Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a statutory cap on levels of migration.

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

This Government recognises and values the contribution that legal migration makes to the UK.

This Government is clear that net migration must come down from the record highs that were reached under the previous government.

Under the previous Government, between 2019 and 2024, net migration almost quadrupled, heavily driven by a big increase in overseas recruitment.

This Government is clear that net migration must come down and whilst we will always benefit from international skills and talent, immigration must not be used as an alternative to tackling skills shortages and labour market failures here in the UK.

The work to restore order to our immigration system is already underway, and we will be setting out our approach in detail in the upcoming Immigration White Paper.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department takes to monitor the response times of complaints made against registered architects to the Architects Registration Board.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Architects Registration Board (ARB) is an independent regulator. As the sponsoring department, MHCLG regularly engages with the ARB to stay abreast of its activities. This includes consideration of performance figures, which the ARB publishes quarterly, and any potential risks regarding compliance with its statutory responsibilities. However, MHCLG has no role in the oversight of individual cases or ARB’s operational decisions, to maintain ARB’s regulatory independence.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to take steps to monitor the adequacy of the professional indemnity insurance required for architects; and what steps her Department is taking to help support consumers with consumer recourse.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

It is important for all architects to maintain appropriate financial protection against liability so that clients and building users have a route to redress in the event of a negligence claim. The independent regulator, the Architects Registration Board (ARB), has set expectations for architects to hold adequate insurance arrangements. MHCLG is supportive of the ARB’s work on this topic and has no plans to implement a monitoring regime for architects’ professional indemnity insurance at the moment.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Sarah Bool; Helena Dollimore; Sarah

Found: REPORT STAGE Wednesday 26 March 2025 14 _NC8 Jack Rankin Sarah Bool Ben Obese-Jecty Jim Shannon Sir

Found: _NC8 Jack Rankin Sarah Bool Ben Obese-Jecty Jim Shannon Sir Desmond Swayne Mary Glindon Rupert

Found: _NC8 Jack Rankin Sarah Bool Ben Obese-Jecty Jim Shannon Sir Desmond Swayne Mary Glindon Andrew

Found: Not called_24 Sarah Bool Rachael Maskell .

Found: _29 Sarah Bool Rachael Maskell .