Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many residential burglaries were recorded in England and Wales in each year since 2015; how many of those resulted in an (a) charge or (b) summons.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on the offences and investigative outcomes recorded by the police in England and Wales on a quarterly basis, including burglary, which can be accessed here:

Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables - GOV.UK

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) charge and (b) clear-up rate for residential burglaries was by police force area in the most recent year for which data is available.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on the offences and investigative outcomes recorded by the police in England and Wales on a quarterly basis, including burglary, which can be accessed here:

Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables - GOV.UK

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) charge, (b) summons and (c) clear-up rate was for residential burglaries in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on the offences and investigative outcomes recorded by the police in England and Wales on a quarterly basis, including burglary, which can be accessed here:

Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables - GOV.UK

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) offences, (b) cautions and (c) prosecutions have been recorded for civilian possession of (i) pepper spray, (ii) PAVA and (iii) other incapacitant substances under the Firearms Act 1968 in each year since 2015.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold any data on the number or proportion of police officers in England and Wales that were authorised to carry Conducted Energy Devices or PAVA. However, to ensure transparency and accountability around police use of force, Home Office publishes annual statistics on police use of force.

The published data includes official statistics in development on the number of use of force reports that recorded that a Conducted Energy Device (Taser) was readily available for use during the incident. It is important to note that this data will only account for where a Taser was carried by an officer during a use of force incident and will not account for all instances in which police were deployed with Taser. The latest available data can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-use-of-force-statistics

This publication also includes information on the number of times a Taser was recorded as a tactic (both discharge and non-discharge uses). Data are available by calendar year for 2015 and 2016 and by financial year from the year ending 31 March 2018. The latest available data can be accessed at the link above.

Decisions around the number of Taser trained officers within a police force are operational decisions for Chief Officers to determine in line with their assessment of threat and risk.

The Home Office collects information on the number of offences and their investigative outcomes recorded under a broad category of ‘possessing or distributing prohibited weapons designed for discharge of noxious substances etc.’. However, it is not possible to separate identify possession offences and the type of substance related to these offences.

Table: the number of offences, charge/summons and cautions for the offence ‘Possessing Or Distributing Prohibited Weapons Designed For Discharge Of Noxious Liquid’, 2015/16 to the year ending June 2025, England and Wales (excluding Humberside police).

Note – figures are for England and Wales, excluding Humberside police who were unable to provide figures to the Home Office Data Hub for this period.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers (a) carried and (b) deployed a taser in each year since 2015; and if she will publish the latest aggregated dataset.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold any data on the number or proportion of police officers in England and Wales that were authorised to carry Conducted Energy Devices or PAVA. However, to ensure transparency and accountability around police use of force, Home Office publishes annual statistics on police use of force.

The published data includes official statistics in development on the number of use of force reports that recorded that a Conducted Energy Device (Taser) was readily available for use during the incident. It is important to note that this data will only account for where a Taser was carried by an officer during a use of force incident and will not account for all instances in which police were deployed with Taser. The latest available data can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-use-of-force-statistics

This publication also includes information on the number of times a Taser was recorded as a tactic (both discharge and non-discharge uses). Data are available by calendar year for 2015 and 2016 and by financial year from the year ending 31 March 2018. The latest available data can be accessed at the link above.

Decisions around the number of Taser trained officers within a police force are operational decisions for Chief Officers to determine in line with their assessment of threat and risk.

The Home Office collects information on the number of offences and their investigative outcomes recorded under a broad category of ‘possessing or distributing prohibited weapons designed for discharge of noxious substances etc.’. However, it is not possible to separate identify possession offences and the type of substance related to these offences.

Table: the number of offences, charge/summons and cautions for the offence ‘Possessing Or Distributing Prohibited Weapons Designed For Discharge Of Noxious Liquid’, 2015/16 to the year ending June 2025, England and Wales (excluding Humberside police).

Note – figures are for England and Wales, excluding Humberside police who were unable to provide figures to the Home Office Data Hub for this period.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of police officers in England and Wales were authorised to carry Conducted Energy Devices in each year since 2015.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold any data on the number or proportion of police officers in England and Wales that were authorised to carry Conducted Energy Devices or PAVA. However, to ensure transparency and accountability around police use of force, Home Office publishes annual statistics on police use of force.

The published data includes official statistics in development on the number of use of force reports that recorded that a Conducted Energy Device (Taser) was readily available for use during the incident. It is important to note that this data will only account for where a Taser was carried by an officer during a use of force incident and will not account for all instances in which police were deployed with Taser. The latest available data can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-use-of-force-statistics

This publication also includes information on the number of times a Taser was recorded as a tactic (both discharge and non-discharge uses). Data are available by calendar year for 2015 and 2016 and by financial year from the year ending 31 March 2018. The latest available data can be accessed at the link above.

Decisions around the number of Taser trained officers within a police force are operational decisions for Chief Officers to determine in line with their assessment of threat and risk.

The Home Office collects information on the number of offences and their investigative outcomes recorded under a broad category of ‘possessing or distributing prohibited weapons designed for discharge of noxious substances etc.’. However, it is not possible to separate identify possession offences and the type of substance related to these offences.

Table: the number of offences, charge/summons and cautions for the offence ‘Possessing Or Distributing Prohibited Weapons Designed For Discharge Of Noxious Liquid’, 2015/16 to the year ending June 2025, England and Wales (excluding Humberside police).

Note – figures are for England and Wales, excluding Humberside police who were unable to provide figures to the Home Office Data Hub for this period.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will regularly publish a single national table showing annual totals for (a) officers authorised to carry tasers, (b) officers authorised to carry PAVA/CS, (c) officers carrying or deploying Tasers and (d) civilian prosecutions for possession of incapacitant sprays.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold any data on the number or proportion of police officers in England and Wales that were authorised to carry Conducted Energy Devices or PAVA. However, to ensure transparency and accountability around police use of force, Home Office publishes annual statistics on police use of force.

The published data includes official statistics in development on the number of use of force reports that recorded that a Conducted Energy Device (Taser) was readily available for use during the incident. It is important to note that this data will only account for where a Taser was carried by an officer during a use of force incident and will not account for all instances in which police were deployed with Taser. The latest available data can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-use-of-force-statistics

This publication also includes information on the number of times a Taser was recorded as a tactic (both discharge and non-discharge uses). Data are available by calendar year for 2015 and 2016 and by financial year from the year ending 31 March 2018. The latest available data can be accessed at the link above.

Decisions around the number of Taser trained officers within a police force are operational decisions for Chief Officers to determine in line with their assessment of threat and risk.

The Home Office collects information on the number of offences and their investigative outcomes recorded under a broad category of ‘possessing or distributing prohibited weapons designed for discharge of noxious substances etc.’. However, it is not possible to separate identify possession offences and the type of substance related to these offences.

Table: the number of offences, charge/summons and cautions for the offence ‘Possessing Or Distributing Prohibited Weapons Designed For Discharge Of Noxious Liquid’, 2015/16 to the year ending June 2025, England and Wales (excluding Humberside police).

Note – figures are for England and Wales, excluding Humberside police who were unable to provide figures to the Home Office Data Hub for this period.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many complaints the NHS has received on language issues in each of the last five years.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Data on written complaints in the National Health Service is published annually and is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/data-on-written-complaints-in-the-nhs

The data collection is a count of written complaints made by, or on behalf of, patients. It does not include a category specifically on complaints involving language issues.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many e-RS communications were sent to category F patients in each of the last five years.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The information requested is not available. The term "Category F patient" is not a classification used within the National Health Service e-Referral Service (e-RS) for patient status or priority.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which local authorities have (a) received and (b) are housing (i) individuals and (ii) families evacuated from Gaza.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement HCWS899 made to the House on 1 September 2025 by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. As of 28 October 2025, four groups of patients have now arrived.

The safety, privacy, and wellbeing of these severely ill and vulnerable patients and their families remains our absolute priority. We will not be providing further operational details, including their whereabouts, at this stage.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) cost for translation of and (b) percentage of communications in each language in e-RS communication letters was so far this year.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England only incurs costs for changes to templates or when new languages are added. Therefore, the primary cost is associated with template updates, not per-letter translation. No changes have been made to templates in 2025, nor have additional languages been added, so no costs for translation have been incurred.

There are no additional variable costs for providing a translated letter, as an English language version of the letter would be sent instead. The following table shows the total number of e-RS letters as well as the proportion of these letters that were translated, sorted by the language they were translated to, for 2024/25 and for 2025/26 to date:

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much from the public purse has been spent by the Legal Aid Agency on (a) legal representation and (b) pre-action work challenging removals under the one-in, one-out migrant returns policy since 1 July 2025.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Information relating to legal aid expenditure challenging removals under the one-in one-out pilot is not centrally held. Although legal aid expenditure broken down by category is published on a quarterly basis as part of the Legal Aid Agency’s Official Statistics.

In order to obtain information relating to the number of legal aid certificates granted for cases which make specific reference to either the one-in one-out migrant returns policy or removals to France, it would be necessary to manually review every single application for legal representation in connection with judicial review proceedings in the immigration context. That could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many legal aid certificates have been granted for cases referencing (a) the one-in, one-out migrant returns policy and (b) removals to France since July 2025.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Information relating to legal aid expenditure challenging removals under the one-in one-out pilot is not centrally held. Although legal aid expenditure broken down by category is published on a quarterly basis as part of the Legal Aid Agency’s Official Statistics.

