Written questions are the largest part of Mr Lowe's parliamentary output. Every question was taken from Parliament's written questions data; each links to the official page with the full answer. The record is split by the year a question was tabled; this page shows 2025.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate has been made of the annual income tax and National Insurance contributions generated by employment directly and indirectly supported by the Hemsby tourism economy.
HM Revenue and Customs has not made estimate of total annual tax receipts generated by economic, employment or tourism related activity in Hemsby, Norfolk. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate has been made of the annual VAT revenue generated by tourism-related activity in Hemsby, including holiday accommodation, food and drink and local services.
HM Revenue and Customs has not made estimate of total annual tax receipts generated by economic, employment or tourism related activity in Hemsby, Norfolk. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate HM Treasury has made of total annual tax receipts generated by economic activity in Hemsby, Norfolk, including (a) income tax, (b) National Insurance contributions, (c) VAT, and (d) business rates.
HM Revenue and Customs has not made estimate of total annual tax receipts generated by economic, employment or tourism related activity in Hemsby, Norfolk. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of how her Department's proposed funding reforms will impact coastal communities with high proportions of (a) small businesses, (b) seasonal tourism employ
On 14 October 2025, following consultation, the Government announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy. The reforms will make it quicker and easier to deliver flood defences by simplifying our funding rules, and … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) financial support and (b) support for (i) relocation, (ii) purchase of replacement housing and (iii) compensation for loss of property value is available to households in Hems
The Environment Agency administers and assures the coastal erosion assistance grant (CEAG) on behalf of Defra. A grant of £6,000 per property is available to support the prompt and safe demolition of homes at greatest risk of loss from eros… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with (a) Great Yarmouth Borough Council, (b) Norfolk County Council and (c) the Environment Agency on long-term coastal erosion management optio
The Environment Agency has a strategic overview of the management of all sources of flooding and coastal change. Local authorities take the lead in managing coastal erosion. In Hemsby, Great Yarmouth Borough Council are the lead authority f… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the current Shoreline Management Plan policy is for the Hemsby coastline; and what the evidential basis was for selecting that policy.
In January 2025 the Environment Agency published the new Shoreline Management Plan Explorer. The documentation associated with preferred policies can be found in the SMP Main Report: Kelling Hard to Lowestoft SMP6 | Shoreline Management Pla… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) coastal modelling, (b) geomorphical studies and (c) monitoring programmes the Environment Agency has commissioned in relation to Hemsby since 2020.
The Environment Agency was a partner in the development and publication of the Shoreline Management Plan for northeast Norfolk: Kelling Hard to Lowestoft SMP6 | Shoreline Management Plans. In 2018/19, the Environment Agency worked with the … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the steps her Department is taking to consider (a) displacement costs, (b) temporary accommodation costs and (c) local authority rehousi
Coastal management is delivered through collaboration between the Environment Agency, local authorities and a range of partners. Defra retains overall policy responsibility for flood and coastal erosion risk management (FCERM) in England, w… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to assess the potential impact of new flood and coastal erosion risk management schemes on (a) primary residences, (b) second homes, (c) holiday cha
On 14 October 2025, following consultation, the Government announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy. The reforms will make it quicker and easier to deliver flood defences by simplifying our funding rules, and … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the cost-benefit ratio in relation to (a) maintaining current shoreline management policy outcomes at Hemsby and (b) alternative policies involving addi
Great Yarmouth Borough Council are the Risk Management Authority (RMA) for the Hemsby area. They are best placed, using local knowledge and data, to undertake detailed assessments of risk management options along with their costs and benefi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the potential economic impact of coastal erosion in Hemsby on (a) tourism, (b) local employment and (c) local tax revenues.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council are the Risk Management Authority (RMA) for the Hemsby area. They are best placed, using local knowledge and data, to continue making detailed risk assessments, including for the potential economic impacts. To… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the most recent estimate is of the number of businesses in Hemsby at risk of loss to coastal erosion within (i) 5 and (ii) 10 years.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council are the Risk Management Authority (RMA) for the Hemsby area. They are best placed, using local knowledge and data, to continue making detailed risk assessments, including for the potential economic impacts. To… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the most recent estimate is of the number of residential properties in Hemsby at risk of loss to coastal erosion within (i) 5 and (ii) 10 years.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council are the Risk Management Authority (RMA) for the Hemsby area. They are best placed, using local knowledge and data, to continue making detailed risk assessments, including for the potential economic impacts. To… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the current and projected rate of coastal affecting Hemsby, Norfolk over the next (i) 5, (ii) 10 and (iii) 25 years.
In January 2025 the Environment Agency published the new National Coastal Erosion Risk Mapping (NCERM) on ‘Check coastal erosion risk for an area in England’ and Shoreline Management Plan Explorer. The new NCERM dataset is openly accessible… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2025 to Question 95752 on Offenders and Undocumented migrants, if she will increase the amount of staff to 6,500.
The 65 staff are directly involved in tracing and resourcing for this activity is regularly reviewed. They work in partnership with the police, other government agencies, and commercial companies to identify information on a person that may… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2025 to Question 95752 on Offenders and Undocumented migrants, what the roles of those 65 staff are.
The 65 staff are directly involved in tracing and resourcing for this activity is regularly reviewed. They work in partnership with the police, other government agencies, and commercial companies to identify information on a person that may… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2025 to question 95741 on Offenders and Undocumented Migrants, if he will commit to collating and verifying the requested data to publish on a regular basis.
Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user requests, the public resources required to compile the statistic… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals have been removed from the UK in each of the last five years for involvement in, incitement of, or support for extremist Islamist ideology.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at a disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has considered suspending visa routes from countries assessed as high-risk for terrorism;
The UK operates a robust and effective visa system, which is an important part of securing the UK border and a vital tool for the UK in reducing illegal immigration, tackling organised crime and protecting national security. A requirement t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which visa routes are currently open to nationals of countries designated as high-risk for terrorism-related activity.
The UK operates a robust and effective visa system, which is an important part of securing the UK border and a vital tool for the UK in reducing illegal immigration, tackling organised crime and protecting national security. A requirement t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria are used to designate a country as high-risk for terrorism and extremist activity for the purposes of visa policy.
The UK operates a robust and effective visa system, which is an important part of securing the UK border and a vital tool for the UK in reducing illegal immigration, tackling organised crime and protecting national security. A requirement t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the current level of threat from Islamist extremists.
The UK’s counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST, provides a comprehensive framework for tackling all forms of terrorism and is kept under constant review to ensure our approach remains fit for purpose in response to emerging risks and challeng… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals convicted of terrorism-related offences are currently present in the UK following completion of their custodial sentences.
The Home Office does not centrally record the data as requested. However, the department does publish data on the numbers of terrorist offenders released from prison in Great Britain. This includes offenders released at the end of their sen… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals assessed as posing a national security risk have absconded from immigration control in each of the last five years.
The first priority of Government is protecting our national security and the safety of our people. As a matter of longstanding Government policy, we do not comment on the detail of national security and intelligence matters. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what role the Prevent strategy currently plays in identifying and disrupting Islamist radicalisation; and whether changes are planned to improve its effectiveness.
Prevent aims to limit exposure to radicalising narratives, both online and offline, and to create an environment where radicalising ideologies are challenged and are not permitted to flourish.The Prevent Duty Guidance sets out how local par… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many premises have been investigated, restricted, or closed in the last five years due to concerns relating to extremist ideology.
It is a long-standing policy that the Home Office does not comment on specific cases.Regardless of the worldview it draws from, if an ideology is causing harm by radicalising others into hatred, violence and extremism we will take action to… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what oversight mechanisms exist to monitor institutions where extremist ideology may be promoted.
The Prevent duty requires specified authorities such as education, health, local authorities, police and criminal justice agencies (prisons and probation) to help prevent the risk of people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism which … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential need for further legislative or operational measures to prevent, disrupt, and dismantle extremist networks that pose a threat to public safety.
The police have a range of tools and powers to counter the activities of extremist networks including Counter-Terrorism, hate crime, public order and wider public safety legislation. Where extremists breach criminal thresholds we will take … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that immigration enforcement and counter-terrorism agencies share intelligence effectively.
The Home Office undertakes a range of measures to ensure border security however, we do not comment on matters of intelligence. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many referrals to counter-extremism programmes have been made in each of the last five years, broken down by ideology.
i) Individuals referred to the Prevent programme Prevent aims to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. It works to ensure that people who are susceptible to radicalisation are offered appropriate interventions and su… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to require the Electoral Commission to collect nationality data already held by EROs in order to improve transparency and electoral integrity.
The Department does not hold data on the number of foreign nationals registered to vote in UK local elections. Electoral registers are managed at a local level by Electoral Registration Officers. The Electoral Commission already has access … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government has considered standardising the collection of nationality-grouped data at national level to ensure consistent oversight of local-election eligibility acro
The Department does not hold data on the number of foreign nationals registered to vote in UK local elections. Electoral registers are managed at a local level by Electoral Registration Officers. The Electoral Commission already has access … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether nationality data held by EROs is used in any national-security screening or analysis relating to electoral interference risk.
The Department does not hold data on the number of postal or proxy votes issued to foreign nationals eligible to vote in English local elections. The Department also does not hold data on the number of foreign nationals registered to vote i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government has conducted any assessment of risks posed by foreign-state or foreign-network mobilisation of postal-voting blocks among overseas nationals eligible to
The Government is committed to upholding and strengthening UK democracy by protecting against foreign interference, improving political transparency, adding tougher checks for donations and closing loopholes by reinforcing electoral legisla… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the absence of nationality-grouped oversight forms part of the Government’s election integrity risk assessments, and if so, what assessment has been made of the risks ass
The Government is committed to upholding and strengthening UK democracy by protecting against foreign interference, improving political transparency, adding tougher checks for donations and closing loopholes by reinforcing electoral legisla… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government monitors the number of postal or proxy votes issued to non-UK nationals eligible to vote in local elections.
The Department does not hold data on the number of postal or proxy votes issued to foreign nationals eligible to vote in English local elections. The Department also does not hold data on the number of foreign nationals registered to vote i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy for either (a) his Department or (b) the Electoral Commission to centrally collect nationality data for registered electors.
The Department does not hold data on the number of foreign nationals registered to vote in UK local elections. Electoral registers are managed at a local level by Electoral Registration Officers. The Electoral Commission already has access … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department holds aggregated data on the number of foreign nationals registered to vote in UK local elections, broken down by EU citizens, Irish citizens, and qualifyi
The Department does not hold data on the number of foreign nationals registered to vote in UK local elections. Electoral registers are managed at a local level by Electoral Registration Officers. The Electoral Commission already has access … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that patients in Great Yarmouth receive equal access to NHS services.
As part of the 10-Year Health Plan we are focusing the role of integrated care boards (ICBs) on strategic commissioning to improve population health. NHS England has published the Strategic Commissioning Framework which supports the develop… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that coastal hospitals such as the James Paget receive adequate NHS capital and revenue funding.
We remain committed to delivering all schemes within the New Hospital Programme, including James Paget, which will continue through the Spending Review 2025. The programme is funded for five-year waves of investment, averaging around £3 bil… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has direct oversight of financial efficiencies at the James Paget Trust.
The East of England Regional Team has detailed and regular engagement with the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to discuss both their financial position and, more specifically, the delivery of their financial efficienci… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much (i) James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and (ii) Norfolk and Waveney Community Health and Care NHS Trust spent on external consultants in each of the last three financial
The following table shows the amount spent by James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Norfolk and Waveney Community Health and Care NHS Trust for the last three financial years: 2022/232023/242024/25James Paget University … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to provide additional funding to (i) James Paget Hospital and (ii) Northgate Hospital to help support (a) local residents and (b) its seasonal tourist population.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning and funding the care delivered by healthcare providers, including the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. Th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact of staff parking charges on recruitment and morale at James Paget Hospital.
No assessment has been made of the impact of staff parking charges on recruitment and morale at James Paget Hospital.The health and wellbeing of National Health Service staff is a top priority, and all NHS organisations have a responsibilit… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the level of ambulance handover delays at James Paget Hospital in each of the past three years.
NHS England publishes monthly data on ambulance handovers, including at the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust over the past three years. This information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/stat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether additional support will be given to coastal councils like Great Yarmouth facing above-average costs for waste and public space maintenance.
The government recognises the significant pressures that councils are facing. This is why, alongside the additional £3.4 billion of grant funding announced at the Spending Review, the government is delivering fair funding reforms to ensure … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department will review the impact of waste disposal charges on the level of illegal dumping in Great Yarmouth.
The Department has no plans to review the impact of waste disposal charges on the level of illegal dumping in Great Yarmouth. Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) play an important role in helping people to dispose of their waste respo… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions for fly-tipping were brought in Great Yarmouth in the last 12 months; and what assessment he has made of whether current penalties are a sufficient deterrent.
Fly-tipping is a serious crime which blights communities and the environment and dealing with it imposes significant costs on both taxpayers and businesses. Anyone caught fly-tipping may be prosecuted and faces potentially serious punishmen… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of street cleaning, litter collection and maintenance in Great Yarmouth’s town centre and seafront.
No assessment has been made of the adequacy of street cleaning, litter collection and maintenance in Great Yarmouth’s town centre and seafront. Local councils are responsible for keeping their streets clear of litter and refuse. The role of… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of recent trends in the level of fly-tipping incidents in Great Yarmouth; and whether additional enforcement funding will be provided.
No assessment of recent trends in the level of fly-tipping incidents in Great Yarmouth has been made. Local authorities are however required to report fly-tipping incidents and enforcement actions to Defra, which we publish annually here. T… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will provide emergency funding to areas with the most severe dental shortages, including Great Yarmouth.
We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist, particularly in more rural and coastal areas such as Great Yarmouth.In 2024/25, the Government invested around £3.7 billion on primary care dentistry. We want to ensure that every… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of children in Great Yarmouth constituency that were unable to access an NHS dental appointment in the last 12 months.
Data is not held on the number of children in the Great Yarmouth constituency that were unable to access a National Health Service dental appointment in the last 12 months.The data for the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board, which in… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the number of NHS dentists currently working in Great Yarmouth constituency on patients' access to urgent care.
We are determined to rebuild NHS dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions.The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure that the National Health Service has the right people… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Chief Constable of Norfolk on levels of organised criminal activity in Great Yarmouth.
This Government is committed to tackling the threat from Serious and Organised Crime (SOC) and ensuring that law enforcement has the resources it needs to do so effectively. Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs), which are collaborations b… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide funding to help increase staffing levels at (a) James Paget University Hospital and (b) Northgate Hospital.
Decisions about recruitment are a matter for individual National Health Service employers, who manage this at a local level to ensure they have the staff they need to deliver safe and effective care.Funding provided to NHS trusts, including… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of GPs in Great Yarmouth constituency.
As of 31 October 2025, there were 66 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors in general practice (GP) in the Great Yarmouth Constituency. The median number of FTE doctors per 10,000 registered patients was 5.5, compared to the England median of … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce reoffending rates among prolific offenders in Great Yarmouth town centre.
In November 2024, the Home Office introduced Respect Orders to give police and local councils powers to ban persistent offenders from town centres. As well as prison sentences of up to two years, criminal courts will be able to issue unlimi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the level of violent and drug-related crime in Great Yarmouth; and whether she plans to provide additional reso
To deliver on our pledge to halve knife crime in the next decade, it is crucial that we tackle the gangs that lure children and young people into crime and run county lines through violence and exploitation. County Lines is the most violent… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to prevent the concentration of high-need migrant cohorts in deprived coastal communities such as Great Yarmouth.
The Home Office has, since 2022, operated a system of Full Dispersal which works to ensure that asylum accommodation is spread equitably and fairly across the UK. Procurement of accommodation is driven by a set of evidence-based plans, whic… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of irregular migrants currently residing in Great Yarmouth and the resource implications for local authorities.
The Home Office has, since 2022, operated a system of Full Dispersal which works to ensure that asylum accommodation is spread equitably and fairly across the UK. Procurement of accommodation is driven by a set of evidence-based plans, whic… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the equitability of the current student loan system, in the context of the rising value of student loans issued to applicants who may not remain in the UK long enough to repay.
As of April 2025, 6.1 million borrowers (English and EU nationals with loans from Student Finance England) are in Repayment. Of the 6.1 million, 286,000 (4.6%) reside overseas, of which 85,000 (29.7%) are EU nationals and 201,000 (70.3%) ar… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the potential administrative cost associated with tracing and managing borrowers of student loans whose repayment status cannot be verified through UK tax systems.
As of April 2025, 6.1 million borrowers (English and EU nationals with loans from Student Finance England) are in Repayment. Of the 6.1 million, 286,000 (4.6%) reside overseas, of which 85,000 (29.7%) are EU nationals and 201,000 (70.3%) ar… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the long-term economic contribution of student-loan recipients who do not remain in the UK workforce after graduation; and how this affects repayment forecasts for the loan book.
The information requested is not held centrally. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department collects data on loan write-off rates broken down by borrower residency status at the time of issuing the loan.
We are resolute in our commitment to protecting public money in higher education and are taking firm action to address serious concerns about exploitation of the student funding system.Eligibility for student finance is not based solely on … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many cases of suspected misrepresentation in student finance applications have been identified in each of the last five years; and what proportion of these involved applicants providing insufficient or unve
We are resolute in our commitment to protecting public money in higher education and are taking firm action to address serious concerns about exploitation of the student funding system.Eligibility for student finance is not based solely on … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of borrowers who leave the UK after receiving student finance maintain full repayment compliance; and what mechanisms exist to enforce repayments from those living overseas.
As of April 2025, 6.1 million borrowers (English and EU nationals with loans from Student Finance England) are in Repayment. Of the 6.1 million, 286,000 (4.6%) reside overseas, of which 85,000 (29.7%) are EU nationals and 201,000 (70.3%) ar… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the total value of student loans unlikely to be repaid by borrowers who have not established a long-term financial footprint in the UK; and what the projected cost to the public pu
The information requested is not held centrally. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many student-loan recipients are recorded with incomplete or inaccurate residency or nationality data.
We are resolute in our commitment to protecting public money in higher education and are taking firm action to address serious concerns about exploitation of the student funding system.Eligibility for student finance is not based solely on … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many investigations are currently open into incorrect residency claims for student finance.
We are resolute in our commitment to protecting public money in higher education and are taking firm action to address serious concerns about exploitation of the student funding system.Eligibility for student finance is not based solely on … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the compliance rates with the three-year UK residency requirement among student finance applicants.
We are resolute in our commitment to protecting public money in higher education and are taking firm action to address serious concerns about exploitation of the student funding system.Eligibility for student finance is not based solely on … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications for student finance have been refused due to insufficient residency evidence in each of the last ten years.
We are resolute in our commitment to protecting public money in higher education and are taking firm action to address serious concerns about exploitation of the student funding system.Eligibility for student finance is not based solely on … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what checks are undertaken to verify eligibility for student finance among applicants who have recently entered the UK.
We are resolute in our commitment to protecting public money in higher education and are taking firm action to address serious concerns about exploitation of the student funding system.Eligibility for student finance is not based solely on … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the student local company on levels of interest applied to student loans; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of those levels on graduates’ disposabl
Interest rates are set in legislation in reference to the Retail Price Index and applied annually from 1 September. The Student Loans Company applies interest accordingly. Student loans are subject to interest so that those who can afford t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students agreed to receive a student loan whilst they were under the age of 18 in each of the last 10 years.
We are resolute in our commitment to protecting public money in higher education and are taking firm action to address serious concerns about exploitation of the student funding system.Eligibility for student finance is not based solely on … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the value of student loans for which accurate income data is not currently held; and what proportion of the loan book this represents.
We are resolute in our commitment to protecting public money in higher education and are taking firm action to address serious concerns about exploitation of the student funding system.Eligibility for student finance is not based solely on … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the reliability of income data used by the Student Loans Company.
The Student Loans Company (SLC) uses income data provided by HMRC, which is an effective way to ensure that repayments are linked directly to earnings for borrowers resident in the UK. Employers and self-employed borrowers provide income an… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of absconders have only been found after an arrest for a separate offence in each of the last three years.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of absconders could not be removed because their home countries would not issue travel documents in each of the last three years.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what percentage of absconders have remained in the UK as a result of (a) unresolved legal appeals and (b) last-minute claims in each of the last three years.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the estimated average time is before an absconder going missing and a police report is filed.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what percentage of people on immigration bail absconded again in each of the last three years.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many absconders released on bail have committed further offences in each of the last three years.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what criteria the Crown Prosecution Service uses to determine whether to (a) release an absconder on bail and (b) bail them.
The decision to remand an individual in custody or to grant bail is solely a matter for the independent judiciary acting in accordance with the criteria set out in the Bail Act 1976.Questions about the Crown Prosecution Service are for the … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of absconders encountered by police have been detained by police in each of the last three years.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refused asylum seekers are classified as absconders.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Family Court system, particularly in cases where one parent is legally represented and the other is not.
The Government does not record the number of litigants who were unable to present their case properly due to lack of representation. The Ministry of Justice publish official statistics includes legal representation data in the following: Fa… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the total annual cost of legal aid issued in cases where one party subsequently (a) breaches court orders, (b) refuses contact arrangements and (c) obstructs proceedings.
The requested information is not centrally held. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what mechanisms exist to coordinate information between criminal courts and family courts.
The Disclosure of Information between Family and Criminal Agencies and Jurisdictions: Protocol 2024 came into effect on 1 March 2024 and applies to the exchange of information and material between criminal and family agencies and jurisdicti… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of delays in the family courts caused by litigants in person on (a) one and (b) both sides of a case.
The Government does not record the number of litigants who were unable to present their case properly due to lack of representation. The Ministry of Justice publish official statistics includes legal representation data in the following: Fa… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many litigants in person report that they were unable to present their case properly due to lack of representation in each of the last five years; and what assessment he has made of the effect on judicial out
The Government does not record the number of litigants who were unable to present their case properly due to lack of representation. The Ministry of Justice publish official statistics includes legal representation data in the following: Fa… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in what proportion of family court cases did only one party receiving legal aid in each of the last five years.
The requested information is not centrally held. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the financial equitableness when only one parent receives legal aid in family court proceedings.
The eligibility for family legal aid does not discriminate as between Mothers and Fathers. In any case, the eligibility criteria apply equally to both.The legal aid framework was reformed by previous governments through the Legal Aid, Sente… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what was the average financial cost for people meeting their own legal fees in family court proceedings in each of the last five years.
The Ministry of Justice does not hold records on the average financial cost for people meeting their own legal fees in family court proceedings. These are private arrangements and there is no statutory requirement for them to be reported. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what was the average amount repaid by people who had received legal aid in family court cases in each of the last five years.
For financial year 2024-2025 the average legal aid expenditure in family proceedings(1) was £4,551 for private family law cases e.g. proceedings concerning child arrangements orders and £10,058 for public family law cases e.g. care and supe… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what was the average cost per case to the public purse of providing legal aid in family proceedings for which the latest data is available.
For financial year 2024-2025 the average legal aid expenditure in family proceedings(1) was £4,551 for private family law cases e.g. proceedings concerning child arrangements orders and £10,058 for public family law cases e.g. care and supe… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many family court cases the mother acted as a litigant in person due to lack of access to (a) legal aid and (b) representation in each of the last five years.
It is not possible to identify from the data whether the mother or father was represented during proceedings. However, representation can be broken down by applicant and respondent, and this information is published in the Family Court Stat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many family court cases the father acted as a litigant in person due to lack of access to (a) legal aid and (b) representation in each of the last five years.
It is not possible to identify from the data whether the mother or father was represented during proceedings. However, representation can be broken down by applicant and respondent, and this information is published in the Family Court Stat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many applications for legal aid in family proceedings were granted to fathers in each of the last five years.
The Legal Aid Agency does not specifically track or report on grants of legal aid broken down by whether the applicant was a mother or father as the same eligibility criteria are applicable to all parents and persons with parental responsib… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of applications for legal aid in family proceedings have been granted to mothers in each of the last five years.
The Legal Aid Agency does not specifically track or report on grants of legal aid broken down by whether the applicant was a mother or father as the same eligibility criteria are applicable to all parents and persons with parental responsib… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by her Department in the last financial year.
In the last financial year, the Office spent no money on LinkedIn membership fees and £3,332.48 on other subscriptions. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by his Department in the last financial year.
The Scotland Office and its associated arm’s length bodies have spent £0 on LinkedIn membership fees and £797 on other subscriptions in the last financial year. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by his Department in the last financial year.
The total expenditure by the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) on (i) LinkedIn membership fees and (ii) other subscriptions for the financial year 2024/2025 was as follows: CategoryTotal Expenditure (£)(i) LinkedIn membership fees£0.00 (Nil Ret… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by his Department in the last financial year.
The Ministry of Justice does not hold a specific membership with LinkedIn. However, our spend on LinkedIn for the financial year 2024/2025 was £155,247.65.Please note this cost covers multiple recruitment services and advertising that span … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by his Department in the last financial year.
The department does not hold information on LinkedIn membership fees and other subscriptions in the format requested, and this could only be collated at a disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by his Department in the last financial year.
This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by her Department in the last financial year.
The Home Office spent £98,800 on 13 LinkedIn Corporate Recruiter licences in 2024-25. There was further spend on other Recruitment services. The Home Office does not pay for LinkedIn membership services for individual members of staff.By “o… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by her Department in the last financial year.
In financial year 2024/25, HM Treasury spent £16,103.50 on a LinkedIn contract as part of the department’s advertisements of external job vacancies. There was no other HM Treasury spend on other LinkedIn fees or subscriptions. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by her Department in the last financial year.
The requested information is not centrally collated by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. All spending is subject to standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by his Department in the last financial year.
There were no transactions (subscription costs or otherwise) identified with LinkedIn as a supplier in the 2024/25 financial year.The total subscription fees identified for the 2024/25 financial year was £832,046.14. This figure excludes me… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by his Department in the last financial year.
Due to the way this information is stored in our systems, it would be difficult and incur disproportionate costs to extract subscriptions to LinkedIn and other social media platforms. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by her Department in the last financial year.
The Department’s total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees for the last financial year was nil and (ii) other similar membership subscriptions was nil. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by her Department in the last financial year.
For FY24/25, DSIT spent £159,000 on LinkedIn subscriptions and £1,221,168 on other subscriptions. DSIT uses its LinkedIn subscription to support with recruitment efforts including role advertisement and usage of LinkedIn Insights which supp… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by her Department in the last financial year.
The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by his Department in the last financial year.
This information is not held centrally for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by her Department in the last financial year.
During the period of 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, the department spent £0.00 on LinkedIn membership fees.During the same period, the department and its executive agencies spent £274,988.24 on services that fit the broad description of … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by her Department in the last financial year.
DCMS has spent £52,670.85 on Linkedin membership fees and £92,099 on other subscriptions in the financial year 24/25. Costs are exclusive of VAT.These costs are used to maintain access to the widest possible applicant base for job roles in … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by his Department in the last financial year.
We are unable to provide details on the total spend on LinkedIn membership fees and other subscriptions by the Department for Business and Trade in the last financial year. The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it wo… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for the total spend on (i) LinkedIn membership fees (ii) other subscriptions by his Department in the last financial year.
In line with other large employers, The Cabinet Office utilises LinkedIn subscriptions for business purposes including recruitment across government and managing the wider Civil Service talent pipeline. It is not possible to provide a defin… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, for the total spend on (a) LinkedIn membership fees and (b) other subscriptions by her Department in the last financial year.
The department has no spend on LinkedIn membership fees, and has a total spend in 2024/25 of £4,322.00 on other subscriptions. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will commission an independent review into her Department's handling, recording and disclosure of absconder data.
The Secretary of State for the Home Department has no plans to commission an independent review into the Department’s handling, recording, and disclosure of absconder data. The Department already undertakes:Regular internal audits and quali… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many civil servants are assigned to locating absconded foreign national offenders and irregular migrants; and whether performance targets are in place for reducing the size of the absconder pool.
The cost of collating information on absconders will depend on a range of variable factors, including the level of detail required and where the information is held. Extracting information from multiple databases and datasets may also invol… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of collating information on absconders.
The cost of collating information on absconders will depend on a range of variable factors, including the level of detail required and where the information is held. Extracting information from multiple databases and datasets may also invol… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential public safety risk posed by foreign national offenders and irregular migrants recorded in the total absconder pool; and what risk categories ar
The information requested on the number of foreign national offenders (including the previous request under UIN 74872) and irregular migrants who are classified as absconders is not currently available from published statistics. Nor is the … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the foreign national offenders included in the total absconder pool have (a) been re-apprehended, (b) been deported and (c) remain untraceable.
The information requested on the number of foreign national offenders (including the previous request under UIN 74872) and irregular migrants who are classified as absconders is not currently available from published statistics. Nor is the … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many irregular migrants in the total absconder pool (a) have been located, (b) have been removed from the UK and (c) remain at large as of the most recent date for which data is available.
The information requested on the number of foreign national offenders (including the previous request under UIN 74872) and irregular migrants who are classified as absconders is not currently available from published statistics. Nor is the … Full answer on Parliament's site
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.
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 … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she received internal representations on the adequacy of Ministerial replies to Parliamentary Questions on absconders prior to their publication.
The Secretary of State for the Home Department has no plans to commission an independent review into the Department's handling, recording, and disclosure of absconder data. The Department already undertakes:Regular internal audits and quali… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of Answers to Parliamentary written questions on absconded foreign national offenders and irregular migrants.
The Secretary of State for the Home Department has no plans to commission an independent review into the Department’s handling, recording, and disclosure of absconder data. The Department already undertakes:Regular internal audits and quali… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she first became aware of the existence of the total absconder pool dataset.
The Secretary of State for the Home Department has no plans to commission an independent review into the Department's handling, recording, and disclosure of absconder data. The Department already undertakes:Regular internal audits and quali… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when total absconder pool figures were first compiled; and how frequently those figures have been updated since.
The information requested on the number of foreign national offenders (including the previous request under UIN 74872) and irregular migrants who are classified as absconders is not currently available from published statistics. Nor is the … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) foreign national offenders and (b) irregular migrants are in the total absconder pool by risk category, criminal history and nationality.
The information requested on the number of foreign national offenders (including the previous request under UIN 74872) and irregular migrants who are classified as absconders is not currently available from published statistics. Nor is the … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2025 to Question 74872 on Deportation, whether this remains the case.
The information requested on the number of foreign national offenders (including the previous request under UIN 74872) and irregular migrants who are classified as absconders is not currently available from published statistics. Nor is the … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what evidential basis the Minister of State for Immigration said on 3 September 2025 that her Department does not hold any central record of the requested information on foreign nationals who have
The information requested on the number of foreign national offenders (including the previous request under UIN 74872) and irregular migrants who are classified as absconders is not currently available from published statistics. Nor is the … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigration offenders were released on bail and not detained in each of the last ten years.
We do not routinely publish the information you have requested. We are unable to provide this information, as it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department reviews NHS England expenditure reports relating to the prescribing of puberty blockers for children; and whether (a) financial oversight and (b) risk assessments have been c
All arms-length bodies, including NHS England, are held to high standards of financial responsibility and publish annual reports and accounts which are laid before Parliament.Gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues, or puberty blockers, h… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what evidence NICE has identified as the basis for its clinical assessment of puberty blockers for gender dysphoria; and whether NICE has undertaken (a) scoping and (b) evaluation exercises since 2
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has not developed guidance on, or made a clinical assessment of, puberty blockers for gender dysphoria. In 2020, NICE developed two evidence summaries:Gonadotrophin releasing horm… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS England or NHSBSA have identified any gaps or inconsistencies in national prescribing or outcomes data relating to puberty blockers in under-18s.
In March 2024, NHS England published a suite of documentation relating to its decision to remove gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues as a routine treatment option in the National Health Service for children under 18 years old with gen… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Department holds complete archived referral, assessment, prescribing, and safeguarding data from the former Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service; and whether the Department wil
NHS England, as the responsible commissioner of the service at the time, will hold some relevant data, of the type and nature that would routinely be reported through the commissioning process. This would not include patient identifiable in… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what instructions his Department issued to NHS regional gender hubs on prescribing restrictions.
In March 2024, NHS England published its clinical policy on puberty suppressing hormones for children and young people who have gender incongruence and/or gender dysphoria.This set out that puberty supressing hormones are not available as a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether any NHS regional gender hubs have prescribed puberty blockers to patients under 18 since the publication of the Cass Review.
