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 increases in requirements for (a) visa approvals and (b) course enrolments on the higher education sector.

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

An assessment of the potential impact of the increase in the requirements of each Basic Compliance Assessment (BCA) metric can be found at Restoring control over the immigration system: technical annex (accessible) - GOV.UK. This provides an estimate of the number of Higher Education Institutions that could be affected, and offers an initial, illustrative analysis of its impact on migration inflows.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of re-joining the EU Customs Union on economic growth.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of leaving the European Union on economic growth.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is the government’s official forecaster. The OBR have included assessments of the economic impacts of leaving the EU in its forecasts since 2016. In March 2020, the OBR estimated that GDP will be 4 per cent lower in the long run than it would have been had the UK not withdrawn from the EU, an impact which the Chancellor has said is severe and long-lasting, and that imports and exports will eventually both be 15 per cent lower than had we stayed in the EU. As of the Spring Budget 2025, these assumptions are unchanged from its previous assessment.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support dialogue between India and Pakistan.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

India and Pakistan are both long-standing, important friends of the UK. We continue to encourage both to engage in dialogue and to find lasting political solutions to support regional stability. The UK has engaged extensively with both countries, as have other key states, in order to encourage India and Pakistan to return to diplomacy. I remain concerned by the potential for future escalation, which neither the region nor the wider world could afford.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to foster dialogue between India and Pakistan on peace in Kashmir.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to question 82344.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of support provided for families of serving personnel separating from their spouses.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Defence recognises the unique challenges faced by families of Serving personnel during separations. Families of Serving personnel are provided with access to a wide range of support, which includes housing assistance and guidance, emotional support, financial and legal signposting to charities and organisations. The support provided is designed to assist families through the emotional and logistical difficulties of relationship breakdowns.

Joint Service Publication (JSP) 770 ‘Armed Forces Welfare Support Policy’ contains a chapter focussing on matters of separation and divorce and which provides a link to an online guide ‘Separation and divorce guide for military personnel spouses and partners’ which contains a wealth of support and guidance. JSP 770 also includes an annex ‘The Welfare HARDFACTS Handrail’ which is used by the chain of command and Service welfare teams to guide how they support affected personnel.

The ‘Separation and divorce guide for military personnel spouses and partners’ can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/separation-and-divorce-guide-for-military-personnel-spouses-and-partners/separation-and-divorce-guide-for-military-personnel-spouses-and-partners

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to provide stable family homes for children of serving military personnel whose parents have separated.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Defence recognises the needs of separating families and provides specific policy on accommodation to meet the needs of entitled Service personnel and their spouse in these circumstances. The Ministry of Defence remains committed to widening entitlement to family accommodation to support personnel with non-resident children. The Modernised Accommodation Offer remains under review and we expect to be able to communicate future policy changes in the near future.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to publish an updated International Education Strategy.

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

The department is conducting a review of the UK government’s International Education Strategy alongside the Department for Business and Trade, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, to ensure that it continues to be an effective tool in increasing the value of education exports and reflects the priorities of education stakeholders, businesses and our global partners. As part of the review process, officials have engaged with devolved government officials and stakeholders to seek feedback on the strategic direction and other aspects of the strategy. We will announce next steps on this shortly.

Two-child limit

Found: Labour; Chester North and Neston) Florence Eshalomi MP (Labour; Vauxhall and Camberwell Green) Stephen Gethins