Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many immigrants took residence in the UK in the latest year for which figures are available; and how many of those came to the UK by small boat crossing of the English Channel.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
Please see the letter attached from the Permanent Secretary for the Office of National Statistics.
Darren Tierney | Permanent Secretary
The Rt Hon. the Lord Wigley
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW
15 April 2026
Dear Lord Wigley,
As Permanent Secretary of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking how many immigrants took residence in the UK in the latest year for which figures are available; and how many of those came to the UK by small boat crossing of the English Channel (HL15948).
Based on our latest estimates[1] which look at long-term international migration (long-term is where people change their usual place of residence for a period of 12 months or more). In the year ending June 2025, we estimated that:
898,000 people came to the UK for 12 months or more
693,000 people left the UK for 12 months or more
Therefore, net migration was estimated at 204,000[2]
While these figures include those arriving for asylum, the ONS does not produce estimates on the number of arrivals by small boat. However, the Home Office and Border Force provide data on small boat arrivals for the last 7 days[3] and a timeseries updated weekly back to 2018. In year ending June 2025, the Home Office estimates that the number of people recorded as arriving in the UK on small boats was 43,309[4].
Those arriving in small boats who claim asylum would appear in our asylum estimates. In year ending June 2025, the ONS immigration estimate includes a total of 96,000 people that came to the UK for asylum.
Yours sincerely,
Darren Tierney
[2] Net migration is calculated by subtracting emigration estimates from immigration estimates. We do this with unrounded estimates so the rounded numbers may not always match this calculation exactly.
Asked by: Lord Babudu (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government in light of the data published by the Office for National Statistics on 19 February showing decreasing life expectancy for males and females and a gap in healthy life expectancy between local areas, whether they are on track to deliver the shift to sickness to prevention and the reduction in health inequalities committed to in the 10-year Health Plan for England.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Office for National Statistics’ publication on 19 February showed that healthy life expectancy decreased between 2022 to 2024, although overall life expectancy increased.
The Government is committed to ensuring everyone lives well for longer, regardless of where they are from. This is set out in our ambitious commitment to halve the healthy life expectancy gap between the richest and poorest regions.
The key to achieving this is shifting from sickness to prevention, and we are already delivering that shift. For example, through our landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill to create a smoke-free Britain, alongside decisive action to tackle childhood obesity and create the healthiest generation of children ever. Additionally, we have fulfilled our commitment to restrict junk food advertising targeted at children on television and online.
We will be supporting people to make healthier choices when it comes to alcohol, and this includes strengthening and expanding alcohol labelling. We will also tackle air pollution, which particularly affects working class communities. This spring, we will publish the Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework, which will drive action on the Government’s ambition to reduce premature mortality from heart disease and stroke through evidence-based interventions, innovation, and tackling unwarranted variation and inequalities in care.
The Government can’t do this alone. We will succeed by taking a whole society approach, and as such we will work in parentship with business, civil society, and citizens to drive our national mission and empower individuals to live well for longer.
Asked by: Lord Babudu (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of the data published by the Office of National Statistics about healthy life expectancy on 19 February 2026, whether they are on track to deliver the shift from sickness to prevention and the reduction in health inequalities committed to in the 10 Year Health Plan for England.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Office for National Statistics’ publication on 19 February showed that healthy life expectancy decreased between 2022 to 2024, although overall life expectancy increased.
The Government is committed to ensuring everyone lives well for longer, regardless of where they are from. This is set out in our ambitious commitment to halve the healthy life expectancy gap between the richest and poorest regions.
The key to achieving this is shifting from sickness to prevention, and we are already delivering that shift. For example, through our landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill to create a smoke-free Britain, alongside decisive action to tackle childhood obesity and create the healthiest generation of children ever. Additionally, we have fulfilled our commitment to restrict junk food advertising targeted at children on television and online.
We will be supporting people to make healthier choices when it comes to alcohol, and this includes strengthening and expanding alcohol labelling. We will also tackle air pollution, which particularly affects working class communities. This spring, we will publish the Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework, which will drive action on the Government’s ambition to reduce premature mortality from heart disease and stroke through evidence-based interventions, innovation, and tackling unwarranted variation and inequalities in care.