From 1 April 2024, NHS England adopted a new clinical commissioning policy that prevents the newly established Children and Young People's Gender Services from initiating prescriptions for gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues for the p… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what aggregated safety data, including adverse-event summaries, the MHRA has recorded relating to the use of puberty blockers in under-18s since 2010; and whether the Department has been informed o
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for ensuring medicines, medical devices, and blood components for transfusion meet applicable standards of safety, quality, and efficacy. The MHRA rigorously asse… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what was the total annual NHS expenditure on GnRH analogue puberty blockers for under-18s in each financial year since 2010.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists or ‘puberty blockers’ are used to treat several medical conditions in children and young people. These can include precocious puberty, some forms of cancer, and endometriosis. They have also be… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients aged under 18 have been prescribed GnRH analogue puberty blockers through the NHS in each year since 2010.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists or ‘puberty blockers’ are used to treat several medical conditions in children and young people. These can include precocious puberty, some forms of cancer, and endometriosis. They have also be… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
Information on sickness absence, including data by Department and sickness reason (such as Mental Ill-Health), is published in the Civil Service sickness absence reports available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absen… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
On the 30 September 2025, 94 individuals were recorded on Ministry of Defence (MOD) HR systems with an ongoing sick absence of six months or longer for Mental Disorders as defined by the World Health Organisation International Classificatio… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
Civil Service sickness absence reports, which provide statistics for sickness absence by organisation and sickness reason, including Mental Ill-Health.https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
We currently have fewer than 5 staff on leave for six months or more for mental health related sickness absence. We do not reveal the medical details for individual ill health. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
The Civil Service publishes sickness absence statistics by organisation and by sickness reason, including mental ill-health. These figures are available in the publicly accessible Civil Service sickness absence reports on GOV.UK (https://ww… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
Based on our reporting data up to the end of September 2025, we are withholding this data due to the small number of employees involved which could make individuals and the cause of their absence identifiable. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are in the total absconder pool of foreign national offenders for which the latest data is available.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
Information on sickness absence, including mental ill-health, is available in the Civil Service Sickness Absence Reports, which provide statistics by organisation and sickness reason. These reports can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/gov… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many irregular migrants are in the total absconder pool for which the latest data is available.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
As of 31 October 2025, there are 0 staff in DfTc who have been absent for six months or more due to mental health. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology routinely reports its sickness absence data on gov.uk alongside the rest of the Civil Service.Information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absenceThi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
Sickness absence information in the format requested is not available. The Cabinet Office publishes statistics on Civil Service sickness absence in regular reports, which can be found here: Sickness absence in the Civil Service - GOV.UK. Th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
As of 31 October 2025, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero had less than five employees on sickness absence for six months or more where the recorded reason related to mental health. The exact number has been redacted to avoid i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
The department records sickness absence categorised to show the broad reason for the absence, with one option titled ‘anxiety, stress, depression and other psychiatric illnesses’. As of 31 October 2025, five or fewer members of staff in the… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
Civil Service sickness absence reports, which provide statistics for sickness absence by organisation and sickness reason, including Mental Ill-Health, are published on an annual basis. The publication of the 2025 report is currently planne… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
Civil Service sickness absence reports (which provide statistics for sickness absence by organisation and sickness reason, including Mental Ill-Health) are publicly available at: [https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence].… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
The Civil Service publishes regular sickness absence reports, which provide statistics for sickness absence by organisation and sickness reason, including Mental Ill-Health. These can be found at Sickness absence in the Civil Service - GOV.… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
Cabinet Office publishes sickness absence data for the Civil Service on an annual basis, including by organisation and by absence reason. I refer you to the statistics publicly available which can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds data on the nationality or immigration status of people arrested for offences committed against churches.
The Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion and will not tolerate anti-Christian hatred in any form.The Home Office does not hold arrest or crime data specifically relating to Christi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many arrests and prosecutions have resulted from reported offences against churches in each of the last five years.
The Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion and will not tolerate anti-Christian hatred in any form.The Home Office does not hold arrest or crime data specifically relating to Christi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department records crimes committed against churches, chapels and other places of Christian worship as a distinct offence category.
The Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion and will not tolerate anti-Christian hatred in any form.The Home Office does not hold arrest or crime data specifically relating to Christi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many recorded offences involving vandalism, arson, burglary, or hate-motivated attacks were committed against Christian places of worship in each of the last five years.
The Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion and will not tolerate anti-Christian hatred in any form.The Home Office does not hold arrest or crime data specifically relating to Christi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to conduct a national review into criminal attacks on churches and Christian heritage sites.
The Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion and will not tolerate anti-Christian hatred in any form.The Home Office does not hold arrest or crime data specifically relating to Christi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department consulted (a) Stonewall, (b) Mermaids and (c) other advocacy organisations at any stage during the (i) design, (ii) approval, and (iii) communication of the PATHWAYS trial.
Children’s healthcare must always be evidence-led. That’s why we are following expert, independent advice from the Cass Review to implement a package of research to find out how the National Health Service can best support children and youn… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Pathway puberty-blocker trial on future legal claims by participants.
Children’s healthcare must always be evidence-led. That’s why we are following expert, independent advice from the Cass Review to implement a package of research to find out how the National Health Service can best support children and youn… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will hold discussions with Kings College London on the potential merits of pausing recruitment to the new Pathway puberty-blocker trial until an independent panel considers the findings of th
Children’s healthcare must always be evidence-led. That’s why we are following expert, independent advice from the Cass Review to implement a package of research to find out how the National Health Service can best support children and youn… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued on the capacity of children aged between 11 and 15 to consent to medical trials related to puberty blockers.
Children’s healthcare must always be evidence-led. That’s why we are following expert, independent advice from the Cass Review to implement a package of research to find out how the National Health Service can best support children and youn… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of de-transitioners reporting harm from puberty blockers; and whether his Department considered this data as part of its approval of the trial.
There is currently no registry in place in the United Kingdom that routinely collects data that is specific to individuals who choose to detransition at any point following a previous medical intervention for gender reassignment.Last month,… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has obtained legal advice on whether putting minors on puberty blockers constitutes a breach of child-safeguarding duties.
Children’s healthcare must always be evidence-led. That’s why we are following expert, independent advice from the Cass Review to implement a package of research to find out how the National Health Service can best support children and youn… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children under the age of 16 were administered puberty blockers, including through (a) clinical trials and (b) private routes in each of the last five years; and what adverse effects were
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists or ‘puberty blockers’ are used to treat several medical conditions in children and young people. These can include precocious puberty, some forms of cancer, and endometriosis. They have been used outs… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, to provide a breakdown of (i) the total number (ii) the age of children taken into care in each of the last ten years.
The latest figures on the number of children taken into care for reasons of court orders or police protection, emergency or child assessment orders in England by age are shown in the attached table.The latest figures on all children startin… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has considered restricting access to non-contributory benefits for non-UK nationals until they have completed a minimum qualifying period of lawful residence and tax contribution.
On 20 November my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary launched a consultation on proposals for a fairer pathway to settlement, the point at which foreign nationals generally gain access to public funds. These plans include doubling the sta… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish an annual breakdown of benefit fraud and error by nationality and immigration status of the claimant.
The Monetary Value of Fraud and Error Statistics are not disaggregated by nationality and immigration status. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that individuals whose immigration status no longer entitles them to public funds are automatically removed from benefit systems; and how many such removals have t
Universal Credit systems carry out daily automatic checks against Home Office data to identify any changes in immigration status, and subsequently, DWP caseworkers stop claims where the individual no longer has an immigration status that pe… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases of benefit fraud identified in the last five years involved individuals whose immigration status was later found to be (a) overstayer, (b) illegal entrant or (c) failed asylum seeker.
The Monetary Value of Fraud and Error Statistics are not disaggregated by nationality and immigration status. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with (a) asylum seeker status, (b) refused asylum seeker status and (c) no lawful immigration status are in receipt of benefit support; and what the annual cost of that support is.
People without valid UK immigration status are prohibited from accessing public funds benefits, including asylum seekers and those refused asylum in the UK. People with a pending asylum application may be able to claim asylum support provid… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department routinely records the nationality and immigration status of claimants in cases of proven benefit fraud.
The Monetary Value of Fraud and Error Statistics are not disaggregated by nationality and immigration status. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the proportion of identified benefit fraud cases in which the claimant was a non-UK national in the last five years.
The Monetary Value of Fraud and Error Statistics are not disaggregated by nationality and immigration status. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the value of benefit expenditure paid to non-UK nationals in the last financial year by benefit type.
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-UK nationals are in receipt of (a) Universal Credit, (b) legacy working-age benefits and (c) child-related benefits by nationality.
The Department publishes Universal Credit (UC) immigration status and nationality statistics as part of the Universal Credit statistics publication. These statistics can be found on https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/universal-credit-… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an estimate of savings from halving levels of benefit fraud and error by 2030.
Since Autumn Budget 2024, including the new announcements at Autumn Budget 2025, the Government have committed to gross savings of £14.6bn up to the end of 2030/31 from fraud, error and debt activity in Great Britain. Estimates of the level… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff in his Department were employed in tackling benefit fraud in (a) 2025 and (b) 2020.
Since Autumn Budget 24, including the new announcements at Autumn Budget 25, the Government have committed to gross savings of £14.6bn up to the end of 2030/31 from fraud, error and debt activity in GB. The Government is committed to ensuri… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claims were terminated in the last 12 months as a result of fraud investigations; and what the estimated value of those claims was.
Since Autumn Budget 2024, including the new announcements at Autumn Budget 2025, the Government have committed to gross savings of £14.6bn up to the end of 2030/31 from fraud, error and debt activity in the welfare state in Great Britain. I… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of benefit expenditure was lost to (a) claimant fraud, (b) official error and (c) customer error in each of the last five years.
Since Autumn Budget 2024, including the new announcements at Autumn Budget 2025, the Government have committed to gross savings of £14.6bn up to the end of 2030/31 from fraud, error and debt activity in Great Britain. Estimates of the level… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much benefit expenditure was lost to fraud and error in the most recent year for which figures are available by benefit type.
Since Autumn Budget 2024, including the new announcements at Autumn Budget 2025, the Government have committed to gross savings of £14.6bn up to the end of 2030/31 from fraud, error and debt activity in Great Britain. Estimates of the level… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much Universal Credit was paid to (a) foreign nationals and (b) households with refugee status in October 2025.
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the value of outstanding Dartford Crossing fines for foreign HGV drivers.
The Department does not release this information on the grounds that it could prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs by undermining the collection of Dart Charge. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of sharing information between Border Force and Kent Police on HGV drivers that repeatedly break the speed limit.
The allocation of resources and deployment of officers in Kent is an operational matter for Kent Police’s Chief Constables to determine in line with local policing plans and in conjunction with their Police and Crime Commissioners.Excess sp… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data the Police National Computer holds on the number of offences committed in the last 12 months, by where the offender was born.
The Police National Computer (PNC) is a system that provides real-time access to criminal records of offenders, vehicle data, and other information relevant to policing. The PNC retains records by individual suspects and offenders rather th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many telephone operators work on the Universal Credit helpline by the nationality of those operators.
We do not centrally hold the nationality of Universal Credit call handlers and to provide the information would incur disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many telephone operators work on the HMRC employers general enquiries line by the nationality of those operators.
HMRC does not have information readily available identifying the nationality of staff working on specific telephone enquiry lines. Obtaining this information would require a manual process which would exceed the cost threshold for answering… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many telephone operators work on the HMRC self-assessment line by the nationality of those operators.
HMRC does not have information readily available identifying the nationality of staff working on specific telephone enquiry lines. Obtaining this information would require a manual process which would exceed the cost threshold for answering… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025 to question 91631 on Motor Vehicles: Insurance, if she will make it the Department’s policy to collect data on (i) the number and proportion of collisions involving un
The department currently has no plans to collect this data. As outlined in my response on data held about uninsured drivers, the Road Traffic Act 1988 requires all drivers to have third party insurance cover and measures are in place to det… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2025 to question 81592 Medical Treatments: Gaza, for the total number of accompanying adults that have entered the UK under the Gaza Injured Children Scheme.
The information requested is not available from published statistics. Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2025 to question 81592 on Medical Treatments: Gaza, what the estimated total cost of the programme will be to the public purse.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 November 2025 to Question 81587. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many super-injunctions relating to the Government are in place.
The Government does not publish or hold centralised data on the number of super-injunctions currently in place, due to the sensitive and often confidential nature of such orders.Where such orders are made, they are typically issued by the H… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants within the Government Communications Service are engaged in identifying, categorising, or responding to social media content critical of government migration policy.
The Cabinet Office's GCS team has three staff members responsible for media and social media analysis. While their analysis is not specifically focused on migration, the topic may arise as part of wider thematic reporting. We cannot provide… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government Communications Service collects, stores, or processes data from social media accounts under the RESIST framework.
The Government Communication Service (GCS) monitors publicly available media posts, under strict controls, to measure communication effectiveness, understand public narratives, and address potential mis/disinformation. GCS does not access p… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government Communications Service uses automated tools, AI systems, or external contractors to scrape social media data relating to criticism of migration.
The Government Communication Service (GCS) monitors publicly available media posts, under strict controls, to measure communication effectiveness, understand public narratives, and address potential mis/disinformation. GCS does not access p… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government Communications Service maintains a database, spreadsheet, internal dashboard, or record of accounts or individuals who post content about migrants, asylum seekers, or community housing pre
The Government Communication Service (GCS) monitors publicly available media posts, under strict controls, to measure communication effectiveness, understand public narratives, and address potential mis/disinformation. GCS does not access p… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for the total budget and number of staff of the Government Communication Service.
The Government Communication Service (GCS) conducts an annual data collection, requesting government organisations to submit accurate and timely returns. It should be noted that some organisations may have undergone significant changes sinc… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been monitored by the Government Communications Service in the previous year.
The Government Communication Service (GCS) monitors publicly available media posts, under strict controls, to measure communication effectiveness, understand public narratives, and address potential mis/disinformation. GCS does not access p… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking with police forces to detect and prosecute organised fraud rings involved in impersonation during driving tests.
To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate lice… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish annual statistics on the number of impersonation and fraud attempts in driving tests.
To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate lice… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing new technologies including biometric checks and digital verification to strengthen identity checks at driving test centres.
To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate lice… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) collisions and (b) offences that have later been linked to drivers found to have obtained licences fraudulently in the last five years.
The requested information is not held by the Department. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the potential risk posed to road safety by illegitimate licences being issued through fraudulent tests.
To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate lice… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has identified any driving test centres with unusually high rates of suspected impersonation.
To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate lice… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what disciplinary measures are in place for driving examiners who fail to follow ID verification protocols.
To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate lice… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many cases of impersonation or fraudulent driving tests have been detected in the past five years.
To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate lice… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what training and refresher courses are provided to driving test examiners to spot impersonation attempts.
To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate lice… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how often are driving test examiners audited to ensure they are following ID verification procedures prior to an examination.
To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate lice… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what checks are required of examiners when verifying photo ID before a driving test begins.
To ensure Great Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driving test, to prevent illegitimate lice… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of (i) nurses (ii) doctors (iii) midwives entering the NHS were (a) non-UK citizens (b) non-UK graduates in each of the last five years.
The Department does not hold data on the number and proportion non-United Kingdom citizens entering the National Health Service. NHS England publishes monthly Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) workforce statistics for England wh… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many non-British people received 15 hours of free childcare in the last financial year.
The requested information on nationality is not held by the department.Information on children under 5 registered for government funded entitlements in England and on providers and staff delivering them, is published in the ‘Funded early ed… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, to provide a breakdown in the total value of student loan repayments received by (i) non-UK nationals and (ii) UK nationals in each of the last five financial years.
The following table gives the Student Loan Company (SLC) payments in millions for the 2020/21 to 2024/25 financial years and covers Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans (full time and part time) for undergraduates only domiciled in England, Wale… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the total number and proportion of road collisions involving uninsured drivers that were caused by non-UK citizens in each of the last five years.
My Department does not hold the number and proportion of collisions involving uninsured drivers that were caused by non-UK citizens. Nor do we have information on the number of uninsured drivers that are non-UK citizens. The Road Traffic Ac… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of uninsured drivers that are non-UK citizens.
My Department does not hold the number and proportion of collisions involving uninsured drivers that were caused by non-UK citizens. Nor do we have information on the number of uninsured drivers that are non-UK citizens. The Road Traffic Ac… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for the total number of people, broken by nationality, on the Department's Person of Interest List concerning individuals involved with taking payment to take driving tests on a third party's behalf.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not capture any information on nationalities at either the theory or practical driving tests. The DVSA has robust measures in place to stop people using false identities when taking a driv… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 89231 on Cabinet Office: Social, which channels were (a) contracted and (b) paid by his Department in the last financial year.
Please see below Cabinet Office spend by social platform from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025: SupplierNet Media SpendMeta£791,705.41LinkedIn£325,259.65Reddit£13,888.89Snapchat£54,812.17TikTok£65,494.21Grand Total£1,251,160.33 Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many IELTS testing centres have been investigated, suspended, or removed from the UKVI-approved list due to suspected malpractice since 2020.
The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangem… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the use of proxy test-takers or impersonation at IELTS centres overseas.
The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangem… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what systems her Department has in place to verify the authenticity of IELTS certificates submitted with visa and immigration applications.
The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangem… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of fraudulent IELTS certificates have been identified by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) in each of the last five years.
The data is only available at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any data is held by his Department on the number of applicants who submitted invalid or forged IELTS results as part of higher education or visa applications.
The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangem… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many IELTS test centres operating abroad were suspended or de-authorised in each of the last five years.
The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangem… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to monitor the integrity of International English Language Testing System test centres operating abroad.
The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangem… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fraudulent International English Language Testing System certificates were detected by her Department in each of the last five years.
The data is only available at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average International English Language Testing System scores were for internationally recruited healthcare professionals entering the NHS via the international recruitment programme in eac
The Department does not collect data on repeat International English Language Testing System (IELTS) attempts or average test scores for National Health Service staff. Information on English language competence for professional registration… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of internationally recruited NHS workers were required to retake the International English Language Testing System more than once to meet employment eligibility criteria between 202
The Department does not collect data on repeat International English Language Testing System (IELTS) attempts or average test scores for National Health Service staff. Information on English language competence for professional registration… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will establish a limit on the proportion of foreign national officers that may be employed by each police force.
Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proportion of police officers that are of foreign nationality or non-native English speakers on public confidence in police
Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign national officers have failed vetting or re-vetting procedures since 2015.
The Home Office does not centrally collect information on the number of police officers who fail vetting or re-vetting procedures. This information is held individually by each of the 43 territorial police forces. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) police misconduct cases and (b) police misconduct cases involving non-UK national police officers since 2020.
The Home Office does not hold the requested information.The Home Office collects and publishes information on cases handled under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 as a part of its published Police Misconduct: England and Wales statisti… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department provides to police forces on English language standards for police recruitment.
Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that police officers demonstrate fluent spoken and written English before being deployed in frontline roles.
Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have been subject to disciplinary action as a result of (a) poor communication and (b) language comprehension in the last five years.
The Home Office does not hold the requested information.The Home Office collects and publishes information on cases handled under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 as a part of its published Police Misconduct: England and Wales statisti… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers recruited since 2019 have required English language training after appointment.
Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many serving police officers in England and Wales are foreign nationals, broken down by nationality.
Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a dedicated whistleblowing line for NHS staff and patients to report issues with language barriers in the National Health Servi
Speak Up Direct, funded by the Department, is a dedicated, independent helpline offering confidential advice, signposting, and guidance to National Health Service and social care staff on raising work-related concerns. Additional support in… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether UK (a) climate and (b) carbon capture, usage and storage initiatives are coordinated with U.S. federal or state programmes.
The United States is Britain’s closest ally. Our two countries have a long, deep history of close cooperation. This is demonstrated by the Technology Prosperity Deal signed by the Prime Minister and the President during his recent State Vis… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has held discussions with U.S. agencies or corporations on digital identity, interoperability, or trust frameworks since 2021.
DSIT is developing the UK digital identity and attributes trust framework to enable secure, interoperable digital identity services in the UK. Senior officials regularly collaborate with international partners, including US departments, age… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether (a) Section 232 tariffs, (b) digital tax negotiations and (c) IP reforms have been discussed with USA trade officials in the context of a future UK–USA trade agreement.
The UK has continued to engage across the range of issues outlined in the General Terms for the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal agreed in May.We're continuing talks on a wider deal which will look at addressing specific tariff and non-tariff… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has communicated with (a) U.S. federal agencies and (b) major social media platforms on the moderation or removal of UK-based content since 2020.
The department regularly engages with international partners, including US federal agencies, on a range of technology-related issues.The department also regularly engages with social media platforms to discuss online harms, including topics… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether U.S. officials have (a) participated in and (b) been consulted on UK–Mauritius negotiations regarding the Chagos Islands and Diego Garcia since 2022.
As I stated in the House of Commons on 2 September, the UK-Mauritius treaty was tested at the highest levels of the United States' security establishment, across multiple agencies. The agreement has been backed by our key allies and interna… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has been informed of any Palantir contracts or U.S. federal agreements referencing UK data-sharing or joint programme work since 2020.
DSIT is not responsible for holding information centrally on contracts or federal agreements that may be held in other government departments. Within DSIT there are currently no Palantir contracts or U.S. federal agreements referencing UK d… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has been (a) informed of, (b) consulted on and (c) involved in EU-funded projects for migrant (i) accommodation and (ii) reception facilities in (A) France, (B) the Western Balk
Since EU Exit, the UK is not a participant in EU funding programmes that cover third country compliance with UN standards on reception facilities and migrant accommodation.We have not had specific discussions with the EU or member countries… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has engaged in (a) data-sharing, (b) surveillance coordination and (c) technology interoperability projects with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency since the UK’s withdr
The Home Office strengthened cooperation with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency through the agreement of the UK-Frontex Working Arrangement in 2024. It would not be appropriate to disclose specific operational details of this frame… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total (a) number of claims and (b) value of clinical negligence claims paid out in financial year 24/25 were attributed to language barrier issues.
This data is not held by NHS Resolution. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to provide a breakdown of (a) total pay-outs (b) total value of claims to category A patients by (i) UK citizens (ii) asylum seekers for the financial year 24/25.
NHS Resolution manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. This data is not held by NHS Resolution. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to provide the total (a) number and (b) value of clinical negligence claims paid out to category f patients in financial year 24/25.
NHS Resolution manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. This data is not held by NHS Resolution. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of physicians responsible for medical malpractice which resulted in a pay-out in the 2024-25 financial year, broken down by nationality.
This data is not held by NHS Resolution. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November to Question 82825 on NHS: English Language, how many tests were taken, by nationality; and how many were failed.
The Department does not hold data about these tests or assessments. Where collected, this would be held by the relevant lead organisation for each process. For data about English language competence for registration, this would be held by t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has visibility over donations or grants from U.S. government agencies or foundations to (a) BBC Media Action and (b) the BBC World Service Trust since
The information requested is not held by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of waiving fines for parents judged to be responsible by the headteacher for taking their children out of school during term for holidays.
The department has no plans to review our approach to term-time holidays. Schools can grant pupils a leave of absence for exceptional circumstances at their discretion, judging each application on the specific facts. However, generally a h… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will consider updating guidance to allow headteachers to use their own discretion to allow parents to take their children out of school for holidays during term time.
The department has no plans to review our approach to term-time holidays. Schools can grant pupils a leave of absence for exceptional circumstances at their discretion, judging each application on the specific facts. However, generally a h… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS England routinely monitors Category 1–2 ambulance response times by incident type.
There are clearly defined national standards for patient access to urgent and emergency care with a clinically led model that prioritises those in the greatest need. While NHS England routinely monitors and evaluates Category 1 and 2 ambula… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of ambulance delays on (a) survival and (b) recovery rates for victims of (i) violent crime and (ii) home intrusion.
There are clearly defined national standards for patient access to urgent and emergency care with a clinically led model that prioritises those in the greatest need. While NHS England routinely monitors and evaluates Category 1 and 2 ambula… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of ambulance callouts recorded for (a) violent assaults related injuries, (b) injuries sustained during a burglary or break in in each year since 2015 involved (i) resp
There are clearly defined national standards for patient access to urgent and emergency care with a clinically led model that prioritises those in the greatest need. While NHS England routinely monitors and evaluates Category 1 and 2 ambula… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many ambulance call-outs have been recorded for (a) violent or assault-related injuries and (b) injuries sustained during a burglary or break-in in each year since 2015.
There are clearly defined national standards for patient access to urgent and emergency care with a clinically led model that prioritises those in the greatest need. While NHS England routinely monitors and evaluates Category 1 and 2 ambula… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department provides to ensure proportionality when police use force in (a) cases where lawful occupiers attempt to defend property and (b) other property-related incidents.
The government is clear police use of force must be reasonable, proportionate and necessary in all circumstances.The College of Policing is the body responsible for setting out the guidance and training for the police. Guidance on the use o… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to expand its annual use-of-force data collection to identify the relationship between the person subjected to force and the property or premises involved in the incident.
The government is clear police use of force must be reasonable, proportionate and necessary in all circumstances.The College of Policing is the body responsible for setting out the guidance and training for the police. Guidance on the use o… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police use-of-force incidents since 2017 involved individuals recorded as (a) property owners, (b) occupiers, and (c) complainants.
The government is clear police use of force must be reasonable, proportionate and necessary in all circumstances.The College of Policing is the body responsible for setting out the guidance and training for the police. Guidance on the use o… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to police on the use of force during property-related incidents in (a) general and (b) cases where lawful occupiers attempt to defend property.
The Home Office does not hold any data on the number or proportion of police officers in England and Wales that were authorised to carry Conducted Energy Devices or PAVA. However, to ensure transparency and accountability around police use … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the reason for the decline in the charge rate for residential burglaries in England and Wales since 2015; and what steps she is taking to improve detection and prosecut
This Government recognises the particularly invasive nature of domestic burglary, and the profound impact these crimes can have on individuals and the wider community.Police recorded burglary has decreased by 10% in the year to June 2025 co… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether there has been any cost to the public purse of the (a) construction and (b) maintenance of (i) fencing, (ii) other physical barriers and (iii) surveillance infrastructure in northern France, i
The Home Office cannot comment on the specifics of French activity, but the Sandhurst agreement and related finances are referred to in this Press release from the beginning of the year - New UK-French action to go after smuggler gangs - GO… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will regularly publish a single national table showing annual totals for (a) officers authorised to carry tasers, (b) officers authorised to carry PAVA/CS, (c) officers carrying or d
The Home Office does not hold any data on the number or proportion of police officers in England and Wales that were authorised to carry Conducted Energy Devices or PAVA. However, to ensure transparency and accountability around police use … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) offences, (b) cautions and (c) prosecutions have been recorded for civilian possession of (i) pepper spray, (ii) PAVA and (iii) other incapacitant substances under the Firearms Act 1968 i
The Home Office does not hold any data on the number or proportion of police officers in England and Wales that were authorised to carry Conducted Energy Devices or PAVA. However, to ensure transparency and accountability around police use … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers (a) carried and (b) deployed a taser in each year since 2015; and if she will publish the latest aggregated dataset.
The Home Office does not hold any data on the number or proportion of police officers in England and Wales that were authorised to carry Conducted Energy Devices or PAVA. However, to ensure transparency and accountability around police use … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of police officers in England and Wales were authorised to carry Conducted Energy Devices in each year since 2015.
The Home Office does not hold any data on the number or proportion of police officers in England and Wales that were authorised to carry Conducted Energy Devices or PAVA. However, to ensure transparency and accountability around police use … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) charge and (b) clear-up rate for residential burglaries was by police force area in the most recent year for which data is available.
The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on the offences and investigative outcomes recorded by the police in England and Wales on a quarterly basis, including burglary, which can be accessed here:Police recorded crime and… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) charge, (b) summons and (c) clear-up rate was for residential burglaries in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years.
The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on the offences and investigative outcomes recorded by the police in England and Wales on a quarterly basis, including burglary, which can be accessed here:Police recorded crime and… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many residential burglaries were recorded in England and Wales in each year since 2015; how many of those resulted in an (a) charge or (b) summons.
The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on the offences and investigative outcomes recorded by the police in England and Wales on a quarterly basis, including burglary, which can be accessed here:Police recorded crime and… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of litigation on the implementation of the one-in, one-out migrant returns agreement with France; and whether policy changes have been made in resp
Litigation related to the UK-France Agreement on the Prevention of Dangerous Journeys was anticipated and our policies, processes and operational practices were developed accordingly and designed to be lawful.Litigation is a standard elemen… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department maintains (a) internal statistical summaries and (b) dashboards recording the (i) number and (ii) cost of legal challenges to the one-in, one-out migrant returns scheme.
The UK-France Treaty is an innovative pilot designed to deter illegal migration across the Channel. Litigation related to this pilot was anticipated and we are concentrating resources on robustly defending this so that removals can continue… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many legal aid certificates have been granted for cases referencing (a) the one-in, one-out migrant returns policy and (b) removals to France since July 2025.
Information relating to legal aid expenditure challenging removals under the one-in one-out pilot is not centrally held. Although legal aid expenditure broken down by category is published on a quarterly basis as part of the Legal Aid Agenc… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much from the public purse has been spent by the Legal Aid Agency on (a) legal representation and (b) pre-action work challenging removals under the one-in, one-out migrant returns policy since 1 July 2025.
Information relating to legal aid expenditure challenging removals under the one-in one-out pilot is not centrally held. Although legal aid expenditure broken down by category is published on a quarterly basis as part of the Legal Aid Agenc… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, how many (a) active and (b) concluded cases the Government Legal Department has handled relating to legal challenges against the one-in, one-out migrant returns scheme; and what the total cost of that litigation has been.
The UK-France Treaty is an innovative pilot designed to deter illegal migration across the Channel. Litigation related to this pilot was anticipated and we are concentrating resources on robustly defending this so that removals can continue… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many distinct (a) organisations and (b) legal representatives have lodged (i) challenges and (ii) judicial reviews against removals under the one-in, one-out migrant returns scheme.
The UK-France Treaty is an innovative pilot designed to deter illegal migration across the Channel. Litigation related to this pilot was anticipated and we are concentrating resources on robustly defending this so that removals can continue… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many planned removals under the one-in, one-out migrant returns scheme have been (a) postponed, (b) cancelled and (c) disrupted as a result of legal challenges or injunctions.
The UK-France Treaty is an innovative pilot designed to deter illegal migration across the Channel. Litigation related to this pilot was anticipated and we are concentrating resources on robustly defending this so that removals can continue… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) pre-action protocol letters, (b) judicial review applications and (c) injunction requests have been received relating to the one-in, one-out migrant returns scheme agreed with France sinc
The UK-France Treaty is an innovative pilot designed to deter illegal migration across the Channel. Litigation related to this pilot was anticipated and we are concentrating resources on robustly defending this so that removals can continue… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which French (a) ministries, (b) local authorities and (c) private contractors have received UK funding for (i) border security and (ii) migration control infrastructure since 2023.
The Home Office cannot comment on the specifics of French activity, but the Sandhurst agreement and related finances are referred to in this press release from the beginning of the year - New UK-French action to go after smuggler gangs - GO… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, through which (a) programmes and (b) funds the UK has supported border-infrastructure projects in France since 2023; and how that expenditure is monitored.
The Home Office cannot comment on the specifics of French activity, but the Sandhurst agreement and related finances are referred to in this press release from the beginning of the year - New UK-French action to go after smuggler gangs - GO… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the UK Government has contributed funding towards a (a) wall and (b) barrier near (i) Dunkirk and (ii) Calais.
The Home Office cannot comment on the specifics of French activity, but the Sandhurst agreement and related finances are referred to in this press release from the beginning of the year - New UK-French action to go after smuggler gangs - GO… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2025 to Question 81591 Medical Treatments: Gaza, how many Gazan children have been treated on the NHS.
I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Statement HCWS899 made to the House on 1 September 2025 by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The safety, privacy, and wellbeing of these severely ill and vulnerable… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the total number of licence fee enforcement letters sent by the BBC in the last financial year.
The TV Licensing website states that in 2024/25, approximately 72 million items of mail for TV Licensing were sent. This information is published at https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-administering-the-licence-fee-AB20The BBC is respon… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the Government will make an assessment of the potential merits of diverting spending on foreign aid towards establishing a veterans support network including (a) guaranteed fast-track treatment and mental heal
This Government is completely dedicated to recognising our veterans and is keenly aware of the debt that we as a country owe to them for their service and sacrifice. Just this week we launched a new cross government Veterans' Strategy to fu… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2025 to Question 86454 on Cabinet Office: Social Media, if he will publish any information that would not prejudice commercial interests.
