Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to provide military support to Ukraine.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As we approach the third anniversary of this unprovoked attack, our commitment to stand with the Ukrainian people is absolute.

This year the UK will give more military support to Ukraine than ever before, with a £4.5 billion boost. This will see the UK procure hundreds more air defence systems, drones and essential equipment support to sustain Ukrainian forces on the front line.

This week the Secretary of State will host the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels, galvanising international support to Ukraine.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes made to her Department's guidance entitled Nationality: good character requirement, published on 10 February 2025, on (a) refugees already granted indefinite leave to remain and (b) the integration of people with refugee status.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The previous government's Illegal Migration Act introduced a statutory ban on granting citizenship to anyone who has arrived in the country through irregular routes, a measure that proved completely unworkable, contained minimal discretion to recognise exceptional circumstances, and was never properly implemented. That measure is being repealed, and replaced with clearer rules in the caseworker guidance, including provision to exercise discretion where appropriate.

For many generations refugees who have arrived on resettlement and who have settled in the UK have been able to apply for British citizenship if they meet the conditions, and that continues to be the case. The UK must always do its bit to support those fleeing persecution. But we are also clear that we must also do all we can to prevent people making dangerous small boat crossings, risking their lives in the arms of criminal gangs.

This government is absolutely committed to fostering and supporting integration; that will be an important area of focus for the White Paper currently under development.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on tackling irregular migration to the UK.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary has made migration a top Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office priority. On 31 January, the Foreign Secretary travelled to Tunisia to see UK programming addressing the upstream drivers of migration. On 15 February, the Foreign Secretary met key European partners at the Munich Security Conference to discuss how to use sanctions to tackle people smuggling and Organised Immigration Crime.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Champion (Chair); Monica Harding; Laura Kyrke- Smith; Noah Law

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Champion (Chair); Monica Harding; Laura Kyrke- Smith; Noah Law

Found: _NC5 Laura Kyrke-Smith .

Found: _NC5 Laura Kyrke-Smith .

Found: _NC5 Laura Kyrke-Smith .

Found: _NC5 Laura Kyrke-Smith .

Found: _NC5 Laura Kyrke-Smith .

Found: _NC5 Laura Kyrke-Smith ★.

Found: Hodgson David Simmonds Ruth Cadbury Josh Fenton-Glynn Emily Darlington Steve Witherden Laura Kyrke-Smith

Found: Simmonds Kim Johnson Josh Fenton-Glynn Emily Darlington Wera Hobhouse Steve Witherden Laura Kyrke-Smith

Submit Evidence (by 22 Apr 2025)

The International Development Committee is launching a new inquiry into how the UK Government is involving the needs and voices of women in its development efforts.