In order to obtain information relating to the number of legal aid certificates granted for cases which make specific reference to either the one-in one-out migrant returns policy or removals to France, it would be necessary to manually review every single application for legal representation in connection with judicial review proceedings in the immigration context. That could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has visibility over donations or grants from U.S. government agencies or foundations to (a) BBC Media Action and (b) the BBC World Service Trust since 2018.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The information requested is not held by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) collisions and (b) offences that have later been linked to drivers found to have obtained licences fraudulently in the last five years.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The requested information is not held by the Department.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has issued (a) a national strategy and (b) guidance for NHS trusts on genetic disorders linked to consanguinity.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Genomic testing is delivered through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service and guided by the National Genomic Test Directory, which outlines the eligibility criteria for genomic testing based on specific clinical indications. These eligibility criteria support clinicians to decide whether genetic testing is appropriate, including in cases where genetic disorders may be linked to consanguinity. In addition, through the Genetic Risk Equity Project, NHS England is piloting and evaluating new models of care in nine sites to improve equity of access to genetic services for the small proportion of consanguineous couples at increased genetic risk. NHS England has published training modules about close relative marriage and genetic risk for midwives and health visitors, as well as guidance on how to submit data around consanguinity and pregnancy to the Maternity Services Dataset.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many non-British people received 15 hours of free childcare in the last financial year.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The requested information on nationality is not held by the department.

Information on children under 5 registered for government funded entitlements in England and on providers and staff delivering them, is published in the ‘Funded early education and childcare statistics’ publication, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/funded-early-education-and-childcare/2025.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of internationally recruited NHS workers were required to retake the International English Language Testing System more than once to meet employment eligibility criteria between 2020 and 2025.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not collect data on repeat International English Language Testing System (IELTS) attempts or average test scores for National Health Service staff. Information on English language competence for professional registration is held by the relevant United Kingdom healthcare regulators. Any assessment data for candidates applying to join the NHS Performers List would be managed by NHS England, while local NHS trusts and employers may hold records of candidate performance where assessments form part of their recruitment process. Additionally, IELTS publishes global test statistics on its website, at the following link:

https://ielts.org/researchers/our-research/test-statistics

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average International English Language Testing System scores were for internationally recruited healthcare professionals entering the NHS via the international recruitment programme in each of the last three years.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not collect data on repeat International English Language Testing System (IELTS) attempts or average test scores for National Health Service staff. Information on English language competence for professional registration is held by the relevant United Kingdom healthcare regulators. Any assessment data for candidates applying to join the NHS Performers List would be managed by NHS England, while local NHS trusts and employers may hold records of candidate performance where assessments form part of their recruitment process. Additionally, IELTS publishes global test statistics on its website, at the following link:

https://ielts.org/researchers/our-research/test-statistics

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, to provide a breakdown of (i) the total number (ii) the age of children taken into care in each of the last ten years.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The latest figures on the number of children taken into care for reasons of court orders or police protection, emergency or child assessment orders in England by age are shown in the attached table.

The latest figures on all children starting to be looked after in England by legal status and separately by age is published in the statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions/2025#explore-data-and-files.

The table can be located at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/a70a7aef-adc9-46be-b94b-08de28d609b2.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding his Department has made available to local authorities for (a) housing (b) other support to Gazan evacuees.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is funding local authorities, in the form of an accommodation tariff, so they can provide suitable accommodation for families from Gaza for up to two years in England.

The Department of Health and Social Care is providing local authorities a fixed flat-rate tariff to fund wraparound services to families. Local authorities are also able to claim additional funding to cover exceptional adult social care, children’s social care, and educational costs.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will establish a limit on the proportion of foreign national officers that may be employed by each police force.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with national guidance maintained by the College of Policing. Forces are also expected to act lawfully in line with equalities legislation and adhere to best practice in this area when carrying out recruitment.

Police forces that reflect the communities they serve are crucial to tackling crime and maintaining public trust and confidence in a modern diverse society. A person of any nationality may apply to be a police officer in England and Wales, subject to candidates satisfying eligibility and vetting requirements, including meeting relevant residency criteria.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have been subject to disciplinary action as a result of (a) poor communication and (b) language comprehension in the last five years.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold the requested information.

The Home Office collects and publishes information on cases handled under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 as a part of its published Police Misconduct: England and Wales statistical series:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-misconduct-statistics

This includes information on the volume of complaints, internal conduct matters and recordable conduct matters which, if proven, could result in disciplinary action.

Allegations are categorised using the Independent Office for Police Conduct’s (IOPC) allegation types, which includes a category of impolite language/tone. Data on the volume of allegations and action taken, by IOPC allegation type can be found in the misconduct allegations by type open data table, available from:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-misconduct-open-data-tables

The Home Office does not currently collect information on cases that resulted in disciplinary action for unsatisfactory performance, handled under the Police (Performance) Regulations 2020.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) police misconduct cases and (b) police misconduct cases involving non-UK national police officers since 2020.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold the requested information.

The Home Office collects and publishes information on cases handled under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 as a part of its published Police Misconduct: England and Wales statistical series:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-misconduct-statistics

This includes information on the protected characteristics of those facing complaint, conduct matter and recordable conduct matter allegations. The Home Office does not collect information on the nationality of those who face allegations.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign national officers have failed vetting or re-vetting procedures since 2015.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not centrally collect information on the number of police officers who fail vetting or re-vetting procedures. This information is held individually by each of the 43 territorial police forces.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proportion of police officers that are of foreign nationality or non-native English speakers on public confidence in police forces.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with national guidance maintained by the College of Policing. We expect all forces to uphold the highest standards in recruitment so that only those fit to serve as police officers are appointed.

The Home Office does not collect data on the nationality of police officers, nor on police officers that have completed English language training. However, all candidates for appointment as a police officer must meet the standards set by the College of Policing.

As set out in Regulations, police officers must demonstrate competence in written and spoken English. We are working closely with the College of Policing to ensure that forces continue to make improvements to all entry routes. As part of this work, the College of Policing is currently consulting police leaders to assess and determine the appropriate English language standard required for all policing roles.

Forces are operationally independent, and decisions about training requirements and the deployment of officers remain an operational matter for Chief Constables.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that police officers demonstrate fluent spoken and written English before being deployed in frontline roles.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with national guidance maintained by the College of Policing. We expect all forces to uphold the highest standards in recruitment so that only those fit to serve as police officers are appointed.

The Home Office does not collect data on the nationality of police officers, nor on police officers that have completed English language training. However, all candidates for appointment as a police officer must meet the standards set by the College of Policing.

As set out in Regulations, police officers must demonstrate competence in written and spoken English. We are working closely with the College of Policing to ensure that forces continue to make improvements to all entry routes. As part of this work, the College of Policing is currently consulting police leaders to assess and determine the appropriate English language standard required for all policing roles.

Forces are operationally independent, and decisions about training requirements and the deployment of officers remain an operational matter for Chief Constables.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers recruited since 2019 have required English language training after appointment.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with national guidance maintained by the College of Policing. We expect all forces to uphold the highest standards in recruitment so that only those fit to serve as police officers are appointed.

The Home Office does not collect data on the nationality of police officers, nor on police officers that have completed English language training. However, all candidates for appointment as a police officer must meet the standards set by the College of Policing.

As set out in Regulations, police officers must demonstrate competence in written and spoken English. We are working closely with the College of Policing to ensure that forces continue to make improvements to all entry routes. As part of this work, the College of Policing is currently consulting police leaders to assess and determine the appropriate English language standard required for all policing roles.

Forces are operationally independent, and decisions about training requirements and the deployment of officers remain an operational matter for Chief Constables.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department provides to police forces on English language standards for police recruitment.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with national guidance maintained by the College of Policing. We expect all forces to uphold the highest standards in recruitment so that only those fit to serve as police officers are appointed.

The Home Office does not collect data on the nationality of police officers, nor on police officers that have completed English language training. However, all candidates for appointment as a police officer must meet the standards set by the College of Policing.

As set out in Regulations, police officers must demonstrate competence in written and spoken English. We are working closely with the College of Policing to ensure that forces continue to make improvements to all entry routes. As part of this work, the College of Policing is currently consulting police leaders to assess and determine the appropriate English language standard required for all policing roles.

Forces are operationally independent, and decisions about training requirements and the deployment of officers remain an operational matter for Chief Constables.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many serving police officers in England and Wales are foreign nationals, broken down by nationality.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with national guidance maintained by the College of Policing. We expect all forces to uphold the highest standards in recruitment so that only those fit to serve as police officers are appointed.

The Home Office does not collect data on the nationality of police officers, nor on police officers that have completed English language training. However, all candidates for appointment as a police officer must meet the standards set by the College of Policing.

As set out in Regulations, police officers must demonstrate competence in written and spoken English. We are working closely with the College of Policing to ensure that forces continue to make improvements to all entry routes. As part of this work, the College of Policing is currently consulting police leaders to assess and determine the appropriate English language standard required for all policing roles.

Forces are operationally independent, and decisions about training requirements and the deployment of officers remain an operational matter for Chief Constables.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to provide a breakdown of (a) total pay-outs (b) total value of claims to category A patients by (i) UK citizens (ii) asylum seekers for the financial year 24/25.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Resolution manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. This data is not held by NHS Resolution.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to provide the total (a) number and (b) value of clinical negligence claims paid out to category f patients in financial year 24/25.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Resolution manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. This data is not held by NHS Resolution.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of physicians responsible for medical malpractice which resulted in a pay-out in the 2024-25 financial year, broken down by nationality.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

This data is not held by NHS Resolution.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many telephone operators work on the HMRC employers general enquiries line by the nationality of those operators.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC does not have information readily available identifying the nationality of staff working on specific telephone enquiry lines. Obtaining this information would require a manual process which would exceed the cost threshold for answering parliamentary questions.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many telephone operators work on the HMRC self-assessment line by the nationality of those operators.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC does not have information readily available identifying the nationality of staff working on specific telephone enquiry lines. Obtaining this information would require a manual process which would exceed the cost threshold for answering parliamentary questions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total (a) number of claims and (b) value of clinical negligence claims paid out in financial year 24/25 were attributed to language barrier issues.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

This data is not held by NHS Resolution.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of NHS staff were non-patient facing in each of the last ten years.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The following table shows the number and percentage of the full time equivalent (FTE) workforce employed by National Health Service trusts and other core NHS organisations in England that are in NHS infrastructure support roles, which represents a proxy for non-patient facing roles, as of each July from 2015 to 2025:

Source: the data can be found in the file titled “Preliminary - NHS HCHS Workforce Statistics, Trusts and core organisations - data tables” from worksheet one of the NHS Hospital and Community Health Service Monthly Workforce Statistics, published by NHS England, and available at the following link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics

Notes:

1. the NHS infrastructure support staffing group includes staff defined as managers, senior managers, non-patient facing clerical/administrative staff, and maintenance/works staff;
2. FTE refers to the proportion of full time contracted hours that the post holder is contracted to work. One would indicate they work a full set of hours, while 0.5 would indicate that they worked half time; and
3. these data relate to the Hospital and Community Health Service workforce directly employed in NHS trusts and other core organisations, for instance integrated care boards for the latest data point, who are paid.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether UK (a) climate and (b) carbon capture, usage and storage initiatives are coordinated with U.S. federal or state programmes.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The United States is Britain’s closest ally. Our two countries have a long, deep history of close cooperation. This is demonstrated by the Technology Prosperity Deal signed by the Prime Minister and the President during his recent State Visit, which included ambitious civil nuclear collaboration.