Influencers are an effective channel to reach audiences. Their work with the Cabinet Office is primarily supported by agencies OmniGov and Pablo Unlimited via the Campaign Solutions 2 framework, link below: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.u… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2025 to Question 87145 on Driving Licenses, if she will provide this information by nationality.
The data requested is provided in the attached table which shows the number of GB licences exchanged for a licence issued in each of the countries listed. Please note that this will not necessarily be the nationality of the licence holder. … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2025 to Question 86469 Ministry of Justice: Social Media, if he will publish a breakdown of all non-commercially sensitive information on (a) influencers paid and (b) amount p
Given the nature of working with influencers, there are sensitivities surrounding all aspects of this expenditure. Sharing any information could compromise commercial interests, as the Department has engaged with only 10 influencers where i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 83169 Universal Credit: Telephone Services, how many and what proportion of calls to the Universal Credit helpline dropped in each of the last five
DWP does not maintain a telephony reporting measure for “dropped calls” Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 86041 on Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services, how many and what proportion of calls to the HMRC self-assessment line dropped in each of the last five years.
Improving day-to-day performance is a key priority for HMRC.In 2024-25, HMRC handled 71.5% of adviser attempts across their helplines and had an average call answer time of 18 minutes 38 seconds. So far this year (April –September 2025), th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will implement a review of HMRC helplines to (i) lower hold times and (ii) improve customer service.
Improving day-to-day performance is a key priority for HMRC.In 2024-25, HMRC handled 71.5% of adviser attempts across their helplines and had an average call answer time of 18 minutes 38 seconds. So far this year (April –September 2025), th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to review data-sharing systems between the Prison Service and immigration enforcement.
We keep all data sharing systems and agreements between the Home Office and MoJ under review. We will be mindful of any recommendations or proposals for improvement that might flow from Dame Lynne Owens' review into the incident at Chelmsfo… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what communications protocols exist between his Department and the Home Office to prevent the erroneous release of asylum-seeker prisoners.
The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.We are focused on fixing release and discharge processes and have already brought in the strongest ever release checks with more … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of foreign national offenders released in error were awaiting deportation at the time of release in each of the last five years.
We regularly publish information on releases in error but this does not show how many of these releases relate to foreign nationals or the proportion of such offenders who were awaiting deportation at the time of release.The Government is d… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the public is notified when a foreign national offender is mistakenly released from custody.
The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.We are focused on fixing release and discharge processes and have already brought in the strongest ever release checks with more … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department tracks the locations of foreign national offenders following release.
Foreign national offenders (FNOs), if not detained under immigration powers, are released on licence at the conclusion of the custodial element of their sentence, under the supervision of the Probation Service.They are subject to licence co… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the the mistaken release of asylum seekers convicted of criminal offences on public safety.
The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.We are focused on fixing release and discharge processes and have already brought in the strongest ever release checks with more … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many officials in his Department have faced disciplinary action following the mistaken release of asylum seekers convicted of criminal offences in each of the last five years.
The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what processes are in place to prevent the accidental release of foreign national offenders from prisons.
The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.We are focused on fixing release and discharge processes and have already brought in the strongest ever release checks with more … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many foreign nationals have been released from prison in error in each of the last five years.
We regularly publish information on releases in error but this does not show how many of these releases relate to foreign nationals or the proportion of such offenders who were awaiting deportation at the time of release.The Government is d… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of how much money was sent abroad in remittance payments in 2024 by destination country.
The Treasury does not collect or report data on the flow of remittances out of the UK and has not under previous governments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many individuals released through the early release scheme were foreign nationals.
This Government inherited prisons days from collapse. We had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe. On 10 September 2024, the Government therefore took the unavoidable step to move th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many complaints have been made to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office on (a) bias against and (b) unfair treatment of fathers in family law proceedings in the last five years.
Our judges swear an oath to act "without fear or favour, affection or ill will". Judges make decisions based on the evidence and arguments presented to them, applying the law as it stands.To uphold the important principle of judicial indepe… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on the average cost to fathers of pursuing access to children through the family court system; and whether he plans to make that process more affordable.
The Ministry of Justice holds data on child arrangements that might help answer the questions relating to:The number of custody arrangements ordered by family courts that resulted in the father being granted equal or majority care of the ch… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will make an estimate of the number of fathers prevented from seeing their children following court proceedings in each of the last five years.
The Ministry of Justice holds data on child arrangements that might help answer the questions relating to:The number of custody arrangements ordered by family courts that resulted in the father being granted equal or majority care of the ch… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if the Government will commission a cross-departmental review across (a) justice, (b) education and (c) welfare on (i) improving support for and (ii) empowering fathers in maintaining active roles in children’s l
The Ministry of Justice holds data on child arrangements that might help answer the questions relating to:The number of custody arrangements ordered by family courts that resulted in the father being granted equal or majority care of the ch… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS (a) maternity wards and (b) perinatal services treat fathers as active participants in the birth process.
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has committed to putting the voices of families, including fathers, at the heart of the approach to improving quality, safety and accountability in maternity services.Baroness Amos’ independ… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made an assessment of the (a) prevalence and (b) potential impact of parental alienation on fathers’ ability to maintain a relationship with their children.
The Government does not recognise the concept of “parental alienation” syndrome and does not think it is capable of diagnosis and has therefore not undertaken an assessment of the prevalence of “parental alienation” or its impact on fathers… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of (a) fathers and (b) mothers received legal aid support in family court proceedings relating to child custody and access in the last five years.
The requested information is not centrally held. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average waiting time is for fathers seeking access to their children through the family courts after a separation.
The Ministry of Justice holds data on child arrangements that might help answer the questions relating to:The number of custody arrangements ordered by family courts that resulted in the father being granted equal or majority care of the ch… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on the number of custody arrangements ordered by family courts that resulted in the father being granted equal or majority care of the child in the last five years.
The Ministry of Justice holds data on child arrangements that might help answer the questions relating to:The number of custody arrangements ordered by family courts that resulted in the father being granted equal or majority care of the ch… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 38250 on Health Services: Foreign Nationals, what the ten nationalities with the highest total unpaid invoices were in 2023-24.
The Department does not currently have any plans to reassess or revise charging categories. Introducing additional charging categories would likely be disproportionate and not aid in improving cost recovery.While the Department holds inform… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an estimate of annual tax loss from untaxed remittances sent abroad by non-UK nationals.
The UK imposes taxes based on individual’s residence status. Individuals who are resident in the UK are typically taxable on their income and gains that arise worldwide. Remitting funds outside of the UK is not generally considered to be a … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of police officers are qualitied to use firearms in each year since 2018.
The Home Office collects and publishes information annually on the number of armed officers, and the proportion of armed officers relative to the total number of police officers, in the statistical publication on the police use of firearms.… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much income was generated through charges for category f patients in each financial year since 2018-19; and how much aggregate income identified for the 2018-19 financial year was written off.
The Department does not currently have any plans to reassess or revise charging categories. Introducing additional charging categories would likely be disproportionate and not aid in improving cost recovery.While the Department holds inform… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) translators and (b) interpreters have worked in the prison estate since 2018; and what the total cost to the public purse was for their services.
HMPPS uses translation services provided under contract. These services provide translation by phone and do not require translators to physically come onto the prison estate. There may be specific occasions where in person translators are r… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish (a) all recreational activities provided to inmates and (b) the total cost to the public purse for providing those activities in (i) HMP Maidstone, (ii) HMP Huntercombe and (iii) HMP Morton Hal
The requested data is not held centrally and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the public purse was of the NHS Muslim network in each of the last five years for which data is available.
As of August 2025, there are 1.54 million staff employed by NHS trusts and integrated care boards in England. Over 89,000, or 5.8%, report Islam as their religion.Staff networks are not allocated budgets but can apply for funding to support… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of splitting charging category A patients ordinarily resident in the UK and (a) asylum seeker and (b) failed asylum seeker under section 95 of
The Department does not currently have any plans to reassess or revise charging categories. Introducing additional charging categories would likely be disproportionate and not aid in improving cost recovery.While the Department holds inform… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2025 to Question 84798 on Driving Licences, how many code 70s were issued in each of the last ten years.
The number of GB driving licences issued in exchange for a licence issued in a non-UK country (which will have code 70 shown on the licence) in each of the last ten years is shown in the table below:Calendar YearNumber of non-GB licences ex… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people with non-UK nationality worked in the NHS by nationality in each of the last 25 years.
NHS England publishes data on the nationality of the National Health Service Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS) workforce in England.Data on the nationality of NHS staff includes a time-series from September 2009 until the latest … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to improve the quality of stay for fathers in the maternity ward.
When a mother chooses to have support from the father or partner during labour, birth, and in the postnatal period, the father or partner should feel welcome to stay with her. Where possible, fathers or partners are offered a chair or fold … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many complaints there have been relating to NHS staff in each of the last ten years.
Data on complaints made by, or on behalf of, patients about National Health Services provided by NHS trusts, general practices, and/or dental practices is collected and published annually. It is available at the following link:https://digit… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was paid in compensation by the NHS by the reason for that compensation in each of the last ten years.
This information is available on the NHS Resolution website at the following link:https://resolution.nhs.uk/resources/annual-statistics/ Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what is the total value of unpaid invoices to Category F patients.
The Department does not hold or collect the information requested. Guidance on identifying category F patients is available in the Guidance for Charging Overseas Visitors in England for Providers of NHS services, at the following link:https… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides on identifying Category F patients.
The Department does not hold or collect the information requested. Guidance on identifying category F patients is available in the Guidance for Charging Overseas Visitors in England for Providers of NHS services, at the following link:https… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total number of Category F patients receiving emergency care was in each of the last five years.
The Department does not hold or collect the information requested. Guidance on identifying category F patients is available in the Guidance for Charging Overseas Visitors in England for Providers of NHS services, at the following link:https… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many e-RS communications were sent to category F patients in each of the last five years.
The information requested is not available. The term "Category F patient" is not a classification used within the National Health Service e-Referral Service (e-RS) for patient status or priority. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the cost to the economy of compliance with VAT regulations for small businesses.
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. The UK’s VAT rate of 20 per cent is close to the OECD average of 19.3 per cent. The UK has a higher VAT registration threshold th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the administrative cost of collecting Inheritance Tax as a proportion of total revenue.
The figure for the cost of collecting Inheritance Tax (pence per pound collected) for 2024/25 is 0.78. This means as a proportion of total Inheritance Tax revenue, the administrative cost of collecting Inheritance Tax was 0.78% in that year… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average proportion of income paid in tax is for a full-time worker earning the national median salary.
According to the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data, median gross annual earnings for full-time employees were £39,039 in April 2025. The average employee would pay the basic rate of income tax (20%) and 8% in National Insuranc… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department communicates with NHS trusts on Category F patients.
The Department of Health and Social Care, and NHS Trusts, share information with the Home Office to tackle NHS debt accrued by patients who fall under Charging Category F. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many complaints the NHS has received on language issues in each of the last five years.
Data on written complaints in the National Health Service is published annually and is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/data-on-written-complaints-in-the-nhsThe data collec… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many overseas visitor managers are employed by the NHS.
The Department does not hold the data requested. NHS England publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England, which are available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publicatio… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the breakdown was of Category F patients treated by the NHS by nationality in each of the last five years.
The Department does not hold or collect the information requested. Guidance on identifying category F patients is available in the Guidance for Charging Overseas Visitors in England for Providers of NHS services, at the following link:https… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Category F patients were treated by the NHS; and at what cost in each of the last five years.
The Department does not hold or collect the information requested. Guidance on identifying category F patients is available in the Guidance for Charging Overseas Visitors in England for Providers of NHS services, at the following link:https… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much her Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
Over the last five financial years, the department has spent the following on social media promotion and online advertising:2024-25: £20,248.402025-26 to date: £26,751.60This spend was on the joint UK Government/Welsh Government campaign to… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
The Scotland Office has not spent on social media advertising with influencers in the last five financial years.The Office has spent the following on social media advertising over the past five financial years. Financial YearOrganisationSoc… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much his Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
The Northern Ireland Office has spent the following on social media advertising in the last five years: 2024/25 (to date): £02023/24: £02022/23: £29,395.012021/22: £10,500.00 Please note there was no spend on influencer marketing during thi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
The Ministry of Justice uses social media influencers to help deliver its communications and operational priorities. This includes activity to support recruitment campaigns for prison officers, probation officers and magistrates, ensuring t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much his Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
Sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
A full Departmental response could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The majority of Departmental advertising expenditure is undertaken by the three branches of the Armed Forces to aid recruitment. Generic advertising expenditure o… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
Sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests.All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much her Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
The department has spent £0 on social media advertising in the last 5 financial years. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much her Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 28 October to Question 83336. All spending is subject to standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
The specific information breakdown requested is commercially confidential.However, significant payments to companies, £25,000 and over, are published by month as part of the Department’s transparency data. This information is available at t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
I refer the Hon. member to the answer I gave on 20 October 2025 to PQ 81251. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much her Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
Sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much his Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
The Department for Science Innovation and Technology has spent money on social media advertising over the last five years. Sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much his Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
Sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
Sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much her Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
Sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much his Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
The Department for Business and Trade used influencers as part of the National Minimum and National Living Wage campaign in 2025 and 2026. We are unable to provide details of how much was paid to each influencer due to confidentiality provi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
Sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, how much her Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years.
The department has spent £0 on social media advertising in the last 5 financial years. All spend in these areas are subject to standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 83627 on Refugees: Social Rented Housing, how many lead tenants there are in (a) social and (b) rented housing by the nation
The English Housing Survey (EHS) collects information about the characteristics of households, including the nationality of the household reference person (equivalent to lead tenant). Breakdowns by housing tenure can be found in Annex Table… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigration enforcement raids have taken place in each of the last five years.
The relevant statistical figures can be accessed via the official government website at the following link: Illegal working and enforcement activity to the end of September 2025 - GOV.UKThe government takes illegal working very seriously, a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 83161 on Prisoners’ Release: Reoffenders, when this data will be included in statistical releases
The next proven reoffending statistics publication where SDS40 releases will fall within the overall cohort is currently scheduled for 30 July 2026. The content of this release, as with all future statistical releases, remains under review. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 82834 on Social Security Benefits: English Language, what the total cost was for English language courses as a work preparation activity in each of
This information is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to question 82834 on Social Security Benefits: English Language, how many claimants have been required to attend English language courses as a work preparation
The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information her Department holds on the average (a) waiting time for people calling and (b) time spent on hold to the HMRC self-assessment line in each of the last five years.
The below table provides the average call answer time (minutes: seconds) for HMRC’s employers helpline in each of the last five years: YearTotal average over the year2020-2109:072021-2212:032022-2316:032023-2422:202024-2526:32 Overall, HMRC… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information her Department holds on (a) the average call answer time and (b) time spent on hold for people calling the HMRC employers general enquiries line in each of the last five years.
The below table provides the average call answer time (minutes: seconds) for HMRC’s employers helpline in each of the last five years: YearTotal average over the year2020-2109:072021-2212:032022-2316:032023-2422:202024-2526:32 Overall, HMRC… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department cited (a) national security and (b) public interest exemptions under the Data Protection Act 2018 in relation to the Afghan data breach disclosed in 2021.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) reported several personal data incidents to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in 2021, under the previous administration, in which individuals seeking Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) s… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) ministers and (b) special advisers from her Department have received briefings on analyses of (a) tax contributions and (b) benefits of people by (i) ethnicity, (ii) nationality and (iii) country of birt
HM Treasury does not routinely publish information which is released in response to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. The FOI was answered in accordance with the Freedom of Information principles. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment her Department has made of (a) tax and (b) benefit contributions of people by (i) nationality and (ii) country of birth since 2020.
HM Treasury does not routinely publish information which is released in response to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. The FOI was answered in accordance with the Freedom of Information principles. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) recording and (b) categorisation of crimes against (i) Christian churches and (ii) other religious sites.
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including violence against the person by defendant’s age, sex and ethnicity, in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department holds data on the (a) age, (b) sex, (c) ethnicity and (d) nationality of offenders convicted of criminal offences against Christian places of worship since 2010.
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including violence against the person by defendant’s age, sex and ethnicity, in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many recorded (a) hate crimes and (b) religiously motivated offences have involved (i) Christian places of worship and (ii) other religious premises since 2010.
The Home Office collects and publishes data on hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales, including information on religious hate crimes by the targeted religion of the victim. Information is not collected on whether or not th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether (a) his Department and (b) other Government departments distinguish between offences committed against (i) Christian, (ii) Muslim, (iii) Jewish and (iv) other places of worship in its (A) crime and (B) co
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including violence against the person by defendant’s age, sex and ethnicity, in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many convictions there have been for crimes committed against (a) churches and (b) other Christian places of worship in England and Wales since 2010; and what proportion of all religious-premises offences thi
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including violence against the person by defendant’s age, sex and ethnicity, in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what strategic reasons aid is used to fund projects described as aiming to (a) influence social norms and (b) achieve social transformation overseas.
Since 2021, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has used the Programme Operating Framework (PrOF) to guide decisions on how UK foreign aid is spent effectively. The PrOF sets out mandatory rules and principles to ensure … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which UK-registered (a) non-Governmental organisations, (b) charities and (c) UN agencies have received more than £10 million in funding for projects involving (i) norm chang
Since 2021, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has used the Programme Operating Framework (PrOF) to guide decisions on how UK foreign aid is spent effectively. The PrOF sets out mandatory rules and principles to ensure … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department undertakes (a) risk and (b) equality impact assessments on aid projects whose stated objectives include (i) influencing norms and (ii) gender ideology.
Since 2021, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has used the Programme Operating Framework (PrOF) to guide decisions on how UK foreign aid is spent effectively. The PrOF sets out mandatory rules and principles to ensure … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much overseas aid funding has been allocated to projects or programmes aimed at promoting (a) climate justice, (b) social transformation and (c) norm change since 2021.
Since 2021, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has used the Programme Operating Framework (PrOF) to guide decisions on how UK foreign aid is spent effectively. The PrOF sets out mandatory rules and principles to ensure … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that overseas aid funding is not used to promote (a) social transformation, (b) gender ideology, (c) climate justice and (d) other ideologica
Since 2021, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has used the Programme Operating Framework (PrOF) to guide decisions on how UK foreign aid is spent effectively. The PrOF sets out mandatory rules and principles to ensure … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personal data breaches were reported by his Department to the Information Commissioner’s Office in each year since 2020; and how of those resulted in enforcement action.
22 personal data incidents have been reported by the Ministry of Defence to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) since 2020. Three of those resulted in enforcement action. The personal data incidents reported to the ICO are listed in… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date (a) Ministers in his Department were informed of the data breach affecting Afghan nationals who worked with UK forces and (b) that breach was escalated to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Officials were alerted to the data incident on 14 August 2023, and it was reported the next day to Ministry of Defence (MOD) Head Office and Ministers in the previous Government. Immediate action was taken to ensure that the compromised dat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish the (a) figures, (b) charts and (c) underlying data tables on (i) income tax and (ii) indirect tax contributions by ethnicity referenced in her Department's Freedom of Information response FOI202
HM Treasury does not routinely publish information which is released in response to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. The FOI was answered in accordance with the Freedom of Information principles. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Office for National Statistics has provided (a) data, (b) technical support and (c) modelling assistance her Department in connection with analyses of (i) tax contributions and (ii) benefit claims by (A)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) produces the Living Costs and Food survey which is one of the household microdata sets used regularly for analysis of tax and welfare measures by protected characteristics to fulfil the requirements … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has issued (a) a national strategy and (b) guidance for NHS trusts on genetic disorders linked to consanguinity.
Genomic testing is delivered through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service and guided by the National Genomic Test Directory, which outlines the eligibility criteria for genomic testing based on specific clinical indications. These eligibility c… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether Digital, Data and Technology roles at the NHS Business Services Authority filled by overseas recruits since January 2023 were advertised on the (a) NHS Jobs website and (b) Civil Service Jo
Since January 2023, a total of 68 staff were recruited from overseas into Digital, Data and Technology roles, sponsored by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) on a visa.The Digital, Data and Technology roles at the NHS BSA that we… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many staff have been recruited from overseas into Digital, Data and Technology roles within the NHS Business Services Authority since January 2023.
Since January 2023, a total of 68 staff were recruited from overseas into Digital, Data and Technology roles, sponsored by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) on a visa.The Digital, Data and Technology roles at the NHS BSA that we… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department holds (a) final business cases and (b) data protection impact assessments for (i) the Gov.uk One Login programme and (ii) other digital identity schemes.
GOV.UK One Login has a full business case which has been approved by the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury ministers. GOV.UK One Login has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA), which we continue to develop with any new identity verificat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2025 to Question 83176 on Universal Credit, how many and what proportion of claims were made by people with the support of a paid interpreter; and what was the the t
The Department does not retain data on how many and what proportion of Universal Credit claims were made by people requiring the support of paid interpretation services. The breakdown of costs for translation and interpretation across all b… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has had correspondence with Wandsworth Council on external-speaker sessions in local schools on (a) migration and (b) asylum since January 2024.
Under sections 406 and 407 of the Equality Act 1996, schools must not promote partisan political views and should ensure that pupils are provided with a balanced treatment of political issues.To support this, the department has published co… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has issued guidance to schools on ensuring that classroom discussions involving people who have entered the UK illegally do not (a) compromise safeguarding standards and (b) expose pupils
Under sections 406 and 407 of the Equality Act 1996, schools must not promote partisan political views and should ensure that pupils are provided with a balanced treatment of political issues.To support this, the department has published co… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) audit and (b) traceability checks are conducted to verify halal (i) certification and (ii) segregation in the Defence Academy catering supply chain; and how often compliance is reviewed.
There is no requirement in law to inform customers of specific slaughter methods, and this practice is not commonplace within the Ministry of Defence (MOD). At the Defence Academy catering outlets, all halal-certified meat is explicitly lab… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) animal welfare and (b) assurance standards are required of halal-certified meat supplied at the Defence Academy; whether stunning is mandated; and which certification bodies are recognised.
There is no requirement in law to inform customers of specific slaughter methods, and this practice is not commonplace within the Ministry of Defence (MOD). At the Defence Academy catering outlets, all halal-certified meat is explicitly lab… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on (a) the unit price (b) the supply chain and (c) wastage of supplying halal-certified meat by default at the Defence Academy.
There is no requirement in law to inform customers of specific slaughter methods, and this practice is not commonplace within the Ministry of Defence (MOD). At the Defence Academy catering outlets, all halal-certified meat is explicitly lab… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will set out the labelling requirements that apply at point-of-sale in Defence Academy catering outlets to identify halal-certified meat; and whether customers are informed when certification involves speci
There is no requirement in law to inform customers of specific slaughter methods, and this practice is not commonplace within the Ministry of Defence (MOD). At the Defence Academy catering outlets, all halal-certified meat is explicitly lab… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with the Quality First Education Trust regarding (a) classroom sessions and (b) external speaker events addressing (i) migration and (ii) asylum issues in the 2024/25 aca
Under sections 406 and 407 of the Equality Act 1996, schools must not promote partisan political views and should ensure that pupils are provided with a balanced treatment of political issues.To support this, the department has published co… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what oversight her Department exercises over academy trusts that invite external speakers to address pupils on politically sensitive issues.
Under sections 406 and 407 of the Equality Act 1996, schools must not promote partisan political views and should ensure that pupils are provided with a balanced treatment of political issues.To support this, the department has published co… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to schools on obtaining parental consent before children participate in classroom sessions involving external speakers discussing their personal experiences of (a) irregula
Under sections 406 and 407 of the Equality Act 1996, schools must not promote partisan political views and should ensure that pupils are provided with a balanced treatment of political issues.To support this, the department has published co… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding his Department has made available to local authorities for (a) housing (b) other support to Gazan evacuees.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is funding local authorities, in the form of an accommodation tariff, so they can provide suitable accommodation for families from Gaza for up to two years in England.The Department … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which local authorities have (a) received and (b) are housing (i) individuals and (ii) families evacuated from Gaza.
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement HCWS899 made to the House on 1 September 2025 by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. As of 28 October 2025, four groups of patients have now arrived. The sa… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October to Question 81590 on Medical Treatments: Gaza, whether routes for (a) extension and (b) variation of leave have been specified under the Immigration Rules.
Should individuals wish to remain in the UK beyond the initial 24 months, they can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules, before their current permission to stay expires. Details about the c… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether people who have entered the UK under the Gaza medical evacuation scheme have recourse to non-medical public funds.
Should individuals wish to remain in the UK beyond the initial 24 months, they can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules, before their current permission to stay expires. Details about the c… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department holds information on the amount spent by Harrow Council on (a) No spitting signage and (b) related Public Space Protection Order enforcement campaigns sinc
Local councils are responsible for their own spending. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data the DLVA records on where a driver passed their driving test when exchanging a non-UK licence for a UK licence.
When a GB driving licence is issued in exchange for a licence issued in a non-GB country, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) add a ‘Code 70’ to the driver’s record to indicate that the driving licence was obtained through an exc… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether officials in her Department have had (a) meetings and (b) correspondence with (i) the Carbon Trust, (ii) MyEmissions, (iii) Raynor Foods Ltd. and (iv) UK food retailers on the
Eco-labels on food are used by some businesses on a voluntary basis to help consumers make more sustainable choices. Eco-labels based on robust environmental impact data could support informed consumer choices and business competition based… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a cross-party commission to progress the public inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The Government is driving forward work to establish the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse under the Inquiries Act 2005. It will be overseen by an Independent Commission with statutory powers to compel evi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to (a) initiate and (b) publish the findings of an emergency census in 2026.
In July the Government confirmed the next census of England and Wales will take place in 2031. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS staff there are whose responsibilities include addressing genetic disorders associated with consanguinity.
The National Health Service in England supports patients with a variety of conditions related to genetics. NHS England is piloting and evaluating new models of care to improve the equity of access to genetic services for the small proportio… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of Safe Surgeries held by GPs in each of the last five years.
The Department does not hold information regarding the number of Safe Surgeries.GPs are independent business that hold contracts with the National Health Service to perform essential services to the public, and as independent businesses, it… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will assess the potential merits of barring non-UK nationals from (a) being the lead tenant for social housing (b) living in social housing.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 19776 on 20 December 2024. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people that entered the UK under the Gaza medical evacuation scheme have applied for asylum.
The information requested is not available from published statistics. Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what has been the cost to the public purse of the Gaza medical evacuation scheme for children.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 November 2025 to Question 81587. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information the Department holds on the number of Somali citizens living in social housing as a proportion of the Somali population living in the UK for which the latest dat
My Department does not hold data on the type of housing tenure in which Somali nationals living in the UK reside. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the total cost of (a) translation and (b) interpretation for services related to social housing in each of the last ten financial years.
My Department does not hold data on the cost of translation and interpretation for services related to social housing. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how questions were provided to the Prime Minister in advance of Prime Minister's questions since 5 July 2025, broken down by party.
In line with long-standing convention, MPs are responsible for what they say in the chamber. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October to Question 81590 on Medical Treatments: Gaza, what wraparound support is offered through the Gaza injured children scheme.
Local authorities are responsible for delivering the wraparound services required to support the patients and their immediate family travelling with them from Gaza to settle in England.This includes providing support upon arrival, urgent he… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 81590 on Medical Treatments: Gaza, how many (a) children and (b) dependants have entered the UK under that scheme.
The information requested is not available from published statistics. Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on abortion rates for (a) male and (b) female babies after 20 weeks by ethnicity.
In accordance with the Abortion Act 1967, registered medical practitioners must notify the Chief Medical Officer of abortions within 14 days. The Department collects information on abortions via the HSA4 abortion notification form. The form… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's Prevent learning review, whether her Department plans to change to the definition Islamic terrorism to international terrorism.
The Independent Review of Prevent recommended that the Government should keep the current terminology to describe Islamist and Extreme Right-Wing ideology to ensure language was accurate and accessible.The Government has accepted this recom… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will commission a review into the equality of protections for white British victims of hate crimes.
The Government is determined to tackle all forms of hate crime wherever in the country it occurs, and whoever is responsible for committing it.Race is already a protected characteristic in hate crime legislation in England and Wales - for e… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether her Department has had discussions with the (a) Confederation of British Industry and (b) other trade associations on anti-white discrimination in workplace diversity schemes.
The Equality Act 2010 provides protections in the workplace and in society which generally make it unlawful to discriminate against someone because of, or in relation to, their protected characteristics. For example, if an employer were to … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has provided funding to universities for schemes that exclude white applicants.
The department has not directly awarded funding to any such schemes within higher education. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Government collects data on complaints of racial discrimination made by white British employees in the public sector.
We are committed to upholding Britain’s long-standing record of protecting the rights of individuals against unlawful discrimination, and ensuring the Equality Act 2010 protects everyone. The government does not hold this data centrally. Th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether her Department provides guidance to public bodies on ensuring that positive action does not result in unlawful discrimination against white applicants.
Section 158 of the Equality Act 2010 permits the use of positive action measures to alleviate disadvantages experienced by people who share a protected characteristic, reduce their under-representation in relation to particular activities, … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate she has made of the number of farms that could be affected by proposed changes to inheritance tax.
The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, fixing the public finances, and funding public services. The r… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria her Department uses to define constructive dialogue with NGOs in relation to the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum.
When engaging with the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum (NASF) and Strategic Engagement Group (SEG), minutes are taken at these meetings. There are no criteria defining ‘constructive dialogue’ with NGOs.A list of non-governmental organisat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has undertaken any formal risk assessments which have concluded that the disclosure of meeting records with NGOs on asylum accommodation policy would endanger the safety of (a)
When engaging with the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum (NASF) and Strategic Engagement Group (SEG), minutes are taken at these meetings. There are no criteria defining ‘constructive dialogue’ with NGOs.A list of non-governmental organisat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many freedom of information requests have been refused by her Department under section (a) 36 (b) 38 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 on grounds relating to (i) asylum policy and (ii) stakeh
When engaging with the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum (NASF) and Strategic Engagement Group (SEG), minutes are taken at these meetings. There are no criteria defining ‘constructive dialogue’ with NGOs.A list of non-governmental organisat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department keeps formal (a) minutes and (b) other records of meetings of the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum and Strategic Engagement Group.
When engaging with the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum (NASF) and Strategic Engagement Group (SEG), minutes are taken at these meetings. There are no criteria defining ‘constructive dialogue’ with NGOs.A list of non-governmental organisat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish a list of non-governmental organisations who attended meetings of the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum and Strategic Employment Group since January 2023.
When engaging with the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum (NASF) and Strategic Engagement Group (SEG), minutes are taken at these meetings. There are no criteria defining ‘constructive dialogue’ with NGOs.A list of non-governmental organisat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refugees there are by nationality.
The information you have requested is published in the Immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK. Data on asylum seekers who have been granted refugee permission at initial decision is published in table Asy_D02 of the asylum… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the employment rate of refugees in each of the last ten years.
The Home Office recently published “Refugee Integration Outcomes (RIO) Insights: Embarks, Economic Activity, and Housing between 2015 and 2021” on GOV.UK. This article presents analysis—including employment rate—from linked Census 2021 and … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the initial grant rate of asylum applications by the (a) ethnicity (b) nationality of the decision makers.
The Home Office collates and publishes diversity data on staff, this can be accessed via Home Office workforce diversity statistics - GOV.UK.However, the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this qu… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to ensure that the local elections in Norfolk take place on 7 May 2026.
The starting point is for all elections to go ahead, unless there is strong justification. We intend for the mayoral election for the new strategic authority to take place in May 2026, alongside the scheduled elections to Norwich City Counc… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was overpaid to Universal Credit recipients in each of the last ten financial years.
This information was published earlier this year and can be found via the following link:Fraud and error in the benefit system: financial year 2024 to 2025 estimates - GOV.UK. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total amount of Universal Credit was paid to deceased recipients in each of the last ten financial years.
DWP does not hold this information over the requested period. DWP has operational data used to identify and recover UC overpayments from deceased recipients, although this does not cover the full time period requested and is not considered … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to police forces on maintaining political neutrality whilst on duty.
All police officers are required by law to act with impartiality in discharging their duties, under the Police Regulations 2003. This is underlined in the oath of attestation that all police officers personally take on appointment and the P… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, How many hotels are being used as contingency accommodation for irregular migrants as at 20 October 2025.
The Home Office has been clear that the use of hotels is a temporary and short-term measure to ensure we meet our statutory obligation to accommodate destitute asylum seekers, while we tackle the systemic challenges due to the previous gove… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many visits to farms have been undertaken by (a) the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (b) the Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs since
Defra Ministers regularly visit a range of farms across the UK, and meet with farming stakeholders in London and on site to hear directly from industry. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many people with refugee status are resident in (a) council and (b) social housing by local authority.