The Government can’t do this alone. We will succeed by taking a whole society approach, and as such we will work in parentship with business, civil society, and citizens to drive our national mission and empower individuals to live well for longer.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the number of deaths from anorexia nervosa recorded by the Office of National Statistics is in line with the mortality rates suggested by clinical prevalence data; and, if there is a disparity between the two, what assessment they have made of the reasons why.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Office for National Statistics’ mortality data comes from the information collected at death registration on death certificates and would be the most accurate source for the information. For this reason, the Department has not made an assessment of the number of deaths from anorexia nervosa.
However, the Government shares concerns about the accurate recording of deaths, including when eating disorders may have been a contributing factor. The statutory medical examiner and coroner systems provide a clear framework to ensure deaths are appropriately investigated and recorded, so that lessons are identified and patient safety is strengthened.
Ultimately, the Ministry of Justice owns coroner policy, and it is for the coroner, exercising independent judicial discretion, to determine what is recorded on the medical cause of death.
Accurate recording does matter, and we will continue to work with partners, including colleagues at the Ministry of Justice, to ensure that learning is captured and reflected in improvements to care.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the numbers of people who have been released under investigation for more than a year during the last five years.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Decisions on release and safeguarding are operational matters for individual and operationally independent police forces, taken in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, its Codes of Practice, and national professional guidance. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services regularly inspects police forces, including on how they protect vulnerable people.
The Home Office hold statistics on the numbers of individuals Released Under Investigation by duration in the Police Custody and Pre-Charge Bail release, which covers the years 2022/23 to 2024/25:
Prior to this, for 2020/21 and 2021/22 the Released Under Investigation statistics were published as Experimental Statistics.
Due to the provisional and incomplete nature of this dataset, statistics on Released Under Investigation have been designated as ‘Official Statistics in Development’, to acknowledge that further development is ongoing to improve data quality.
Additionally, as different numbers of police forces have been able to provide Released Under Investigation data in each year, any trends on the number of people who were on Released Under Investigation for longer than a year should be interpreted with caution.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to police forces on assessing the risk of self-harm of people released under investigation.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Decisions on release and safeguarding are operational matters for individual and operationally independent police forces, taken in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, its Codes of Practice, and national professional guidance. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services regularly inspects police forces, including on how they protect vulnerable people.
The Home Office hold statistics on the numbers of individuals Released Under Investigation by duration in the Police Custody and Pre-Charge Bail release, which covers the years 2022/23 to 2024/25:
Prior to this, for 2020/21 and 2021/22 the Released Under Investigation statistics were published as Experimental Statistics.
Due to the provisional and incomplete nature of this dataset, statistics on Released Under Investigation have been designated as ‘Official Statistics in Development’, to acknowledge that further development is ongoing to improve data quality.
Additionally, as different numbers of police forces have been able to provide Released Under Investigation data in each year, any trends on the number of people who were on Released Under Investigation for longer than a year should be interpreted with caution.
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they plan to assist the UN's Consultative Advisory Board on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics in its mandate to raise global awareness and facilitate dialogue sessions with policymakers to build trust in official statistics.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.
The Lord Clement-Jones CBE
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW
28 April 2026
Dear Lord Clement-Jones,
As Permanent Secretary of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions, asking whether the UK submitted any nominations for the UN Consultative Advisory Board on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, and what steps they are taking to ensure UK expertise contributes to the Board's global mandate(HL16600); what, if any, financial or human resources they plan to contribute to the UN Statistics Division to support the operations of the UN's Consultative Advisory Board on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics (HL16601); whether the UK Statistics Authority will outline the national mechanisms in place in the UK to resolve issues regarding adherence to the UN's Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, in light of the UN Consultative Advisory Board on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics' principle of subsidiarity (HL16602); how the UK Statistics Authority plans to engage with the UN's Consultative Advisory Board on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics to ensure that UK statistical producers adopt the Board's forthcoming updated implementation guidelines (HL16603) and how the UK Statistics Authority plan to assist the UN's Consultative Advisory Board on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics in its mandate to raise global awareness and facilitate dialogue sessions with policymakers to build trust in official statistics (HL16604)
The UK was involved in the development of the Consultative Advisory Board and its terms of reference, alongside like-minded partners, to ensure it is relevant and impactful for those who request its support. The ONS was not asked to be a member of the board, and its membership was nominated by the Bureau of the UN Statistical Commission. It is worth noting that membership rotates and the UK will have the opportunity to join in the future.
