Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of extending the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain to ten years on the finances of families with children; and what steps she is taking to ensure that this change does not affect (a) integration and (b) long-term stability for families with children.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review.
Relevant impact assessments will be carried out in relation to the earned settlement proposals, which were set out in the Immigration White Paper.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the additional (a) visa fees and (b) immigration health surcharge costs that (i) applicants and (ii) their families will be required to pay following the extension of the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain from five years to ten years.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review.
Relevant impact assessments will be carried out in relation to the earned settlement proposals, which were set out in the Immigration White Paper.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
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 ensure that (a) Dr Abu Safiya and (b) other Gazan healthcare workers who remain imprisoned in Israel are (i) released and (ii) allowed to return to providing healthcare in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 6 August to question 68153.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports regarding extrajudicial killings in the Punjab region.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of the human rights concerns raised about the activities of the Crime Control Department in Punjab, and we are monitoring the situation closely. Promoting human rights and the rule of law is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan, and we consistently urge the Pakistani authorities to investigate and address any breaches of those standards. Through UK Official Development Assistance (ODA), we are also supporting progress on human rights in Pakistan through dialogue, technical assistance, and targeted programming.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what logistical or operational support RAF aircraft (a) are providing to Israel and (b) has provided over the last year.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The RAF is not providing logistical or operational support to Israel.
Over the last year, the RAF has not provided logistical support to Israel, however, following the terrorist attacks against Israel on 7 October 2023, the UK government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals, who were kidnapped. In support of these efforts, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) conducted surveillance flights over the Eastern Mediterranean, including operating in air space over Israel and Gaza from December 2023.
Following the agreement of the Gaza peace plan between Israel and Hamas, and the release of all remaining live hostages, the MOD ceased surveillance flights over Gaza. The last flight took place on 10 October 2025.
You will understand that we will not comment further on detail relating to intelligence matters to protect operational security and preserve the MOD’s ability to respond to any future hostage incidents around the world.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to prevent patients being treated in (a) corridors, (b) converted office spaces, (c) gyms and (d) other inappropriate spaces.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are doing everything we can as fast as we can to eliminate corridor care. The Government is determined to get the National Health Service back on its feet, so that patients can be treated with dignity.
Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out the steps we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster, and more appropriate emergency care, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding. This plan includes a target to reduce the number of patients waiting over 12 hours for admission or discharge from an emergency department compared to 2024/25, with the aim of this occurring less than 10% of the time, and a commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care.
We will also publish new clinical operational standards for the first 72 hours of care which will support better hospital flow, which aims to reduce overcrowding and long waits.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what strategic steps his Department is taking to protect (a) SMEs and (b) other UK exporters from the compounded impact of (i) new tariffs, (ii) customs charges and (iii) administrative burdens in the context of the removal of the US de minimis tariff exemption for small packages; and how this aligns with the Government’s broader (A) trade and (B) industrial policy objectives.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My department is engaging with businesses to monitor impacts on small and medium-sized Businesses (SMEs) from the removal of the US de minimis exemption. We have published information for UK businesses and remain in contact with US counterparts to seek further clarity.
We remain fully committed to empowering SMEs to thrive in international markets, through our wide-ranging export support under the Business Growth Service. This aligns with our Trade Strategy objectives to help businesses navigate requirements such as customs and tariffs. Royal Mail’s new service has allowed SMEs to continue trading with the US, whilst other counterparts initially suspended services.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support Palestinian students in Gaza who have been offered places at UK universities to (a) complete visa biometric enrolment requirements, (b) travel safely to a visa application centre in a third country and (c) take up those university places in the 2025-26 academic year.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office has put in place systems to issue expedited visas, with biometric checks conducted prior to arrival for all Chevening Scholars from Gaza.
We are in the process of doing the same for a group of students who have been awarded fully funded scholarships covering course fees and living costs at UK universities so they can start their studies in Autumn 2025.
The Government is doing everything it can to support their safe exit and onward travel to the UK. The situation on the ground in Gaza makes this extremely challenging.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 May 2025 to Question 49938 on Nuclear Submarines: Safety, whether he plans to publish further information on those incidents.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Nuclear safety is of paramount importance and is a critical aspect of our commitments. As such, HMNB Clyde complies with international best practice as recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Nuclear safety at these sites is independently overseen by the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR) and the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), who have robust powers to address concerns and recommend changes where necessary. These structures ensure that nuclear safety is treated with the seriousness that it requires. This becomes even more important as this Government affirms its cast iron commitment to the strategic deterrent as the bedrock of our defence.
With this in mind, the Secretary of State has authorised the annual release of the statistics on Nuclear Site Event Reports (NSERs) for HMNB Clyde. NSERs are a means of classifying the significance of safety incidents with actual or potential impact and are recommended by the IAEA to ensure a robust safety culture that learns from experience. This information has previously been provided on request, but in recognition of the importance of the subject, this data will now be provided as a standing commitment to strengthen oversight and scrutiny.
I hope that the hon. Member will understand that releasing specific information for each NSER, when coupled with other information that may already be in the public domain through other means, would not only enable adversaries to make deductions about the operability, capability and effectiveness of the facilities and functions at HMNB Clyde, but would also provide invaluable information about submarine availability. Such information would prove extremely useful to hostile powers and groups in enabling them to target, disrupt and degrade the effectiveness of RN activities.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Breaching of Limits on Ticket Sales Regulations 2018 to prevent the use of automated systems to secure and resell practical driving test appointments.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will continue to review and improve the driving test booking system to make sure that learner drivers can book their test easily and efficiently.
Between 28 May and 23 July 2025, DVSA ran a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. Views were sought from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties on changes which aim to prevent learner drivers from being exploited by those who resell tests at a higher price.
In line with the consultation principles, DVSA will aim to publish a summary of responses, including the next steps, which might include new legislation.
While the selling of tests for profit is not illegal, DVSA deploys enhanced bot protection to help stop automated systems from buying up tests unfairly, but these applications are constantly evolving and changing. DVSA continues looking for ways to ensure the safest and fairest way to book a driving test is for a legitimate candidate to use its services. DVSA has zero tolerance for those who exploit learner drivers and is committed to tackling the reselling of driving tests.