My Department does not hold information on people claiming council or social housing who were formally granted refugee status and/or settlement. Our social housing lettings in England statistical series, which can be found on gov.uk here, i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of Universal Credit payments made to people with refugee status in each of the last ten financial years.
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions (a) his Department and (b) the Food Standards Agency have had since January 2023 with (a) the Carbon Trust and (b) major food retailers on the introduction of carbon r
Eco-labels on food are used by some businesses on a voluntary basis to help consumers make more sustainable choices. Eco-labels based on robust environmental impact data could support informed consumer choices and business competition based… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many slaughterhouses were (a) suspended and (b) permanently closed due to breaches of animal welfare regulations in each calendar year from 2015 to 2025; how many (i) improvement notices, (ii)
In 2015, two slaughterhouses had approval withdrawn. In 2016, one slaughterhouse had approval withdrawn. In 2017, one slaughterhouse had approval withdrawn and two had approval suspended.The reasons for the withdrawals and suspensions betwe… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has had (a) discussions and (b) correspondence with Oldham Council on the proposed grooming gang inquiry since January 2024; and whether her Department has issued any guidance t
In June this year, Baroness Casey published her independent audit into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, and the Government accepted every recommendation it made, including establishing a new national inquiry. The national in… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department records the (a) nationality and (b) immigration status of tenants who purchase their homes under the Right to Buy scheme; and how many Right to Buy sales h
My Department does not record the nationality or immigration status of tenants who have purchased their homes under the Right to Buy scheme, nor how many Right to Buy sales have been made to non-British nationals. Eligibility for social hou… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the (a) age, (b) religion, (c) ethnicity and (d) country of birth of people (i) referred to the Prevent programme and (ii) convicted of terrorism-related offen
Prevent aims to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. It works to ensure that people who are susceptible to radicalisation are offered appropriate interventions and support, and that communities areWe have provided d… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has provided any (a) grants, (b) contracts and (c) other funding to (i) Stand Up to Racism, (ii) Unite the Union,(ii) Migrants Organise, (iv) the Joint Council for the Welfare o
Home Office made grant payments to the Refugee Council totalling £ 3.2m for the purpose of Children’s Advisory Projects to support Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC) through the asylum process., with a further £ 215,244 for Asylum… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many compliance investigations were (a) opened and (b) closed by HM Revenue and Customs on businesses classified under Standard Industrial Classification codes (a) 96020 (hairdressing and barbering) and (b) 9609
HMRC does not hold specific data showing the number of hairdressers and nail salons investigated for tax non-compliance. HMRC’s approach to tax compliance includes a range of activities that aim to both detect and tackle current non-complia… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether any NHS Trusts (a) employ specialist staff or (b) operate dedicated services to address genetic disorders associated with consanguinity.
The National Health Service in England supports patients with a variety of conditions related to genetics. NHS England is piloting and evaluating new models of care to improve the equity of access to genetic services for the small proportio… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of animals were slaughtered without being stunned for the production of Halal meat in the UK in each year since 2005.
UK data regarding the number or proportion of animals slaughtered using the halal method without prior stunning is not collected. The Food Standards Agency carries out a periodic slaughter sector survey in England and Wales, which started i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are claiming Universal Credit by their preferred language.
The information is not held. Universal Credit claims can only be made in English and Welsh. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has paid to Serco in each of the last ten years.
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer provided in PQ 15558. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of NHS staff were non-patient facing in each of the last ten years.
The following table shows the number and percentage of the full time equivalent (FTE) workforce employed by National Health Service trusts and other core NHS organisations in England that are in NHS infrastructure support roles, which repre… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many yellow card reports there have been on covid-19 vaccines.
The number of Yellow Card reports received by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for COVID-19 vaccines can be found in the Interactive Drug Analysis Profiles on the Yellow Card website, which is available at the … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many habitual residence tests related to Universal Credit assessments have been granted in each of the last five years.
The table below gives the number of Universal Credit (UC) Habitual Residence Test (HRT) assessments that resulted in a ‘pass’ decision in the past five years. Date Decision Entered on Admin SystemNumber of UC HRT 'Pass' DecisionsApril 2020 … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an estimate of the proportion of food served in his Department that is British.
The Government, in line with manifesto commitments, is considering all lawful means of achieving its ambition that half of all food purchased across the public sector should be locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average (a) waiting time for people calling and (b) time spent on hold to the Personal Independence Payment helpline was in the last year.
The table below shows the Average Time to Answer and the Average Hold Time, in an hours, minutes and seconds (hh:mm:ss) format, for all people calling Personal Independence Payment lines for each of the last twelve complete reporting months… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average (a) waiting time for people calling and (b) time spent on hold to the Universal Credit helpline was in the last year.
The table below shows the Average Time to Answer and the Average Hold Time, in an hours, minutes and seconds (hh:mm:ss) format, for all people calling Universal Credit for each of the last twelve complete reporting months. Month / YearDirec… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) average waiting time for people calling and (b) time people spent on hold for her Department was in each of the last five years.
The table below shows the Average Time to Answer and the Average Hold Time, in an hours, minutes and seconds (hh:mm:ss) format, for all people calling DWP for the last 5 business years, with 2025 to 2026 being to 12th Oct’ 2025* only, that … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of food consumed in the UK that is produced domestically.
The food production to supply ratio compares all domestic food production to supply, including food that the UK exports instead of consuming. In 2024, the production to supply ratio was 65%. When food exports are taken into account, Defra e… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the value was of student loans that were written off in the last year; and what this was as a proportion of all outstanding student loans, by nationality.
The requested information can be found in the Student Loans Company’s Student loans in England publication, updated in July each year. The publication, ‘Student loans in England: 2024 to 2025’ can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/governmen… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) average waiting time for people calling and (b) time people spent on hold to Jobcentres was in the last year.
We cannot provide the data requested for this Parliamentary Question. Jobcentres span multiple benefit streams and business functions and therefore we do not retain telephony data specifically relating to Jobcentres. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) average waiting time for people calling and (b) time people spent on hold for HMRC was in the last year.
HMRC telephony performance data, including the average speed of answering a customer’s call, is published on a regular basis and can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-quarterly-performance-updates The definition… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent on translation and interpretation in Jobcentres in the last financial year.
The Department carefully monitors the provision of translation and interpretation services for customers. It has not been possible to disaggregate expenditure on services for Jobcentres alone. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many applications were made to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme in each of the last three years; and how many and what proportion of those applications were unsuccessful.
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) regularly publishes data on the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme to improve transparency. Information related to COVID-19 vaccine claim volumes and outcomes up to June 2025 is available at the foll… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an estimate of reoffending rates for prisoners released under the early release scheme.
This Government inherited prisons days from collapse. We have had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe.Whilst this change provided the intended medium-term relief, it was only ever a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many irregular migrants are housed in the Great Yarmouth Borough Council area; what accommodation is used to house those migrants; and what the cost is of housing those migrants.
Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in different areas is routinely published by the Government in table ASY D_11 here:Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab)The Home Office does not publish asy… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what amount of charges were issued by NHS trusts for treatment to non-UK residents not entitled to free secondary healthcare in each of the last three financial years; how much of that amount was s
We have taken ‘non-UK residents’ to mean chargeable overseas visitors. The Department publishes data on the income identified from chargeable overseas visitors in England as part of the Department of Health and Social Care Annual Report and… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) cost for translation of and (b) percentage of communications in each language in e-RS communication letters was so far this year.
NHS England only incurs costs for changes to templates or when new languages are added. Therefore, the primary cost is associated with template updates, not per-letter translation. No changes have been made to templates in 2025, nor have ad… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish a breakdown of her Department's August 2024 individual level analysis of Income Tax brackets by (a) ethnicity and (b) nationality.
HMRC do not publish individual level analysis of Income Tax brackets by (a) ethnicity or (b) nationality. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the annual cost to local authorities of (a) translation and (b) interpretation services.
Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces and compliance with all relevant employment legislation. They are expected to organise their workforce so that it is best placed to meet the … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will take steps to require local authorities to ensure staff in customer-facing roles are fluent in English.
Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces and compliance with all relevant employment legislation. They are expected to organise their workforce so that it is best placed to meet the … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment his Department has made of the levels of English language proficiency of staff working in local authority (a) housing and (b) social services.
Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces and compliance with all relevant employment legislation. They are expected to organise their workforce so that it is best placed to meet the … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to introduce English language learning as a condition of benefit receipt for foreign nationals.
The Department can require that claimants attend English language courses as a work preparation activity if this will make them more likely to find work, or to increase the hours they work. A sanction - which is a reduction in the amount of… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of benefits claimants who require translation support during appointments; and at what cost to the public purse.
The Department does not hold data on the number of individual claimants who require interpreter support. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department requires (a) Jobcentre staff and (b) benefits advisers to demonstrate English language proficiency as a condition of employment.
DWP complies with the requirement of the Immigration Act 2016 in requiring all of its employees in public-facing roles to speak English fluently, as outlined in the Government’s code of practice at www.gov.uk/government/publications/english… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of (a) teachers and (b) classroom assistants (i) whose first language is not English and (ii) who have not undertaken a recognised English proficiency test.
The requested information on the first language of teachers and classroom assistants is not collected centrally.Information on the qualifications held by teachers is available in the 'School workforce in England' accredited official statist… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department will extend English language testing requirements to foreign nationals working in (a) private security or (b) enforcement roles contracted by the Department.
The Private Security Industry Act (PSIA) 2001 created the Security Industry Authority (SIA) as the regulator of the private security industry.The SIA sets minimum training standards and issues licenses to applicants who have acquired the co… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that immigration (a) caseworkers and (b) interpreters meet English language standards.
The Home Office recruit using standard Civil Service recruitment processes and all our immigration caseworkers must meet minimum Civil Service recruitment standards. The appropriate level of English is assured through the comprehensive recr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make English language proficiency a mandatory condition for (a) police recruits, (b) community support officers and (c) detention custody staff.
This Government is committed to ensuring consistent, high standards for entry into the police, including for police staff. As set out in Regulations, police officers must demonstrate competence in written and spoken English.We are working c… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides to NHS trusts on ensuring that (a) reception and (b) administrative staff are proficient in English.
National Health Service trusts are independent bodies and as such have responsibility for their own recruitment policies and for ensuring their appointment procedures are aligned with employment law and good human resources practice.Employe… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to introduce annual English language reassessments for NHS staff trained overseas.
Where legally required, healthcare professionals must be registered with the appropriate United Kingdom healthcare regulator to be able to practise. Professionals who qualified outside of the UK must demonstrate that they have the necessary… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) agency staff, (b) overseas recruits and (c) other NHS staff can communicate effectively in English.
Where legally required, healthcare professionals must be registered with the appropriate United Kingdom healthcare regulator to be able to practise. Professionals who qualified outside of the UK must demonstrate that they have the necessary… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of NHS staff have not met minimum English language proficiency standards in the last five years.
Where legally required, healthcare professionals must be registered with the appropriate United Kingdom healthcare regulator to be able to practise. Professionals who qualified outside of the UK must demonstrate that they have the necessary… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the new funding formula for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management will include a specific category for rapidly eroding coastlines.
On 14 October, following consultation, the Government announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy. Under the new rules, projects will be prioritised by their benefit-to-cost ratios to drive value for money, with … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department plans to take to protect properties at risk from coastal erosion in Hemsby before winter 2025-26.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) are the responsible risk management authority for the coast at Hemsby and have been working on erosion management issues at Hemsby for many years.GYBC is a principal partner of the Resilient Coasts proj… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the condition of coastal defences at Hemsby in Norfolk.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) are the responsible risk management authority for the coast at Hemsby and have been working on erosion management issues at Hemsby for many years. Earlier this year an independent report commissioned by… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to publish its final response to the consultation on the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management funding formula.
On 14 October, following consultation, the Government announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy. Under the new rules, projects will be prioritised by their benefit-to-cost ratios to drive value for money, with … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the (a) financial arrangements, (b) lease durations and (c) landlord incentives offered by (i) Serco and (ii) other contractors under the Asylum Accommodation
Since 2022, the Home Office has implemented a Full Dispersal model, which aims to distribute asylum accommodation more fairly and equitably across the UK. The Home Office, via our accommodation providers, has worked within the Private Rente… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has considered publishing annual performance metrics for local Immigration Compliance and Enforcement teams in the public domain.
Since this government came into office we have delivered results: we promised to deliver the highest rate of returns since 2018 and that has been achieved. We will continue to maximise the return of people, at the earliest opportunity, with… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to allow Immigration Enforcement to issue immediate civil fines for non-compliance with Right to Work or Right to Rent requirements.
In some areas where access to work, services or benefits is regulated, the measures require a third party to take action such as checking an individual’s eligibility to access work or rent a property. Sanctions exist where these requirement… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to require proof of legal immigration status when registering with a GP or dentist.
In-country controls, introduced over many decades, regulate a migrant's access to public services and deny access to those in the UK with no lawful status. These policies and checks form part of the UK's domestic compliance and enforcement … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of using data-sharing agreements between (a) the NHS, (b) HMRC and (c) Immigration Enforcement to help identify people living in the UK illegally.
Data sharing agreements are already in place between Immigration Enforcement and HMRC to increase immigration compliance, including the identification of illegal working. Migrants in the UK without lawful immigration status, are subject to … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on the potential merits of increasing the range of (a) financial penalties and (b) custodial sentences available to courts for (i)
In some areas where access to work, services or benefits is regulated, the measures require a third party to take action such as checking an individual’s eligibility to access work or rent a property. Sanctions exist where these requirement… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing a hostile environment policy for people without a legal immigration status in relation to access to public services.
In-country controls, introduced over many decades, regulate a migrant's access to public services and deny access to those in the UK with no lawful status. These policies and checks form part of the UK's domestic compliance and enforcement … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold discussions with her French counterpart on (a) distributing leaflets and (b) creating information campaigns for potential irregular migrants to the UK on the consequences of illegal m
The Home Secretary regularly meets with her French counterparts to discuss our joint efforts to prevent dangerous small boat crossings. She remains committed to our joint mission and will continue this close working with the new Minister of… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing (a) a national online reporting portal for members of the public to submit intelligence on suspected irregular migrants and (b) an
The Home Office has several routes for members of the public to use when reporting information regarding immigration related crime and/or abuse. These routes include digital, telephone and paper options to ensure that reporting routes are e… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) undertaking an urgent review of all asylum claims approved in the last ten years and (b) removing protection status for all people who ent
We are committed to our international obligations under the Refugee Convention when someone claims asylum in the UK, which provide that we must not penalise an individual on account of their illegal entry or presence, if they come directly … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of forming an international alliance to coordinate sanctions on countries that refuse to cooperate on the returns.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer he was provided on 31st January 2025 to question 26186. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a 25 per cent remittance tax on funds sent to countries that refuse to cooperate with deportations.
The UK imposes taxes based on individual’s residence status. Individuals who are resident in the UK are taxable on their income and gains that arise worldwide. Remitting funds outside of the UK is not generally considered to be a chargeable… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Ministry of Defence on the use of surplus military infrastructure for temporary detention and processing.
As part of our commitment to close all asylum hotels, we are looking at a range of more appropriate sites including disused accommodation, industrial and ex-military sites so we can reduce the impact on communities. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing detention capacity to a level that would facilitate the deportation of between 100,000 and 150,000 people per year.
The Home Office (specifically Immigration Enforcement), is currently expanding detention capacity through an active programme that will deliver an additional 1,000 beds over the coming years at Campsfield (Oxfordshire) and Haslar (Hampshire… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of repealing the Human Rights Act 1998 on the efficiency of deportations.
The Human Rights Act is an important part of our constitutional arrangements and fundamental to human rights protections in the UK. It will remain part of our law.As set out in our Immigration White Paper, we will legislate to reform our ap… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation to ensure the supremacy of domestic law in all immigration and asylum matters.
There is no need to do so: the UK’s immigration and asylum system operates within domestic law, over which Parliament is sovereign.We will legislate to reform our approach to the application of Article 8 ECHR in the immigration system, as s… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many accompanying adults have entered the UK under the Gaza injured children scheme; and what the estimated total cost per individual has been for (a) transport, (b) accommodation and (c) subsi
The Government is committed to funding the costs associated with evacuating Gazan children for treatment in the United Kingdom. Departments will share the costs for the process by funding their specific areas of responsibility from their ex… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Gaza injured children scheme on NHS capacity in the regions hosting treated patients.
The United Kingdom Government is partnered with the World Health Organisation who provide a list of potential patients compiled by Gazan medical specialists for a team of expert National Health Service clinical leaders to review and match G… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what monitoring and reporting arrangements are in place to track the immigration and residency status of those admitted under the Gaza injured children scheme after their treatment concludes.
The children medically evacuated to the UK, alongside their immediate family members, have been issued with visas and granted leave to remain for up to two years. These families have the ability to access public funds, including treatment a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people evacuated from Gaza under the medical treatment scheme have since applied for or been granted (a) asylum, (b) humanitarian protection and (c) leave to remain in the United Kingdom.
The children medically evacuated to the UK, alongside their immediate family members, have been issued with visas and granted leave to remain for up to two years. These families have the ability to access public funds, including treatment a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much NHS funding has been spent on the treatment of children brought from Gaza under the medical evacuation scheme since its launch; and what proportion of this expenditure has been reimbursed
The Government is committed to funding the costs associated with evacuating Gazan children for treatment in the United Kingdom. Departments will share the costs for the process by funding their specific areas of responsibility from their ex… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the public purse is of the scheme to evacuate and treat injured children from Gaza in the United Kingdom.
The Government is committed to funding the costs associated with evacuating Gazan children for treatment in the United Kingdom. Departments will share the costs for the process by funding their specific areas of responsibility from their ex… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to ensure that (a) police forces and (b) local authorities are preserving all relevant evidence and records that may be required by the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to implement the 12 recommendations that were accepted by the Government of the National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, published in June
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what interim reporting schedule has been agreed for the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse; and whether the Inquiry will publish local findings before its final repo
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse will have powers under the Inquiries Act 2005 to compel evidence from serving and former (a) police officers, (b) coun
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the budget allocation is for the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in financial year 2025-26; and how much funding has been committed to date for (a) staffing,
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the first local areas to be examined by the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse are; and what criteria was used to select them.
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects the Terms of Reference for the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse to be published.
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a chair has been appointed to lead the national inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse; and what the (a) selection process, (b) shortlist and (c) timetable was for that a
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made in establishing the independent commission to oversee the national inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse.
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many sexual assaults there were in NHS hospitals by staff by the nationality of the assailant in each of the last ten years.
The Government is committed to tackling the appalling crimes of rape and sexual assault. NHS England has introduced a comprehensive package of measures to improve sexual safety across the National Health Service. NHS England has made tackli… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will ensure that halal food is not the default option in (a) his Department, (b) military academies and (c) the armed forces.
It is current Defence policy that Halal food is not the default option for the Ministry of Defence (MOD), military academies, or the Armed Forces. There are currently no Defence institutions where Halal food is the only option. Suppliers ar… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025 to Question 74856 on Deportation: Sanctions, what sanctions have been applied under sections 70-74 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 in each year sinc
Sections 70-74 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 refer to the power to impose visa penalties on countries who, in the opinion of the Home Secretary, are a) uncooperative on the return of any its nationals or citizens, or b), pose a ri… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of digital identity services for (a) individual freedom and (b) personal privacy.
The Government is committed to making the state more efficient and easier to interact with through harnessing technology. We want to learn from countries who have digitised government services for the benefit of their citizens.We are lookin… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the risk of digital identity systems being used for surveillance of people.
The Government is committed to making the state more efficient and easier to interact with through harnessing technology. We want to learn from countries who have digitised government services for the benefit of their citizens.We are lookin… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the number of additional (a) civil servants and (b) contractors required to administer a digital ID system.
The Government is committed to making the state more efficient and easier to interact with through harnessing technology. We want to learn from countries who have digitised government services for the benefit of their citizens.We are lookin… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the value for money of a digital ID system compared to existing forms of identification.
The Government is committed to making the state more efficient and easier to interact with through harnessing technology. We want to learn from countries who have digitised government services for the benefit of their citizens.We are lookin… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of implementing and maintaining a Digital ID system.
The government will cost and publish costings of policies it chooses to introduce in the usual way at fiscal events. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the top five reasons are for deportation flights being cancelled.
The information you have required is not available from published statistics. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost of private security contractors used in deportations has been in each of the last five years.
The Home Office uses its Escorting and Related Services Contract with Mitie Care and Custody to effect Returns of persons with no right to remain within the UK. The costs of this contract are routinely published as part of the Home Office T… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff her Department employs to organise deportation flights.
Staff working on deportation flights are often deployed flexibly across broader returns and enforcement workstreams. As such, it is not possible to disaggregate staffing figures to isolate those solely focused on deportation flights and obt… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many detainees have absconded from immigration detention in each year since 2020.
Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) are used flexibly to detain foreign nationals liable for removal from the UK. This includes time-served foreign national offenders, immigration offenders and those who have arrived in the UK illegally. As … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many detention places are currently available for foreign nationals awaiting deportation.
Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) are used flexibly to detain foreign nationals liable for removal from the UK. This includes time-served foreign national offenders, immigration offenders and those who have arrived in the UK illegally. As … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of leaving European Convention on Human Rights on the ability of the UK to deport foreign nationals.
We set out in our Immigration White Paper our intention to bring forward legislation to allow us to more easily remove foreign national offenders.Later this year we will set out more detailed reforms and stronger measures to ensure our laws… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many seats were booked on deportation charter flights in the last year; and how many were used.
In the year 5 September 2024 to 4 September 2025 inclusive, the capacity available for those being returned on the 64 returns charter flights that operated was 3717 seats. Of these, 2972 seats were used across the 64 returns charter flights… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many charter flights for deportations were scheduled in the last 12 months; and how many took place.
In the year 5 September 2024 to 4 September 2025 inclusive, 69 returns charter flights were arranged, 64 were operated and five did not take place. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of foreign nationals who have abscond after being served with a deportation order.
Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The Home Office does not hold any central record of the requested info… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of staff in her Department are dedicated to enforcing deportation orders.
The Home Office does not hold centrally collated data on the precise number or proportion of staff exclusively dedicated to enforcing deportation orders. Enforcement activity focussed on deportation orders is carried out across the Home Off… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the backlog in deportation cases.
As committed to in the Immigration White Paper (12 May 2025), the Government will shortly publish a formal Asylum Policy Statement setting out radical reforms to modernise the asylum system and strengthen border security. These proposals wi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of foreign nationals living in the UK unlawfully who are liable for deportation.
By its very nature, it is not possible to know the exact size of the illegal population, or the number of people who arrive illegally, and so we do not seek to make any official estimates of the illegal population. In June 2019, the Office … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many deportations have been delayed as a result of injunctions granted by domestic courts citing the European Convention on Human Rights in each of the last five years.
The information requested, regarding the number of delayed deportations of foreign national offenders (FNOs) as a result of challenges under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and injunctions granted by domestic courts cit… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many deportations have been delayed as a result of challenges under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights in the last 12 months.
The information requested, regarding the number of delayed deportations of foreign national offenders (FNOs) as a result of challenges under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and injunctions granted by domestic courts cit… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to legislate to disapply the Human Rights Act 1998 in deportation cases.
We set out in our Immigration White Paper our intention to bring forward legislation to allow us to more easily remove foreign national offenders.Later this year we will set out more detailed reforms and stronger measures to ensure our laws… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many deportations have been prevented by interim measures of the European Court of Human Rights in each of the last five years.
The Information requested regarding how many deportations have been prevented by interim measures of the European Court of Human Rights in each of the last five years is not held centrally and to obtain it would exceed the disproportionate … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of publishing league tables of deportation compliance by countries.
We continue to use an array of tools, including through diplomatic engagement, to maintain and improve international returns co-operation. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department’s policy is on restricting multiple appeals against deportation.
In most deportation cases, there is no right of appeal unless the person concerned makes a human rights or protection claim, in which case there is a right of appeal against a decision to refuse the claim.As part of efforts to fix the broke… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of legal aid support in deportation cases in the last 12 months.
Expenditure relating to deportation and removal appeals is published as part of the Legal Aid Agency’s Official Statistics as part of its ‘detailed civil data’ collection. Due to the way information is recorded it is not possible to disting… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has sought to negotiate returns agreements with (a) Pakistan, (b) Albania, (c) Nigeria and (d) Somalia in the last five years.
The UK has returns agreements with these four countries that facilitate the return of individuals with no legal basis to remain in the UK. We continue to work with each of these countries on returns and to manage irregular migration.This Go… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of deportations that have failed due to a lack of cooperation from foreign governments.
The UK has returns agreements with these four countries that facilitate the return of individuals with no legal basis to remain in the UK. We continue to work with each of these countries on returns and to manage irregular migration.This Go… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department applies sanctions to countries that refuse to accept deported nationals.
Where cooperation with countries on returns falls below the levels expected, and where appropriate, we will use all levers available to us.Sections 70-74 the new Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (NABA) gives HMG the ability to impose visa p… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people received (a) warnings and (b) punishment for underpaying stamp duty in the last financial year.
HMRC charges penalties in line with its legislation and guidance, according to what behaviour led to an inaccuracy. In 24/25, HMRC issued 116 SDLT inaccuracy penalties. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many pubs have closed each year since 2015.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 2nd September is attached. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has provided funding to the Centre for Hate Studies at the University of Leicester.
The department has not provided funding to the Centre for Hate Studies at the University of Leicester. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has has made of the potential impact of the the suspension of refugee family reunion route on number of visa applications.
The suspension of the refugee family reunion route is temporary while the Government undertakes a full review and reform of the current family rules to ensure we have a fair and properly balanced system. In the meantime, those with protecti… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been (a) arrested, (b) charged and (c) convicted for social media posts in each of the last five years.
The Ministry of Justice does not collect data on arrests or charging decisions. This is a matter for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences in England … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing English language requirements for non-UK staff within the NHS.
Where legally required, healthcare professionals must be registered with the appropriate United Kingdom healthcare regulator to be able to practise. Professionals who qualified outside the UK must demonstrate they have the necessary knowled… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was spent on legal aid for asylum cases in each year since 2019.
Legal aid is available to fund legal advice and representation provided to individuals seeking asylum in England and Wales, subject to an assessment of merits and financial eligibility.The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) publishes information regard… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse was of the (a) evacuation and (b) relocation of Palestinian students from Gaza to the UK in 2025.
There is no published data for the costs of the evacuation and relocation of Palestinian students from Gaza to the UK in 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the projected cost to the public purse is of Chevening scholarships awarded to students from Gaza for 2025-26.
All costs will be covered under the normal Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Chevening Scholarship Programme. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many child benefit claims were cancelled because the claimant was found to be living abroad in each year since 2020.
From administrative data, the number of Child Benefit awards terminated by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) through compliance activity per year, due to customers no longer meeting the Child Benefit residency criteria is provided below: ·- 202… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of investigating unlicensed fishing by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.
The investigation and subsequent enforcement outcome took two days of work. The specific costs associated with each investigation and enforcement outcome can vary based on a number of factors. Data for this specific case is not held central… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish a breakdown of Personal Independence Payment claimants by (a) nationality and (b) immigration status in each year since 2020.
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will provide an estimate of the total number of Gazans that will enter the asylum system following medical treatment in the UK.
As the Home Secretary said in her statement to the House on 1 September, the Foreign Secretary will set out further details of the planned medical evacuations of children from Gaza in the near future. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total cost to the public purse is for the evacuation of children from Gaza as of 2 September 2025.
I refer the Hon. Member to my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s written statement to the House on 1 September 2025, which is available at the following link:https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/writte… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people who were applying for asylum have been issued with a driving licence since 2020.
To be issued with a driving licence, the law requires that the applicant is both normally and lawfully resident in GB. Individuals who are subject to immigration control must have been granted either leave to remain or leave to enter the co… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of prisoners released under the early release scheme have subsequently been (a) rearrested, (b) charged and (c) convicted of other offences.
This Government inherited prisons days from collapse. We had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe. We publish data on convictions as part of our reoffending rates which are published… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the number of staff working in her Department, broken down by nationality.
Nationality can be taken upon recruitment and on occasion where it is required for internal procedures.However, these are not in a retrievable format and can only be obtained via disproportionate effort. In any case, due to the low numbers … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason her Department is advertising a role in Manchester Community Centre for a Sharia Law Administrator.
This was a position advertised on the Find A Job portal by an independent charity, registered with the Charity Commission, and was not a role within DWP. Find A Job is a free platform to help jobseekers find vacancies with employers from va… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many employees in her Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
My Department publishes an Annual Report on GOV.UK which contains salary details for senior officials in the Wales Office. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many employees in his Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
The Scotland Office has (a) two people who earn £100,000 or more and (b) zero people who earn £166,000 or more per year. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many employees in his Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
Information on employees who earn over £100,000 can be found in the annual report and accounts. The most recent report can be found here. The 2024/5 annual report and accounts will be published later in the year. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many employees in her Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
We can confirm that in March 2025 there were 292 employees within the Ministry of Justice & HM Prison and Probation Service who were receiving a total salary of £100,000 or more per year inclusive of allowances. Of these, 10 employees were … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many employees in her Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
Organogram data is released by all central government departments on a quarterly basis. Names and salaries are also listed for Senior Civil Servants. MHCLG organograms are available on gov.uk. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many employees in his Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
As at 31 March 2025, of the 57,501 Civil Servants in the Ministry of Defence (MOD), a total of 401 individuals, representing 0.7 per cent, earn over £100,000. The below table shows the number of MOD Civil Servants earning above £100,000 and… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employees in her Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
Please see below for the number of employees with an annual salary of (a) £100,000 or more and (b) £166,000 or more.Remuneration BandsNo of Employees(a) £100,000 or more109Remuneration BandsNo of Employees(b) £166,000 or more6 Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many employees in her Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
This information is available through the quarterly senior organogram published by the department on gov.uk Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many employees in his Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) can confirm that this information is held within our published Annual Report and Accounts for 2024-2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/687e39109914d1f63267c5e5/FCDO-An… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many employees in his Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
Based on pro rate salary and allowances data for the Department, 92 employees earn between £100,00 and £165,999, and 11 earn £166,000 or more. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employees in her Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
From HR data for paid staff in June 2025, there are 98 staff in total with annual salary of £100k or more, of which 6 staff have an annual salary of £166k or more. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many employees in her Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
Organograms for Senior Civil Servant roles provides information on the number of civil servants earning over £100,000 and in other bandings. This data is published by departments on a quarterly basis, the latest information for the Departme… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many employees in his Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
The published 'DSIT Organogram of Staff Roles and Salaries' provides information on the number of civil servants earning over £100,000 and in other bandings. The latest information can be found here: DSIT Organogram of Staff Roles & Salarie… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many employees in his Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
Defra publishes organogram data for Senior Civil Servants here: Organogram of Staff Roles & Salaries - data.gov.uk. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many employees in his Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero publishes information on the number of civil servants earning over £100,000 per year, including those earning £166,000 or more, in its Organogram of Staff Roles and Salaries. The latest data i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many employees in her Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
The information requested is available in our published transparency data, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disclosure-of-scs-posts-and-salary-information. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many employees in her Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
Civil Service Statistics (Table 35) provides information on the number of civil servants earning over £100,000 and in other bandings. The latest information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistic… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many employees in his Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
Information on the number of individuals directly employed by the Department who earn £100,000 or more, including those earning £166,000 or more, is published on a quarterly basis in the Department’s organograms. These set out senior civil … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many employees in his Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
Salary information for Senior Cabinet Office employees can be found at https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/ff76be1f-4f37-4bef-beb7-32b259413be1/organogram-cabinet-office. The next update is due to be published by 6th December 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, how many employees in her Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.
The Attorney General’s Office follows Civil Service Commission guidance on recruitment of its staff and remunerates consistent to Cabinet Office rules. All government departments are required to publish the salaries of Senior Civil Servants… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance she has issued to (a) work coaches and (b) case managers on processing claims for new claimants from (i) Israel and (ii) the Palestinian Occupied Territories.
Guidance for DWP staff making benefit decisions is available on gov.uk. Specific guidance on new customers arriving in the UK from Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories will be published in the usual way. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason new claimants from (a) Israel and (b) the Occupied Palestinian Territories will be exempt from the Habitual Residence Test for Universal Credit.
Given the circumstances in which British nationals and their eligible families have urgently travelled to the UK following the Government’s evacuations, DWP want to ensure that those arriving can access benefits as soon as possible (where t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much of the funds raised through the apprenticeship levy was allocated directly to apprenticeships; and how much was redirected to general government revenue in each of the last ten financial years.