The UK continues to support the work of the UN Statistical Division, as it is one of the most prominent organisations working in global statistics. We are a member of the wider UN Statistical Commission’s membership and have been since its creation1. We continue to provide resource through our engagement and chairing of UN working groups and bureaus, leading the delivery of projects relevant to the production and dissemination of statistics.
The Code of Practice for Statistics2 sets standards that producers of official statistics should commit to and is already consistent with the UN Fundamental Principles. This is maintained by the Office for Statistics Regulation, the regulatory arm of the UK Statistics Authority.
The ONS will engage with the work of the Consultative Advisory Board through the usual member state engagement conducted for updates to manuals and guidelines produced by the UN Statistical Commission, the UN Statistical Division, or its regional commissions. This process is outlined with the terms of reference3 for the board.
Finally, the ONS regularly assists in efforts to highlight the importance of the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, taking part in events to increase their profile, including its 30th anniversary events in 20244. In addition to this, as mentioned above, we will oversee the work of the Advisory Board, engaging directly with its annual reports, and we will play an active role in the review of the Board’s work that is expected to be completed after its first year. This will help to ensure the work is impactful and relevant for statistical producers, whose outputs policy makers rely upon.
Yours sincerely,
Darren Tierney
1. https://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/57th-session/documents/Membership-2026.pdf
4. https://unece.org/FPOS30#accordion_6
Asked by: Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how the UK Statistics Authority plans to engage with the UN's Consultative Advisory Board on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics to ensure that UK statistical producers adopt the Board's forthcoming updated implementation guidelines
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.
The Lord Clement-Jones CBE
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW
28 April 2026
Dear Lord Clement-Jones,
As Permanent Secretary of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions, asking whether the UK submitted any nominations for the UN Consultative Advisory Board on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, and what steps they are taking to ensure UK expertise contributes to the Board's global mandate(HL16600); what, if any, financial or human resources they plan to contribute to the UN Statistics Division to support the operations of the UN's Consultative Advisory Board on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics (HL16601); whether the UK Statistics Authority will outline the national mechanisms in place in the UK to resolve issues regarding adherence to the UN's Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, in light of the UN Consultative Advisory Board on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics' principle of subsidiarity (HL16602); how the UK Statistics Authority plans to engage with the UN's Consultative Advisory Board on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics to ensure that UK statistical producers adopt the Board's forthcoming updated implementation guidelines (HL16603) and how the UK Statistics Authority plan to assist the UN's Consultative Advisory Board on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics in its mandate to raise global awareness and facilitate dialogue sessions with policymakers to build trust in official statistics (HL16604)
The UK was involved in the development of the Consultative Advisory Board and its terms of reference, alongside like-minded partners, to ensure it is relevant and impactful for those who request its support. The ONS was not asked to be a member of the board, and its membership was nominated by the Bureau of the UN Statistical Commission. It is worth noting that membership rotates and the UK will have the opportunity to join in the future.
The UK continues to support the work of the UN Statistical Division, as it is one of the most prominent organisations working in global statistics. We are a member of the wider UN Statistical Commission’s membership and have been since its creation1. We continue to provide resource through our engagement and chairing of UN working groups and bureaus, leading the delivery of projects relevant to the production and dissemination of statistics.
The Code of Practice for Statistics2 sets standards that producers of official statistics should commit to and is already consistent with the UN Fundamental Principles. This is maintained by the Office for Statistics Regulation, the regulatory arm of the UK Statistics Authority.
The ONS will engage with the work of the Consultative Advisory Board through the usual member state engagement conducted for updates to manuals and guidelines produced by the UN Statistical Commission, the UN Statistical Division, or its regional commissions. This process is outlined with the terms of reference3 for the board.