The United States are also a key UK partner in Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage, as the world leader in deployment and current capacity, on which we each engage multilaterally within the Carbon Management Challenge and the Clean Energy Ministerial CCUS Initiative.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many overseas visitor managers are employed by the NHS.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold the data requested. NHS England publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England, which are available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics

The data is drawn from the Electronic Staff Record, the human resources system for the National Health Service. The level of detail available in the data is not enough to be able to identify staff who are locally in roles described as ‘Overseas Visitor Managers’ or similar.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department provides to ensure proportionality when police use force in (a) cases where lawful occupiers attempt to defend property and (b) other property-related incidents.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The government is clear police use of force must be reasonable, proportionate and necessary in all circumstances.

The College of Policing is the body responsible for setting out the guidance and training for the police. Guidance on the use of force is set out in Authorised Professional Practice which can be found here APP (authorised professional practice) | College of Policing. Given the operational nature of use of force, the College of Policing is best placed to set these standards.

Before officers can be authorised to use force, they must pass comprehensive training in Public and Personal Safety each year. This training reinforces the importance and legitimacy of use of force at every level.

The government publishes annual statistics on police use of force. The latest publication can be found here - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-use-of-force-statistics. These statistics have been developed in coordination with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other stakeholders to ensure there is transparency and accountability around the police use of force,

The Home Office does not hold any data on the number of police use of force reports that involved individuals recorded as property owners, occupiers or complainants.

.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the reason for the decline in the charge rate for residential burglaries in England and Wales since 2015; and what steps she is taking to improve detection and prosecution of residential burglary.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government recognises the particularly invasive nature of domestic burglary, and the profound impact these crimes can have on individuals and the wider community.

Police recorded burglary has decreased by 10% in the year to June 2025 compared with the previous year and was 73% lower than year ending March 2003 when current recording practices began. Residential burglary was down 11%, within this category home burglaries and burglaries of unconnected buildings are both down 11% compared with previous year. Non-residential burglaries also fell by 9% compared with the previous year.

Whilst the fall in the number of these crimes is welcome, too many people still experience the trauma of a domestic burglary every year, and the Government is determined that everything possible is being done to prevent these crimes from happening.

As part of reforms being delivered through our Safer Streets Mission, we are determined to crack down on burglary and other crimes that make people feel unsafe in our communities. This includes delivering on our commitment to strengthen neighbourhood policing. Through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, there will be thousands of additional police officers, police community support officers and special constables in neighbourhood policing roles, with each neighbourhood having a named, contactable officer dealing with local issue.

In June 2023, the National Police Chiefs’ Council announced that police forces across England and Wales had been fulfilling the commitment to attend home burglaries since March 2023. To support this, the Home Office and NPCC chair the Residential Burglary Taskforce, bringing together government, police, academics, industry leads, civil society groups and others to examine what more can be done to prevent domestic burglary, and to drive progress.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to police on the use of force during property-related incidents in (a) general and (b) cases where lawful occupiers attempt to defend property.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold any data on the number or proportion of police officers in England and Wales that were authorised to carry Conducted Energy Devices or PAVA. However, to ensure transparency and accountability around police use of force, Home Office publishes annual statistics on police use of force.

The published data includes official statistics in development on the number of use of force reports that recorded that a Conducted Energy Device (Taser) was readily available for use during the incident. It is important to note that this data will only account for where a Taser was carried by an officer during a use of force incident and will not account for all instances in which police were deployed with Taser. The latest available data can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-use-of-force-statistics

This publication also includes information on the number of times a Taser was recorded as a tactic (both discharge and non-discharge uses). Data are available by calendar year for 2015 and 2016 and by financial year from the year ending 31 March 2018. The latest available data can be accessed at the link above.

Decisions around the number of Taser trained officers within a police force are operational decisions for Chief Officers to determine in line with their assessment of threat and risk.

The Home Office collects information on the number of offences and their investigative outcomes recorded under a broad category of ‘possessing or distributing prohibited weapons designed for discharge of noxious substances etc.’. However, it is not possible to separate identify possession offences and the type of substance related to these offences.

Table: the number of offences, charge/summons and cautions for the offence ‘Possessing Or Distributing Prohibited Weapons Designed For Discharge Of Noxious Liquid’, 2015/16 to the year ending June 2025, England and Wales (excluding Humberside police).

Note – figures are for England and Wales, excluding Humberside police who were unable to provide figures to the Home Office Data Hub for this period.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to expand its annual use-of-force data collection to identify the relationship between the person subjected to force and the property or premises involved in the incident.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The government is clear police use of force must be reasonable, proportionate and necessary in all circumstances.

The College of Policing is the body responsible for setting out the guidance and training for the police. Guidance on the use of force is set out in Authorised Professional Practice which can be found here APP (authorised professional practice) | College of Policing. Given the operational nature of use of force, the College of Policing is best placed to set these standards.

Before officers can be authorised to use force, they must pass comprehensive training in Public and Personal Safety each year. This training reinforces the importance and legitimacy of use of force at every level.

The government publishes annual statistics on police use of force. The latest publication can be found here - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-use-of-force-statistics. These statistics have been developed in coordination with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other stakeholders to ensure there is transparency and accountability around the police use of force,

The Home Office does not hold any data on the number of police use of force reports that involved individuals recorded as property owners, occupiers or complainants.

.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police use-of-force incidents since 2017 involved individuals recorded as (a) property owners, (b) occupiers, and (c) complainants.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The government is clear police use of force must be reasonable, proportionate and necessary in all circumstances.

The College of Policing is the body responsible for setting out the guidance and training for the police. Guidance on the use of force is set out in Authorised Professional Practice which can be found here APP (authorised professional practice) | College of Policing. Given the operational nature of use of force, the College of Policing is best placed to set these standards.

Before officers can be authorised to use force, they must pass comprehensive training in Public and Personal Safety each year. This training reinforces the importance and legitimacy of use of force at every level.

The government publishes annual statistics on police use of force. The latest publication can be found here - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-use-of-force-statistics. These statistics have been developed in coordination with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other stakeholders to ensure there is transparency and accountability around the police use of force,

The Home Office does not hold any data on the number of police use of force reports that involved individuals recorded as property owners, occupiers or complainants.

.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) pre-action protocol letters, (b) judicial review applications and (c) injunction requests have been received relating to the one-in, one-out migrant returns scheme agreed with France since 1 July 2025.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The UK-France Treaty is an innovative pilot designed to deter illegal migration across the Channel. Litigation related to this pilot was anticipated and we are concentrating resources on robustly defending this so that removals can continue as planned. As of 7 November, 94 individuals have been returned to France through this agreement.

The Home Office maintains records on legal challenges. Operational details on the pilot are sensitive, and we will not be disclosing such information as it could inadvertently assist the organised immigration crime gangs that are behind small boats crossings.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has held discussions with U.S. agencies or corporations on digital identity, interoperability, or trust frameworks since 2021.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

DSIT is developing the UK digital identity and attributes trust framework to enable secure, interoperable digital identity services in the UK. Senior officials regularly collaborate with international partners, including US departments, agencies, tech companies and standards bodies, to align best practices and share insights. These efforts help ensure the UK trust framework is compatible with national and international standards, fostering interoperability and trust. The department remains committed to ongoing collaboration and knowledge exchange to address new challenges in digital identity.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many distinct (a) organisations and (b) legal representatives have lodged (i) challenges and (ii) judicial reviews against removals under the one-in, one-out migrant returns scheme.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The UK-France Treaty is an innovative pilot designed to deter illegal migration across the Channel. Litigation related to this pilot was anticipated and we are concentrating resources on robustly defending this so that removals can continue as planned. As of 7 November, 94 individuals have been returned to France through this agreement.

The Home Office maintains records on legal challenges. Operational details on the pilot are sensitive, and we will not be disclosing such information as it could inadvertently assist the organised immigration crime gangs that are behind small boats crossings.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department maintains (a) internal statistical summaries and (b) dashboards recording the (i) number and (ii) cost of legal challenges to the one-in, one-out migrant returns scheme.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The UK-France Treaty is an innovative pilot designed to deter illegal migration across the Channel. Litigation related to this pilot was anticipated and we are concentrating resources on robustly defending this so that removals can continue as planned. As of 7 November, 94 individuals have been returned to France through this agreement.

The Home Office maintains records on legal challenges. Operational details on the pilot are sensitive, and we will not be disclosing such information as it could inadvertently assist the organised immigration crime gangs that are behind small boats crossings.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many planned removals under the one-in, one-out migrant returns scheme have been (a) postponed, (b) cancelled and (c) disrupted as a result of legal challenges or injunctions.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The UK-France Treaty is an innovative pilot designed to deter illegal migration across the Channel. Litigation related to this pilot was anticipated and we are concentrating resources on robustly defending this so that removals can continue as planned. As of 7 November, 94 individuals have been returned to France through this agreement.

