeks. This involves continually assessing its impact on energy supply, market conditions and other relevant considerations, against our objective to lift the licence as soon as is practicable. As part of this process, we have set an end date of 1 January 2027.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK to set end date for imports of Russian diesel and jet fuel via third countries, published on 12 June 2026, what criteria he will use to determine whether the temporary licence can be withdrawn before 1 January 2027.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The licences support flexibility in UK supply and global markets. Regulation 76 of the Russia Regulations (2019) requires businesses to notify Government within 30 days of use, due to low volumes, figures notified to Government on diesel and jet fuel imported into the UK are suppressed to prevent the identification of individuals or businesses. Notification of Russian crude in UK supply chains is a new requirement under the general licence. We do not have comparative data to show trends of imports before this.
The Government has committed to reviewing the licence every two weeks. This involves continually assessing its impact on energy supply, market conditions and other relevant considerations, against our objective to lift the licence as soon as is practicable. As part of this process, we have set an end date of 1 January 2027.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK to set end date for imports of Russian diesel and jet fuel via third countries, published on 12 June 2026, what estimate he has made of the volume of diesel and jet fuel imported into the UK under the temporary licence since 20 May 2026.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The licences support flexibility in UK supply and global markets. Regulation 76 of the Russia Regulations (2019) requires businesses to notify Government within 30 days of use, due to low volumes, figures notified to Government on diesel and jet fuel imported into the UK are suppressed to prevent the identification of individuals or businesses. Notification of Russian crude in UK supply chains is a new requirement under the general licence. We do not have comparative data to show trends of imports before this.
The Government has committed to reviewing the licence every two weeks. This involves continually assessing its impact on energy supply, market conditions and other relevant considerations, against our objective to lift the licence as soon as is practicable. As part of this process, we have set an end date of 1 January 2027.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether applicants for student visas are subject to security screening in relation to a) extremist activity and b) support for proscribed organisations.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The UK operates robust security and suitability checks on all visa applications, including applications under the Student route. As part of this consideration of an application, information provided by the applicant may be checked against a range of government and law enforcement equities, where appropriate.
Engagement in extremist activity and support for proscribed organisations are both relevant considerations in the assessment of an applicant’s suitability.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether police forces are required to refer incidents of animal cruelty involving people under the age of 18 to a) safeguarding agencies and b) Youth Offending Teams.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Police forces are operationally independent from Government. Chief Constables and their officers are responsible for determining what action is appropriate in individual cases, including when information should be shared with relevant safeguarding partners, local authorities or other agencies.
The statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children sets out clear expectation that safeguarding partners must work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Practitioners should be alert to children showing signs of being drawn into anti-social or criminal behaviour and should consider whether a referral to local authority children's social care, or Youth Offending Team, is required.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Part 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Bill, what estimate has been made of the annual amount expected to be recovered through contributions from recipients of asylum support.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Immigration and Asylum Bill introduces the principle that, where a person has received taxpayer-funded asylum support and later becomes financially able to contribute towards those costs, it is right and fair that they should do so.
Contribution levels will be designed to be fair and proportionate. The payment will take the form of a flat-rate charge, with eligible adults paying off an amount above a set threshold. Payments will be linked to receiving settled status in this country. Those who have received support and been removed from the country will not be able to return until their debt is repaid.
The detailed design of the scheme, including repayment thresholds, exemptions, repayment rates, mechanisms for collection and operational delivery, will be set out in secondary legislation. Draft regulations will be shared during the passage of the Immigration and Asylum Bill through Parliament.
As these elements have not yet been finalised, it would be premature to provide an estimate of the administrative cost of the scheme, future revenue, or a specific repayment amount. An estimate will be calculated once the detailed design of the scheme is finalised.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Part 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Bill, what criteria will be used to determine the level of contribution required from recipients of asylum support.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Immigration and Asylum Bill introduces the principle that, where a person has received taxpayer-funded asylum support and later becomes financially able to contribute towards those costs, it is right and fair that they should do so.
Contribution levels will be designed to be fair and proportionate. The payment will take the form of a flat-rate charge, with eligible adults paying off an amount above a set threshold. Payments will be linked to receiving settled status in this country. Those who have received support and been removed from the country will not be able to return until their debt is repaid.
The detailed design of the scheme, including repayment thresholds, exemptions, repayment rates, mechanisms for collection and operational delivery, will be set out in secondary legislation. Draft regulations will be shared during the passage of the Immigration and Asylum Bill through Parliament.
As these elements have not yet been finalised, it would be premature to provide an estimate of the administrative cost of the scheme, future revenue, or a specific repayment amount. An estimate will be calculated once the detailed design of the scheme is finalised.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Part 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Bill, what estimate has been made of the administrative cost of recovering contributions from recipients of asylum support.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Immigration and Asylum Bill introduces the principle that, where a person has received taxpayer-funded asylum support and later becomes financially able to contribute towards those costs, it is right and fair that they should do so.
Contribution levels will be designed to be fair and proportionate. The payment will take the form of a flat-rate charge, with eligible adults paying off an amount above a set threshold. Payments will be linked to receiving settled status in this country. Those who have received support and been removed from the country will not be able to return until their debt is repaid.
The detailed design of the scheme, including repayment thresholds, exemptions, repayment rates, mechanisms for collection and operational delivery, will be set out in secondary legislation. Draft regulations will be shared during the passage of the Immigration and Asylum Bill through Parliament.
As these elements have not yet been finalised, it would be premature to provide an estimate of the administrative cost of the scheme, future revenue, or a specific repayment amount. An estimate will be calculated once the detailed design of the scheme is finalised.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Part 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Bill, whether unpaid asylum support contributions will affect future immigration applications or applications for settlement.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Immigration and Asylum Bill introduces the principle that, where a person has received taxpayer-funded asylum support and later becomes financially able to contribute towards those costs, it is right and fair that they should do so.
Contribution levels will be designed to be fair and proportionate. The payment will take the form of a flat-rate charge, with eligible adults paying off an amount above a set threshold. Payments will be linked to receiving settled status in this country. Those who have received support and been removed from the country will not be able to return until their debt is repaid.
The detailed design of the scheme, including repayment thresholds, exemptions, repayment rates, mechanisms for collection and operational delivery, will be set out in secondary legislation. Draft regulations will be shared during the passage of the Immigration and Asylum Bill through Parliament.
As these elements have not yet been finalised, it would be premature to provide an estimate of the administrative cost of the scheme, future revenue, or a specific repayment amount. An estimate will be calculated once the detailed design of the scheme is finalised.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to clause 20 of the Immigration and Asylum Bill, how many deportation cases each year are expected to be prevented on the grounds that removal would have an unduly harsh impact on a qualifying child.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
Deportation decisions are taken on a case-by-case basis, and we cannot know in advance what any decision will be. The Bill makes clear that deporting foreign criminals is in the public interest and will be required unless the individual impact is disproportionate to the public interest.
The current system allows the courts to make a decision in the case of “medium offenders” who have been sentenced to less than four years just on the basis of the impact on the criminal or their family. We are changing this so that the courts must also take account of the wider public interest in deportation and in particular the interest in public safety and the prevention of disorder or crime before making a determination as to whether deportation would be a disproportionate interference with Article 8 rights.