Finally, the ONS regularly assists in efforts to highlight the importance of the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, taking part in events to increase their profile, including its 30th anniversary events in 20244. In addition to this, as mentioned above, we will oversee the work of the Advisory Board, engaging directly with its annual reports, and we will play an active role in the review of the Board’s work that is expected to be completed after its first year. This will help to ensure the work is impactful and relevant for statistical producers, whose outputs policy makers rely upon.
Yours sincerely,
Darren Tierney
1. https://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/57th-session/documents/Membership-2026.pdf
4. https://unece.org/FPOS30#accordion_6
Asked by: Lord Redwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many jobs have been lost in the last year in the oil, gas, petrochemicals, refining and general chemical sectors.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.
The Rt Hon. the Lord Redwood
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW
28 April 2026
As Permanent Secretary of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking how many jobs have been lost in the last year in the oil, gas, petrochemicals, refining and general chemical sectors (HL16637).
In December 2025, in the UK, there were an estimated 10,000 workforce jobs1 in the mining of coal and lignite; extraction of crude petrol/gas sector (standard industrial classification (SIC) divisions 05-06), a decrease of 2,000 compared with December 2024.
In December 2025, in the UK, there were an estimated 8,000 workforce jobs1 in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products sector (standard industrial classification (SIC) division 19), a decrease of 2,000 compared with December 2024.
In December 2025, in the UK, there were 99,000 workforce jobs2 in the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products sector (standard industrial classification (SIC) division 20), an increase of 2,000 compared with December 2024.
A full time series of data can be found in Table 1. Please note that these data are not
seasonally adjusted.
Table 1: Number of workforce jobs3 in the manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and
semi-trailers sector, UK, not seasonally adjusted.
| Mining of coal and lignite; Extraction of crude petrol/gas | Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products | Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products |
December 2024 | 12,000 | 10,000 | 97,000 |
March 2025 | 12,000 | 10,000 | 95,000 |
June 2025 | 11,000 | 9,000 | 93,000 |
September 2025 | 11,000 | 8,000 | 93,000 |
December 2025 | 10,000 | 8,000 | 99,000 |
Source: Office for National Statistics
These data are published quarterly in tables JOBS03: Employee jobs by industry4 and JOBS04: Self-employment jobs by industry5. The most recent data, up to December 2025, were published as part of our Vacancies and jobs in the UK: March 20266 bulletin, which was published on 19 March 2026.
Yours sincerely,
Darren Tierney
1Estimates of workforce jobs include employee jobs and self-employment jobs only, these estimates
exclude any government supported trainees in these sectors.
2 Estimates are presented to the nearest 1,000 and changes have been calculated on rounded
estimates.
3 Estimates of workforce jobs include employee jobs and self-employment jobs only, these estimates
exclude any government supported trainees in these sectors.
4https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/d
atasets/employeejobsbyindustryjobs03
5https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/d
atasets/selfemploymentjobsbyindustryjobs04
6https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/b
ulletins/jobsandvacanciesintheuk/march2026
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their latest estimate of the number of refugees from Ukraine currently resident in (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Wales, and (4) Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Statistics regarding the resident population are produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) within the ‘Population estimates’ publication (https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates). However, the statistics are not broken down to the level of detail requested. The Home Office publishes data on the Ukraine schemes in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’.
As at the end of 2025 234,500 individuals have arrived in the UK under the Ukraine schemes. The statistics include the number of people who are believed to be out of the UK at the end of each quarter. See the chapter, “How many people come to the UK via safe and legal (humanitarian) routes?" The chapter shows “…as of the end of 2025, around 102,100 people (44%) who had previously arrived on the Ukraine schemes had exited the UK and were believed to be out of the country, although some may subsequently return.”
In addition to the Ukraine schemes, some Ukrainians have claimed asylum via the UK asylum process. Since the start of 2022 to the end of 2025, 70 Ukrainians have been granted refugee status (main applicants and dependants). There is no published data to confirm how many of these remain in the UK, or whether those who were granted refugee status in earlier years remain in the UK. Breakdowns by England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are not published.