Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has (a) issued guidance to local police forces regarding engaging with the non-profit Enough and their work in universities and (b) engaged with that non-profit directly.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government is aware of self-swabbing kits being promoted, predominantly to university students, for the purposes of collecting and storing evidence following a sexual offence.
We recommend that victims of sexual violence attend a Sexual Assault Referral Centre, where trained clinicians can provide holistic care and forensic evidence can be collected in accordance with established standards.
The Home Office has not issued guidance to police forces regarding engaging with organisations promoting self-swabbing kits. The Home Office has corresponded with Enough.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers are trained in Respect Orders in each police force across the UK.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Respect Orders commenced on 26 October across England and Wales. The Home Office does not centrally hold data on the number of police officers trained in the use of Respect Orders in each police force in England and Wales.
Updated statutory guidance on anti-social behaviour was published by this Government on 6 October 2026, ahead of the commencement of Respect Orders on 26 October. The guidance provides police, local authorities, housing providers and other practitioners with clear operational guidance on the use of the strengthened anti-social behaviour framework, including Respect Orders.
Additionally, the College of Policing chaired knowledge sharing events prior to the rollout of Respect Orders, enabling police officers to familiarise themselves with the legislative change before commencement.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to re-start ministerial drop-ins to raise urgent casework.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Ministerial casework surgeries are held regularly.
Urgent casework can also be raised with the Department at any time through either the MP Urgent Inbox or directly with Home Office Ministers.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to increase the enforcement of standard EPAC limits for E-bikes.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Enforcement of Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC) limits is a matter for operationally independent police forces. Police have powers to take action against e-bikes that exceed the EAPC legal limits. It is for Chief Constables, rather than the Home Office, to determine how these powers are deployed in response to local priorities.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to protect and preserve police officer rest days and prevent cancelled annual leave to prevent burnout amongst officers.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Decisions on the allocation of resources are the responsibility of Chief Constables according to local operational needs. We would expect that impact on officer health and wellbeing is considered when making any such decisions, in accordance with the statutory duties that all employers have to protect the health, safety and welfare of their workforce.
This Government remains firmly committed to supporting the wellbeing of police officers and staff. We have committed to strengthening the Police Covenant through legislation to ensure that officers have access to appropriate support in key areas such as mental health, physical protection, and support for their families.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the proposed earned settlement framework will apply to individuals who entered the UK on a Youth Mobility Scheme visa and subsequently switched to a Skilled Worker visa, and whether time spent on the Youth Mobility Scheme route will count towards their qualifying period for settlement.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. The consultation included questions on the treatment of public service occupations, previous residence under temporary routes and transitional arrangements under the future system.
We received over 200,000 responses and are now in the process of carefully considering the feedback received. The proposals set out fundamental reform of the settlement system and it is right that we take the time needed to consider the impacts. For this reason, I am unable to commit to when we will respond to the consultation.
The government recognises the valuable role of those who are working in vital public services. The command paper set out the proposal that there should be a shorter pathway to settlement for those who are working in vital public services. The occupations which qualify for this reduction will be determined once the analysis of the consultation responses has been completed.
There are almost 70 different routes within the Immigration Rules, approximately 40 lead to settlement. As part of these proposals, we are not changing which routes contribute to the qualifying period for settlement.
The consultation also sought views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. Transitional arrangements may be designed to ease the impact of policy change; however no final decisions have been made.
The final model will also be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether time spent lawfully resident in the UK on a Youth Mobility Scheme visa will count towards the qualifying period for settlement under the proposed earned settlement framework.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. The consultation included questions on the treatment of public service occupations, previous residence under temporary routes and transitional arrangements under the future system.
We received over 200,000 responses and are now in the process of carefully considering the feedback received. The proposals set out fundamental reform of the settlement system and it is right that we take the time needed to consider the impacts. For this reason, I am unable to commit to when we will respond to the consultation.
The government recognises the valuable role of those who are working in vital public services. The command paper set out the proposal that there should be a shorter pathway to settlement for those who are working in vital public services. The occupations which qualify for this reduction will be determined once the analysis of the consultation responses has been completed.
There are almost 70 different routes within the Immigration Rules, approximately 40 lead to settlement. As part of these proposals, we are not changing which routes contribute to the qualifying period for settlement.
The consultation also sought views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. Transitional arrangements may be designed to ease the impact of policy change; however no final decisions have been made.
The final model will also be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the immigration route on which an individual has previously been resident in the UK will be a relevant consideration under the proposed earned settlement framework.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. The consultation included questions on the treatment of public service occupations, previous residence under temporary routes and transitional arrangements under the future system.
We received over 200,000 responses and are now in the process of carefully considering the feedback received. The proposals set out fundamental reform of the settlement system and it is right that we take the time needed to consider the impacts. For this reason, I am unable to commit to when we will respond to the consultation.
The government recognises the valuable role of those who are working in vital public services. The command paper set out the proposal that there should be a shorter pathway to settlement for those who are working in vital public services. The occupations which qualify for this reduction will be determined once the analysis of the consultation responses has been completed.
There are almost 70 different routes within the Immigration Rules, approximately 40 lead to settlement. As part of these proposals, we are not changing which routes contribute to the qualifying period for settlement.
The consultation also sought views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. Transitional arrangements may be designed to ease the impact of policy change; however no final decisions have been made.
The final model will also be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether existing Skilled Worker visa holders who are currently on a five-year pathway to indefinite leave to remain will be eligible for transitional arrangements allowing them to qualify for settlement under the rules in place when they commenced that pathway.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. The consultation included questions on the treatment of public service occupations, previous residence under temporary routes and transitional arrangements under the future system.
We received over 200,000 responses and are now in the process of carefully considering the feedback received. The proposals set out fundamental reform of the settlement system and it is right that we take the time needed to consider the impacts. For this reason, I am unable to commit to when we will respond to the consultation.
The government recognises the valuable role of those who are working in vital public services. The command paper set out the proposal that there should be a shorter pathway to settlement for those who are working in vital public services. The occupations which qualify for this reduction will be determined once the analysis of the consultation responses has been completed.
There are almost 70 different routes within the Immigration Rules, approximately 40 lead to settlement. As part of these proposals, we are not changing which routes contribute to the qualifying period for settlement.
The consultation also sought views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. Transitional arrangements may be designed to ease the impact of policy change; however no final decisions have been made.
The final model will also be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether long-term employment in the UK Civil Service will be recognised as a contribution for the purposes of qualifying for accelerated settlement under the proposed earned settlement framework.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. The consultation included questions on the treatment of public service occupations, previous residence under temporary routes and transitional arrangements under the future system.
We received over 200,000 responses and are now in the process of carefully considering the feedback received. The proposals set out fundamental reform of the settlement system and it is right that we take the time needed to consider the impacts. For this reason, I am unable to commit to when we will respond to the consultation.
The government recognises the valuable role of those who are working in vital public services. The command paper set out the proposal that there should be a shorter pathway to settlement for those who are working in vital public services. The occupations which qualify for this reduction will be determined once the analysis of the consultation responses has been completed.
There are almost 70 different routes within the Immigration Rules, approximately 40 lead to settlement. As part of these proposals, we are not changing which routes contribute to the qualifying period for settlement.
The consultation also sought views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. Transitional arrangements may be designed to ease the impact of policy change; however no final decisions have been made.
The final model will also be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.