The Home Office maintains records on legal challenges. Operational details on the pilot are sensitive, and we will not be disclosing such information as it could inadvertently assist the organised immigration crime gangs that are behind small boats crossings.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether there has been any cost to the public purse of the (a) construction and (b) maintenance of (i) fencing, (ii) other physical barriers and (iii) surveillance infrastructure in northern France, including (A) Calais, (B) Grande-Synthe and (C) Dunkirk related to immigration since 1 January 2023.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office cannot comment on the specifics of French activity, but the Sandhurst agreement and related finances are referred to in this Press release from the beginning of the year - New UK-French action to go after smuggler gangs - GOV.UK

We continue close cooperation with France to strengthen border security and disrupt criminal gangs.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has engaged in (a) data-sharing, (b) surveillance coordination and (c) technology interoperability projects with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency since the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office strengthened cooperation with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency through the agreement of the UK-Frontex Working Arrangement in 2024. It would not be appropriate to disclose specific operational details of this framework as this could prejudice operational effectiveness. More information on the UK-Frontex Working Arrangement can found here.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people with non-UK nationality worked in the NHS by nationality in each of the last 25 years.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England publishes data on the nationality of the National Health Service Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS) workforce in England.

Data on the nationality of NHS staff includes a time-series from September 2009 until the latest quarter, with the most recent quarterly data being from June 2025. In the time series, data from September 2009 until September 2015 was recorded yearly, in September of each year. From September 2015 the data was recorded quarterly.

The most recent published data can be found in the file titled ‘HCHS staff in NHS Trusts and core orgs June 2025 - Staff in Post summary tables’, available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics/june-2025

Data on the nationality of NHS staff is not available prior to September 2009.

It is important to note that because recording of NHS nationality data has improved over time, comparisons of nationality in the NHS over time should be made only with caution.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether U.S. officials have (a) participated in and (b) been consulted on UK–Mauritius negotiations regarding the Chagos Islands and Diego Garcia since 2022.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As I stated in the House of Commons on 2 September, the UK-Mauritius treaty was tested at the highest levels of the United States' security establishment, across multiple agencies. The agreement has been backed by our key allies and international partners, including the US and all our Five Eyes partners.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether (a) Section 232 tariffs, (b) digital tax negotiations and (c) IP reforms have been discussed with USA trade officials in the context of a future UK–USA trade agreement.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK has continued to engage across the range of issues outlined in the General Terms for the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal agreed in May.

We're continuing talks on a wider deal which will look at addressing specific tariff and non-tariff barriers, increasing digital and services trade, and unlocking new commercial opportunities that benefit both nations. We cannot comment on the specifics of live negotiations.

Intensive discussions also continue on other sectors under Section 232 investigation towards the significantly preferential outcome provided for under the General Terms.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has communicated with (a) U.S. federal agencies and (b) major social media platforms on the moderation or removal of UK-based content since 2020.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The department regularly engages with international partners, including US federal agencies, on a range of technology-related issues.

The department also regularly engages with social media platforms to discuss online harms, including topics that pose a risk to the UK and its citizens. Using its trusted flagger status, the department can also refer online content to platforms that poses a risk to UK national security or public safety and is assessed as likely to violate platforms’ terms of service. It is then up to platforms to decide what action, if any, to take on content referred to them.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many complaints there have been relating to NHS staff in each of the last ten years.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Data on complaints made by, or on behalf of, patients about National Health Services provided by NHS trusts, general practices, and/or dental practices is collected and published annually. It is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/data-on-written-complaints-in-the-nhs

The data includes categorisation into broad ‘subject of complaint’ areas, a range of which may involve complaints including elements relating to members of NHS staff.

Independent bodies regulating health and care professionals across the United Kingdom, such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the General Medical Council, or the Health and Care Professions Council, also publish data relating to the fitness to practice investigations they undertake. These will cover professionals who are registered, not all of whom will be working in the NHS in England. These can be accessed via the relevant body’s website.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the breakdown was of Category F patients treated by the NHS by nationality in each of the last five years.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold or collect the information requested. Guidance on identifying category F patients is available in the Guidance for Charging Overseas Visitors in England for Providers of NHS services, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-cost-recovery-overseas-visitors/charging-overseas-visitors-in-england-guidance-for-providers-of-nhs-services

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total number of Category F patients receiving emergency care was in each of the last five years.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold or collect the information requested. Guidance on identifying category F patients is available in the Guidance for Charging Overseas Visitors in England for Providers of NHS services, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-cost-recovery-overseas-visitors/charging-overseas-visitors-in-england-guidance-for-providers-of-nhs-services

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Category F patients were treated by the NHS; and at what cost in each of the last five years.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold or collect the information requested. Guidance on identifying category F patients is available in the Guidance for Charging Overseas Visitors in England for Providers of NHS services, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-cost-recovery-overseas-visitors/charging-overseas-visitors-in-england-guidance-for-providers-of-nhs-services

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides on identifying Category F patients.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold or collect the information requested. Guidance on identifying category F patients is available in the Guidance for Charging Overseas Visitors in England for Providers of NHS services, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-cost-recovery-overseas-visitors/charging-overseas-visitors-in-england-guidance-for-providers-of-nhs-services

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what is the total value of unpaid invoices to Category F patients.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold or collect the information requested. Guidance on identifying category F patients is available in the Guidance for Charging Overseas Visitors in England for Providers of NHS services, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-cost-recovery-overseas-visitors/charging-overseas-visitors-in-england-guidance-for-providers-of-nhs-services

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 38250 on Health Services: Foreign Nationals, what the ten nationalities with the highest total unpaid invoices were in 2023-24.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not currently have any plans to reassess or revise charging categories. Introducing additional charging categories would likely be disproportionate and not aid in improving cost recovery.

While the Department holds information on the income identified from chargeable overseas visitors, it does not hold or collect information relating to specific categories of patient, including Category F patients.

The Department also does not hold or collect information on the nationalities that have the highest unpaid invoices.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of splitting charging category A patients ordinarily resident in the UK and (a) asylum seeker and (b) failed asylum seeker under section 95 of the Immigration Act 1999 into two new categories.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not currently have any plans to reassess or revise charging categories. Introducing additional charging categories would likely be disproportionate and not aid in improving cost recovery.

While the Department holds information on the income identified from chargeable overseas visitors, it does not hold or collect information relating to specific categories of patient, including Category F patients.

The Department also does not hold or collect information on the nationalities that have the highest unpaid invoices.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much income was generated through charges for category f patients in each financial year since 2018-19; and how much aggregate income identified for the 2018-19 financial year was written off.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not currently have any plans to reassess or revise charging categories. Introducing additional charging categories would likely be disproportionate and not aid in improving cost recovery.

While the Department holds information on the income identified from chargeable overseas visitors, it does not hold or collect information relating to specific categories of patient, including Category F patients.

The Department also does not hold or collect information on the nationalities that have the highest unpaid invoices.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the public purse was of the NHS Muslim network in each of the last five years for which data is available.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

As of August 2025, there are 1.54 million staff employed by NHS trusts and integrated care boards in England. Over 89,000, or 5.8%, report Islam as their religion.

Staff networks are not allocated budgets but can apply for funding to support activities which improve staff experience or patient outcomes. In 2023/24, NHS England spent £2,655 supporting the NHS Muslim Network’s activities.

The NHS Muslim Network seeks to create a sense of belonging and community within the National Health Service and provide wellbeing support to members.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November to Question 82825 on NHS: English Language, how many tests were taken, by nationality; and how many were failed.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold data about these tests or assessments. Where collected, this would be held by the relevant lead organisation for each process. For data about English language competence for registration, this would be held by the healthcare regulators. Any available assessment data on candidates applying for the NHS Performers List would be held by NHS England. The International English Language Testing System and Occupational English Test would hold data for their respective tests and local National Health Service trusts and employers would hold data on candidate performance where an assessment has been carried out as part of a recruitment process.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October to Question 81590 on Medical Treatments: Gaza, what wraparound support is offered through the Gaza injured children scheme.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Local authorities are responsible for delivering the wraparound services required to support the patients and their immediate family travelling with them from Gaza to settle in England.

This includes providing support upon arrival, urgent health treatment, accommodation near treatment locations, school placements, essential items for the children, community integration support, casework assistance for accessing health and financial services, mental health support, and workforce entry assistance where feasible.

The Government will provide funding to local authorities for delivery of these wraparound services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether Digital, Data and Technology roles at the NHS Business Services Authority filled by overseas recruits since January 2023 were advertised on the (a) NHS Jobs website and (b) Civil Service Jobs portal prior to appointment.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Since January 2023, a total of 68 staff were recruited from overseas into Digital, Data and Technology roles, sponsored by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) on a visa.

The Digital, Data and Technology roles at the NHS BSA that were filled by overseas recruits since January 2023 were advertised on the NHS Jobs website, rather than the Civil Service Jobs portal, prior to appointment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many staff have been recruited from overseas into Digital, Data and Technology roles within the NHS Business Services Authority since January 2023.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Since January 2023, a total of 68 staff were recruited from overseas into Digital, Data and Technology roles, sponsored by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) on a visa.

The Digital, Data and Technology roles at the NHS BSA that were filled by overseas recruits since January 2023 were advertised on the NHS Jobs website, rather than the Civil Service Jobs portal, prior to appointment.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025 to question 91631 on Motor Vehicles: Insurance, if she will make it the Department’s policy to collect data on (i) the number and proportion of collisions involving uninsured drivers that were caused by non-UK citizens and (ii) the number of uninsured drivers that are non-UK citizens.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The department currently has no plans to collect this data. As outlined in my response on data held about uninsured drivers, the Road Traffic Act 1988 requires all drivers to have third party insurance cover and measures are in place to deter uninsured driving.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of waiving fines for parents judged to be responsible by the headteacher for taking their children out of school during term for holidays.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

​The department has no plans to review our approach to term-time holidays. Schools can grant pupils a leave of absence for exceptional circumstances at their discretion, judging each application on the specific facts. However, generally a holiday would not constitute an exceptional circumstance. The school year is structured in a way that provides plenty of time for holidays outside of term-time. Schools and local authorities also have considerable flexibility to plan term dates themselves, and hold inset days and other occasional days at quieter times of the year, helping families to plan breaks at times that suit them.

