Asked by: Lizzi Collinge (Labour - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the guidance entitled Skilled Worker visa: minimum salary if you’re under 26, studying, training or in a postdoctoral role, last updated on 22 July 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increasing the salary threshold for the skilled worker visa for people under the age of 26 on (a) young professionals, (b) regional employers and (c) graduate visa holders seeking to transition to skilled worker status.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
As set out in the Immigration White Paper ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’, published on 12 May, this Government’s approach is to link migration policy and visa controls to skills and labour market policies, so that immigration is not used as an alternative to training or tackling workforce problems in the UK.
It is our intention to publish an Impact Assessment at the earliest opportunity. A technical annex (www.gov.uk/government/publications/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-white-paper/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-technical-annex) was published alongside the Immigration White Paper setting out the impact of some of the key policy changes.
The Graduate route is designed to allow UK graduates time to work, or look for work, for a set period after completing their studies. It does not guarantee progression to the Skilled Worker route, for which an individual would need to find higher skilled, higher salaried employment after graduation and meet the requirements in place at the time they make their Skilled Worker application.
On 2 July we asked the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to advise on future salary requirements for Skilled Worker visas. We expect the MAC to respond around the end of the year.
Asked by: Lizzi Collinge (Labour - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies on the rights of asylum seekers to work of the approach taken in Belgium.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Those who claim asylum in the UK can apply for permission to work in the UK if their claim has been outstanding for 12 months or more, through no fault of their own.
Allowing asylum seekers the right to work sooner could enable migrants to bypass established work visa routes, and may act as an incentive for people to travel here illegally via dangerous routes.
Our policy responds to circumstances unique to the UK and must complement our wider asylum and immigration system.
Asked by: Lizzi Collinge (Labour - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a bespoke skilled worker visa route for people working on NI-GB ferries.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Immigration White paper, published 12 May, set out proposed reforms in a number of areas including raising the skills threshold to RQF level 6 and for RQF levels 3-5 roles, with time-limited and conditional access to the immigration system only to be provided if the Migration Advisory Committee are content there is an effective workforce strategy in place. Further details will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Lizzi Collinge (Labour - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to resume processing indefinite leave to remain applications from Syrian nationals that have been paused.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Following the fall of the Assad regime, the Home Office withdrew the Country Policy Information Notes and guidance relating to Syria and has temporarily paused all asylum interviews and decisions.
Settlement Protection applications from Syrian nationals who are trying to obtain indefinite leave to remain in the UK are also subject to the pause.
The decision to pause was, and remains, a necessary step. As long as there is no stable, objective information on which to base an accurate assessment of a claimant’s risk on return to Syria, we are unable to make robust, reliable decisions on claims for international protection.
Settlement in the UK is a privilege, not an automatic right. Given the need for protection may be temporary, a safe return review is carried out on every application for settlement on a protection route to determine and confirm the need for protection is continuing.
We will keep this pause under constant review.
Asked by: Lizzi Collinge (Labour - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to resume decision-making on applications for indefinite leave to remain from Syrian nationals resettled under the Community Sponsorship Scheme.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Following the fall of the Assad regime, the Home Office withdrew the Country Policy Information Notes and guidance relating to Syria and has temporarily paused all asylum interviews and decisions.
Settlement Protection applications from Syrian nationals are also subject to the pause, and this includes indefinite leave to remain applications from Syrian nationals resettled under the Community Sponsorship Scheme.
The decision to pause was, and remains, a necessary step. As long as there is no stable, objective information on which to base an accurate assessment of a claimant’s risk on return to Syria, we are unable to make robust, reliable decisions on claims for international protection.
Settlement in the UK is a privilege, not an automatic right. Given the need for protection may be temporary, a safe return review is carried out on every application for settlement on a protection route to determine and confirm the need for protection is continuing.
Asked by: Lizzi Collinge (Labour - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will include measures on (a) the legal use of, (b) enforcement of and (c) education on the risks of using (i) e-bikes, (ii) e-scooters and (iii) similar vehicles in the Crime and Policing Bill.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission to take back our streets. The Government will give police the powers they need to tackle the dangerous and antisocial use of e-vehicles off the streets for good, so that they will be able to quickly destroy those that they seize from offenders. We will set out more information in due course.
Information on the risks of using electric vehicles is available at: E-cycle and e-scooter batteries: managing fire risk for premises - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and more detailed guidance is available at: www.gov.uk/government/news/new-guidance-to-enhance-e-bike-and-e-scooter-safety.