Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department provides guidance to officials on matters to draw to the attention of Ministers when drafting answers to Parliamentary Questions.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Guidance is provided to officials on how to answer Parliamentary Questions within the Home Office.
The Cabinet Office's Guide to Parliamentary Work sets out the timelines and standards that departments should seek to meet. This can be found here:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/111
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much was spent on (a) taxis (b) buses (c) trains by her Department and its contractors for asylum seekers in it's care for each year from 2015 to date.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Transport services for asylum seekers are provided through our Asylum Accommodation & Support Contracts. We pay a fixed rate for transportation services which is set out in the contracts. Our suppliers must deliver transportation requirements in line with contractual standards and the fixed rate – with the type of transportation determined by our suppliers within this framework. Information on spend by specific transportation types is therefore not readily available.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much central government funding was made available to the London Borough of Hillingdon in 2024-25 to compensate for costs relating to asylum.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not publicly publish grant payment levels by local authority, we do however provide funding to Local Authorities under the following grant agreements Asylum, Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking children & former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children Care Leavers.
Please see the link below to the relevant Funding Instructions:
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2025, to Question 85951, on Asylum: Dental Services, which organisation provides the dental care for asylum seekers.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has a statutory obligation to support asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute. Asylum Support provisions are reviewed regularly to ensure that we remain compliant in meeting our legal obligations.
The Home Office and its contractors work closely with the NHS, local authorities and non-governmental organisations to ensure that people can access the health care, including dental treatment and support they need, while protecting local services.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what planning permissions has the Home Office obtained, or intends to obtain, in relation to the asylum seeker accommodation being proposed at the Crowborough, East Sussex military site; and what discussions has the department had with Wealden District Council on the proposed use.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Consideration of this site is ongoing and any final decision to utilise any site for the intended purposes will be made once the relevant factors have been properly considered.
We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate, and compliant with the relevant planning regulations.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much Home Office funding is being provided to the London Borough of Hillingdon in 2025-26 to assist with the costs of asylum seekers.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not publicly publish grant payment levels by local authority, we do however provide funding to Local Authorities under the following grant agreements Asylum, Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking children & former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children Care Leavers.
Please see the link below to the relevant Funding Instructions:
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse was of the use of taxis by asylum seekers in each of the last five years.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Transport services for asylum seekers are provided through our Asylum Accommodation & Support Contracts. We pay a fixed rate for transportation services which is set out in the contracts. Our suppliers must deliver transportation requirements in line with contractual standards and the fixed rate – with the type of transportation determined by our suppliers within this framework. Information on spend by specific transportation types is therefore not readily available.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will consider the treatment of LGBTQ+ refugees when assessing enforced returns to countries with newly established regimes, particularly where a change of government has not resulted in improved protections for LGBTQ+ people.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
All asylum and human rights claims including those based on sexual orientation and gender identity are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Each individual assessment is made against the background of relevant case law and the latest available country of origin information. This is based on evidence taken from a wide range of reliable sources, including reputable media outlets; local, national, and international organisations, including human rights organisations; and information from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office. Our assessment of the situation of a given group in a given country, is set out in the relevant country policy and information note, which is available on Country policy and information notes - GOV.UK.
When someone applies for settlement, we review the situation in their country to assess whether they still need protection. Those who no longer need protection can return home in safety or apply to stay under other provisions of the Immigration Rules.
We will not remove anyone to any country where they will face persecution or serious harm.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that LGBTQ+ refugees will not be forcibly returned to countries where they are likely to face persecution.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
All asylum and human rights claims including those based on sexual orientation and gender identity are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Each individual assessment is made against the background of relevant case law and the latest available country of origin information. This is based on evidence taken from a wide range of reliable sources, including reputable media outlets; local, national, and international organisations, including human rights organisations; and information from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office. Our assessment of the situation of a given group in a given country, is set out in the relevant country policy and information note, which is available on Country policy and information notes - GOV.UK.
When someone applies for settlement, we review the situation in their country to assess whether they still need protection. Those who no longer need protection can return home in safety or apply to stay under other provisions of the Immigration Rules.
We will not remove anyone to any country where they will face persecution or serious harm.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what new measures they are proposing to effectively remove illegal immigrants as soon as they arrive in the UK
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK-France pilot has already been put into action meaning that anyone entering the UK on a small boat can be detained on arrival and returned to France.
On 17 November 2025 ‘Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy’ was published on .GOV.UK. This statement sets out that we will increase removals form the UK, impose visa penalties with countries who do not cooperate with us on returns, incentivise family returns, and sanctions for non-cooperation; consult on ending indefinite support for failed asylum seeking families; and explore safe third-country hubs for those who cannot quickly return to their country of origin.
We will also make changes to the appeal system to expedite returns and seek to reform the application of Articles 3 and 8 of the ECHR to remove barriers to return.
The Government is working at pace on the legislative and policy changes required and will set out timelines for implementation in due course.