Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what safeguards are in place to protect individuals on the Health and Care Worker visa who report that they have been asked to pay additional sums to their employer in order to maintain their visa sponsorship and continue residing and working in the UK; and what steps are being taken to investigate and penalise employers unlawfully extracting such payments and ensure migrants in this situation can (a) report safely without fear of visa cancellation, (b) access alternative sponsorship or settlement options and (c) receive compensation or redress for exploitation.

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

All reports of H&C visa holders being forced to pay additional sums are investigated. The sponsor guidance expressly prohibits certain specific costs being passed onto workers. Since the introduction of care workers to the Health and Care Worker visa, UKVI have revoked the licence of more than 1000 sponsors who were operating in the social care sector.

The Home Office continues to work closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funded Regional Partnerships to support care workers, who have been impacted by exploitative employers.

DHSC are funding 15 regional hubs in England, made up of Local Authorities and Directors of Adult Social Services. UKVI work very closely with the Regional Partnerships in order to fund working together to support displaced workers gain new roles within the care sector and to respond to unethical practices. Where broader concerns are identified, these are referred to the relevant authorities.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that locksmiths meet (a) legal, (b) professional and (c) security standards.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK’s framework for occupational regulation upholds public protection, while ensuring regulatory burdens on industry are proportionate. Although the locksmithing profession is not subject to statutory regulation, several self-regulating trade associations and accreditation schemes exist within the industry and provide training, conduct criminal record checks, and inspect their members.

The government keeps the occupational regulation regime under review and continues to monitor any concerns raised by the public or the industry, including those related to locksmithing.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Statement of the House of Bishops on Living in Love and Faith, published in January 2026.

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

It is for the General Synod, as the elected assembly of the Church of England, to decide matters of doctrine rather than Parliament.

More widely, churches and other religious organisations are required to comply with the provisions in the Equality Act 2010 relating to direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to recognise the principles of (a) legitimate expectation, (b) adequate notice and (c) procedural fairness in its response to women born in the 1950s affected by delayed notification of state pension age changes.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Secretary of State announced in his oral statement of 11 November 2025 that we will retake the decision made in December 2024 as it relates to the communications on State Pension age. Retaking the decision should not be taken as an indication that Government will necessarily decide that it should award financial redress.

The process to retake the decision is underway and it is important that we give this full and proper consideration. We will update Parliament on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached and on 2 December 2025 we committed to re-take the decision within three months.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the UK’s compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in relation to women born in the 1950s affected by changes to the state pension age.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The UK is fully compliant with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, including in relation to women born in the 1950s affected by changes to the State Pension age.

Found: Members present: Dame Chi Onwurah (Chair); George Freeman; Dr Allison Gardner; Kit Malthouse; Samantha Niblett

Found: Members present: Dame Chi Onwurah (Chair); George Freeman; Dr Allison Gardner; Kit Malthouse; Samantha Niblett

Found: Members present: Dame Chi Onwurah (Chair); George Freeman; Dr Allison Gardner; Kit Malthouse; Samantha Niblett