The Apprenticeship Levy was introduced in 2017, and is paid by large employers with a total annual pay bill of over £3 million. Their contribution is 0.5% of their total annual pay bill. HMT sets the Department for Education’s budget at eac… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the proportion of local authorities that conduct (a) in-person interviews and (b) English language testing before issuing (i) taxi and (ii) private hire vehicle licences
The Policing and Crime Act 2017 enables the Secretary of State for Transport to issue statutory guidance to licensing authorities on exercising their taxi and private hire vehicle licensing functions to protect children and vulnerable adult… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her policy to allow people with pending deportation orders to change their name.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him to Question 58408. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses have had a turnover below the VAT threshold in each of the past five years.
The total number of businesses in 2024 is estimated at 5.6 million (see Business population estimates 2024 - GOV.UK, detailed table 2). According to HMRC statistics, there were around 1.3 million business registered for VAT with turnover ab… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what proportion of her Department's procurement contracts were awarded to UK companies in the last financial year.
Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder).Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what proportion of procurement contracts were awarded to UK companies in the 2024-25 financial year.
The Scotland Office did not award any procurement contracts in 2024-25.The Scotland Office is a small Ministerial Department which, other than for minor or bespoke purchases, does not normally undertake direct procurement. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what proportion of procurement contracts were awarded to UK companies in the 2024-25 financial year.
In the 2024-25 financial year, the Northern Ireland Office has awarded all procurement contracts to UK companies.Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of procurement contracts were awarded to UK companies in the 2024-25 financial year.
Within financial year 2024-2025, the Ministry of Justice awarded 601 contracts to suppliers for provision of goods and services across the justice sector. 591 (98.3%) of these contracts were awarded to UK companies.Details of central govern… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what proportion of procurement contracts were awarded to UK companies in the 2024-25 financial year.
Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder). Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,00… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of procurement contracts were awarded to UK companies in the 2024-25 financial year.
Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder). Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,00… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of procurement contracts were awarded to UK companies in the 2024-25 financial year.
The requested information is not held in a reportable format. To provide this information would require a manual review of contract records, which could only be done for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of her Department's procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year.
Contracts are awarded in compliance with the relevant public procurement regulations to ensure value for money, and most go to UK firms. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of his Department's procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year.
Based on available data, in the financial year 2024-25, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) centrally awarded a total of 558 commercial contracts. Of these, 277 contracts-representing approximately 49.6 per cent of award… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of his Department's procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year.
In the last financial year, 2024/25, 95.7% of procurement contracts were awarded to suppliers which reported to the Department that their legal entity is registered in the United Kingdom, in the UK Companies House Register. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of her Department's procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year.
The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs. Information on government contracts can be found here: DWP Contracts Finder. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year.
Across DfT (DfTc and EAs), in FY 24/25, 901 out of 909 contracts were awarded to British Companies (based in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland). Companies were determined as British Companies by reviewing suppliers addresses and … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year.
Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder).Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year.
There were 508 contracts awarded by Defra as the contract owner in financial year 2024/25 – 500 are to UK-based suppliers, which equates to 98.43% and excludes purchase orders raised for Defra below threshold. Details of central Government … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the 2024-2025 financial year.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero awarded 98.5% of its contracts to British Companies. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year.
The department’s procurement and contract management system only collects information related to company head office addresses rather than the ‘nationality’ of a company.Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year.
From April 1st 2024, to March 31st 2025, a total of 135 agreements were executed. Out of these, 131 contracts were awarded to British companies, which equates to approximately 97% of contracts. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year.
In the financial year 2024-25, the Department awarded 274 contracts, 239 (87.2%) of which were to UK companies. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the 2024-25 financial year.
Central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder). Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc VAT a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, how many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the 2024-2025 financial year.
Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (Contracts Finder - GOV.UK). Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc VAT … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals convicted of sexual offences with a signed deportation order have yet to be deported.
This Government pledged to deliver the highest rate of removals since 2018 and this target has been surpassed, with a surge in returns activity since the election leading to almost 30,000 people with no right to be in the UK being removed b… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals with prior convictions for sexual offences were granted (a) asylum, (b) humanitarian protection and (c) leave to remain in each of the last five years.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him on 19 May in response to Question 51194. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of sex offenders serving a custodial sentence in prison are foreign nationals, broken down by nationality.
In line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, we are unable to provide the requested information at this time, as doing so would disclose a subset of data which is currently intended for future publication by the Ministry of Justice.Dat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) asylum seekers and (b) recent arrivals were charged with (i) rape and (ii) sexual assault in each of the last five years.
Available data on the age, ethnicity, gender and region of individuals prosecuted and convicted at criminal courts in England and Wales in the Ministry of Justice Outcomes by Offences data tool, can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice S… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of people arrested for sexual offences were foreign nationals in the last 12 months.
Available data on the age, ethnicity, gender and region of individuals prosecuted and convicted at criminal courts in England and Wales in the Ministry of Justice Outcomes by Offences data tool, can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice S… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals were arrested for sexual offences in each of the last five years, broken down by nationality.
Available data on the age, ethnicity, gender and region of individuals prosecuted and convicted at criminal courts in England and Wales in the Ministry of Justice Outcomes by Offences data tool, can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice S… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many visa applications were rejected on national security grounds in the last five years, broken down by country of origin.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer he was given on 15 May to Question 51200. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many countries are designated as high risk for immigration control purposes, and on what basis.
The UK operates a robust and effective visa system, which is an important part of securing the UK border and a vital tool for the UK in reducing illegal immigration, tackling organised crime and protecting national security. A requirement t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department maintains an internal country risk list for (a) immigration and (b) visa purposes.
The UK operates a robust and effective visa system, which is an important part of securing the UK border and a vital tool for the UK in reducing illegal immigration, tackling organised crime and protecting national security. A requirement t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria her Department uses to assess the national security risk posed by migrants from specific countries.
As a matter of longstanding policy, we do not comment on the detail of security and intelligence matters. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to automatically deport foreign nationals convicted of sexual offences.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question 47069 on 30 April. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many civil cases tried in court had a jury in each of the last ten years, broken down by case type.
No central data is recorded on the numbers of juries convened for civil proceedings in England and Wales, nor the breakdown into types of case. Requests are passed to the jury summoning bureau as the need arises.The use of juries in civil c… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of criminal trials were heard before a jury in each of the last five years.
The Ministry of Justice does not centrally hold information on the numbers and proportion of criminal trials heard before a jury. However, the vast majority of criminal cases are heard in the magistrates’ courts without juries – with 90% of… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of trials by jury on levels of public confidence in the criminal justice system.
Sir Brian Leveson has published the first part of his Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, setting out a number of recommendations on the use of jury trials in the Crown Court. Jury trials are a cornerstone of our justice system and w… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of visa applications were rejected due to national security concerns related to Islamist extremism in each of the last ten years.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer he was given on 15 May to Question 51200. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average custodial sentence for people convicted of Islamist terror offences is.
Information about individuals convicted or in custody for terrorism and terrorism-connected offences, by ideology, is published by the Home Office as part of the ‘Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000’ statistics series. T… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of Prevent cases resulted in prosecutions for Islamist-related offences during the past year.
Prevent seeks to intervene early and provide support to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Prevent is not an investigative tool or a criminal sanction, and prosecution is not the intended outcome. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help tackle online Islamist (a) radicalisation and (b) propaganda targeting young people.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 9 July to Question 64852. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether foreign nationals convicted of Islamist extremist offences are automatically considered for deportation.
Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether (a) migrants and (b) asylum seekers are checked for associations with Islamist terror organisations.
The first priority of Government is protecting national security and protecting UK citizens from terrorism. It would not be appropriate to comment in detail on operational security matters or specific cases but the Home Office uses various … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of people subject to Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures entered the UK as asylum seekers or refugees.
The statutory reporting requirements associated with the use of TPIM measures are set out in Section 19(1) of the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been flagged for links to (a) extremist and (b) Islamist networks since 2018.
It is the longstanding policy of successive UK Governments that we do not comment on operational intelligence or security matters. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department tracks the (a) religious and (b) ideological motivations of terrorist offenders as part of offender rehabilitation and risk assessment.
Information about individuals convicted or in custody for terrorism and terrorism-connected offences, by ideology, is published by the Home Office as part of the ‘Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000’ statistics series. T… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people with previous convictions for Islamist terrorism offences have been released.
Information about individuals convicted or in custody for terrorism and terrorism-connected offences, by ideology, is published by the Home Office as part of the ‘Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000’ statistics series. T… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of terrorism-related prisoners in the UK are linked to Islamist ideology.
Information about individuals convicted or in custody for terrorism and terrorism-connected offences, by ideology, is published by the Home Office as part of the ‘Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000’ statistics series. T… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted under terrorism legislation for offences linked to Islamist extremism in the past five years.
Information about individuals convicted or in custody for terrorism and terrorism-connected offences, by ideology, is published by the Home Office as part of the ‘Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000’ statistics series. T… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support she is providing to local authorities to help them counter radicalisation in areas identified as high risk for Islamist extremism.
All Local Authorities in England, Scotland and Wales receive dedicated support from the Home Office to deliver the Prevent duty effectively and in proportion to the risk and threat.Whilst Prevent seeks to tackle the threat from a range of i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) help prevent radicalisation in (i) mosques, (ii) Islamic schools and (iii) community centres.
The Prevent duty was introduced through the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 and requires a range of public sector bodies working in local communities to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism as part of their day-to-day work… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many passports have been cancelled due to UK citizens travelling abroad to join Islamist terrorist groups in the last five years.
It is the longstanding policy of successive UK governments that we do not comment on operational intelligence or security matters , including the specific details of individuals who have and their passports revoked. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many referrals to Prevent related to Islamist ideology have been made in the last three years.
Information about Prevent referrals and Channel cases can be found on GOV.UK Individuals referred to and supported through the Prevent Programme statistics - GOV.UK.Official statistics on individuals referred to and supported through the Pr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are under surveillance by counter-terrorism police for suspected links to Islamist extremism.
As a matter of long-standing policy, we do not comment on the detail of security and intelligence matters. However, we continuously assess potential threats to the UK and, where necessary, deploy the full range of tools available to mitigat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many known Islamic extremists reside in the UK.
As a matter of long-standing policy, we do not comment on the detail of security and intelligence matters. However, we continuously assess potential threats to the UK and, where necessary, deploy the full range of tools available to mitigat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the environmental impact of sourcing food from British producers compared to overseas suppliers for public sector contracts.
In 2021, Defra assessed the scientific evidence on the environmental impacts of locally sourced food for public food procurement. This analysis considered the positive and negative environmental impacts of both imported and in country produ… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will require public bodies to publish annual data on the percentage of British food procured.
Public bodies are not required to report on the origin of the food they procure. However, the Government will be reviewing food provenance across the public sector. This will help inform our future approach on public sector food procurement… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether planned updates to hospital food standards will include a requirement to prioritise British sourcing.
All National Health Service trusts are expected to follow NHS England’s guidance, National standards for healthcare food and drink, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/national-standards-for-healthc… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support is available for public sector caterers that would like to organise farm visits to help improve local food supply relationships.
We are currently considering the policy options available to deliver further on our ambitions for public sector catering, including the potential benefits of developing stronger ties between food producers, caterers, and end consumers. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he takes steps to encourage local authorities to support local producers through food contracts for (a) care homes and (b) civic buildings.
We recognise the potential benefits of developing stronger ties between local authorities and food producers and support efforts from all parties in strengthening relationships across the supply chains, including into (a) care homes and (b)… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the NHS on increasing procurement from British food producers in its supply chain.
All National Health Service trusts are expected to follow NHS England’s guidance, National standards for healthcare food and drink, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/national-standards-for-healthc… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has considered providing fiscal incentives to local authorities that prioritise British food in their catering contracts.
The Government is open to considering all lawful means of achieving its ambition that half of all food purchased across the public sector should be locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards. We have already published a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of food served in prisons is sourced from British farms; and what plans she has to encourage more prisons to buy British produce.
As at May 2025, 56.1% of food products sourced via the prisoner food contract and served in prisons is of British origin, however we do not hold a figure for farms specifically.The sourcing of products is managed through commercial food con… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the (a) number of food miles and (b) level of carbon emissions generated through catering provided by the public sector in the most recent period for whi
The Government is currently considering policy options, including how best to demonstrate the beneficial impacts of the new national procurement policy statement, which sets out expectations for Government contracts to favour products certi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of sourcing British food for hospitals on levels of (a) hospital food quality and (b) patient recovery.
All National Health Service trusts are expected to follow NHS England’s guidance, National standards for healthcare food and drink, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/national-standards-for-healthc… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support schools to source (a) fresh and (b) seasonal food produced in the UK.
The department is acting quickly with experts across the sector to revise the school food standards, so every school is supported with the latest nutrition guidance. We are currently engaging with stakeholders on the school food standards t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of food served in military catering contracts was sourced from the UK, in the latest period for which data is available.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 March 2025 to Question 36360 to the hon. Member for South Holland and the Deepings (Sir John Hayes MP). Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Departments are required to report on the origin of food purchased through public procurement contracts.
Departments are not currently required to report on the origin of food served in their canteens. In January the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced that the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs w… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of food served in NHS hospitals was sourced from British farms in the latest period for which data is available; and what steps he is taking to encourage NHS hospitals to buy food s
All National Health Service trusts are expected to follow NHS England’s guidance, National standards for healthcare food and drink, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/national-standards-for-healthc… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to amend the guidance entitled School food standards practical guide, published on 13 February 2025, to encourage schools to buy British produce.
The department is acting quickly with experts across the sector to revise the school food standards, so every school is supported with the latest nutrition guidance. We are currently engaging with stakeholders on the school food standards t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to increase the proportion of British-grown food procured by the public sector.
The Government is open to considering all lawful means of achieving its ambition that half of all food purchased across the public sector should be locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards. The new national procuremen… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Palestinian nationals have entered the UK under (a) humanitarian and (b) asylum schemes since October 2023.
Data on asylum claims, by nationality, is published in table Asy_D01 of the ‘Asylum claims and initial decisions detailed datasets’.The latest data relates to the year ending March 2025. Information on how to use the datasets can be found i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
No staff in my Department currently have permission to work remotely outside the UK. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
The Scotland Office has no staff working remotely from a non-UK location. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
The Northern Ireland Office does not have any employees working remotely from outside the UK. All staff are based within the UK. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
The Ministry of Justice uses the term international remote working (IRW) to describe working remotely outside the UK. IRW is defined as when an employee wants to undertake the full responsibilities of their role remotely from abroad, for a … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
In line with wider Government policy, the Department policy allows spouses of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials to work abroad when their spouses have been posted overseas. The Department allows working abroad when offi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
A total of 45 Ministry of Defence (MOD) Civil Servants have been permitted international remote working since the temporary concession was introduced in 2021. The vast majority were to accompany their partners/spouses who work in the Armed … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
The Home Office has a clear policy on International Remote Working (IRW), which is only permitted in very limited circumstances, either on compassionate grounds for up to four weeks where an employee has a seriously ill relative abroad, or … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
HM Treasury's international remote working policy permits certain staff to work remotely overseas in order to accompany a partner posted abroad on HMG business. There are two members of staff who each have permission to work remotely from a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
The Department approves temporary international remote working for staff to work remotely overseas for short defined periods of time where there is critical business need or unforeseen personal circumstances that require immediate attention… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
DWP has no employees who are temporarily working outside the UK. The DWP policy does not permit overseas homeworking as per our Contractual Homeworking Policy. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
We have provided a response based on the number of accepted requests via the Departments Working Remotely Overseas policy. This does not include staff working overseas on official business postings, with the Departments Working Remotely Ove… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
As at 2 July 2025, 7 DSIT employees, who are all UK-based, have exceptionally been given permission to work remotely outside of the UK for a limited period. The countries are: Ghana, United States of America, Italy, Belgium, Sweden and Germ… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
Information on civil servants employed by Defra based overseas is publicly available. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
As at 2 July 2025, 10 DESNZ employees, who are all UK-based, have exceptionally been given permission to work remotely outside of the UK for a limited period. The countries are Thailand, Botswana, Barbados, India, Slovenia, United States of… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
Unless undertaking work in an official capacity, the department only permits overseas working in limited circumstances and for short periods of time. The department’s international remote working policy considers any country outside of Engl… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
DCMS does not allow any staff to work remotely outside of the UK on a permanent basis. Staff may be given time-limited permission to work overseas. Short term overseas approval granted from 1st January - 4th July 2025 are as follows:Travell… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
Standard DBT policy is that staff should not normally be allowed to work remotely overseas however the department do permit this under exceptional personal circumstances and following/preceding a period of annual leave when visiting family … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
Cabinet Office staff may apply for permission to temporarily work remotely overseas in exceptional circumstances. Examples of this might include when accompanying a Civil Service or Armed Forces partner on an official posting. There are <5 … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) does not have any staff working permanently outside the UK. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, ?what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on checking for overseas criminal records for prospective (a) taxi and (b) private hire vehicle licence holders who were born overseas.
The Policing and Crime Act 2017 enables the Secretary of State for Transport to issue statutory guidance to licensing authorities on exercising their taxi and private hire vehicle licensing functions to protect children and vulnerable adult… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation to ensure all (a) taxis and (c) private hire vehicles are fitted with CCTV.
In response to Baroness Casey’s report on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, the Government committed to legislate to address the important issues raised, tackling the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle dr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation or guidance to centralise data collection on licensed drivers' (a) immigration status and (b) criminal history.
The Immigration Act 2016 prevents illegal working in the taxi and private hire vehicle sector, as either a driver or an operator. Licensing authorities are prohibited from issuing a licence to anyone who is disqualified by reason of their i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on the convictions of licensed taxi drivers for (a) grooming, (b) sexual exploitation and (c) trafficking offences.
Available data on the age, ethnicity, gender and region of individuals prosecuted and convicted at criminal courts in England and Wales in the Ministry of Justice Outcomes by Offences data tool, can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice S… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what checks her Department carries out to verify the identity documents of migrants applying for taxi licences.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer sent on the 20 May 2025 to UIN 51642. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's process is for sharing intelligence with licensing authorities when a foreign national taxi driver is arrested.
As set out in the Department for Transport’s Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards, all applicants for a taxi or PHV driver’s licence, irrespective of nationality, should undergo an enhanced DBS check including a check of the ch… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) unlicensed and (b) illegal taxi drivers operating in major cities.
The Department for Transport does not hold this data, as such vehicles are not operating within a legal framework. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of foreign nationals who hold (a) taxi and (b) private hire vehicle licences who have been deported due to criminal convictions in the last decade.
The Department for Transport does not hold information on the number of deportations due to criminal convictions. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of councils that do not require enhanced DBS checks for (a) taxi and (b) private hire vehicle drivers.
As at 1 April 2024, all authorities in England reported that they required an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) security check for taxi and private hire vehicle drivers. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, ?what information her Department holds on the number of (a) taxi and (b) private hire drivers who have had their licences revoked due to a criminal conviction in the last 10 years.
All licensing authorities in England have a duty to ensure that any person to whom they grant a taxi or private hire vehicle driver’s licence is a fit and proper person to be a licensee and that they remain so throughout the duration of the… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) taxi and (b) private hire vehicle drivers that have (i) an overseas criminal conviction and (ii) been granted a licence in each of the last five years.
Licensing authorities may hold this information. As at 1 April 2024, all authorities in England reported that they required an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) security check for all drivers. The statutory guidance issued by th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of licensed (a) taxi and (b) private hire drivers who are foreign nationals, broken down by their country of origin.
The Department for Transport does not collect that data. Licensing authorities may hold this information as part of the application processes to prevent illegal working as taxi or private hire vehicle drivers. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps the Commission is taking to ensure women have access to safe spaces when visiting Parliament.
Everyone is welcome at UK Parliament and should feel safe being here. We strive to be an organisation which treats all our visitors with respect.All visitors are reminded of the Parliamentary Behaviour Code, which applies to everyone who vi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much her Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much her Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
A full Departmental response could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The majority of Departmental advertising expenditure is undertaken by the three branches of the Armed Forces to aid recruitment. Generic advertising expenditure o… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
The Government develops wide-ranging national and international campaigns which are delivered through tailored communication strategies aimed at reaching target audiences across the UK. Campaigns span owned, earned and paid-for channels to … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much her Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
No money has been spent by HM Treasury on social media promotions, influencer marketing or online advertising in the last 12 months. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office combines all Advertising & Publicity costs in its financial reporting system. The information required to delineate between social media promotions, influencer marketing and online advertisin… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much her Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Over the last 12 months, the Department for Transport has spent £830,731.27 on social media advertising and £1,488,420.01 on online advertising through the THINK! Road safety campaign. This has been done to reach and influence the behaviour… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much his Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much his Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
This detail of information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend, which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much her Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much his Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, how much her Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many external consultancy projects have (a) overrun or (b) failed to deliver expected outcomes in each year since 2020.
From 2022, there have been no consultancy contracts, awarded by the Cabinet Office, that were subject to formal performance action or contract termination due to poor performance. Any informal concerns about the delivery of contract objecti… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average daily rate of pay is for consultants working across Whitehall Departments.
This information is not held by the Cabinet Office.Pay for consultants is managed by each department individually, as they are accountable for their own consultancy pay details. Average rates may differ due to the type of consultancy and co… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the total cost of external consultants across Government was in each year since 2019.
Individual Central Government departments publish expenditure on external consultants in their annual reports and accounts. The Government is committed to stopping all non-essential expenditure on consultants, and reducing the reliance on c… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many public sector contracts have been subject to fraud investigations in each year since 2019.
Information pertaining to the amount of public sector contracts subject to fraud investigations is not held by the Cabinet Office. This information would be held by relevant law enforcement authorities, or specific government departments, t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total value was of fraud detected across NHS procurement systems in each year since 2020.
The following table shows the value of the procurement fraud detected in the National Health Service in England for each of the last five years:YearProcurement fraud detected2020/21£9,100,0002021/22£9,300,0002022/23£3,200,0002023/24£5,800,0… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of freedom of information requests made to her Department have exceeded the statutory deadline in the past year.
The Home Office’s Freedom of Information (FOI) performance data, including request volumes and timeliness, is published quarterly and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many working days have been lost to stress-related illness in the civil service in each of the past five years.
Management Information on Average Working Days Lost due to mental ill-health, which includes stress-related illness, is published at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of civil servants work from home for more than 80% of their contracted hours.
This information is not held centrally. Decisions on terms and conditions of employment, including flexible working arrangements, are made by the employing department. Heads of departments have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total value is of (a) unused and (b) expired PPE stock held by the NHS.
Data on personal protective equipment (PPE) items held in storage within individual National Health Service trusts is not held centrally. As of 16 June 2025, PPE items with a value of £24,496,465 are being held in storage by NHS Supply Chai… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any procurement contracts over £1 million were awarded without competitive tender in the last two years.
Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder). Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,00… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants have been dismissed for (a) incompetence and (b) misconduct in each year since 2015.
Departments have delegated responsibility for decisions relating to dismissal of an employee. Civil Service statistics on the composition of the Civil Service workforce, including data on those leaving the Civil Service due to dismissals, a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of civil servants have been subject to formal performance management in the last three years.
Departments have delegated responsibility for managing poor performance. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A) their Department and
The Ministry of Justice has a statutory duty to provide language services to enable access to justice for users for whom English is not their first language and those who require visual and tactile services, under the provisions of the Equa… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people co
MHCLG spent £59,064.46 on translation and interpretation services in FY24/25, excluding the languages specified in the question. MHCLG does not report on translation and interpretation separately. MHCLG does not pay for these costs for any … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A) their Department and
The Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation (excluding Arm’s Length Bodies) £27,611,694.85 ex VAT in FY24/25 Excluding (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting the Department… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A) their Dep
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A) their Department and (B)
In 2025 HMT has spent the following amounts against each category requested; (a) £0(b) (i) £0(b)(ii) £0 For our agencies this information is not held centrally to the required level of detailed needed to answer this question on their behalf… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for peopl
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spent around £215,000 on direct, external Interpreter and Translator costs, for the financial year 2024-25. Indirect Interpreter and Translator costs (for example, staff time, particularly wh… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A) their
The Department’s expenditure with external suppliers of translation or interpretation services for the 2025 calendar year to date was £7,196, excluding British Sign Language expenditure. In addition, there was no expenditure for languages n… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A) their Depar
In 2025 so far, within the stipulations, there has been spent on: (a) Translation = £470,542.73(b) Interpretation = £3,248,467.21 Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayer… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A) their Department an
The Department and its agencies have spent £298,446.92 on translation and interpretation costs in 2025 (this covers the period from 1st January 2025 to 31st May 2025). The table below outlines the split of costs between the Department and e… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contactin
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. However, no contracts have been awarded for the core department in 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacti
The amount of expenditure recorded for translation services in the 2023/24 financial year, which runs from 1 April to 31 March, is £1,699.13. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A)
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero does not record this data in a way in which we can determine what proportion of the spend on translation services in 2025 so far was for services other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A) their Department an
The total cost incurred by the department in providing translation services, other than British Sign Language and languages native to the UK, is £180.Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value fo… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A) thei
DCMS does not hold information to the level of detail requested within its finance system or procurement system.Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintainin… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much their Department has spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for languages other than (i) British Sign Language and (ii) languages native to the UK for people contacting (A) their Depa
The Department for Business and Trade does not record the costs for translation and interpretation at this level of detail. We can confirm the Department for Business and Trade spent £58,149.01 on translation services from 1 January 2025 – … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what task forces are funded by each Department.
This information is not held centrally. Individual departments are responsible for any task forces they establish. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether (a) current and (b) former (i) civil servants and (ii) politicians will be required to give evidence to the grooming gangs inquiry; what steps her Department is taking to ensure accountability
The National Inquiry will utilise existing legislation in the Inquiries Act 2005 to appoint an independent chair who will determine the conduct and procedure of the inquiry. We will announce further details on the inquiry, including the app… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will appoint a chair with no (a) political affiliation and (b) prior conflict to lead the grooming gang inquiry.
We will announce further details on the inquiry in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will commit to implementing all recommendations from the grooming gang inquiry within 12 months.
We will announce further details on the inquiry in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many victims of grooming gangs have applied for compensation; and how many have been rejected.
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) deeply sympathises with all victims of sexual crimes and recognises the trauma suffered by victims of these abhorrent offences.CICA cannot provide figures about compensation to victims of … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review the adequacy of data collection by (a) police, (b) councils and (c) government in identifying systemic abuse.
We will announce further details on the inquiry in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the grooming gang inquiry will link (a) police and (b) council data nationally to create map of (a) grooming gang activity and (b) institutional failure.
We will announce further details on the inquiry in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the grooming gang inquiry will examine (a) internal police complaints, (b) whistleblower evidence and (c) deleted material on grooming gang investigations.
We will announce further details on the inquiry in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department can compel local authorities to release safeguarding files on group-based child sexual exploitation.
We will announce further details on the inquiry in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the grooming gang inquiry will release historic exploitation data back to the 1960s on a rolling basis.
We will announce further details on the inquiry in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the grooming gang inquiry will publish demographic breakdowns of (a) perpetrators and (b) victims by (i) race, (ii) gender, (iii) nationality and (iv) immigration status.
We will announce further details on the inquiry in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether whistleblowers who were (a) disciplined, (b) dismissed and (c) ignored for raising concerns on grooming gangs will receive (i) an official apology and (ii) compensation.
We will announce further details on the inquiry in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether (a) independent whistleblowers, (b) frontline professionals, (c) survivor-led organisations and (d) journalists will be formally included in the grooming gang inquiry.
We will announce further details on the inquiry in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will ensure that (a) FOI returns, (b) court transcripts, (c) internal memos, (d) inter-agency communications and (e) other evidence submitted to the grooming gang inquiry is published.
We will announce further details on the inquiry in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the grooming gang inquiry will include the role of (a) ethnicity, (b) culture and (c) religion in (i) enabling and (ii) concealing group-based child sexual exploitation.
We will announce further details on the inquiry in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many foreign-born prisoners are currently serving sentences for knife crime offences.
Statistics of this nature do not currently form part of our published statistics. Our current approach to publication of nationality data is in line with that used during the previous Conservative Government. However, we are monitoring the … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average time was to obtain a UK driving test in each region in the most recent 12 months for which data is available; and what percentage of applicants were foreign nationals.
The table below shows the average waiting time for a car practical driving test by driving test centre regions, for the financial year 2024/25. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not collect any data regarding the customer'… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people in receipt of childcare support are claiming Universal Credit.
The proportion of people in receipt of childcare support claiming Universal Credit is not available as not all childcare support is the responsibility of this department. The latest statistics for Universal Credit households in receipt of U… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many fines were issued to parents for school absence in the last 12 months; and what the value was of those fines.
The most recent data held by the department covers the 2023/24 academic year and is available in the statistical release on parental responsibility measures, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/fi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether prisoners undertake (a) litter collection and (b) graffiti removal.
Prisoners currently can access community service work through Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) during the custodial element within their sentence.The Prison Rules in England and Wales provide that a prisoner may be granted leave from pri… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will introduce a minimum 5-year mandatory sentence for adults convicted of carrying a knife.
Tackling knife crime is a priority and this Government is determined to do all it can to break the deadly cycle of violence that devastates the lives of individuals, families, and communities. It is important that those who commit violent c… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to bring retired NHS staff back into service.
NHS England operates Return to Practice for Nurses, Midwives and Health and Care Professions Council professionals, which is for those wanting to return after their professional registration has lapsed. This includes retired National Health… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of NHS Trusts provide free parking to patients.
National Health Service trusts decide locally on whether they charge for parking on their sites. The published Estates Return Information Collection gives a breakdown of NHS trusts charging for hospital parking for patients and visitors com… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS appointments were missed in the last 12-months.
The Department does not hold data on the number of missed appointments across the whole National Health Service. In the year from April 2024 to March 2025, the latest provisional data indicates that there were 8.1 million outpatient appoint… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the NHS was of missed appointments in 2024.
The Department does not hold data on the overall cost to the National Health Service of missed appointments. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of foreign nationals entering the UK as delivery drivers under temporary work schemes.
Under the current Immigration Rules, the UK operates no Temporary Work schemes that enable the recruitment of delivery drivers from overseas. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of immigration cases involve the use of interpretation services paid for by the state.
Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office and, therefore, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of religious institutions in the UK receive funding from foreign governments or entities, broken down by (a) religion and (b) source of funding.
Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across various Government departments and, therefore, could only be obtained at disproportionate co… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has had discussions with counter-terrorism police on the potential impact of full-face coverings in public settings on national security.
The Home Office has regular and routine discussions with counter-terrorism policing on a wide range of national security issues.The Crime and Policing Bill contains a new criminal offence of wearing, or otherwise using, an item that conceal… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of state-funded schools currently permit the wearing of the (a) niqab and (b) burqa by (i) students and (ii) staff; and whether her Department has issued any guidance on uniform pol
The department has published non-statutory guidance on developing a school uniform policy, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform/school-uniforms. The guidance sets out that it is for the governin… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the outcomes of bans on wearing full face coverings in public spaces in (a) France
Britain has a proud tradition of freedom of speech and religious expression within the confines of the law. There are no current general policies or legislations that ban the wearing of religious and non-religious full-face coverings in pub… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, ?what guidance her Department has provided to (a) police officers and (b) security personnel on interacting with people wearing face coverings that obscure identity in public places.
Section 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 provides a power for police officers to demand the removal of disguises in certain circumstances to prevent crime. In addition, if the officer believes that someone is wearing a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of full-face coverings on levels of (a) coercion, (b) domestic control and (c) honour-based abuse.
Tackling violence against women and girls, including Coercive or Controlling Behaviour (CCB) and ‘Honour’-Based Abuse (HBA), is a top priority for this Government and our manifesto included a mission to halve violence against women and girl… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of births in NHS hospitals to mothers not born in the UK in 2023, broken down by the (a) region of the hospital and (b) mother's country of birth
The Department does not hold data on the number of births in National Health Service hospitals to mothers not born in the United Kingdom.However, the Office for National Statistics publishes statistics on live births in England and Wales in… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number and proportion of GP registrations made by people not born in the UK in the last five years, broken down by region.
The Department does not hold data regarding the number and proportion of National Health Service general practice registrations that were for people not born in the United Kingdom. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people who entered the UK on student visas since 2015 have not left the UK within six months of their visa expiry.
The latest data available on the ‘Source of asylum claims in 2024’ was published by the Home Office on 30th March 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people granted (a) refugee and (b) asylum status entered full-time employment within five years of arrival in the last ten years.