​Where term-time holidays are taken without permission, it is right that the law protects children’s right to a full-time education. ​The national framework for penalty notices is designed to improve fairness by ensuring they are considered at a consistent point across the country, and on an individual basis, preventing schools from having blanket rules.​

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will consider updating guidance to allow headteachers to use their own discretion to allow parents to take their children out of school for holidays during term time.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

​The department has no plans to review our approach to term-time holidays. Schools can grant pupils a leave of absence for exceptional circumstances at their discretion, judging each application on the specific facts. However, generally a holiday would not constitute an exceptional circumstance. The school year is structured in a way that provides plenty of time for holidays outside of term-time. Schools and local authorities also have considerable flexibility to plan term dates themselves, and hold inset days and other occasional days at quieter times of the year, helping families to plan breaks at times that suit them.

​Where term-time holidays are taken without permission, it is right that the law protects children’s right to a full-time education. ​The national framework for penalty notices is designed to improve fairness by ensuring they are considered at a consistent point across the country, and on an individual basis, preventing schools from having blanket rules.​

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many IELTS testing centres have been investigated, suspended, or removed from the UKVI-approved list due to suspected malpractice since 2020.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangement to SELT contracts. We therefore do not hold numbers on activities in relation to IELTS.

Every application where English language evidence is provided as a SELT is checked, including that the person on the test result is the person they say they are, to assure its genuineness. Where there may be an issue around the genuineness of a SELT supporting an application for immigration leave, that application may fall for refusal. Where fraud or malpractice is suspected we have robust process in place with the supplier to take action where required.

UK Visas and Immigration oversees the centres operating Secure English Language Testing (SELT). Integrity of centres is monitored and managed via a number of contractual and operational processes and measures including that all centres must be audited and where malpractice or concerns are suspected, UKVI personnel will conduct unannounced audits of centres and ask them to cease operation where needed.

The use of proxies, and all other types of fraudulent activity, are assessed routinely by UK Visas and Immigration teams who ensure the integrity of these services. Where risks are identified swift action is taken including suspension of test centres pending investigation, results being withheld or cancelled and appropriate action against test takers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to monitor the integrity of International English Language Testing System test centres operating abroad.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangement to SELT contracts. We therefore do not hold numbers on activities in relation to IELTS.

Every application where English language evidence is provided as a SELT is checked, including that the person on the test result is the person they say they are, to assure its genuineness. Where there may be an issue around the genuineness of a SELT supporting an application for immigration leave, that application may fall for refusal. Where fraud or malpractice is suspected we have robust process in place with the supplier to take action where required.

UK Visas and Immigration oversees the centres operating Secure English Language Testing (SELT). Integrity of centres is monitored and managed via a number of contractual and operational processes and measures including that all centres must be audited and where malpractice or concerns are suspected, UKVI personnel will conduct unannounced audits of centres and ask them to cease operation where needed.

The use of proxies, and all other types of fraudulent activity, are assessed routinely by UK Visas and Immigration teams who ensure the integrity of these services. Where risks are identified swift action is taken including suspension of test centres pending investigation, results being withheld or cancelled and appropriate action against test takers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any data is held by his Department on the number of applicants who submitted invalid or forged IELTS results as part of higher education or visa applications.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangement to SELT contracts. We therefore do not hold numbers on activities in relation to IELTS.

Every application where English language evidence is provided as a SELT is checked, including that the person on the test result is the person they say they are, to assure its genuineness. Where there may be an issue around the genuineness of a SELT supporting an application for immigration leave, that application may fall for refusal. Where fraud or malpractice is suspected we have robust process in place with the supplier to take action where required.

UK Visas and Immigration oversees the centres operating Secure English Language Testing (SELT). Integrity of centres is monitored and managed via a number of contractual and operational processes and measures including that all centres must be audited and where malpractice or concerns are suspected, UKVI personnel will conduct unannounced audits of centres and ask them to cease operation where needed.

The use of proxies, and all other types of fraudulent activity, are assessed routinely by UK Visas and Immigration teams who ensure the integrity of these services. Where risks are identified swift action is taken including suspension of test centres pending investigation, results being withheld or cancelled and appropriate action against test takers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what systems her Department has in place to verify the authenticity of IELTS certificates submitted with visa and immigration applications.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangement to SELT contracts. We therefore do not hold numbers on activities in relation to IELTS.

Every application where English language evidence is provided as a SELT is checked, including that the person on the test result is the person they say they are, to assure its genuineness. Where there may be an issue around the genuineness of a SELT supporting an application for immigration leave, that application may fall for refusal. Where fraud or malpractice is suspected we have robust process in place with the supplier to take action where required.

UK Visas and Immigration oversees the centres operating Secure English Language Testing (SELT). Integrity of centres is monitored and managed via a number of contractual and operational processes and measures including that all centres must be audited and where malpractice or concerns are suspected, UKVI personnel will conduct unannounced audits of centres and ask them to cease operation where needed.

The use of proxies, and all other types of fraudulent activity, are assessed routinely by UK Visas and Immigration teams who ensure the integrity of these services. Where risks are identified swift action is taken including suspension of test centres pending investigation, results being withheld or cancelled and appropriate action against test takers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many IELTS test centres operating abroad were suspended or de-authorised in each of the last five years.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangement to SELT contracts. We therefore do not hold numbers on activities in relation to IELTS.

Every application where English language evidence is provided as a SELT is checked, including that the person on the test result is the person they say they are, to assure its genuineness. Where there may be an issue around the genuineness of a SELT supporting an application for immigration leave, that application may fall for refusal. Where fraud or malpractice is suspected we have robust process in place with the supplier to take action where required.

UK Visas and Immigration oversees the centres operating Secure English Language Testing (SELT). Integrity of centres is monitored and managed via a number of contractual and operational processes and measures including that all centres must be audited and where malpractice or concerns are suspected, UKVI personnel will conduct unannounced audits of centres and ask them to cease operation where needed.

The use of proxies, and all other types of fraudulent activity, are assessed routinely by UK Visas and Immigration teams who ensure the integrity of these services. Where risks are identified swift action is taken including suspension of test centres pending investigation, results being withheld or cancelled and appropriate action against test takers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the use of proxy test-takers or impersonation at IELTS centres overseas.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangement to SELT contracts. We therefore do not hold numbers on activities in relation to IELTS.

Every application where English language evidence is provided as a SELT is checked, including that the person on the test result is the person they say they are, to assure its genuineness. Where there may be an issue around the genuineness of a SELT supporting an application for immigration leave, that application may fall for refusal. Where fraud or malpractice is suspected we have robust process in place with the supplier to take action where required.

UK Visas and Immigration oversees the centres operating Secure English Language Testing (SELT). Integrity of centres is monitored and managed via a number of contractual and operational processes and measures including that all centres must be audited and where malpractice or concerns are suspected, UKVI personnel will conduct unannounced audits of centres and ask them to cease operation where needed.

The use of proxies, and all other types of fraudulent activity, are assessed routinely by UK Visas and Immigration teams who ensure the integrity of these services. Where risks are identified swift action is taken including suspension of test centres pending investigation, results being withheld or cancelled and appropriate action against test takers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2025 to question 81592 Medical Treatments: Gaza, for the total number of accompanying adults that have entered the UK under the Gaza Injured Children Scheme.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The information requested is not available from published statistics. Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fraudulent International English Language Testing System certificates were detected by her Department in each of the last five years.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The data is only available at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of fraudulent IELTS certificates have been identified by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) in each of the last five years.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The data is only available at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the value of outstanding Dartford Crossing fines for foreign HGV drivers.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department does not release this information on the grounds that it could prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs by undermining the collection of Dart Charge.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much Universal Credit was paid to (a) foreign nationals and (b) households with refugee status in October 2025.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for the total number of people, broken by nationality, on the Department's Person of Interest List concerning individuals involved with taking payment to take driving tests on a third party's behalf.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not capture any information on nationalities at either the theory or practical driving tests.

The DVSA has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test.

At the start of the driving test, all driving examiners carry out thorough identification and documentation checks to satisfy themselves of the person’s identity, and the validity of the driving licence and theory test pass certificate.

To make it harder for fraudsters to impersonate a candidate, DVSA has worked in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to give driving examiners access to an enlarged photograph of the candidate, as shown on the driving licence, to help the examiner decide if the person presenting for a test is the correct candidate. If a candidate fails to satisfy the examiner that they have complied with the requirements, the examiner will, under legislation, refuse to take the test.

DVSA takes very seriously any allegations of fraudulent activity, including candidate impersonation. It has a dedicated Intelligence Threat Hub to enable assessment of all information available and prioritisation of investigations, and a dedicated counter fraud and intelligence team to investigate such allegations.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 89231 on Cabinet Office: Social, which channels were (a) contracted and (b) paid by his Department in the last financial year.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Please see below Cabinet Office spend by social platform from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025:

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2025 to Question 81591 Medical Treatments: Gaza, how many Gazan children have been treated on the NHS.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Statement HCWS899 made to the House on 1 September 2025 by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

The safety, privacy, and wellbeing of these severely ill and vulnerable patients and their families remains our absolute priority. We will not be providing further operational details, including numbers of arrivals, at this stage.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS (a) maternity wards and (b) perinatal services treat fathers as active participants in the birth process.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has committed to putting the voices of families, including fathers, at the heart of the approach to improving quality, safety and accountability in maternity services.

