Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of recommendations in the Windrush Lessons Learned Review on its Earned Settlement proposals.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement public consultation ran for 12 weeks and closed on 12 February 2026. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.
Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic impact assessments and equality impact assessments which we will publish as well as the Government’s response in due course.
We have already set out that grants of settlement related to the Windrush Scheme will not be impacted by the settlement reforms.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has her Department made of the potential impact of the earned settlement model on Black migrant women who face (a) labour market exclusion due to abuse, (b) caring responsibilities, (d) trauma and (e) insecure immigration status.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement public consultation ran for 12 weeks and closed on 12 February 2026. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.
Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic impact assessments and equality impact assessments which we will publish as well as the Government’s response in due course.
We have already set out that grants of settlement related to the Windrush Scheme will not be impacted by the settlement reforms.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps have been taken to ensure (a) transparency and (b) community accountability in trials of facial recognition technology involving Palantir in (i) Leicester and (ii) the UK.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is not aware of any direct involvement by Palantir in the police’s use of facial recognition systems.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department carried out a Public Sector Equality Duty assessment before signing a contract with Palantir.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is not aware of any direct involvement by Palantir in the police’s use of facial recognition systems.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the risk assessments carried out on the use of facial recognition technology by Palantir Technologies in policing, especially on privacy and discrimination issues.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is not aware of any direct involvement by Palantir in the police’s use of facial recognition systems.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any UK police forces have used Palantir software in conjunction with live or retrospective facial recognition systems since January 2020.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is not aware of any direct involvement by Palantir in the police’s use of facial recognition systems.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has considered the potential implications of awarding contracts to companies reportedly providing technological support to military operations that are alleged to violate international humanitarian law.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
All potential Suppliers to the Home Office must meet rigorous financial, legal and technical eligibility checks at various stages of a procurement and before a Contract is awarded. Under Procurement Act 2023, the Home Office is able to exclude suppliers from participating in procurements due to various risks.
These risks include reliable delivery, effective competition, public confidence, protection of public funds, environmental, national security and employee rights.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the compatibility of Palantir Technologies’ contracts with UK government ethical procurement guidelines, in light of the company’s reported operational links to the Israeli military.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not hold any agreements with Palantir Technologies.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has considered the potential implications of awarding contracts to companies reportedly providing technological support to military operations that are alleged to violate international humanitarian law.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes the proper use of public funds and compliance with international law extremely seriously. All contracts with Palantir are governed by strict commercial, legal and security controls to ensure that United Kingdom (UK) funding is used only for authorised Defence purposes. Robust oversight mechanisms, including due diligence, conflict-of interest checks and ongoing supplier governance ensure full compliance with our legal obligations and provide assurance that no public funds support any activity connected to violations of international law.
The MOD applies strict legal, ethical and security checks before awarding any contract. As part of this process, we consider whether a supplier’s wider activities raise concerns, including any allegation of involvement in operations that could breach International Humanitarian Law. Where risks are identified, additional assurance and contractual controls are applied to ensure MOD capabilities are used only for lawful, authorised purposes under UK direction.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that no UK public funds awarded to Palantir Technologies are used to support activities connected to violations of international law.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes the proper use of public funds and compliance with international law extremely seriously. All contracts with Palantir are governed by strict commercial, legal and security controls to ensure that United Kingdom (UK) funding is used only for authorised Defence purposes. Robust oversight mechanisms, including due diligence, conflict-of interest checks and ongoing supplier governance ensure full compliance with our legal obligations and provide assurance that no public funds support any activity connected to violations of international law.
The MOD applies strict legal, ethical and security checks before awarding any contract. As part of this process, we consider whether a supplier’s wider activities raise concerns, including any allegation of involvement in operations that could breach International Humanitarian Law. Where risks are identified, additional assurance and contractual controls are applied to ensure MOD capabilities are used only for lawful, authorised purposes under UK direction.