The requested information is not currently available from published statistics, and could only be collated for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce levels of self-segregation in (a) housing and (b) schooling in areas with high concentrations of recent immigrants.
The Immigration White Paper, published 12 May, set out proposals in a number of areas, including integration and English language requirements, further details of which will be set out in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the proportion of adult migrants resident in the UK for over five years who are proficient in (a) spoken and (b) written English.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 11th June is attached. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to inform (a) law enforcement, (b) border agencies and (c) local authorities of name changes made by people with insecure immigration status.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him to Question 58407. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, what guidance the Crown Prosecution Service provides to prosecutors when considering whether to charge people who have used force in self-defence within their own home.
Charging decisions in cases regarding householders and the use of force against intruders in England and Wales are made independently by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).Reasonable force may be used by homeowners to protect themselves or… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, how many homeowners have been prosecuted for using force against individuals unlawfully present in their homes in the last 10 years.
Charging decisions in cases regarding householders and the use of force against intruders in England and Wales are made independently by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).Reasonable force may be used by homeowners to protect themselves or… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, what steps she is taking to ensure that people who act in good faith to protect themselves or others from intruders are not prosecuted.
Charging decisions in cases regarding householders and the use of force against intruders in England and Wales are made independently by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).Reasonable force may be used by homeowners to protect themselves or… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department plans to review the adequacy of legal protections available to homeowners who use force in self-defence against intruders.
The Ministry of Justice currently has no plans to review or reform the law regarding householders and the use of force against intruders in self-defence. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number of (a) asylum seekers and (b) failed asylum claimants that have used multiple identities or aliases while in the UK.
All asylum claimants are subject to the Home Office’s mandatory security checks to establish and verify their identity, and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. These checks … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether asylum seekers are required to provide supporting documentation when requesting a legal name change.
All asylum claimants are subject to the Home Office’s mandatory security checks to establish and verify their identity, and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. These checks … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of name changes by asylum seekers on (a) national security, (b) immigration enforcement and (c) criminal justice proceedings.
All asylum claimants are subject to the Home Office’s mandatory security checks to establish and verify their identity, and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. These checks … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have formally changed name since 2015; and how her Department monitors that data.
All asylum claimants are subject to the Home Office’s mandatory security checks to establish and verify their identity, and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. These checks … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to (a) record and (b) verify name changes made by asylum seekers (i) during and (ii) after the asylum application process.
All asylum claimants are subject to the Home Office’s mandatory security checks to establish and verify their identity, and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. These checks … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to simplify workplace health and safety requirements for small businesses while maintaining essential protections for workers.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) began a three-year project in 2024 to review its web guidance portfolio and improve accessibility, quality of content, ease of search and navigation, and declutter outdated materials. Improvements achie… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to review (a) agricultural and (b) environmental regulation for (i) food producers and (ii) small farmers.
Defra’s ambition is to reform the agricultural and environmental regulatory system so that it is fair, clear and effective for food producers, farmers and landowners. We are working closely with the sector to improve regulation so that it i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with business organisations on the impact of regulatory compliance costs on (a) profitability and (b) competitiveness.
Last year the Government launched a Call for Evidence on the UK's regulatory landscape to hear directly from business how regulation could be improved. In March we launched our Action Plan for Regulation, committing to cut administrative co… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a one-in, two-out approach to new business regulations; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of
On 17 March 2025 the government published an Action Plan setting out its approach to regulation and regulators, which made a firm commitment to cut the administrative costs of regulation for business by 25% by the end of the Parliament. Thi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of regulation on small and medium-sized enterprises since 2010.
Businesses have told us that regulation can be too complex, stifle progress and innovation and the accumulation of poorly designed regulation over decades is a burden to comply with. Our recently published Action Plan for Regulation will ai… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people without lawful immigration status who have come into contact with the police in the last five years.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on producing an estimate of the number of people living in the UK without legal immigration status.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC has made an estimate of the number of people working in the informal economy without legal immigration status; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of illegal working on t
The government is committed to ensuring the UK border is secure and is increasing enforcement of illegal working practices for those without the right to be here. Furthermore, the government is recruiting an additional 5,500 compliance staf… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people without legal status living in (a) temporary and (b) informal accommodation; and what discussions she has had with local authorities on un
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data her Department holds on suspected illegal migrants attempting to access welfare services.
The department does not hold data on illegal migrants attempting to access welfare services. People who are in the UK illegally (that is to say people without a valid UK immigration status) are not permitted access to DWP public funds benef… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of individuals accessing NHS services who do not have lawful residency status in the UK; and whether such data is used to inform other estimates
The Department does not hold or collect the information requested. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with the Office for National Statistics on developing a reliable estimate of the irregular migrant population using available (a) administrative and (b) survey
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the merits of commissioning an independent study to produce an updated estimate of the number of illegal migrants in the UK.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how she calculates the number of people without legal immigration status.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the average cost to the public purse of each immigration detention bed.
The Home Office currently operates seven Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) throughout the UK, (six in England and one in Scotland) and three residential Short-Term Holding Facilities (STHFs) (one in Northern Ireland and two in England). Ad… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to require data sharing between NHS Digital and her Department to help identify illegal migrants.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him on 6 May to Question 47960. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of initiating a (a) cross-Departmental and (b) UK-wide commission into the number of illegal migrants living in the UK.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 30 January to Question 25047. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a public reporting scheme that offers financial rewards for verified reports of illegal migrants.
The Home Office already operates an Immigration Enforcement hotline and provides several other routes for members of the public to report information regarding immigration related crime and/or abuse. Over the past three years we have seen a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the cost of deporting one million illegal migrants under existing rules for deportations.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him on 6 May in response to Question 47960. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment with the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the potential merits of taxing remittances to countries that refuse to accept their returned nationals.
All policy relating to taxation is a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to increase the annual budget for immigration enforcement in line with projected growth in removals activity.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer presented her Spending Review 2025 to Parliament on Wednesday 11 June 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigration detention beds are available; and what steps she is taking to increase capacity.
The Home Office currently operates seven Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) throughout the UK, (six in England and one in Scotland) and three residential Short-Term Holding Facilities (STHFs) (one in Northern Ireland and two in England). Ad… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of VAT (a) registration and (b) compliance on small businesses.
At £90,000, the UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU country and the joint highest in the OECD. This means the majority of UK businesses are kept out of the VAT system. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to review the VAT registration threshold.
At £90,000, the UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU country and the joint highest in the OECD. This means the majority of UK businesses are kept out of the VAT system. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the current VAT registration threshold on (small business (a) growth and (b) turnover management.
At £90,000, the UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU country and the joint highest in the OECD. This means the majority of UK businesses are kept out of the VAT system. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to enable contractors to determine their own IR35 status.
The off-payroll working rules, also known as IR35, were introduced in 2000. They are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees, but through their own company, pay broadly the same income tax and National Insurance contribut… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her her Department has made of the potential impact of off-payroll working (IR35) rules on (a) small business productivity, (b) contract availability and (c) self-employment rates.
The off-payroll working rules, also known as IR35, were introduced in 2000. They are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees, but through their own company, pay broadly the same income tax and National Insurance contribut… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) contractors and (b) freelancers have been subject to off-payroll working (IR35) rules in each of the last three tax years; and what estimate she has made of the revenue raised.
The off-payroll working rules, also known as IR35, were introduced in 2000. They are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees, but through their own company, pay broadly the same income tax and National Insurance contribut… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of off-payroll working (IR35) rules on the self-employed sector since December 2023.
The off-payroll working rules, also known as IR35, were introduced in 2000. They are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees, but through their own company, pay broadly the same income tax and National Insurance contribut… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the total cost to the public purse was of the production of his Department's Diego Garcia Military Base explainer video.
This video was produced in-house by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office communications team. There was therefore no additional cost to making the video. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of total UK fish stocks by (a) tonnage and (b) species will remain subject to EU access under the agreement to extend EU access to British territorial waters to June 20
Annex 38 of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement sets out which quota and non-quota stocks are subject to access arrangements. The new access arrangements announced on 19 May will give the UK and EU access to the same fish stocks. UK a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the potential financial impact of the extension of EU access to fish in British territorial waters to June 2038 on the fishing sector in each region.
The new UK-EU fisheries agreement announced on 19 May will continue the current access arrangements in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, under which the UK grants access to around 1,600 EU registered vessels to fish in UK waters, of whic… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit: Explainer, updated on 19 May 2025, what proportion of UK fish stocks will be subject to shared access with the EU under the ne
Annex 38 of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement sets out which quota and non-quota stocks are subject to access arrangements. The new access arrangements announced on 19 May will give the UK and EU access to the same fish stocks. UK a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit: Explainer, updated on 19 May 2025, whether he plans to provide financial support to fishers impacted by the new 12-year access
Alongside a new twelve-year fisheries access agreement with the EU, we have announced a comprehensive twelve-year Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund. Fishing and coastal communities will benefit from the £360 million investment to drive growth… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit: Explainer, updated on 19 May 2025, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact on (a) UK fish exports an
Over 70% of all UK seafood by value is exported to the EU. Removing the need for Export Health Certificates and border checks saves time and money – especially for fresh and live seafood that needs to reach markets quickly. This agreement h… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit: Explainer, updated on 19 May 2025, what discussions he has had with representatives of the fishing industry on the new 12-year
The Secretary of State and Fisheries Minister meet regularly with representatives from across the UK fishing industry. During meetings with fishing industry representatives the implementation of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement is … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential economic impact of extending fishing access to British waters for EU vessels for a further 12 years on coastal communities.
The new UK-EU fisheries agreement announced on 19 May will continue the current access arrangements in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, under which the UK grants access to around 1,600 EU registered vessels to fish in UK waters, of whic… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing criminal penalties for individuals who knowingly make (a) false and (b) malicious complaints for (i) political and (ii) reputation
The Home Office is unable to comment on or intervene in individual police investigations, so as not to undermine Policing’s operational independence. Where a police force investigates an individual, we expect the force to determine how best… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of fast-tracking Crown Prosecution Service advice in (a) politically sensitive and (b) time-critical investigations.
It is vital that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which is rightly operationally independent from Government, makes decisions as quickly as possible after a careful consideration of all relevant facts. As Solicitor General, I review and… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that individuals who are subject to police investigations are provided with appropriate (a) legal and (b)reputational protections.
Those under police investigation are entitled to free, independent, legal advice at the police station, through the provision of criminal legal aid. Legal aid is a vital part of the justice system and enables individuals, who need it most, … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the merits of conducting a review into the (a) reputational and (b) mental health impact of being investigated for an offence without being charged.
The Home Office is unable to comment on or intervene in individual police investigations, so as not to undermine Policing’s operational independence. Where a police force investigates an individual, we expect the force to determine how best… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to prevent the misuse of police time and resources through (a) unfounded and (b) politically motivated allegations.
The Home Office is unable to comment on or intervene in individual police investigations, so as not to undermine Policing’s operational independence. Where a police force investigates an individual, we expect the force to determine how best… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing reforms to limit the use of police investigations in cases where there is (a) no corroborating evidence and (b) a s
The Home Office is unable to comment on or intervene in individual police investigations, so as not to undermine Policing’s operational independence. Where a police force investigates an individual, we expect the force to determine how best… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of politically motivated police complaints on public confidence in the impartiality of the criminal justice system.
The Home Office is unable to comment on or intervene in individual police investigations, so as not to undermine Policing’s operational independence. Where a police force investigates an individual, we expect the force to determine how best… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department holds information on the breakdown of applicants in social housing by first language.
My Department does not hold data on the number of applicants for social housing by first language. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department holds on the proportion of Universal Credit recipients that are not proficient in English; and what support in learning English is provided.
The Department does not hold information about the proportion of Universal Credit recipients that are not proficient in English.Skills are essential to helping claimants get into and progress in work. Work Coaches offer all claimants a wide… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost to the public purse was for English language teaching for adult (a) migrants and (b) irregular migrants in the last five years.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. The Government’s Immigration White Paper sets out plans for the new Englis… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds information on neighbourhoods where most residents do not speak English as a first language.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. The Government’s Immigration White Paper sets out plans for the new Englis… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an estimate of the proportion of migrants that do not meet functional English language standards on their arrival in the UK.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. The Government’s Immigration White Paper sets out plans for the new Englis… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether there are any exemptions for English language tests in visa application processes.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. The Government’s Immigration White Paper sets out plans for the new Englis… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information her Department holds on the proportion of jobseekers from overseas with limited English language skills that remain unemployed 12 months after their arrival in the UK.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 13th May is attached. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of asylum claimants granted leave to remain without meeting a minimum standard of English in the last five years.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. The Government’s Immigration White Paper sets out plans for the new Englis… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of successful visa applicants required no proof of English language proficiency in the last five years.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. The Government’s Immigration White Paper sets out plans for the new Englis… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of English language proficiency on long-term integration outcomes for migrants.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. The Government’s Immigration White Paper sets out plans for the new Englis… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to increase the frequency of spot checks on taxi and private hire drivers to identify people working illegally.
The Home Office issues guidance to local authorities on preventing illegal working in the taxi and private hire sector. The guidance can be found on GOV.UK at: Licensing authority guide to right to work checks - GOV.UKEnforcement visits are… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that people working as (a) private hire and (b) taxi drivers are subject to immigration status checks; and how many enforcement actions have been taken ag
The Home Office issues guidance to local authorities on preventing illegal working in the taxi and private hire sector. The guidance can be found on GOV.UK at: Licensing authority guide to right to work checks - GOV.UKEnforcement visits are… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department issues to local licensing authorities on checking the (a) right-to-work and (b) immigration status of applicants for (i) taxi and (ii) private hire vehicle licences.
The Home Office issues guidance to local authorities on preventing illegal working in the taxi and private hire sector. The guidance can be found on GOV.UK at: Licensing authority guide to right to work checks - GOV.UKEnforcement visits are… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list the days of (a) cultural and (b) religious significance publicly marked by the Prime Minister (i) since 4 July 2024 and (ii) for the next 12 months.
Days of cultural and religious significance are frequently marked by the Prime Minister. Please see the @10DowningStreet X account for regular updates. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
The Ministry of Justice has statutory obligations to provide language services where they are needed in the delivery of justice services. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
MHCLG uses language services to provide spoken and written translation services for those who are deaf, hard of hearing or do not speak English as a first language where required in line with the Equality Act 2010.Language service needs and… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
No, translation and interpretation for a range of languages other than English (‘non-UK’ languages) is, and will continue to be, required to provide a wide variety of services across multiple areas of Defence. Language service needs and spe… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. The Government’s Immigration White Paper sets out plans for the new Englis… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
General Medical Council guidance states that all possible efforts must be made to ensure effective communication with patients. This includes arrangements to meet patients’ communication needs in languages other than English.Where language … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
DWP has a statutory duty to provide language services to its customers in line with the Equality Act. The aim of the service is to provide spoken and written translation services for staff and customers who are deaf, hard of hearing or do n… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
Services which DSIT offers to the public are set out on GOV.UK. Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery. DBT employ teams based in priority markets around the world and those team… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.
Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery.Regarding services provided by my department in particular, the Attorney Ge… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people under active surveillance for potential extremist activity are foreign nationals; and what proportion of those people entered via asylum routes.
It is the longstanding policy of successive UK Governments that we do not comment on operational intelligence or security matters. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals with (a) settled and (b) asylum status have been convicted of terrorism-related offences since 2010.
Obtaining the information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office and, therefore, could only be obtained for the purposes of answering this question at… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in England had a majority of pupils without English as a first language in (a) the most recent year for which figures are available and (b) 2005.
The department publishes school-level data on the number and percentage of pupils who have English as an additional language in state-funded schools. This information is available in the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publicati… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average cost per pupil was of providing English as an Additional Language support in state schools in the most recent academic year.
Each year, schools receive core funding from the department to cover their expenditures, which includes teacher salaries, support staff, school resources, and other expenses. The funding schools receive is not ringfenced for any specific fo… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many cases of communicable diseases were recorded in new arrivals to the UK in the last five years by visa status.
The UK Health Security Agency does not collect or hold data on communicable disease by visa status for new arrivals to the United Kingdom.Advice on communicable disease screening and vaccinations for new arrivals to the UK is available in t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of (a) income tax, (b) VAT and (c) National Insurance revenue was generated by non-UK nationals in the last 10 years; and what information her Department holds on the proportion of public spending on
HMRC previously published Income Tax, NICs, tax credits and Child Benefit statistics for non-UK nationals. This release was discontinued in 2023 following user consultation. HMRC currently publish UK payrolled employments by nationality, re… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of grooming gang convictions since 2005 have involved perpetrators born outside the UK.
The Government takes the issue of child sexual exploitation extremely seriously and is committed to ensuring that all perpetrators are brought to justice, regardless of their background.It is not possible to identify an offender’s place of … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people deported for criminal offences in the last five years had previously been granted (a) asylum and (b) humanitarian protection.
The requested data is not centrally held, and could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.Home Office data systems for collecting and processing data on foreign national offenders … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of SEND support recipients were children of non-UK nationals in the latest year for which data is available.
The department does not hold information on the nationality of parents of children with special educational needs. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of new GP registrations were made by non-UK nationals in each of the last five years.
The Department does not hold data regarding the number and proportion of National Health Service general practitioner registrations that were for non-United Kingdom nationals. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of population changes due to immigration on public transport (a) capacity and (b) congestion levels in urban centres.
The Department models future demand for transport based on the Common Analytical Scenarios (CAS), which are a wide range of plausible scenarios related to population, the economy, behavioural change and decarbonisation. DfT publish the Nati… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the proportion of new housing demand that is attributable to net migration since 2010.
The government does not routinely publish assessments of the factors that influence housing demand. Boosting the supply of homes of all tenures must be at the heart of any strategy to meet housing demand which is why the government’s Plan f… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants across all departments were awarded performance bonuses in the financial year 2024-2025.
Departments are responsible for administering any in year and end of year performance bonuses to their staff. The majority of departments are in the process of finalising performance markings for the 2024/25 performance year, which will det… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants were subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last three years.
Individual departments are responsible for their own discipline policies and guidance in place, which include details of formal processes and procedures. These will be aligned to the Civil Service Code and the Civil Service Management Code … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of civil servants have received formal performance ratings of underperforming or equivalent in each department in each of the last five years.
Departments have delegated responsibility for monitoring and reporting on civil servants performance ratings via their internal governance arrangements. Information on how many civil servants in departments have received formal performance … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will ensure that blasphemy laws are not reintroduced.
The government has been clear that there is no blasphemy law in England, and we will not introduce one. Everyone has a fundamental right to freedom of speech. All language adopted by government must be accurate and acknowledge British citiz… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has recorded any instances of police investigating people for speech deemed offensive to religious groups in the last five years.
On the matter of guidance to the police, I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 16 May to Question 5882-84.On the matter of police investigation, the Home Office collects information on crimes and their outcomes recorded by the poli… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has provided guidance to (a) local authorities and (b) community cohesion officers on the application of religious offences to (i) lawful speech, (ii) art,
We have regular engagement with local authorities on a range of issues including social cohesion and people are expected to express their views concerning religion and beliefs respectfully including exercising the appropriate restraints wit… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to protect academic and student freedom of speech in schools and universities.
This government is absolutely committed to freedom of speech and academic freedom in schools, universities and beyond. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, confirmed to Parliament on 15 January the government’s plans … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will issue guidance to the police on ensuring that peaceful expressions of (a) opinions that may cause religious offence and (b) other opinions are not treated as hate crimes.
On the matter of guidance to the police, I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 16 May to Question 5882-84.On the matter of police investigation, the Home Office collects information on crimes and their outcomes recorded by the poli… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 49171 on Coastal Erosion: Hemsby, if he will meet the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth to discuss the shoreline management for Hemsby.
I met the hon. Member on 12 September to discuss coastal erosion in his constituency. I will ensure that the hon. Member has a meeting with relevant officials. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to UK-India trade deal, if she will make an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of the exemption for Indian people working in the UK from National Insurance contributions for three year
The OBR will certify the impact of the trade deal including the Double Contributions Convention in the usual way at a fiscal event, once the deal is finalised and ratified. The agreement to negotiate a Double Contributions Convention was ma… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ban Sharia courts.
The Government has no plans to regulate or restrict religious processes (such as sharia courts) where all parties consent to those processes. This is consistent with Britain’s long history of freedom of worship and religious tolerance.Shari… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Prime Minister will meet victims of rape gangs at Number 10 Downing Street.
Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk as part of the government’s transparency agenda. For actions this Government is taking to help victims, I refer the Hon. Member to the oral statement made b… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the long-term cost to the public purse of (a) military logistics, (b) equipment support, (c) personnel risk, (d) reconstruction liabilities and (e) other costs arising from proposals
This Government is committed to providing at least £3 billion a year in military support to Ukraine. As the Defence Secretary has made clear in the Commons, Ukraine’s security is our security, and we will continue to support Ukraine for as … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has had discussions with NATO allies on the potential impact of the (a) capture, (b) injury and (c) killing of UK personnel while operating in Ukraine on the potential for (i) escalation an
The Defence Secretary regularly speaks with his NATO counterparts on practical plans for how our militaries can support security guarantees for Ukraine’s future. The UK is playing a leading role in accelerating work on security arrangements… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Leader of the House, if she will ensure that a (a) full debate takes place in and (b) divisible motion is agreed by the House of Commons before deploying UK ground forces to Ukraine.
There is a longstanding convention on war powers which this government respects.I refer the Hon. Member to the words of the Prime Minister on 3rd March 2025 during the statement on Ukraine (available at: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Common… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of asylum seekers granted leave to remain in the UK since 2010 who have returned to their country of origin for (a) visits, (b) holidays and (c) fam
The Home Office does not centrally hold the requested data, and could only collate it through manual searching of historic case files, at a disproportionate cost to the taxpayer. However, I can assure the Hon Member that, where someone has … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has issued guidance to (a) immigration officers and (b) caseworkers on the compatibility of an asylum claimant's (i) views on (A) democracy, (B) free speech and (C) gender equal
All asylum decision-making guidance, including our policy on extremism (contained within Exclusion (Article 1F) and Article 33(2) of the Refugee Convention guidance), is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/asylum-decisio… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to ensure that asylum seekers in publicly-funded accommodation do not (a) promote and (b) practise the (i) rejection of British law, (ii) subjugation of women, (
No one in the UK is allowed to engage in conduct that breaks the law, regardless of the type of accommodation in which they live. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people claimed asylum by religion in each of the last five years.
The Home Office publishes available data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on asylum claims is published in table Asy_D01 of the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datase… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on the prevalence of (a) forced marriage, (b) domestic abuse and (c) educational disadvantage affecting Muslim women; and what steps her Department is taking to help tac
The Crime Survey for England and Wales for the year ending March 2024 estimates that 5.2% of Muslim women experienced domestic abuse in the last year, compared to a prevalence rate of 6.6% for the adult female population as a whole. In 2023… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Prevent referrals related to Islamic extremism resulted in (a) prosecutions and (b) removals from the country in the last three years; and what steps her Department is taking to improve the e
Prevent aims to intervene early to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. The Prevent Duty sits alongside long-established safeguarding duties on professionals to protect people from a range of harms. It helps to ensure th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2025 to Question 47976 on Prison: Crimes against the Person, if she will provide a further breakdown by nationality.
The number of individuals involved in incidents of an assault on staff within prisons in England and Wales, by nationality, for 2020 to 2024, can be found in the accompanying table. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse was of monitoring the MI5 watchlist in the latest period for which data is available.
The Chancellor confirmed in the Spring Statement on 26 March 2025 that the Single Intelligence Account, which provides funding for MI5, SIS and GCHQ, would increase this year to £4.6 billion. Funding for CT Policing, who work closely with M… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect Hemsby from coastal erosion.
The shoreline management approach for Hemsby’s coastline is managed realignment, as outlined in the Shoreline Management Plan which has been developed locally. The flood and coastal erosion risk management investment programme includes risk… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many apprenticeships were started by young people aged 16–24 in Great Yarmouth constituency in each of the past five years.
The number of apprenticeship starts in the Great Yarmouth constituency by age group are published in the ‘Apprenticeships’ accredited official statistics publication, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of business rates on retail unit closures in Great Yarmouth town centre between 2018 and 2024.
The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century. As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many reported knife crime incidents were recorded in the Great Yarmouth policing area in each of the last three years.
The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on offences involving a knife or sharp instrument recorded by the police in England and Wales at the Police Force Area level.These data, including for Norfolk Constabulary, are avai… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of ambulance response times in Great Yarmouth constituency exceeded national targets for category 1 and category 2 calls in the last 12 months.
The Department does not hold the information in the format requested.NHS England publishes official statistics for average ambulance response times by category of incident at a national level and at ambulance trust level. In addition, infor… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of GP-to-patient ratios in the Great Yarmouth constituency as of April 2025.
General practitioners (GPs) have delivered an estimated 32.3 million appointments in March 2025, an increase of 6% since March 2024. In March 2025, in the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board there were 643,000 GP appointments delivere… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether new funding streams will be available to support flood prevention measures in Great Yarmouth constituency.
Delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change, this government is investing a record £2.65 billion over two years, 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, for the construction of new flood schemes, and the maintenance and repair of existing ones. With th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the fishing industry in Great Yarmouth constituency following the UK’s departure from the EU.
As an independent coastal state, we have been able to progress our fisheries management in a way that better supports the needs of our own fishing industry. This includes reforming the way we manage our fisheries, such as through fisheries … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what funding she has made available for town centre regeneration in Great Yarmouth constituency.
This Government is fully committed to supporting the regeneration of our town centres and coastal communities.Our new £1.5bn Plan for Neighbourhoods programme will deliver up to £20 million of funding and support over the next decade into 7… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to increase (a) employment and (b) apprenticeships for young people in Great Yarmouth constituency
The Department understands the negative effects of unemployment can be particularly pronounced for young people and can have longstanding implications on their future earnings potential and life chances. That is why as part of our plan to G… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will prioritise (a) Great Yarmouth constituency and (b) other coastal areas for economic regeneration funding.
This Government is fully committed to supporting the regeneration of our town centres and coastal communities.Our new £1.5bn Plan for Neighbourhoods programme will deliver up to £20 million of funding and support over the next decade into 7… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many deportation orders have been issued to illegal migrants in Great Yarmouth constituency in the last year.
The requested information is not held on a constituency level, and could only be collated and verified for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she plans to take to reduce court backlogs affecting residents of Great Yarmouth constituency.
This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. We have funded a record-high allocation of 110,000 Crown Court sitting days this financial year to tackle the outstanding caseload. As part of our commitment to bearing down on t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to allocate additional police resources to tackle antisocial behaviour in Great Yarmouth town centre.
Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) and the harm it causes is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.The Government’s Plan for Change details our commitment to reduce ASB, including the delivery of … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle (a) knife crime and (b) gang activity in Great Yarmouth constituency.
Halving knife crime over the next decade is a key part of the Government’s Safer Streets Mission. To do this, we have:Launched a Halving Knife Crime Coalition, including representation from Norwich, to agree how best to tackle youth knife c… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of dentistry in Great Yarmouth constituency.
Dental Statistics - England 2023/24, published by the NHS Business Services Authority on 22 August 2024, is available at the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324As … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of GP service availability in Great Yarmouth constituency.
General practitioners (GPs) have delivered an estimated 32.3 million appointments in March 2025, an increase of 6% since March 2024. In March 2025, in the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board there were 643,000 GP appointments delivere… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many assaults on prison staff there have been in each of the last five years, by religion of the prisoner.
The number of individuals involved in incidents of an assault on staff within prisons in England and Wales, by religion, for 2020 to 2024, can be found in the accompanying table. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what exemptions from security measures on religious grounds exist in prisons.
No prisoners are exempt from searches by sniffer dogs.During a cell search, care must be taken when handling religious artefacts, and search dogs must not come into contact with religious artefacts or holy books. Prisoners must be asked to … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what exemptions exist in prisons for Muslims not to be searched by sniffer dogs on religious grounds.
No prisoners are exempt from searches by sniffer dogs.During a cell search, care must be taken when handling religious artefacts, and search dogs must not come into contact with religious artefacts or holy books. Prisoners must be asked to … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an estimate of the proportion of halal food served in prisons.
Information on the quantity and proportion of halal food served in prisons is not collected centrally. To obtain the requested information, it would therefore be necessary to consult each of the 122 prisons in England and Wales individually… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the proportion of halal food served in schools.
The department does not collect information on the proportion of halal food served in schools.The government sets out required minimum standards for school food in the School Food Standards. The standards do not specify food requirements in… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the proportion of halal food served in hospitals.
Data on the amount of halal food served in the National Health Service is not collected centrally. No estimate has been made of the proportion of halal food served in hospitals. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, for the total estimated cost to the public purse of experiments to dim the Sun.
The Advanced Research and Invention Agency’s (ARIA) ‘Exploring Climate Cooling’ programme, backed by £56.8 million, has been designed to build an evidence base which will enable scientists to better understand and properly assess whether or… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information her Department holds on the amount of overseas remittances by (a) nationality and (b) country of receipt in each of the last 10 years.
The Treasury does not collect or report data on the flow of remittances out of the UK. However, the World Bank publishes data annually on remittances through formal banking systems. Further information can be found on the World Bank’s websi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an immigration red list of countries posing high (a) immigration, (b) security and (c) compliance risks.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of conducting an analysis of the potential cost saving to the public purse of each deportation.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing a list of countries whose citizens exhibit high levels of UK visa (a) overstays, (b) fraud and (c) other abuses of process.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of using remittance sanctions to increase deportation compliance by foreign governments.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has considered the use of chartered sea vessels to support mass deportation of illegal migrants.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the cost of (a) hiring and (b) training staff to support large-scale deportation operations.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on building (a) dedicated runways and (b) transit facilities for mass deportation operations.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the Royal Navy’s capacity to intercept small boats in the Channel carrying people seeking unlawful entry to the UK.
The Home Office is the lead gGvernment department responsible for border security and migration. It has established the Border Security Command to strengthen global partnerships and enhance the UK’s efforts to investigate, arrest, and prose… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take legislative steps to fast-track the removal of people who have been denied the right to stay in the UK and make vexatious appeals from the tribunal.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold discussions with the Lord Chancellor on the potential merits of limiting the availability of public funds for people who have challenged immigration enforcement through the courts mor
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has issued guidance on the (a) use of evidence and (b) status of the findings of (i) non-statutory and (ii) statutory inquiries into failures by public institutions.
The Cabinet Office provides advice and guidance to Ministers and officials on statutory and non statutory public inquiries. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) othe
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling. It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should h… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within their Departmen
16 April 2025 saw the Supreme Court ruling that sex is to be understood as biological sex for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. The Ministry of Defence notes and will follow this ruling. It is important that we ensure dignity and respe… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within their Department’s
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling. It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should h… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii)
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling. It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should h… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within their
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling.It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should ha… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within their Departm
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling. It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should h… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other build
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling.It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should ha… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buil
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling. It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should h… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings w
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling.It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should ha… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings withi
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling.It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should ha… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within their Department’s remit fol
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling.It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should ha… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within their Departmen
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers and government departments should note and follow the ruling.It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within the
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 2nd May to question 45760. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within
The Department welcomes the Supreme Court's ruling and the clarity that it brings. We will review our internal policies wherever necessary, ensuring that they follow the clarity provided by the ruling and comply with the latest legal positi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within their Departm
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling.It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should ha… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within thei
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling. It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should h… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to review the adequacy of each Department's policies in relation to gender, in the context of the Supreme Court's ruling on For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.
The Supreme Court’s ruling has brought clarity and confidence for women and single-sex services providers. The Government will work closely with the EHRC as they develop definitive guidance. All government departments should follow the clar… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of non-UK nationals who are in receipt of (a) Universal Credit and (b) other welfare payments on 22 April 2025, broken down by nationality.
Non-UK / Irish citizens can only access benefits like Universal Credit if they have an immigration status that provides recourse to public funds. Those without immigration status or with a no recourse to public funds condition on their stat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the (a) nationality and (b) immigration status of people using NHS (i) primary and (ii) secondary care services.
The Department does not hold or collect the information requested. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 40687 on Schools: Meat, if she will take steps to ensure that parents are informed of whether meat served in school meals is halal.