Baroness Amos’ independent national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services will ensure that the lived experiences of families, including fathers and non-birthing partners, are fully heard and used to inform the development of the national recommendations. A National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will take forward the recommendations of the investigation to develop a new national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.

National bodies such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Royal College of Midwives have issued guidelines emphasising the importance of involving fathers and partners in maternity and perinatal care. These guidelines set expectations for trusts to adopt family-centred care and to treat fathers as active participants, not just visitors or observers. These resources are available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng201/chapter/recommendations#:~:text=Antenatal%20classes-,1.3.,NICE%20guideline%20on%20postnatal%20care

Fathers and partners can now receive evidence-based assessments and support through specialist perinatal mental health services where needed, with some NHS trusts now also working with Home Start UK’s Dad Matters project to support paternal mental health. The project engages with fathers to help them understand their baby, their role as a father, and how transition to fatherhood may affect them and their family.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff in his Department were employed in tackling benefit fraud in (a) 2025 and (b) 2020.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Since Autumn Budget 24, including the new announcements at Autumn Budget 25, the Government have committed to gross savings of £14.6bn up to the end of 2030/31 from fraud, error and debt activity in GB.

The Government is committed to ensuring that public funds are spent appropriately and deliver value for taxpayers. Fraud against the welfare system undermines public services and takes resources away from those who need them most.

Within the Department for Work and Pensions, tackling fraud and error is a shared responsibility across all roles, from Work Coaches in Jobcentres to colleagues in Service Centres. Because this work is embedded throughout the organisation, it is not possible to provide a precise breakdown of staff numbers or costs dedicated solely to preventing and detecting fraud

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has considered restricting access to non-contributory benefits for non-UK nationals until they have completed a minimum qualifying period of lawful residence and tax contribution.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

On 20 November my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary launched a consultation on proposals for a fairer pathway to settlement, the point at which foreign nationals generally gain access to public funds. These plans include doubling the standard qualifying period for settlement from 5 to 10 years, with the opportunity to reduce this period based on their contributions to the UK economy and society and longer periods for those who contribute less.

The consultation also covers proposals that benefits might not be available to those who have settled status, reserving them, instead, for those who have earned British citizenship.

You can find more details in here: “Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy (accessible)”, and in “Open consultation: Earned settlement”.

In conjunction with these reforms, my Department will consult in due course on a change to taxpayer-funded benefits to prioritise access for those who are making an economic contribution to the UK.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that individuals whose immigration status no longer entitles them to public funds are automatically removed from benefit systems; and how many such removals have taken place in each of the last five years.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Universal Credit systems carry out daily automatic checks against Home Office data to identify any changes in immigration status, and subsequently, DWP caseworkers stop claims where the individual no longer has an immigration status that permits recourse to public funds.

However, the department does not hold data on the number of benefit claims disallowed after a review.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the proportion of identified benefit fraud cases in which the claimant was a non-UK national in the last five years.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Monetary Value of Fraud and Error Statistics are not disaggregated by nationality and immigration status.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department routinely records the nationality and immigration status of claimants in cases of proven benefit fraud.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Monetary Value of Fraud and Error Statistics are not disaggregated by nationality and immigration status.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases of benefit fraud identified in the last five years involved individuals whose immigration status was later found to be (a) overstayer, (b) illegal entrant or (c) failed asylum seeker.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Monetary Value of Fraud and Error Statistics are not disaggregated by nationality and immigration status.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the value of benefit expenditure paid to non-UK nationals in the last financial year by benefit type.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish an annual breakdown of benefit fraud and error by nationality and immigration status of the claimant.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Monetary Value of Fraud and Error Statistics are not disaggregated by nationality and immigration status.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-UK nationals are in receipt of (a) Universal Credit, (b) legacy working-age benefits and (c) child-related benefits by nationality.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department publishes Universal Credit (UC) immigration status and nationality statistics as part of the Universal Credit statistics publication. These statistics can be found on https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/universal-credit-statistics-29-april-2013-to-9-october-2025. The number of people on Universal Credit who are non – Common Travel Area nationals, for each month from April 2022 to October 2025, is in Table 1 of the following data tables: Universal Credit immigration status and nationality statistics to October 2025.

The information requested for parts (b) and (c) are not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how often are driving test examiners audited to ensure they are following ID verification procedures prior to an examination.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate licences being issued.

At the start of the driving test, all driving examiners (DE) carry out thorough identification and documentation checks to satisfy themselves of the person’s identity, the validity of the driving licence and theory test pass certificate.

To make it harder for fraudsters to impersonate a candidate, DVSA has worked in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to give DEs access to an enlarged photograph of the candidate, as shown on the driving licence, to help the examiner decide if the person presenting for test is the correct candidate. If a candidate fails to satisfy the examiner that they have complied with the requirements, the examiner will, under legislation, refuse to take the test.

DVSA takes very seriously any allegations of fraudulent activity, including candidate impersonation. It has a dedicated Intelligence Threat Hub for the assessment of available information, prioritisation of investigations, and a dedicated counter fraud team to investigate such allegations.

Due to the nature of impersonation, there is not a high level at a single location, as an impersonator would be easily identified as such, if they attempted to take several tests at a single location. DVSA uses other data, such as details of the vehicle used by a suspected impersonator, to track and investigate attempts across the country.

The table below shows the number of intercepted impersonation attempts for driving practical tests from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2025. Interceptions are where DVSA colleagues have challenged the impersonator and stopped the test or a licence has been revoked if evidence of impersonation comes to light later.

Please note, practical test impersonations were included in general impersonation figures until 2021, therefore DVSA has no individual figures for this category between 2018-2020.

As a civil service department, DVSA has certain principles and processes that must be followed, and all employees must meet the standards of conduct and behaviour set out in the Civil Service code and the DVSA’s Staff handbook.

Effective performance is expected of all employees. Addressing poor performance fairly, effectively and promptly is critical to maintaining a professional service, and DVSA, as with other civil service departments, has poor performance policy and guidance in place.

The role of a DE is complex and requires rigorous training. There is a statutory requirement for DEs to undertake continuous professional development to ensure they maintain their skills. All DEs go through an extensive training regime and attend regular periodic training. This ensures they carry out all of the test properly. In addition, there is a robust monitoring system in place and DE performance is regularly assessed.

As civil servants, DEs, are required to undertake fraud awareness training and regular refresher training on this topic.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what checks are required of examiners when verifying photo ID before a driving test begins.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate licences being issued.

At the start of the driving test, all driving examiners (DE) carry out thorough identification and documentation checks to satisfy themselves of the person’s identity, the validity of the driving licence and theory test pass certificate.

To make it harder for fraudsters to impersonate a candidate, DVSA has worked in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to give DEs access to an enlarged photograph of the candidate, as shown on the driving licence, to help the examiner decide if the person presenting for test is the correct candidate. If a candidate fails to satisfy the examiner that they have complied with the requirements, the examiner will, under legislation, refuse to take the test.

DVSA takes very seriously any allegations of fraudulent activity, including candidate impersonation. It has a dedicated Intelligence Threat Hub for the assessment of available information, prioritisation of investigations, and a dedicated counter fraud team to investigate such allegations.

Due to the nature of impersonation, there is not a high level at a single location, as an impersonator would be easily identified as such, if they attempted to take several tests at a single location. DVSA uses other data, such as details of the vehicle used by a suspected impersonator, to track and investigate attempts across the country.

The table below shows the number of intercepted impersonation attempts for driving practical tests from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2025. Interceptions are where DVSA colleagues have challenged the impersonator and stopped the test or a licence has been revoked if evidence of impersonation comes to light later.

Please note, practical test impersonations were included in general impersonation figures until 2021, therefore DVSA has no individual figures for this category between 2018-2020.

As a civil service department, DVSA has certain principles and processes that must be followed, and all employees must meet the standards of conduct and behaviour set out in the Civil Service code and the DVSA’s Staff handbook.

Effective performance is expected of all employees. Addressing poor performance fairly, effectively and promptly is critical to maintaining a professional service, and DVSA, as with other civil service departments, has poor performance policy and guidance in place.

The role of a DE is complex and requires rigorous training. There is a statutory requirement for DEs to undertake continuous professional development to ensure they maintain their skills. All DEs go through an extensive training regime and attend regular periodic training. This ensures they carry out all of the test properly. In addition, there is a robust monitoring system in place and DE performance is regularly assessed.

As civil servants, DEs, are required to undertake fraud awareness training and regular refresher training on this topic.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what disciplinary measures are in place for driving examiners who fail to follow ID verification protocols.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate licences being issued.

At the start of the driving test, all driving examiners (DE) carry out thorough identification and documentation checks to satisfy themselves of the person’s identity, the validity of the driving licence and theory test pass certificate.

To make it harder for fraudsters to impersonate a candidate, DVSA has worked in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to give DEs access to an enlarged photograph of the candidate, as shown on the driving licence, to help the examiner decide if the person presenting for test is the correct candidate. If a candidate fails to satisfy the examiner that they have complied with the requirements, the examiner will, under legislation, refuse to take the test.

DVSA takes very seriously any allegations of fraudulent activity, including candidate impersonation. It has a dedicated Intelligence Threat Hub for the assessment of available information, prioritisation of investigations, and a dedicated counter fraud team to investigate such allegations.

Due to the nature of impersonation, there is not a high level at a single location, as an impersonator would be easily identified as such, if they attempted to take several tests at a single location. DVSA uses other data, such as details of the vehicle used by a suspected impersonator, to track and investigate attempts across the country.

The table below shows the number of intercepted impersonation attempts for driving practical tests from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2025. Interceptions are where DVSA colleagues have challenged the impersonator and stopped the test or a licence has been revoked if evidence of impersonation comes to light later.

Please note, practical test impersonations were included in general impersonation figures until 2021, therefore DVSA has no individual figures for this category between 2018-2020.

