Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how Form EM applications for registration as British citizens are considered in cases where British National (Overseas) status holders are unable to safely (a) access and (b) exercise any other nationality because of (i) political risk and (ii) persecution.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
A British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) applying under this route would need to demonstrate they do not have another nationality.
The statutory test is concerned with the legal possession of a nationality, irrespective of whether they are able to avail themselves of it by approaching the authorities of the country concerned.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to introduce (a) an independent right of appeal for refused Visitor visa applications and (b) clearer guidance for applicants whose applications are refused, including information on the reasons for refusal and steps that may improve the prospects of a future successful application.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
There is no right of appeal against the refusal of a visit visa and there are no plans to introduce one; it was removed by Parliament in June 2013.
All applicants who are refused a visit visa are provided with a refusal notice setting out the reasons for the decision. Should an applicant wish to reapply for a visa having been refused, they may make a fresh application, taking care to ensure that they address the concerns raised in the refusal notice, and demonstrate that they now meet the requirements of all the relevant rules - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-v-visitor.
Comprehensive guidance on the Visitor route is publicly available and is regularly updated to support applicants and decision-makers. The guidance was updated most recently on 25 February 2026, and this document is available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visit-guidance.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce errors in decision-making in UK Visitor visa applications.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office has a comprehensive framework in place to support improved decision-making on visit visa applications and to minimise the risk of error.
This includes:
These measures ensure that decisions are made in line with the Immigration Rules and published guidance, and that any identified issues are addressed through feedback, training and ongoing assurance activity.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to relax arms export controls to Argentina.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the government statement on this subject issued in December 2025, which said: "There are no specific talks with Argentina about the UK relaxing its arms export controls, but more broadly, we look forward to deepening our co-operation with Argentina across areas including trade, science and culture to deliver growth for the British people."
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Ministers in her Department have met with (a) BP and (b) Shell to discuss Venezuela since January 2026.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to her party leader on 12 January in response to Question 103190, and I would suggest that she resumes talks with him to coordinate their lines of questioning, and avoid duplicating each other's work.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, who was present at the meeting on 24 January 2025 between Baroness Chapman and Shell PLC; and what their job titles were.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to her party leader on 12 January in response to Question 103190, and I would suggest that she resumes talks with him to coordinate their lines of questioning, and avoid duplicating each other's work.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions were held at the meeting in Caracas on 5 March 2026 with Harriet Thompson, Colin Dick and British natural resource companies.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to her party leader on 12 January in response to Question 103190, and I would suggest that she resumes talks with him to coordinate their lines of questioning, and avoid duplicating each other's work.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions were held at the meeting on 24 January 2025 between Baroness Chapman and Shell PLC.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to her party leader on 12 January in response to Question 103190, and I would suggest that she resumes talks with him to coordinate their lines of questioning, and avoid duplicating each other's work.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has shared satellite data (a) imagery and (b) video gathered by the Tyche microsatellite with other countries since 2024.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
In the interests of operational security of the UK and international partners, we cannot comment on the sharing of data from UK Space Command’s TYCHE satellite with other countries since its launch in August 2024.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that sanctions are imposed as a last resort and after adequate warning.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Sanctions are only ever applied if a claimant has failed to undertake their agreed requirements without good reason. All requirements are set in discussion with the claimant and tailored to their capability and circumstances, making them realistic and achievable. Requirements are regularly reviewed to ensure that they remain appropriate for every claimant.
Our work coaches regularly repeat key messages about the need for a claimant to meet their requirements and what the consequences of not meeting them are. If a claimant has known vulnerabilities, we take them into account and provide additional support where possible.
Before a referral is made, a pre-referral quality check is completed as an additional safeguarding measure to check for any claimant vulnerabilities and to review the appropriateness of the activity set.
If a referral is made, an independent DWP decision maker will further consider the claimant’s circumstances, whether the work-related requirement was appropriate, the external situation at the time of failure, and any evidence of good reason, before deciding whether a sanction is applicable.