The government respects religious freedoms and expects schools to provide parents with all the information they need to make informed choices around school meals. Headteachers, governors and their caterers are best placed to make decisions … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to review Civil Service human resources policies, in the context of the UK Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
The Cabinet Office review and update policy where necessary to ensure it complies with the latest legal requirements, including the UK Supreme Court Judgment in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to review the Government's provision of sex-specific (a) facilities and (b) services in government buildings, in the context of the UK Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland
We will review and update policy wherever necessary to ensure it complies with the latest legal requirements.We will consult with our Government Legal Department and Kings Counsel Lawyers who specialise in employment law. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what plans her Department has to review (a) internal and (b) external communications which refer to the word woman, in the context of the Supreme Court's ruling on For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministe
The Supreme Court’s ruling has brought clarity and confidence for women and single-sex services providers. The Government will work closely with the EHRC as they develop definitive guidance. All government departments should follow the clar… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to issue guidance to civil servants on the use of sex-based language, in the context of the Supreme Court ruling on For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.
The Supreme Court’s ruling makes clear that for the purposes of the Equality Act, the term ‘woman’ refers to a biological woman. The ruling has provided clarity for women and service providers such as hospitals, refuges and sports clubs. Th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the UK Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025, if he will take steps to apply the biological definition of a woman to all (a) polici
The Supreme Court’s ruling makes clear that for the purposes of the Equality Act, the term ‘woman’ refers to a biological woman. The ruling has provided clarity for women and service providers such as hospitals, refuges and sports clubs. Th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to require Departments to publish disaggregated statistics on public service usage by immigration status.
The Office for National Statistics collects and publishes just under 50% of our national statistics. The rest of our national statistics are collected and published by each relevant department. There are no plans to change the current requi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC has made an estimate of (a) tax contributions made and (b) services used by foreign nationals in the last 12 months.
HMRC have not made an estimate of (a) tax contributions made and (b) services used by foreign nationals in the last 12 months. HMRC previously published Income Tax, NICs, tax credits and Child Benefit statistics for non-UK nationals. This r… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department collates local authority-level data on service usage by foreign nationals.
This information is not held centrally. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to schools of translating materials for parents with limited English in the last 12 months.
Each year, schools receive core funding from the department to cover their expenditures, which includes teacher salaries, support staff, school resources and other expenses.The funding schools receive is not ringfenced for any specific form… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether benefit fraud statistics are disaggregated by (a) nationality and (b) immigration status.
The Monetary Value of Fraud and Error Statistics are not disaggregated by nationality and immigration status. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many non-UK nationals have accessed child benefit in the last five years.
HMRC no longer produce a breakdown of Child benefit claimed by nationality.This release was discontinued following user consultation.The latest publication was in August 2022. Income Tax, National Insurance contributions, Tax Credits and Ch… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the NHS of treating patients who are in the UK unlawfully in the last 12 months.
The Department has made no such estimate. The Department publishes income identified and cash recovered from overseas visitors, which includes expatriates, visitors and undocumented migrants, on an annual basis in its annual report and acco… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of maternity services were accessed by foreign nationals in each of the last five years.
The Department does not hold data on how many or what proportion of maternity services were accessed by foreign nationals in each of the last five years. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number and proportion of NHS GP registrations that were for non-UK nationals in the past five years.
The Department does not hold data regarding the number and proportion of National Health Service general practice registrations that were for non-United Kingdom nationals. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.
The UK Civil Service only formally observes the government-set bank holidays. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.
The UK Civil Service only formally observes the government-set bank holidays. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.
HM Treasury does not observe religious or cultural holidays. Staff have time off for bank holidays, some of which fall on religious holidays, as part of their leave allowance. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) welcomes staff from all religions and beliefs and aims to ensure all staff are treated with dignity and respect. The FCDO's Faith Networks can nominate up to two religious holidays per… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.
The Department is in line with the Civil Service approach in offering employees eight public bank holidays plus one privilege day each year, pro-rated for part-time workers. Of these, Good Friday, Easter Monday and Christmas Day are deemed … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.
The UK Civil Service formally observes only the government-set bank holidays. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.
The UK Civil Service only formally observes the government-set bank holidays. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.
The UK Civil Service only formally observes the Government-set bank holidays. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.
The UK Civil Service only formally observes the government-set bank holidays. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.
The UK Civil Service only formally observes the government-set bank holidays. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.
The UK Civil Service only formally observes the government-set bank holidays. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.
In addition to annual leave, DBT grants UK employees eight public holidays and one privilege day, which represents the King’s Official Birthday and can be taken on 23rd or 27th May. The eight public holidays follow public holidays in Englan… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.
The UK Civil Service only formally observes the government-set bank holidays. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.
As a UK Civil Service department, the Cabinet Office only formally observes the government-set bank holidays. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment (a) of the potential merits of cancelling all foreign aid to Pakistan and (b) with the Secretary of State for the Home Department of the potenti
The UK has transitioned from a traditional aid relationship with Pakistan to a mutually beneficial partnership which underpins UK national interests, including working with Pakistan to tackle irregular migration, terrorism and organised cri… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 42061 on Visas, if she will make it her policy to record the means by which a person becomes liable to removal when their visa expires.
If an individual’s visa expires, and they have no other legal basis to remain in the UK, that will generally be the reason they become liable to removal. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department’s policies of the Environment Agency’s 2024 Event Duration Monitoring dataset, published in March 2025.
For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. The Environment Agency published its annual Event Duration Monitoring (EDM) data on 27 March 2025, which set out details of storm o… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the planning system in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on chalk streams protection.
Cleaning up our waters, including chalk streams, is a government priority. Restoring them to better ecological health means fixing the systemic issues in the water system. Through the Water Environment Improvement Fund, the government is fu… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing legal aid for people who entered the UK illegally.
Determinations of eligibility for legal aid are made in accordance with the provisions of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 and regulations made under that Act, passed under the previous government.Under the curr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the immigration appeal backlog including (a) housing, (b) legal aid and (c) public services for people awaiting outcomes.
Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems managed by multiple teams across several Government departments and public authorities and, therefore, could only be obtain… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the estimated annual cost is of operating the immigration tribunal system, by (a) legal aid, (b) judges and (c) administrative support.
The final budgets relating to the work of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber (IAC) tribunals in the 2024/25 financial year were:£54.2 million for legal aid;£53.5 million for the costs of the judiciary;£31.4 million for staffing and other ad… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of tribunal appeals that are submitted by people with previous failed asylum or deportation claims.
The First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber hears all appeals made against refusal decisions made by the Home Office on the basis of the application made to them. An asylum seeker or human rights claimant who has already appealed… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have more than one active appeal within the immigration tribunal system.
The information requested is not held centrally. However, it should be noted that the case management powers of the Tribunal permit the joining together of appeals brought by an individual. The Tribunal will normally identify and link cases… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to prevent (a) repeat and (b) last-minute appeals from delaying the removal of (i) failed asylum seekers and (ii) illegal entrants.
Any person, including an asylum seeker and or an illegal entrant, who does not have the right to remain in the United Kingdom and has already appealed a decision cannot appeal again against that decision unless they make further submissions… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many immigration tribunal cases have been adjourned more than once in the last year; and for what reasons.
The information requested is not held centrally. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what percentage of immigration appeals have been pending for more than 12 months.
The percentage of open appeals pending before the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) for more than 12 months, as at 31 December 2024 can be found in the table below:No. of cases pending more than 12 monthsOverall Open Case… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the average waiting time for an immigration appeal to be heard.
General information on average waiting times for an immigration appeal in the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the current backlog of outstanding cases before the First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber.
The number of appeals in the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) that have not been determined and remain outstanding, as at December 2024, is 75,000.Published statistics can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/stati… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of immigration-related litigation on the capacity of the (a) family and (b) criminal courts.
The Lord Chancellor regularly reviews the discharge of her statutory obligations to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the system to support the carrying on of business in both the criminal courts and the family courts. This include… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals have absconded while awaiting deportation after lodging legal appeals in each of the last five years.
The information requested is not centrally held and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of people who have entered the UK illegally lodge multiple appeals against their deportation; and what the average number of appeals is per person.
The information requested is not centrally held and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many recipients of legal aid in immigration cases have been convicted of criminal offences.
The requested information is not centrally held. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases involving (a) failed asylum seekers and (b) people who have overstayed have reached the (i) Court of Appeal and (ii) Supreme Court since 2020.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average length of time taken is to conclude appeals brought by migrants who have entered the UK illegally against deportation orders.
The information requested is not held centrally. Data on the arrival status of people who go on to appeal Home Office decisions is recorded by the Home Office not the First tier Tribunal.General information on the average clearance time for… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many court hours have been spent on immigration-related cases involving people with no legal right to remain in the UK in the last 12 months.
The information requested is not held centrally by HMCTS. The Home Office collect and categorise data on the numbers of people with no legal right to remain in the UK. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers were (a) removed, (b) reprimanded and (c) transferred after raising grooming-related failures between 1980 and 2010.
Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims, rooting out grooming gangs … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will instruct police forces to release redacted records to the hon. member for Great Yarmouth's inquiry upon request.
Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims, rooting out grooming gangs … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to ensure whistleblowers in child protection cases are protected.
Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims, rooting out grooming gangs … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department provides (a) training and (b) guidance to police on handling politically sensitive grooming gang cases.
Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims, rooting out grooming gangs … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department provides guidance to (a) Ministers and (b) officials on engagement with non-statutory inquiries.
The Cabinet Office provides advice and guidance to Ministers and officials on statutory and non statutory public inquiries. In response to the House of Lords Statutory Inquiries Committee’s Report on “Public Inquiries: Enhancing Public Trus… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's inquiry into grooming gangs will be given access to documentation relating to those gangs.
Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims, rooting out grooming gangs … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether (a) officials and (b) social workers who (i) raised concerns, (ii) resigned and (iii) whistle-blew will be (A) protected and (B) encouraged to testify to the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's p
Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims, rooting out grooming gangs … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will provide (a) evidence and (b) testimony on educational resources in schools on (i) exploitation, (ii) grooming and (iii) community sensitivity to the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's priva
Through relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), pupils are taught the concepts of, and laws relating to, sexual consent, sexual exploitation, abuse, grooming, coercion, harassment, rape, domestic abuse, forced marriage, honour-based… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if her Department will provide sentencing data by (a) ethnicity and (b) nationality to the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's private inquiry into grooming gangs.
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the number of offenders sentenced, which can be filtered to specific offences and broken down by defendant ethnicity. This can be obtained in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, which can be downloa… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will recommend the police appoint a liaison to support the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's inquiry into rape gangs.
Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims, rooting out grooming gangs … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will instruct relevant Departmental officials to engage with the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's inquiry into grooming gangs.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer he was given on the 8 April 2025 to Question 44194. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will instruct relevant Departmental officials to engage with the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's inquiry into grooming gangs.
I refer the Hon Member to the various statements to the House made on these issues by Home Office ministers in recent months. Most recently on 8 April. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Ministers will (a) give evidence to and (b) participate in the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's private inquiry into grooming gangs.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer he was given on the 8 April 2025 to Question 44194. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will instruct relevant Departmental officials to engage with the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's inquiry into grooming gangs.
I refer the Hon Member to the various statements to the House made on these issues by Home Office ministers in recent months. Most recently on 8 April. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing anonymised (a) data and (b) reports to support the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's inquiry into grooming gangs.
I refer the Hon Member to the various statements to the House made on these issues by Home Office ministers in recent months. Most recently on 8 April. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will provide a liaison contact to assist with the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's inquiry into grooming gangs.
I refer the Hon Member to the various statements to the House made on these issues by Home Office ministers in recent months. Most recently on 8 April. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will meet with the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth to discuss his private inquiry into grooming gangs.
I refer the Hon Member to the various statements to the House made on these issues by Home Office ministers in recent months. Most recently on 8 April. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) mental health and (b) trauma support services are available to survivors of grooming gangs who participate in non-statutory inquiries.
I refer the Hon Member to the various statements to the House made on these issues by Home Office ministers in recent months. Most recently on 8 April. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will offer (a) safeguarding and (b) witness protection support to (i) victims and (ii) whistleblowers that give evidence to the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's private inquiry into grooming ga
I refer the Hon Member to the various statements to the House made on these issues by Home Office ministers in recent months. Most recently on 8 April. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider the findings of privately funded independent inquiries into (a) grooming gang activity and (b) associated institutional failures.
I refer the Hon Member to the various statements to the House made on these issues by Home Office ministers in recent months. Most recently on 8 April. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish all (a) correspondence and (b) internal assessments on the decision not to proceed with a full public inquiry into grooming gangs.
I refer the Hon Member to the various statements to the House made on these issues by Home Office ministers in recent months. Most recently on 8 April. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many visas expired before the recipient left the country in each of the last ten years.
As set out in legislation, an individual is liable to removal from the UK if "the person requires leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom but does not have it". The Home Office has not historically recorded the means by which individ… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department instructs schools to inform parents of whether meat served in school meals comes from non-stunned slaughter.
The government sets out required minimum standards for school food in the School Food Standards, to ensure that children are served healthy, nutritious meals at school. The standards do not specify food requirements in terms of cultural or … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage (a) public institutions and (b) restaurants to label halal meat to consumers.
The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religiou… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of abattoirs in enforcing welfare standards during the production of halal meat.
The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religiou… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the Food Standards Agency on the labelling of (a) halal and (b) kosher meat products in food outlets.
The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religiou… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will introduce mandatory labelling on meat products to indicate whether animals were stunned prior to slaughter.
The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religiou… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much has been written off for the treatment of chargeable overseas visitors in real terms since the National Health Services (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 were introduced.
The Department publishes data on the income identified from chargeable overseas visitors in England in its Annual Report and Accounts. The consolidated NHS provider accounts published cash payments received in-year by the National Health Se… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, of the aggregate income identified for chargeable overseas visitors in financial year 2018-19 what (a) the total amount recovered for the subsequent six financial years is and (b) the total amount
The Department publishes data on the income identified from chargeable overseas visitors in England in its Annual Report and Accounts. The consolidated NHS provider accounts published cash payments received in-year by the National Health Se… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many sandwiches have been delivered through her Department's contract entitled Catering - CIU, procurement reference CF-0360600D58000000L5A4EAK.
The contracts maintained are designed to provide basic nutrition to arriving individuals in need, including children. The amounts of food provided across the two sites will vary according to need. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many sandwiches have been delivered through her Department's contract entitled Catering - KIU, procurement reference CF-0357300D58000000L5A4EAK.
The contracts maintained are designed to provide basic nutrition to arriving individuals in need, including children. The amounts of food provided across the two sites will vary according to need. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of all meat (a) produced and (b) consumed in the UK that is Halal meat.
Of the 1.035 billion animals processed in English and Welsh slaughterhouses in 2024, an estimated 214.6 million animals (20.7%) were slaughtered to produce halal meat of which an estimated 27.0 million animals (2.6% of all animals processed… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of animals were slaughtered without being stunned for the production of Halal meat in the UK in 2024.
Of the 1.035 billion animals processed in English and Welsh slaughterhouses in 2024, an estimated 214.6 million animals (20.7%) were slaughtered to produce halal meat of which an estimated 27.0 million animals (2.6% of all animals processed… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of how many animals were slaughtered without being stunned for the production of Halal meat in 2024.
Of the 1.035 billion animals processed in English and Welsh slaughterhouses in 2024, an estimated 214.6 million animals (20.7%) were slaughtered to produce halal meat of which an estimated 27.0 million animals (2.6% of all animals processed… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislation to prohibit the slaughter of animals without being stunned for Halal meat.
The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religiou… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total cost to the public purse is of the Supervised Toothbrushing Programme.
The Department is investing a total of £11.4 million in 2025/26. This includes £11 million to local authorities in England to implement supervised toothbrushing schemes.£400,000 is being retained nationally to support development of impleme… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure the provision of pre-sentencing reports for all offenders.
Where a court is considering whether an offender should receive a sentence of immediate custody, a pre-sentencing report must be obtained and considered before forming an opinion unless, in the circumstances of the case, it considers that i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate she has made of (a) the number of contracts and (b) the value of those contracts for providing English language courses for refugees over the last three years.
The Government routinely publishes the details and costs of its procurement contracts on the contract finder website. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of main battle tanks are operational to a deployment standard.
I hope the hon. Member will understand that we do not routinely disclose figures relating to Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks in the active fleet in the interests of security and operational effectiveness. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the number of high net worth individuals that have left the UK in each of the last ten years.
The Government does not routinely collect or publish data on the total number of taxpayers becoming non-resident during each tax year. Taxpayers are not obliged to tell HMRC that they have left the UK, and may drop out of HMRC’s data for an… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any staff in her Department have had their employment terminated due to a failure to declare a conflict of interest when overseeing the granting of contracts in the last ten years.
Current Home Office ministers are not aware of any such cases, but to go back over the department’s disciplinary process for the last decade to see if any such situation has featured in a termination case could only be done for the purposes… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department conducted any audits into services provided by contractors to refugees and asylum seekers in the last five years.
The Home Office applies robust controls to the management of expenditure and performance in relation to all departmental contracts, including publishing on a quarterly basis the rating of the most important contracts against key performance… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme, procurement reference CF-0276700D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is.
I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 7 (London), procurement reference CF-0334200D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is.
I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 1 (North West), procurement reference CF-0319600D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is.
I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 3 (Yorkshire & Humber), procurement reference CF-0333600D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service us
I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 4 (West Midlands), procurement reference CF-0333700D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users i
I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 8 (South West), procurement reference CF-0334500D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is.
I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 6 (East of England), procurement reference CF-0334100D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users
I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 5 (East Midlands), procurement reference CF-0334000D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users i
I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 2 (North East), procurement reference CF-0333500D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is.
I refer the Honourable Member to my response to Question 30479 dated 21st February 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding her Department has provided to local authorities for the provision of refugee and asylum services in each of the last five years.
The Home Office publishes information on asylum and refugee expenditure on a regular basis in the Home Office Annual Report, available on gov.uk. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many contracts awarded to outside companies for the provision of services related to (a) refugees and (b) asylum have gone over budget in the last ten years.
The Home Office applies robust controls to the management of expenditure and performance in relation to all departmental contracts, including publishing on a quarterly basis the rating of the most important contracts against key performance… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of estates paid inheritance tax in 2024.
The Government publishes the latest Inheritance Tax liabilities statistics at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/inheritance-tax-liabilities-statistics. Table 12.1 of the Inheritance Tax liabilities statistics has the proportions of U… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of foreign national offenders released under the Early Removal Scheme have reoffended in each of the last five years.
The Early Removal Scheme (ERS) removes foreign national offenders (FNOs) from England and Wales. We do not monitor their behaviour overseas.Between 05 July 2024 and 31 January 2025, 2,925 FNOs have been removed from England and Wales – 21% … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will provide a list of countries which have refused to accept the return of foreign national offenders from the UK.
The Home Office does not hold any such list. The UK has strong returns cooperation with countries across the globe and continuing to build on this cooperation is at the heart of our diplomatic engagement. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing lifetime entry bans for deported foreign national offenders.
A deportation order requires a person to leave the UK and prohibits them from lawfully entering the UK while it remains in force. The Home Office does not hold the requested data given that – by definition – anyone we know to be trying to e… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information his Department holds on the number of deported foreign national offenders that have illegally re-entered the UK in the last 12 months.
A deportation order requires a person to leave the UK and prohibits them from lawfully entering the UK while it remains in force. The Home Office does not hold the requested data given that – by definition – anyone we know to be trying to e… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of Foreign National Offenders are eligible for deportation.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer given on 6 March to Question UIN 34052. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the current backlog of deportation cases; and what estimate she has made of how long the average case takes.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer given on 6 March to Question UIN 34052. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Foreign criminals to be deported quicker, published on 3 March 2025, how frequently her Department will report to Parliament on the (a) progress and (b) o
The period 05 July 2024 to 31 January 2025 saw the removal of 2,925 foreign national prisoners serving sentences in prison or in the community. That is 21% more than during the equivalent period 12 months previously, under the previous Gove… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to ensure timely information sharing between prison authorities and immigration enforcement agencies.
The sharing of information between the Home Office and HMPPS is essential to carry out the effective operation of the immigration and justice systems.Foreign national offenders (FNOs) are referred to the Home Office for deportation immediat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Foreign criminals to be deported quicker, published on 3 March 2025, what steps she plans to take to mitigate potential challenges in deportin
The Government is committed to delivering justice for victims and safer streets for our communities. In the event that a foreign national is found guilty of a crime, we will take strong action against them in the interests of public safety … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Foreign criminals to be deported quicker, published on 3 March 2025, what estimate she has made of the long-term financial savings from this initiative.
The period 05 July 2024 to 31 January 2025 saw the removal of 2,925 foreign national prisoners serving sentences in prison or in the community. That is 21% more than during the equivalent period 12 months previously, under the previous Gove… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Foreign criminals to be deported quicker, published on 3 March 2025, if her Department will provide a breakdown of the £5 million investment, by allocatio
The period 05 July 2024 to 31 January 2025 saw the removal of 2,925 foreign national prisoners serving sentences in prison or in the community. That is 21% more than during the equivalent period 12 months previously, under the previous Gove… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Foreign criminals to be deported quicker, published on 3 March 2025, how many specialist front line staff have been hired and deployed to prisons as part
The period 05 July 2024 to 31 January 2025 saw the removal of 2,925 foreign national prisoners serving sentences in prison or in the community. That is 21% more than during the equivalent period 12 months previously, under the previous Gove… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of deportations did not take place due to the individual renouncing non-UK citizenship in each of the last five years.
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer he was given on 28 January to question UIN 25838. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of deportations for involvement in grooming gangs did not take place due to the individual renouncing non-UK citizenship.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer he was given on 28 January to Question UIN 25838. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Iraqi nationals have been returned to Iraq in each year since the signing of the Agreement between the UK and Iraq on the transfer of sentenced persons of October 2015.
Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and the Ministry of Justice will work with the Home Office to pursue their deportation. Since July 2024, 2,925 foreign national offenders (FNOs) have bee… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Indian nationals have been returned to India in each year since the signing of the Agreement between the UK and India on the transfer of sentenced persons, published on 12 May 2006.
Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and the Ministry of Justice will work with the Home Office to pursue their deportation. Since July 2024, 2,925 foreign national offenders (FNOs) have bee… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Jamaican nationals have been returned to Jamaica in each year since the signing of the Compulsory Transfer Agreement with Jamaica in September 2015.
Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and the Ministry of Justice will work with the Home Office to pursue their deportation. Since July 2024, 2,925 foreign national offenders (FNOs) have bee… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will consider appealing the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ruling on the UK's sovereignty of the Chagos Islands.
We understand this question refers to the 2021 International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea case between Mauritius and the Maldives, which concerned a maritime boundary dispute between those two States. The UK was not a party to that case. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) air miles and (b) flights she has completed since 5 July 2024.
All overseas ministerial travel, including flight details is regularly published in transparency returns. These figures are scheduled to be published in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many (a) air miles and (b) flights she has completed since 5 July 2024.
Data on minister’s overseas travel and on senior civil servant’s business expenses is published on a quarterly basis. The latest available quarterly publications can be found here: MHCLG: ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings,… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) air miles and (b) flights the Prime Minister has completed since 5 July 2024.
Data on ministers’ travel is published on a quarterly basis. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-overseas-travel-and-meetings-july-to-september-2024. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many (a) air miles and (b) flights he has completed since 5 July 2024.
Data on ministers’ travel is published on a quarterly basis. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/desnz-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the cost of the public purse of all illegal migrants per migrant per year, excluding asylum seekers.
Relevant data concerning Home Office expenditure on tackling illegal immigration is published on a routine basis in the Department's annual reports. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of raising the illegal working civil penalties to employers found to be hiring illegal migrants.
The civil penalties were recently raised in February 2024 to £45,000 per illegal worker for a first breach from £15,000, and up to £60,000 for repeat breaches from £20,000. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the UK/Albania: Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons agreed in October 2021, how many Albanian nationals have been returned to Albania since the signing of that Agreement.
Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and the Ministry of Justice will work with the Home Office to pursue their deportation. Since July 2024, 2,925 foreign national offenders (FNOs) have bee… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2025 to Question 24737 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Mauritius, what estimate he has made of the number of rounds of negotiations th
As we and Mauritius have repeatedly said, including in joint statements on 20 December 2024 and on 13 January, both sides remain committed to concluding a deal on the future of the Chagos Archipelago. Once the Treaty is signed it will be la… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the total cost to the public purse was of supporting the modernisation of the Albanian prison system.
In addition to work to disrupt Organised Immigration Crime and address the long-term drivers of migration, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Home Office and the Ministry of Justice work together to enable the return of eligi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many of the 200 Albanian nationals were returned under the agreement made with Albania on 24 May 2023.
Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and the Ministry of Justice will work with the Home Office to pursue their deportation. Since July 2024, 2,925 foreign national offenders (FNOs) have bee… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people who arrived in the UK on small boats who have withdrawn their asylum claims remain in the UK.
Available data on returns of failed asylum seekers, including those who arrive by small boat, is published on a quarterly basis by the Home Office. The latest data goes to the end of December 2024. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people who arrived on small boats and have had their asylum application refused have not been deported.
Available data on returns of failed asylum seekers, including those who arrive by small boat, is published on a quarterly basis by the Home Office. The latest data goes to the end of December 2024. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many users there are of the Homes for Ukraine scheme by nationality.
The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas for the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme by nationality in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the outcomes of visas are published in table ‘Vis_D02’ of … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when the next tranche of levelling up funding is due to be paid to coastal towns.
Monitoring Returns determine the amount councils are paid in relation to each Levelling Up Fund project, with the next payments due in late March. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate she has made of the number of people with non-domiciled tax status who permanently left the UK in each month of 2024.
The Government’s priority is improving the UK’s competitiveness internationally and securing economic growth. The non-dom reforms have been specifically designed to make the UK competitive with a modern, simple tax regime that is also fair.… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number and proportion of spousal visas granted to people who were (a) first and (b) second cousins to their spouse in 2024.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 20 December 2024 in response to Question UIN 19992. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of applications to extend student visas were successful in 2024.
Information on grants and refusals of extensions of stay to study is published in table EXE_D01, within the ‘Extensions detailed datasets’ file, at Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK. The latest publication includes data up … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number of work visas that will be issued in 2025.
The Home Office publishes statistics on the number of work visas issued in the Immigration system statistics quarterly release. See the entry clearance visa data tables.Future grant rates are very uncertain and liable to change. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of medical school places are occupied by non-UK nationals.
The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) is responsible for collecting and publishing data on the UK higher education sector. These data are shared with the department and include a wide range of information on students in UK higher ed… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of Universal Credit payments made to foreign nationals in 2024.
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. The Department is exploring the feasibility of developing suitable official statistics related to the immigration status of non-UK / Iri… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support greyhound racing in England.
As the Secretary of State said recently, we have absolutely no plans to ban greyhound racing. We appreciate the joy it brings to many people in our country and the important contribution it makes to British cultural life and the rural econo… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will provide a breakdown of costs relating to her Department's podcast entitled First Draft.
The podcast was created and delivered as part of the DCMS Communications Teams' day to day work at no extra cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on the number of assaults committed by biological males serving a custodial sentence in a women-only facility in 2024.
No such assaults have been reported. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of people impacted by train delays in 2024.
The Department does not hold information on the number of people affected by train delays. Rail industry data measures train delays. The Office of Rail and Road publishes quarterly and periodic (four-weekly) statistics on punctuality, relia… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the total number of (a) air miles and (b) flights undertaken by his Department's staff in 2024.
The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero had a total number of airmiles of 5,234,196 and total number of flights of 1768 in 2024. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many public pools closed in 2024.
Twelve swimming pools on sites owned by Local Authorities closed in 2024. In the same time period, six swimming pools have opened. Facilities may close for a number of reasons: this can include consolidating multiple older facilities into a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total number of minutes was by which trains were delayed in 2024.
The ORR publish statistics on delay minutes on their website at https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/performance/passenger-rail-performance/ (Table 3184). In the year ending 4 January 2025, a total of 15,897,997 delay minutes (15.9 mill… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people used Access to Work support in 2024; for what reasons; and what the cost to the public purse was of this.
The most recent complete financial year of data available in the published Access to Work official statistics is 2023/24: Access to Work statistics: April 2007 to March 2024 - GOV.UK. In 2023/24, around 61,630 people received a payment for … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much the NHS paid in compensation in 2024.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 14 November 2024 to Question 12205.The figures for the 2024/25 financial year are not complete at this stage. NHS Resolution will publish the figures for the 2024/25 financial year in its annua… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many yellow card reports on covid-19 vaccines there were in 2024.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for ensuring that medicines, medical devices, and blood components for transfusion meet the applicable standards of safety, quality, and efficacy. The MHRA rigoro… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of prisoners released under the early release scheme have been rearrested.
The Ministry of Justice does not hold any data on arrests or rearrests as that is held by Home Office. Reoffending rates are published regularly on an annual and quarterly basis. The most recent rates are available at the following link: ht… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many biological males are currently serving a custodial sentence in a women's prison.
The latest published data on the placement of transgender prisoners (which covers transgender prisoners without gender recognition certificates, and is taken from a snapshot of the prison population on 31 March 2024), there were 2 or fewer … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was paid to the EU in 2024.
HM Treasury will soon be publishing details of UK payments under the Financial Settlement in 2024 and its latest estimate for outstanding UK liabilities as at 31st December 2024, in the annual European Union Finances Statement. Publication … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the (a) value and (b) volume of coal imported into the UK was in 2024.
Coal import data are published by HMRC in the Overseas Trade Data tables. The coal import value and volume for 2024 will be published in table G.2 of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics in July 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many foreign national offenders were granted temporary release in 2024.
The number of foreign national offenders Released on Temporary Licence (ROTL) in 2024 is not available; this data forms a subset of ROTL data scheduled for future publication in April 2025. In accordance with the requirements of the Code of… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people claiming Universal Credit received fit notes in 2024.
The number of people on Universal Credit in Great Britain who submitted an accepted fit note to the Department from January 2024 to September 2024 is 805,890. Notes:Numbers are rounded to 10.Statistics have been provided to September 2024 i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the value was of student loans that were written off in 2024; and what this was as a proportion of all outstanding student loans.
The table below shows the amount that has been cancelled or written off during the most recent financial year, (2023/24) and the proportion that write offs or cancellations make out of the starting balance. 2023/24 Financial YearAmount canc… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many applications were made to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme in 2024; and how many and what proportion of those applications were unsuccessful.
9,554 applications were submitted to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme in 2024. 4,593 of these applications have now concluded, with 4,589, or 99.9% of, claims rejected. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what costs from the treatment of chargeable overseas visitors (a) are outstanding and (b) have been written off in 2024.
The Department publishes data on the income identified from chargeable overseas visitors in England in its Annual Report and Accounts. The consolidated NHS provider accounts published cash payments received, and amounts written-off in-year … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral statement by the Prime Minister of 26 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, column 631, on what his Department plans to spend the increase in defence spending.
Full details will be set out in the Strategic Defence Review to be published in spring 2025. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, whether payments to Mauritius for the continued lease of the Diego Garcia military base will be
The terms of the treaty are still being finalised, once the treaty is finalised it will be put before Parliament for scrutiny in the usual way. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department's timetable is for the completion of the James Paget Hospital rebuild.
The pre-construction activity for the James Paget Hospital scheme, which includes business case development and critical enabling works, is ongoing, with construction of the main hospital build expected to commence in 2027/28 as part of Wav… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2025 to Question 31569 on Coronavirus: Protective Clothing, if he will breakdown the programme of work to reduce excess PPE stock.
The programme to dispose of excess COVID-19 related personal protective equipment (PPE) stock through sales, donations, recycling and energy from waste concluded in January 2025.The storage costs for COVID-19 related PPE incurred in January… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2025 to Question 31569 on Coronavirus: Protective Clothing, if he will make an estimate of the (a) weekly and (b) total cost to the public purse of storing PPE
The programme to dispose of excess COVID-19 related personal protective equipment (PPE) stock through sales, donations, recycling and energy from waste concluded in January 2025.The storage costs for COVID-19 related PPE incurred in January… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a cost-benefit analysis of the Access to Work scheme.
The Department has not assessed the potential merits of conducting a cost-benefit analysis of the Access to Work scheme and currently does not have plans to do so. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of interviews for the access to work scheme took place (a) remotely and (b) in person in 2024.
Customers applying for support from Access to Work can submit an online or written application. Interviews are only conducted for those customers requiring an assessment of their needs through one of our Holistic Assessment Providers. Custo… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish a list of mental health conditions that qualify for the access to work scheme.
There is no list of mental health conditions that qualify for the Access to Work Scheme. Access to Work is available for all disabled people and those with a health condition who require workplace adjustments that go beyond what would norma… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 18 February 2025 to Question 30518 on Department for Work and Pensions: Translation Services, what the spend in social security benefits was on people receiving those interpret
This information is not collected by DWP, and thus is not available. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on the number of people affected by the removal of Apple's Advanced Data Protection.