As a civil service department, DVSA has certain principles and processes that must be followed, and all employees must meet the standards of conduct and behaviour set out in the Civil Service code and the DVSA’s Staff handbook.

Effective performance is expected of all employees. Addressing poor performance fairly, effectively and promptly is critical to maintaining a professional service, and DVSA, as with other civil service departments, has poor performance policy and guidance in place.

The role of a DE is complex and requires rigorous training. There is a statutory requirement for DEs to undertake continuous professional development to ensure they maintain their skills. All DEs go through an extensive training regime and attend regular periodic training. This ensures they carry out all of the test properly. In addition, there is a robust monitoring system in place and DE performance is regularly assessed.

As civil servants, DEs, are required to undertake fraud awareness training and regular refresher training on this topic.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the potential risk posed to road safety by illegitimate licences being issued through fraudulent tests.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate licences being issued.

At the start of the driving test, all driving examiners (DE) carry out thorough identification and documentation checks to satisfy themselves of the person’s identity, the validity of the driving licence and theory test pass certificate.

To make it harder for fraudsters to impersonate a candidate, DVSA has worked in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to give DEs access to an enlarged photograph of the candidate, as shown on the driving licence, to help the examiner decide if the person presenting for test is the correct candidate. If a candidate fails to satisfy the examiner that they have complied with the requirements, the examiner will, under legislation, refuse to take the test.

DVSA takes very seriously any allegations of fraudulent activity, including candidate impersonation. It has a dedicated Intelligence Threat Hub for the assessment of available information, prioritisation of investigations, and a dedicated counter fraud team to investigate such allegations.

Due to the nature of impersonation, there is not a high level at a single location, as an impersonator would be easily identified as such, if they attempted to take several tests at a single location. DVSA uses other data, such as details of the vehicle used by a suspected impersonator, to track and investigate attempts across the country.

The table below shows the number of intercepted impersonation attempts for driving practical tests from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2025. Interceptions are where DVSA colleagues have challenged the impersonator and stopped the test or a licence has been revoked if evidence of impersonation comes to light later.

Please note, practical test impersonations were included in general impersonation figures until 2021, therefore DVSA has no individual figures for this category between 2018-2020.

As a civil service department, DVSA has certain principles and processes that must be followed, and all employees must meet the standards of conduct and behaviour set out in the Civil Service code and the DVSA’s Staff handbook.

Effective performance is expected of all employees. Addressing poor performance fairly, effectively and promptly is critical to maintaining a professional service, and DVSA, as with other civil service departments, has poor performance policy and guidance in place.

The role of a DE is complex and requires rigorous training. There is a statutory requirement for DEs to undertake continuous professional development to ensure they maintain their skills. All DEs go through an extensive training regime and attend regular periodic training. This ensures they carry out all of the test properly. In addition, there is a robust monitoring system in place and DE performance is regularly assessed.

As civil servants, DEs, are required to undertake fraud awareness training and regular refresher training on this topic.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many cases of impersonation or fraudulent driving tests have been detected in the past five years.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate licences being issued.

At the start of the driving test, all driving examiners (DE) carry out thorough identification and documentation checks to satisfy themselves of the person’s identity, the validity of the driving licence and theory test pass certificate.

To make it harder for fraudsters to impersonate a candidate, DVSA has worked in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to give DEs access to an enlarged photograph of the candidate, as shown on the driving licence, to help the examiner decide if the person presenting for test is the correct candidate. If a candidate fails to satisfy the examiner that they have complied with the requirements, the examiner will, under legislation, refuse to take the test.

DVSA takes very seriously any allegations of fraudulent activity, including candidate impersonation. It has a dedicated Intelligence Threat Hub for the assessment of available information, prioritisation of investigations, and a dedicated counter fraud team to investigate such allegations.

Due to the nature of impersonation, there is not a high level at a single location, as an impersonator would be easily identified as such, if they attempted to take several tests at a single location. DVSA uses other data, such as details of the vehicle used by a suspected impersonator, to track and investigate attempts across the country.

The table below shows the number of intercepted impersonation attempts for driving practical tests from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2025. Interceptions are where DVSA colleagues have challenged the impersonator and stopped the test or a licence has been revoked if evidence of impersonation comes to light later.

Please note, practical test impersonations were included in general impersonation figures until 2021, therefore DVSA has no individual figures for this category between 2018-2020.

As a civil service department, DVSA has certain principles and processes that must be followed, and all employees must meet the standards of conduct and behaviour set out in the Civil Service code and the DVSA’s Staff handbook.

Effective performance is expected of all employees. Addressing poor performance fairly, effectively and promptly is critical to maintaining a professional service, and DVSA, as with other civil service departments, has poor performance policy and guidance in place.

The role of a DE is complex and requires rigorous training. There is a statutory requirement for DEs to undertake continuous professional development to ensure they maintain their skills. All DEs go through an extensive training regime and attend regular periodic training. This ensures they carry out all of the test properly. In addition, there is a robust monitoring system in place and DE performance is regularly assessed.

As civil servants, DEs, are required to undertake fraud awareness training and regular refresher training on this topic.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has identified any driving test centres with unusually high rates of suspected impersonation.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate licences being issued.

At the start of the driving test, all driving examiners (DE) carry out thorough identification and documentation checks to satisfy themselves of the person’s identity, the validity of the driving licence and theory test pass certificate.

To make it harder for fraudsters to impersonate a candidate, DVSA has worked in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to give DEs access to an enlarged photograph of the candidate, as shown on the driving licence, to help the examiner decide if the person presenting for test is the correct candidate. If a candidate fails to satisfy the examiner that they have complied with the requirements, the examiner will, under legislation, refuse to take the test.

DVSA takes very seriously any allegations of fraudulent activity, including candidate impersonation. It has a dedicated Intelligence Threat Hub for the assessment of available information, prioritisation of investigations, and a dedicated counter fraud team to investigate such allegations.

Due to the nature of impersonation, there is not a high level at a single location, as an impersonator would be easily identified as such, if they attempted to take several tests at a single location. DVSA uses other data, such as details of the vehicle used by a suspected impersonator, to track and investigate attempts across the country.

The table below shows the number of intercepted impersonation attempts for driving practical tests from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2025. Interceptions are where DVSA colleagues have challenged the impersonator and stopped the test or a licence has been revoked if evidence of impersonation comes to light later.

Please note, practical test impersonations were included in general impersonation figures until 2021, therefore DVSA has no individual figures for this category between 2018-2020.

As a civil service department, DVSA has certain principles and processes that must be followed, and all employees must meet the standards of conduct and behaviour set out in the Civil Service code and the DVSA’s Staff handbook.

Effective performance is expected of all employees. Addressing poor performance fairly, effectively and promptly is critical to maintaining a professional service, and DVSA, as with other civil service departments, has poor performance policy and guidance in place.

The role of a DE is complex and requires rigorous training. There is a statutory requirement for DEs to undertake continuous professional development to ensure they maintain their skills. All DEs go through an extensive training regime and attend regular periodic training. This ensures they carry out all of the test properly. In addition, there is a robust monitoring system in place and DE performance is regularly assessed.

As civil servants, DEs, are required to undertake fraud awareness training and regular refresher training on this topic.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what training and refresher courses are provided to driving test examiners to spot impersonation attempts.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate licences being issued.

At the start of the driving test, all driving examiners (DE) carry out thorough identification and documentation checks to satisfy themselves of the person’s identity, the validity of the driving licence and theory test pass certificate.

To make it harder for fraudsters to impersonate a candidate, DVSA has worked in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to give DEs access to an enlarged photograph of the candidate, as shown on the driving licence, to help the examiner decide if the person presenting for test is the correct candidate. If a candidate fails to satisfy the examiner that they have complied with the requirements, the examiner will, under legislation, refuse to take the test.

DVSA takes very seriously any allegations of fraudulent activity, including candidate impersonation. It has a dedicated Intelligence Threat Hub for the assessment of available information, prioritisation of investigations, and a dedicated counter fraud team to investigate such allegations.

Due to the nature of impersonation, there is not a high level at a single location, as an impersonator would be easily identified as such, if they attempted to take several tests at a single location. DVSA uses other data, such as details of the vehicle used by a suspected impersonator, to track and investigate attempts across the country.

The table below shows the number of intercepted impersonation attempts for driving practical tests from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2025. Interceptions are where DVSA colleagues have challenged the impersonator and stopped the test or a licence has been revoked if evidence of impersonation comes to light later.

Please note, practical test impersonations were included in general impersonation figures until 2021, therefore DVSA has no individual figures for this category between 2018-2020.

As a civil service department, DVSA has certain principles and processes that must be followed, and all employees must meet the standards of conduct and behaviour set out in the Civil Service code and the DVSA’s Staff handbook.

Effective performance is expected of all employees. Addressing poor performance fairly, effectively and promptly is critical to maintaining a professional service, and DVSA, as with other civil service departments, has poor performance policy and guidance in place.

The role of a DE is complex and requires rigorous training. There is a statutory requirement for DEs to undertake continuous professional development to ensure they maintain their skills. All DEs go through an extensive training regime and attend regular periodic training. This ensures they carry out all of the test properly. In addition, there is a robust monitoring system in place and DE performance is regularly assessed.

As civil servants, DEs, are required to undertake fraud awareness training and regular refresher training on this topic.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing new technologies including biometric checks and digital verification to strengthen identity checks at driving test centres.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate licences being issued.

At the start of the driving test, all driving examiners (DE) carry out thorough identification and documentation checks to satisfy themselves of the person’s identity, the validity of the driving licence and theory test pass certificate.

To make it harder for fraudsters to impersonate a candidate, DVSA has worked in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to give DEs access to an enlarged photograph of the candidate, as shown on the driving licence, to help the examiner decide if the person presenting for test is the correct candidate. If a candidate fails to satisfy the examiner that they have complied with the requirements, the examiner will, under legislation, refuse to take the test.

