Immigration: Earned Settlement

Debate between Shabana Mahmood and Sarah Pochin

Monday 2nd November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Shabana Mahmood]

Those in the health and education sectors on below degree-level jobs with national pay scales, such as teaching assistants, will be subject to the same transitional arrangements that I have set out for care workers who have met the terms of their visa.

[Sarah Pochin (Runcorn and Helsby) (Reform)]

In August last year the Government admitted that they had no idea how many people who came in on care worker visas were still working in the care sector. How can the Home Secretary make an informed decision on their earned settlement when she has no idea whether they are still here doing the jobs they came in to do?

[Shabana Mahmood]

When applying for settlement, people will need to provide evidence that they have been working and earning within the care sector. Based on analysis of HM Revenue and Customs data, we expect that three quarters of care workers will meet the test and conditions of their visa and will be able to settle at five years.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Shabana Mahmood and Sarah Pochin

Monday 26th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Shabana Mahmood]

Honestly, what absolute piffle from the hon. Gentleman. He will know that the Prime Minister has been discussing having an open debate; that is not the same as settled policy, as the hon. Gentleman is well aware. The Prime Minister has also observed that there were very significant issues with freedom of movement when we were in the EU. Having an honest debate means actually being honest about all aspects of the issue, not cherry-picking, as the Liberal Democrats so often do.

[Sarah Pochin (Runcorn and Helsby) (Reform)]

3. What steps she is taking to expedite the deportation of foreign national offenders.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Shabana Mahmood and Sarah Pochin

Monday 23rd March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Pochin (Runcorn and Helsby) (Reform)]

T10.   Is the Home Secretary comfortable with the reality that, as a woman, she could not stand and pray alongside the Mayor of London at last week’s event in Trafalgar Square?

[Shabana Mahmood]

I am, and will always be, a very proud British Muslim.

Grooming Gangs: Independent Inquiry

Debate between Shabana Mahmood and Sarah Pochin

Tuesday 9th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Shabana Mahmood]

I believe my hon. Friend has already met the Minister for Safeguarding, but she has just told me that she is happy to meet him again. I am sure that that meeting will take place as quickly as possible. He will know that we are pressing ahead with implementation of the IICSA recommendations, as well as with the Casey audit recommendations. If there are any gaps, we will seek to fill them. The first thing is to meet the test of the recommendations that have already been made, but I look forward to discussing those further with him in due course.

[Sarah Pochin (Runcorn and Helsby) (Reform)]

We at Reform UK welcome the progress announced today by the Home Secretary into this long-overdue inquiry and welcome the reassurance she has given that the victims of predominantly British Pakistani rape gangs will be properly consulted and involved in the inquiry. Will she confirm that her Safeguarding Minister will be called as a witness in the inquiry, as someone who voted against an inquiry earlier this year and in whom victims lost all confidence?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Jess Phillips)]

I would be happy to give evidence.

Asylum Policy

Debate between Shabana Mahmood and Sarah Pochin

Monday 17th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Shabana Mahmood]

We are moving to a system of age verification, based on artificial intelligence modelling, which we believe is effective in verifying someone’s true age. Let me assure my hon. Friend that we will move to consult and legislate on these measures as quickly as possible. I am seized of the need to move quickly to restore public confidence. As we get order and control into the system, we will start opening up the safe and legal routes. They will be modest to begin with, but they will grow and be more generous over time, as we restore order and control.

[Sarah Pochin (Runcorn and Helsby) (Reform)]

The Daresbury asylum hotel in Runcorn has been emptied, thanks to my by-election campaign. What assurances can the Secretary of State give my constituents that the many houses in multiple occupation in Runcorn will be emptied of illegal migrants and criminals under her Government, and that they will be deported without delay, never to be allowed legal entry into the UK?

[Shabana Mahmood]

It is this Government who are exiting hotels. We will do so—it is a manifesto commitment —by the end of the Parliament, and I intend to bring that forward as much as possible. Let me say to the hon. Member that we will always fulfil our international obligations, but I make no apology for wanting to privilege safe and legal routes over illegal entry into the country.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Shabana Mahmood and Sarah Pochin

Tuesday 8th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Pochin (Runcorn and Helsby) (Reform)]

The Secretary of State will be aware of the deeply troubling revelations over the weekend of the so-called Halal bride website. Does she agree that such practices have absolutely no place in Britain?

[Shabana Mahmood]

The regulation of websites and content falls either within Home Office responsibilities for criminal law or with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and I will happily pick up with them the detail around the regulatory issues that are raised by that case.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Shabana Mahmood and Sarah Pochin

Tuesday 3rd June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Pochin (Runcorn and Helsby) (Reform)]

Is the Justice Secretary content that her Department spends more than half a billion pounds every year locking up criminals who belong in other countries?

[Shabana Mahmood]

I am content that this Government have deported more foreign national offenders than the previous Government. I am content that we have accepted the findings of the Gauke review, and we will be bringing the early removal scheme threshold from 50% down to 30% to make that sure more foreign offenders are eligible for removal from our country.