DVSA takes very seriously any allegations of fraudulent activity, including candidate impersonation. It has a dedicated Intelligence Threat Hub for the assessment of available information, prioritisation of investigations, and a dedicated counter fraud team to investigate such allegations.

Due to the nature of impersonation, there is not a high level at a single location, as an impersonator would be easily identified as such, if they attempted to take several tests at a single location. DVSA uses other data, such as details of the vehicle used by a suspected impersonator, to track and investigate attempts across the country.

The table below shows the number of intercepted impersonation attempts for driving practical tests from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2025. Interceptions are where DVSA colleagues have challenged the impersonator and stopped the test or a licence has been revoked if evidence of impersonation comes to light later.

Please note, practical test impersonations were included in general impersonation figures until 2021, therefore DVSA has no individual figures for this category between 2018-2020.

As a civil service department, DVSA has certain principles and processes that must be followed, and all employees must meet the standards of conduct and behaviour set out in the Civil Service code and the DVSA’s Staff handbook.

Effective performance is expected of all employees. Addressing poor performance fairly, effectively and promptly is critical to maintaining a professional service, and DVSA, as with other civil service departments, has poor performance policy and guidance in place.

The role of a DE is complex and requires rigorous training. There is a statutory requirement for DEs to undertake continuous professional development to ensure they maintain their skills. All DEs go through an extensive training regime and attend regular periodic training. This ensures they carry out all of the test properly. In addition, there is a robust monitoring system in place and DE performance is regularly assessed.

As civil servants, DEs, are required to undertake fraud awareness training and regular refresher training on this topic.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking with police forces to detect and prosecute organised fraud rings involved in impersonation during driving tests.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate licences being issued.

At the start of the driving test, all driving examiners (DE) carry out thorough identification and documentation checks to satisfy themselves of the person’s identity, the validity of the driving licence and theory test pass certificate.

To make it harder for fraudsters to impersonate a candidate, DVSA has worked in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to give DEs access to an enlarged photograph of the candidate, as shown on the driving licence, to help the examiner decide if the person presenting for test is the correct candidate. If a candidate fails to satisfy the examiner that they have complied with the requirements, the examiner will, under legislation, refuse to take the test.

DVSA takes very seriously any allegations of fraudulent activity, including candidate impersonation. It has a dedicated Intelligence Threat Hub for the assessment of available information, prioritisation of investigations, and a dedicated counter fraud team to investigate such allegations.

Due to the nature of impersonation, there is not a high level at a single location, as an impersonator would be easily identified as such, if they attempted to take several tests at a single location. DVSA uses other data, such as details of the vehicle used by a suspected impersonator, to track and investigate attempts across the country.

The table below shows the number of intercepted impersonation attempts for driving practical tests from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2025. Interceptions are where DVSA colleagues have challenged the impersonator and stopped the test or a licence has been revoked if evidence of impersonation comes to light later.

Please note, practical test impersonations were included in general impersonation figures until 2021, therefore DVSA has no individual figures for this category between 2018-2020.

As a civil service department, DVSA has certain principles and processes that must be followed, and all employees must meet the standards of conduct and behaviour set out in the Civil Service code and the DVSA’s Staff handbook.

Effective performance is expected of all employees. Addressing poor performance fairly, effectively and promptly is critical to maintaining a professional service, and DVSA, as with other civil service departments, has poor performance policy and guidance in place.

The role of a DE is complex and requires rigorous training. There is a statutory requirement for DEs to undertake continuous professional development to ensure they maintain their skills. All DEs go through an extensive training regime and attend regular periodic training. This ensures they carry out all of the test properly. In addition, there is a robust monitoring system in place and DE performance is regularly assessed.

As civil servants, DEs, are required to undertake fraud awareness training and regular refresher training on this topic.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish annual statistics on the number of impersonation and fraud attempts in driving tests.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate licences being issued.

At the start of the driving test, all driving examiners (DE) carry out thorough identification and documentation checks to satisfy themselves of the person’s identity, the validity of the driving licence and theory test pass certificate.

To make it harder for fraudsters to impersonate a candidate, DVSA has worked in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to give DEs access to an enlarged photograph of the candidate, as shown on the driving licence, to help the examiner decide if the person presenting for test is the correct candidate. If a candidate fails to satisfy the examiner that they have complied with the requirements, the examiner will, under legislation, refuse to take the test.

DVSA takes very seriously any allegations of fraudulent activity, including candidate impersonation. It has a dedicated Intelligence Threat Hub for the assessment of available information, prioritisation of investigations, and a dedicated counter fraud team to investigate such allegations.

Due to the nature of impersonation, there is not a high level at a single location, as an impersonator would be easily identified as such, if they attempted to take several tests at a single location. DVSA uses other data, such as details of the vehicle used by a suspected impersonator, to track and investigate attempts across the country.

The table below shows the number of intercepted impersonation attempts for driving practical tests from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2025. Interceptions are where DVSA colleagues have challenged the impersonator and stopped the test or a licence has been revoked if evidence of impersonation comes to light later.

Please note, practical test impersonations were included in general impersonation figures until 2021, therefore DVSA has no individual figures for this category between 2018-2020.

As a civil service department, DVSA has certain principles and processes that must be followed, and all employees must meet the standards of conduct and behaviour set out in the Civil Service code and the DVSA’s Staff handbook.

Effective performance is expected of all employees. Addressing poor performance fairly, effectively and promptly is critical to maintaining a professional service, and DVSA, as with other civil service departments, has poor performance policy and guidance in place.

The role of a DE is complex and requires rigorous training. There is a statutory requirement for DEs to undertake continuous professional development to ensure they maintain their skills. All DEs go through an extensive training regime and attend regular periodic training. This ensures they carry out all of the test properly. In addition, there is a robust monitoring system in place and DE performance is regularly assessed.

As civil servants, DEs, are required to undertake fraud awareness training and regular refresher training on this topic.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of sharing information between Border Force and Kent Police on HGV drivers that repeatedly break the speed limit.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The allocation of resources and deployment of officers in Kent is an operational matter for Kent Police’s Chief Constables to determine in line with local policing plans and in conjunction with their Police and Crime Commissioners.

Excess speed is a major cause of death and serious injury on our roads and anyone who breaks the speed limit should expect to face proper sanction.

Any form of dangerous or inconsiderate driving behaviour is a serious road safety issue. We expect all drivers to observe the speed limit.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data the Police National Computer holds on the number of offences committed in the last 12 months, by where the offender was born.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Police National Computer (PNC) is a system that provides real-time access to criminal records of offenders, vehicle data, and other information relevant to policing. The PNC retains records by individual suspects and offenders rather than by offences.

The PNC holds some information on the place of birth and in some circumstances the nationality of the individuals, but that data is not held for all convictions. It does not retain information in a format that would provide an answer on the number of offences committed in the last 12 months, by where the offender was born. In any case, the PNC is not designed to provide such bespoke reports and would need development to obtain such information.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Home Office hold regular discussions about the appropriate use of this information for purposes beyond policing.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many telephone operators work on the Universal Credit helpline by the nationality of those operators.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

We do not centrally hold the nationality of Universal Credit call handlers and to provide the information would incur disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what has been the cost to the public purse of the Gaza medical evacuation scheme for children.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 November 2025 to Question 81587.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was paid in compensation by the NHS by the reason for that compensation in each of the last ten years.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

This information is available on the NHS Resolution website at the following link:

https://resolution.nhs.uk/resources/annual-statistics/

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has been (a) informed of, (b) consulted on and (c) involved in EU-funded projects for migrant (i) accommodation and (ii) reception facilities in (A) France, (B) the Western Balkans, (C) north Africa and (D) Türkiye since 2022.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Since EU Exit, the UK is not a participant in EU funding programmes that cover third country compliance with UN standards on reception facilities and migrant accommodation.

We have not had specific discussions with the EU or member countries about EU-funded migrant accommodation or reception centres in France, Türkiye, North African or Western Balkan nations. That would be an internal matter for those countries.

However, the Home Office works closely with international partners to address the shared challenge of irregular migration and as such we continue to engage on wider migration management with the EU and member countries.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, how many (a) active and (b) concluded cases the Government Legal Department has handled relating to legal challenges against the one-in, one-out migrant returns scheme; and what the total cost of that litigation has been.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The UK-France Treaty is an innovative pilot designed to deter illegal migration across the Channel. Litigation related to this pilot was anticipated and we are concentrating resources on robustly defending this so that removals can continue as planned. As of 28 November, 153 individuals have been returned to France through this agreement.

Operational details on the pilot are sensitive, and we will not be disclosing such information as it could inadvertently assist the organised immigration crime gangs that are behind small boats crossings.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a dedicated whistleblowing line for NHS staff and patients to report issues with language barriers in the National Health Service.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Speak Up Direct, funded by the Department, is a dedicated, independent helpline offering confidential advice, signposting, and guidance to National Health Service and social care staff on raising work-related concerns. Additional support includes Freedom to Speak Up Guardians, with over 1,300 now available across healthcare settings in England, and a Freedom to Speak Up policy that sets minimum standards for NHS organisations in England.

The NHS complaints process enables patients to give feedback or raise concerns about any aspect of their care.

Translation and interpretation services are available for patients who need language support. Additional support is available for individuals who may have difficulty understanding their care or communicating their needs. Patient advocates can speak on their behalf, facilitate decision-making, clarify care procedures, and help safeguard patient rights.

Collection and publication of nationality data by Government Departments

Welfare benefits for foreign nationals

Cancelled mayoral elections

Government participation in the independent Rape Gang Inquiry

Trial by jury

Pink Ladies of Essex

Found: Rupert Lowe: I will take it that you do not know.

Found: Warrington South) Lloyd Hatton (Labour; South Dorset) Chris Kane (Labour; Stirling and Strathallan) Rupert Lowe

Found: Members present: Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Chair); Mr Clive Betts; Anna Dixon; Sarah Green; Rupert Lowe