The Home Office does not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any notices. This has been the longstanding position of successive UK Governments for reasons of national security.The UK … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason her Department has requested access to Apple customers' personal data under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.
The Home Office does not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any notices. This has been the longstanding position of successive UK Governments for reasons of national security.The UK … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to request access to encrypted personal data from (a) TikTok, (b) Alphabet, (c) Meta, (d) Amazon and (e) Microsoft.
The Home Office does not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any notices. This has been the longstanding position of successive UK Governments for reasons of national security.The UK … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings (a) she, (b) Ministers from her Department and (c) senior officials from her Department have had with Apple since 4 July 2024.
Home Office Ministers and senior officials regularly meet with key stakeholders, including technology companies, on a range of policies and issues.Details of ministerial meetings are published on a quarterly basis on gov.uk. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Apple devices have been accessed by her Department under surveillance legislation in each of the last 10 years.
The Home Office does not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any notices. This has been the longstanding position of successive UK Governments for reasons of national security.The UK … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of introducing encryption backdoors for use by the Government on the risk of the exploitation of those backdoors by (a) foreign st
The Home Office does not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any notices. This has been the longstanding position of successive UK Governments for reasons of national security.The UK … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to publish regular transparency reports on the number of encryption-related demands her Department makes to (a) Apple and (b) other technology companies.
The Home Office does not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any notices. This has been the longstanding position of successive UK Governments for reasons of national security.The UK … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the decision by Apple to withdraw its advanced data protection system in the UK on cybersecurity risks to (a) businesses, (b) journalists and
The Home Office does not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any notices. This has been the longstanding position of successive UK Governments for reasons of national security.The UK … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Apple was directly instructed to disable its Advanced Data Protection encryption service for UK users.
The Home Office does not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any notices. This has been the longstanding position of successive UK Governments for reasons of national security.The UK … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the powers of train conductors to tackle disruptive levels of noise on trains.
Train operating companies including their conductors can already use the Railway Byelaws to address disruptive levels of noise, and we have no plans to make changes to this currently. To ensure ease of travel and safety for everyone using t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) investigated and (b) deported for supporting groups proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000 in the last ten years by proscribed group.
The Government takes proscription offences very seriously. It is an offence under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000 for a person to invite support for a proscribed organisation or express an opinion or belief that is supportive of a pros… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farms he has visited since 30 October 2024.
Ministers visit farms and other food production premises regularly. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the total number of TV licence fee payers was in each of the last ten years.
The BBC is responsible for collection of the TV licence via TV Licensing. TV Licensing publishes the number of licences in force in its Annual Review, which can be found here: https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/our-performance-AB6 Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish a breakdown of student loan recipients by nationality in each of the last five years.
Attached is a table that breaks down unique students in receipt of tuition fee loans and/or student support scheme income contingent loans (such as maintenance loans) by nationality for the 2019/20 to 2023/24 academic years.Nationality is a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the number of children who do not speak English as a first language.
The department publishes information on whether a pupil’s first language is known or believed to be other than English. This data can be found in the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publication, which is based on the January sch… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of how many people in the UK do not speak English as a first language.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 13th February is attached. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse was of cleaning in hotels housing irregular migrants in 2024.
The cost of laundry and cleaning services at hotels are included in the overall payment made for the use of each property rather than through any separate contractual arrangement. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse was of laundry services for irregular migrants housed in hotels in 2024.
The cost of laundry and cleaning services at hotels are included in the overall payment made for the use of each property rather than through any separate contractual arrangement. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of legal aid for irregular migrants in 2024.
Expenditure data for irregular migrants across all legal aid schemes is not held centrally.Where proceedings are before a court or tribunal in England or Wales, legal aid is available to individuals who qualify for services irrespective of … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will provide a breakdown of sponsors of the Homes for Ukraine scheme by nationality.
We are very grateful for the continued generosity of sponsors in opening up their homes to support Homes for Ukraine guests.The department does not hold information on the nationality of sponsors. However, since 19 February 2024, Homes for … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total cost for the storage of PPE related to Covid-19 was in 2024.
The cost of storing personal protective equipment (PPE) bought in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for the calendar year 2024 was approximately £60 million. The programme of work to reduce excess PPE stock has now concluded. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse was of laundrette services for irregular migrants housed in hotels through contracted services in 2024.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave him on 2 December 2024 to Question UIN 15593. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many non-disclosure agreements were signed by staff in hotels hosting irregular migrants in each of the last five years.
The Home Office is not responsible for the employment of staff in asylum hotels and is not aware of any such arrangements they may have signed. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy that Border Force personnel have the same standard of equipment as police officers.
Border Force staff are provided with all the equipment that is necessary and appropriate to do their job. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make a comparative assessment of paperwork filled in by (a) Border Force officers and (b) equivalent immigration systems.
Border Force’s paperwork is continuously assessed to ensure it is effective and appropriate for its purpose. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were employed by Border Force in each month in 2024.
The total number of people employed by Border Force is routinely published within the annual Home Office annual reports and accounts, available at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with (a) local authority officers and (b) local authority elected representatives on the cancellation of local elections in Suffolk; and if she will
The Secretary of State has not had discussions with these local authorities on the cancellation of local elections. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with (a) local authority officers and (b) local authority elected representatives on the cancellation of local elections in Norfolk; and if she will
The Secretary of State has not had discussions with these local authorities on the cancellation of local elections. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 28401 on Translation Services, what the spend was on interpretation for people contacting his Department excluding (a) British Sign Language and (b
The spend on interpretation for people contacting her department excluding (a) British Sign Language and (b) all native languages in 2024 was £6,345,260.60 For clarity and transparency of spend:Spoken Face to Face interpretation in 2024 = £… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish (a) the contract entitled AIRE - Advice Issue Reporting and Eligibility, procurement reference CF-0229300D58000000L5A4EAK1, (b) any additional terms relating to that contract and (
The Advice Issue Reporting and Eligibility Service (AIRE) is a published contract-AIRE - Advice Issue Reporting and Elligibility - Contracts FinderThe contracts include robust mechanisms to ensure that providers deliver on the contractual r… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Emergency Transport for Staff and Illegal Migrants including Minors, procurement reference CF-0122300D58000000L5A4EAK3, which modes of transport ar
Details of the contract including Statement of Requirements, Purpose and mode of transport, is published on Contract Finder at Emergency Transport for Staff and Illegal Migrants including Minors - Contracts FinderObtaining a breakdown of ex… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's document entitled Contract for the provision of Language Analysis Services, notice 2022/S 000-009633, how many and what proportion of people who were determined by t
Language analysis reports are not used to determine a claimant’s place of origin as standalone evidence, but they provide expert additional evidence for caseworkers to be considered alongside other decision-making information.Link to the pu… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Contract for the provision of Language Analysis Services, procurement reference tender_297373/1427482, how many and what proportion of asylum claim
Language analysis reports are not used to determine a claimant’s place of origin as standalone evidence, but they provide expert additional evidence for caseworkers to be considered alongside other decision-making information.Link to the pu… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 1 (North West), procurement reference CF-0319600D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is,
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.Onboarding ended in December 2024 and th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 3 (Yorkshire & Humber), procurement reference CF-0333600D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service us
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.Onboarding ended in December 2024 and th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 4 (West Midlands), procurement reference CF-0333700D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users i
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.Onboarding ended in December 2024 and th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 9 (South East), procurement reference CF-0334400D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is,
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.Onboarding ended in December 2024 and th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 8 (South West), procurement reference CF-0334500D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is,
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.Onboarding ended in December 2024 and th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 6 (East of England), procurement reference CF-0334100D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.Onboarding ended in December 2024 and th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 5 (East Midlands), procurement reference CF-0334000D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users i
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.Onboarding ended in December 2024 and th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 2 (North East), procurement reference CF-0333500D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is,
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.Onboarding ended in December 2024 and th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme, procurement reference CF-0276700D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nation
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.Onboarding ended in December 2024 and th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the (a) total amount of people who are exempted from paying council tax for religious reasons and (b) estimated total value of council ta
It is not true to say that individuals can be exempt from council tax for religious reasons. A dwelling may be exempt from council tax where it is unoccupied but is held for the purposes of being occupied by a minister, of any religious den… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 27480 on Commonwealth Scholarships Programme, if she will list the (a) subject areas and (b) courses undertaken by thos
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK publishes its Annual Reports, which provide information on the subject areas and courses undertaken by scholarship recipients. The most recent report was laid before Parliament on 17 Decembe… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total cost of Universal Credit benefits accessed by refugees was in 2024.
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. The Department is exploring the feasibility of developing suitable official statistics related to the immigration status of non-UK / Iri… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of low skilled immigration worker visa grants on job opportunities for low skilled domestic workers.
The Government publishes economic assessments of policy measures implemented. Analysis undertaken to support changes to the immigration system are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-analysis-at-the-home-offi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of detained illegal migrants were deported in 2024.
The Home Office publishes data on returns and detention in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on numbers of people leaving detention due to being returned are published in table Det_D03 of the ‘Detention detailed da… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the section entitled Roles and responsibilities on the About Us webpage for Immigration Enforcement, what options are presented to illegal migrants during face-to-face meaningful con
Those conversations might be, for example, including informing migrants subject to immigration bail of options for fulfilling the Home Office reporting requirements, and consequences of failing to do so. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure parents have (a) access to upcoming internally-prepared educational materials and (b) a mechanism to oppose the use of internally-prepared materials they do not want their chi
I refer the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth to the answer of 13 November 2024 to Question 12852. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure parents have (a) access to upcoming educational materials from outside providers and (b) a mechanism to oppose the use of materials they do not want their children to be expos
I refer the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth to the answer of 13 November 2024 to Question 12852. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many dedicated immigration enforcement teams there are.
The total number of people employed by The Home office is routinely published within the annual Home Office annual reports and accounts, available at: Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many diversity, equality or inclusions officers work in immigration enforcement.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average salary is of immigration enforcement officers.
The total number of people employed by The Home office is routinely published within the annual Home Office annual reports and accounts, available at: Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many trained immigration enforcement officers there are.
The total number of people employed by The Home office is routinely published within the annual Home Office annual reports and accounts, available at: Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average number of people (a) detained, (b) prosecuted and (c) deported per immigration enforcement visit was in 2024.
Information about the average outcomes of Enforcement Visits is not available in our published data. Our published national data on enforcement is available at the following link: Immigration system statistics, year ending September 2024 - … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish a breakdown of immigration enforcement visits by local authorities in 2024.
I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave him on the 10 February to Question 27935. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average daily cost is of electronic tagging.
The average cost for an individual subject to electronic monitoring (EM) is approximately c.£9 per day.It is important to note the above figure does not include the average cost of a probation or police officer supervising an individual wit… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total amount of deportations to Pakistan is under the UK-Pakistan Prisoner Transfer Agreement.
The removal of Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) is an important priority of this Government and we refer all FNOs in receipt of custodial sentences to the Home Office to be considered for deportation.Ten Pakistani nationals have been repat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average cost of each deportation is, broken down by expense.
The requested information is not centrally held, and could only be collated and verified at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislative proposals to ensure that every line of foreign aid spending must be approved by Parliament.
All government spending is approved by Parliament in the Budget. There are no plans to introduce new legislation for ODA spending.To support effective programme delivery, the publicly available FCDO Programme Operating Framework sets out th… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the powers of train conductors to tackle avoidable disruptive behaviour on trains.
Train Operating Companies are already able to seek additional powers for their staff, to tackle incidents such as anti-social behaviour, via the Rail Safety Accreditation Scheme operated by the British Transport Police. The Department does … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an estimate of revenue lost to train companies from fare avoidance in 2024.
The Rail Delivery Group estimated in 2014 that, £240 million a year is lost due to fare evasion on Great Britain’s railways. The Department is working with its industry partners to provide an updated figure and recognises the importance of … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
Ministry of Justice Headquarters spent £2,101 in 2024 on a course which includes the awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in a leadership training series delivered via the Cabinet Office Learning Frameworks provision. All Mi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
The total cost of centrally-funded EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) courses for MHCLG from January to December 2024 was £47,272.The figure above covers costs relating to centrally-funded L&D activity where training includes the aware… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in his Department in 2024.
The Ministry of Defence remains committed to making the step changes required to create a more inclusive environment, enabling everyone, irrespective of background, to deliver our Defence outputs, enhance our operational effectiveness, and … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
The cost of training which covers the statutory obligations of civil servants under the Equality Act 2010 cannot be disaggregated from wider training costs because it often forms part of a wider learning package.The Cabinet Office last year… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
HM Treasury has spent £0 on diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in the calendar year 2024. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in his Department in 2024.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) does not have a centrally organised Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) training offer, instead we use courses provided via Civil Service Learning. A small discretionary budget is… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
In the 12 months from January 2024 to December 2024, the Department has not delivered any diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) courses centrally. This refers to any courses where the training includes awareness of DEI as the main theme o… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
In the Department for Work and Pensions diversity with regard to employees is defined as valuing difference, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring fairness and opportunity for all. This includes promoting diversity, inclusion, and equality of … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
The Department for Transport provides an online training course entitled “Civil Service Expectations”. The course focuses on diversity and inclusion, The Equality Act 2010, Civil Service code, and Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
Under data transparency publications, the department publishes transactions over £25,000. As EDI spend is less than this, it won’t be published. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) uses the Civil Service Learning Frameworks for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion training for our people. The financial information held by the department is li… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
This information can only be obtained at disproportionate cost, as we do not theme our learning records by diversity, equality and inclusion. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
The department spent £190,000 on diversity and inclusion learning and development courses in 2024, defined as courses where the main theme of the training is diversity, equality and inclusion. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
The only expenditure on D&I training in 2024 was £6,600 for a British Sign Language training programme of workshops for 12 staff in Manchester. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
In 2024, DBT spent a total of £1,199.93 incl. VAT on D&I courses. This is based on the assumption that EDI training refers to training where awareness of EDI issues is the main theme of the training. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
The total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in Cabinet Office in 2024 was £0. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, if she will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) remains committed to making the step changes required to create a more inclusive environment, enabling all staff, irrespective of background, to deliver high quality work at the Department.Equality, diver… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for people contacting the DVLA in 2024.
In the financial year 2023-24 the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency spent a total of £28,403 on translation and interpretation services, including Welsh language and sign language translations. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) average waiting time for people phoning and (b) time people spent on hold for the DVLA was in 2024.
In the calendar year 2024, the average waiting time for someone telephoning the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to be connected to an advisor was 12 minutes 8 seconds. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average (a) waiting time for people calling and (b) time people spent on hold for her Department was in 2024.
The table below shows the Average Speed of Answer and Total Hold Time, in an hours, minutes and seconds (hh:mm:ss) format, for all people calling DWP during the calendar year, 2024. Calendar YearAverage Time to Answer (hh:mm:ss)Average Hold… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation by (i) NHS Trusts, (ii) James Paget University Hospitals Trust and (iii) the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust in 2024.
The information requested on spend on translation and interpretation services by National Health Service trusts is not held centrally, as data is held at integrated care board level.Across 2024, the Telephone Appointments Line team used thi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department spent on (a) external tenders and (b) contracts for (i) translation and (ii) interpretation services in the NHS in 2024.
The Department’s expenditure with external suppliers of translation or interpretation services in the 2024 calendar year was £16,833. This was mainly for providing accessible, easy to understand versions of technical and legal documents for… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent on translation in Jobcentres in 2024.
The total spent on translation in Jobcentres in 2024 was £882,118. This figure includes International Pension Service. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation on the 111 NHS contact number in 2024.
The NHS 111 service is nationally specified and locally commissioned. Each NHS 111 provider is responsible for procuring language interpretation services. The only centrally procured interpreting service is British Sign Language, as this is… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation in courts in 2024.
This question has been interpreted to mean spend for all language services, both translation and interpretation provided in a court setting, and for printed materials available in HMCTS buildings.Information is not held disaggregated as (a)… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent on (a) translation and (b) interpretation for people contacting her Department in 2024.
A) The spend on translation for people contacting the Department in 2024 was £882,118. B) The spend on interpretation for people contacting the department in 2024 was £6,345,275. This includes access costs such as BSL etc. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2024 to Question 14378 on NHS: Translation Services, what the (a) cost for translation of and (b) proportion of communications in each language was in e-Referr
The information requested on spend on translation and interpretation services by National Health Service trusts is not held centrally, as data is held at integrated care board level.Across 2024, the Telephone Appointments Line team used thi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's transparency data entitled Small boat arrivals: last 7 days, last updated 31 January 2025, if she will make it her policy to include data on the number of small boat
The Home Office publishes data on the return of small boat arrivals in the “Immigration System Statistics quarterly release”. Quarterly data on returns of small boat arrivals is published table Irr_02e of the “Irregular migration summary ta… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Immigration system statistics data table entitled Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datasets, year ending September 2024, what information her Depa
The information you have requested is not published. It has not been verified for publication and therefore cannot be released.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for stat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The Government will provide support for Departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to Departments, with the Barnett formula applying in t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the appr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
There is no additional cost to the Ministry of Defence. The Government will be supporting departments with the cost of additional employer national insurance contributions. This is in line with the Government’s usual approach to supporting … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only.This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the appro… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the appr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the appr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
We have taken necessary decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at Autumn Budget 2024, which enabled the Spending Review settlement of a £22.6 billion increase in resource spending for the Department from 2023/24 outturn to … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the appr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the appr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is working with HM Treasury (HMT) on any additional funding that may be required to cover for costs associated with the Employer’s National Insurance Contributions (ERNIC) rule ch… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the appr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer National Insurance contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the appr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The Government will provide support for departments and other Exchequer-funded public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in l… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the appr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the appr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Solicitor General, what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.
The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the appr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many posts there are in the NHS Muslim Network; what the job titles are of those posts; and what their cost to the public purse was in the last financial year.
The NHS Muslim Network is a voluntary staff network, so there are no paid roles. National Health Service staff networks can be an important mechanism of staff support, and help to shape organisational culture within the NHS, to create a fai… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse for supporting the a:gender network in each of the last five years.
Data from the Equality, Diversity and Expenditure Review will be published in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason there was an increase in the number of settlement grants for workers from 2022-2023.
The increase in individuals reaching the five-year qualifying threshold in 2023 will tend to reflect the increase in work visas issued five years previously, in 2018 under the previous administration. My Hon friend, the Home Secretary, addr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a study of the impact of the dependency of universities on international students on the level of fees paid by such students.
The government remains committed to a United Kingdom that is outward looking and welcomes international students who make a positive contribution to the UK’s higher education (HE) sector, our economy and society as a whole.The Office for St… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 25832 on Pakistan: Development Aid and Visas, if he will make it his policy to raise potential punitive measures with hi
We continuously examine all levers at our disposal to deliver for UK interests, including in the removal of Foreign National Offenders to countries including Pakistan. This government is fully committed to making our communities safer by de… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish a breakdown of companies sponsoring skilled visas by Nature of Business (SIC).
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.The Home Office publishes a range … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number of skilled visa holders who are sponsored by (a) takeaways, (b) restaurants and (c) convenience stores.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.The Home Office publishes a range … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the potential cost to the public purse was of her Department's Islamic network in each of the last five years.
The costs of individual faith and belief networks over the last five financial years are not held centrally in an accessible form, and could only be identified and verified for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cos… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the potential cost to the public purse was of her Department's equality network in each of the last five years.
The Home Office does not have an equality network, but in relation to the cost of staff networks in general, the Hon Member may want to look at Answer of 23 May 2024 to Question UIN 26338. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of excluding (a) family members and (b) dependents from student visas.
The Student route already restricts most students from bringing their dependants to the UK. Partners and children are the only family members which can be sponsored by students as dependants and only if the relevant student meets certain re… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number of people that will become eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in each of the next ten years.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.The Home Office publishes a range … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a cap on the number of international students.
The government is committed to a United Kingdom that is outward looking and welcomes international students, who make a positive contribution to the UK’s higher education sector, our economy and society as a whole. Universities in England r… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a Department for Borders and Deportation.
The Home Office is the department for border security, including overseeing the establishment of Border Security Command and delivering more than 16,400 deportations of people who have no right to be here since July 2024. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will reintroduce the Resident Labour Market Test.
As announced by the Prime Minister on 28 November 2024, the Government will be producing a White Paper this year setting out our plans for reducing net migration, which will be published in due course. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a breakdown of the (a) cost to the public purse and (b) recipients by nationality of the Chevening Scholarship in each of the last five years.
Chevening Scholarships provide fully-funded postgraduate masters awards at UK universities for future global leaders from approximately 140 eligible countries and territories. Chevening Programme ExpenditureFinancial yearTotal programme exp… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the (a) cost to the public purse and (b) nationality of each recipient of a Commonwealth Scholarship was in the last five years.
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC), provides post-graduate awards (Fellowships, Masters and PhDs) at UK universities to students from approximately 64 eligible Commonwealth countries and British Overseas Territories.Com… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of people with a High Potential Individual visa are in employment.
The information requested is not held by this Department. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of holders of Skilled Worker visas are net contributors to the Exchequer.
The Migration Advisory Committee advises government on migration issues. In their 2024 annual report, they estimated the average skilled worker migrant has a positive net fiscal impact of £16,300.Their analysis does not provide a distributi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of low skilled immigration worker visa grants on job opportunities for low skilled domestic workers.
This would be a matter for UK Visas & Immigration and the Home Office. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of low skilled migrants' entitlement to benefits on the public purse.
The Department has no current plans to make such an assessment. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the withdrawal of the USA from the World Health Organisation will lead to an increase in UK contributions to that organisation.
We have been consistently clear that US executive orders are matters for the US government and US people. In November 2024, the UK announced new funding to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in support of its delivery and transformation ag… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of civil service pensions for the next 50 years.
The Treasury’s central affordability measure for public service pensions is the projected pension benefit payments as a percentage of estimated GDP. This reflects the fact that most public service pension schemes are unfunded and financed t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the value for money of rehabilitation of foreign national offenders.
We provide rehabilitation services to offenders given community sentences and those sent to prison. All Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) given custodial sentences are referred to the Home Office to consider deportation.HMPPS manages the ri… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of decreasing corporation tax to the lowest level in Europe.
At the Budget the Government published a roadmap setting out its corporate tax policy for the parliament, providing the stability needed for businesses to make long term investments and support our growth mission. The roadmap confirmed that… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of lowering corporation tax on tax revenue.
At the Budget the Government published a roadmap setting out its corporate tax policy for the parliament, providing the stability needed for businesses to make long term investments and support our growth mission. The roadmap confirmed that… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many refugees were in receipt of Personal Independence Payment in each of the last five years; and what the cost to the public purse was.
The Department does not hold the requested information on refugees in receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Decision-makers check that an individual has leave to remain in the UK with recourse to public funds and meets all other e… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a restriction on irregular migrants housed in (a) hotels and (b) other government-funded accommodation within walking distance of schools duri
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 November to Question UIN 13616. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of an increased police presence around schools that have reported loitering by irregular migrants.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 November to Question UIN 13616. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a curfew for irregular migrants housed by local authorities close to schools that have reported incidents of loitering by irregul
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 November to Question UIN 13616. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 23577 on Deportations, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of recording this information centrally.
I refer the Honourable Member to the letter I sent him on 11 December 2024 regarding the collection of official statistics. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 23575 on Deportation, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of recording this information centrally.
I refer the Honourable Member to the letter I sent him on 11 December 2024 regarding the collection of official statistics. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January to Question 24556 on Asylum: Interviews, what proportion of asylum interviews were conducted remotely in each of the last five years.
Most asylum interviews are now conducted remotely using video conference facilities outside of Home Office locations.The number of substantive asylum interviews is published online in tab ASY_05(M) in the Immigration and protection data: Q3… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has produced modelling on the number of irregular migrants it expects will be eligible for settled status in the next ten years.
No. The Government’s Plan for Change makes clear our commitments to reduce both irregular migration and overall net migration. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what evidence is required to determine gender identity as basis for claiming asylum.
All asylum and human rights claims are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. The Substantive asylum interview is the claimant’s main opportunity to provide detailed evidence that r… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what evidence is required to determine Christianity as basis for claiming asylum.
All asylum and human rights claims are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. The Substantive asylum interview is the claimant’s main opportunity to provide detailed evidence that r… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what evidence is required to determine homosexuality as basis for claiming asylum.
All asylum and human rights claims are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. The Substantive asylum interview is the claimant’s main opportunity to provide detailed evidence that r… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse has been of interpretation for asylum interviews in each of the last five years.
Cost information on Asylum-specific and interpretation costs is not readily available from our financial systems and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of asylum claims have been withdrawn due to non-attendance in each of the last five years.
The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’.Data on asylum claims certified under Section 94 is published in table Asy_D08 of the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of asylum claims were rejected under section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 in each of the last five years.
The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’.Data on asylum claims certified under Section 94 is published in table Asy_D08 of the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people with refugee status have received settled status in each of the last ten years.
The Home Office publishes data on refugees granted settlement in Table Se_D01 within the Settlement dataset in the ‘Immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK’. The figures for grants of settlement to “Recognised refugees” inc… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people with refugee status became UK citizens in each of the last ten years.
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave him on 28 January to the same question asked in a slightly different form (UIN 25043). Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring that people entering the UK illegally can never apply for (a) settled status and (b) citizenship.
The Government keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that people entering the UK illegally can never vote in elections.
Only those foreign nationals who are eligible to vote and who have leave to enter or remain, or who do not require such leave, are entitled to register and vote in elections over which the UK Government and Parliament have responsibility. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of an urgent review of successful claims of refugee status by migrants who arrived by small boat including (a) face-to-face interviews and (b) en
All asylum and human rights claims are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. The Substantive asylum interview is the claimant’s main opportunity to provide detailed evidence that r… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 22427 on Offences against Children, whether her Department holds information on how many deportations to Pakistan for convictions related to child
The information requested by the Hon Member is not currently held by the Department but we are committed to improving the collection and publication of data in this area, as confirmed by the Home Secretary in her statements to Parliament on… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 21759 on Offences against children, whether the information requested is held by her Department.
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on prosecutions and convictions at criminal courts in England and Wales in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, including rape. They can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page h… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department records an ideological breakdown of people in the Desistance and Disengagement Programme.
The Home Office does collect information relating to the ideology of participants of the Desistance and Disengagement programme. However, this information is considered to be protected information which we are unable publish as this constit… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of Prevent cases were (a) dropped and (b) downgraded in each of the last five years.
Information on Prevent referrals is already publicly available in the published annual statistics on GOV.UK: Individuals referred to Prevent: to March 2024, including the outcome of each referral. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 22431 on Visas: Pakistan, whether her Department holds information on the number of visa applications from people with Pakistani nationality rejec
The requested data is not centrally held in easily accessible format and could only be collated for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 22427 on Offences against Children, whether this information is held by her Department.
The information requested by the Hon Member is not currently held by the Department but we are committed to improving the collection and publication of data in this area, as confirmed by the Home Secretary in her statements to Parliament on… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2025 to Question 22425 on Pakistan: Extradition, whether the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, North Africa, Af
We recognise and appreciate the great contribution of Pakistani people to the diverse culture of the UK. Despite significant and complex challenges when seeking to return foreign national offenders, this government is fully committed to mak… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 22417 on Offences against Children: Girls, whether the information requested is held by her Department.
The information requested by the Hon Member is not currently held by the Department but we are committed to improving the collection and publication of data in this area, as confirmed by the Home Secretary in her statements to Parliament on… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 24000 on Offences against Children, when the Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce will publish the information.
The information requested by the Hon Member is not currently held by the Department but we are committed to improving the collection and publication of data in this area, as confirmed by the Home Secretary in her statements to Parliament on… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total cost to the public purse was of legal aid for people (a) accused and (b) convicted for their involvement in grooming gangs, broken down by nationality [in each of the last five years].
This information requested is not held centrally.There is no single criminal offence of ‘involvement in a grooming gang’. As such, the information recorded and tracked regarding offence type when applying for legal aid does not differentiat… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the cost to the public purse of legal aid for foreign national offenders was, broken down by nationality, in each of the last ten years.
This information requested is not held centrally.Where proceedings are before a court or tribunal in England or Wales, legal aid is available to individuals who qualify for services irrespective of their nationality or usual place of reside… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a review of sentences for people serving a custodial sentence for posting offensive remarks on social media.
Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent courts. There are a range of communication related offences, both summary-only and triable either way, across different pieces of legislation with varying maximum penalties. For… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January to question 22418 on Offences against Children, whether this information is held by her Department.
The information requested by the Hon Member is not currently held by the Department but we are committed to improving the collection and publication of data in this area, as confirmed by the Home Secretary in her statements to Parliament on… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to question 22421 on Offences Against Children, whether this information is held by her Department.
The information requested by the Hon Member is not currently held by the Department but we are committed to improving the collection and publication of data in this area, as confirmed by the Home Secretary in her statements to Parliament on… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to question 22422 on Offences Against Children, whether this information is held by her Department.
The information requested by the Hon Member is not currently held by the Department but we are committed to improving the collection and publication of data in this area, as confirmed by the Home Secretary in her statements to Parliament on… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 22424 on Offences Against Children: Prosecutions, whether her Department holds information on whether family members (a) had knowledge of or (b) f
The information requested by the Hon Member is not currently held by the Department but we are committed to improving the collection and publication of data in this area, as confirmed by the Home Secretary in her statements to Parliament on… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 22429 on Offences against Children, whether her Department holds information on the number of (a) police officers, (b) officials of local authorit
The information requested by the Hon Member is not currently held by the Department but we are committed to improving the collection and publication of data in this area, as confirmed by the Home Secretary in her statements to Parliament on… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 23578 on Undocumented Migrants, if she will make an estimate of the number of irregular migrants in the UK.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave on 15 January to Question UIN 22990. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January to Question 23582 on Undocumented Migrants, what information her Department holds on the number of irregular migrants defined as absconders.
The requested data is not readily accessible from published statistics, and could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at a disproportionate cost.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost to the public purse was of penalty payments to people who faced delays in the processing of their immigration case in each of the last five years.
Immigration Enforcement, UK Visas & Immigration and Border Force occasionally make ex-gratia payments to customers, beyond any legal or statutory requirements, as redress for maladministration. These payments are made at the discretion of t… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the cost to the public purse is of the campaign to advocate for family-based care for children across the globe, announced on 17 January 2025.
The campaign to promote family care for children globally has not spent any additional UK funding on staff or programmes to date. We are assessing future requirements for staff and programmes to support the campaign. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many citizenships were granted to refugees in each of the last ten years.
The publicly available immigration statistics for the last 10 years include statistics for naturalisation as a British citizen for all relevant routes of entry. Migration transparency data - GOV.UK Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2024 to Question 23051 on Offences against Children, whether this information is held by her Department.
The information previously requested by the Rt Hon Member is not held by the Department. The Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce currently holds the best data available on police-recorded child sexual abuse and exploitation crimes, i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential lessons that could be learned for (a) her Department and (b) other Departments from the policies of the Javier Milei administration in Argentina in the context of tren
The UK Government continually monitors international economic developments and is aware of the domestic reforms that the administration of Javier Milei is undertaking to reduce inflation and restore economic growth. The UK regularly engages… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her oral statement on Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of 16 January 2024, Official Report, column 560, how the £10 million will be spent.
The information previously requested by the Rt Hon Member is not held by the Department. The Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce currently holds the best data available on police-recorded child sexual abuse and exploitation crimes, i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with stakeholders on the potential impact of changes to Business Property Relief.
The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms. The Government take… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had (a) farmers and (b) relevant stakeholders on the potential impact of changes to Agricultural Property Relief.
The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms. The Government take… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will list all meetings (a) Ministers and (b) senior officials in his Department have had on the transfer of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Negotiations with Mauritius on sovereignty of BIOT / the Chagos Archipelago began in November 2022. Since then, there have been 13 rounds of negotiations, including two rounds under the current UK Government. The Prime Minister and Foreign … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many British citizenships were removed; what other citizenships were held by people impacted; and what the reason was for removal in each of the last five years.
Detail on the numbers of conducive deprivation orders made under Section 40(2) of the 1981 British Nationality Act, are published in the Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Eight reports have been published … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Ministerial correspondence of 17 January 2025 with reference MC2024/24342/SB, when the consultation process on the review of the existing funding formula will (a)
This Government inherited an outdated funding formula for allocating money to proposed flood defences. That’s why we will launch a consultation in the coming months which will include a review of the existing flood funding formula to ensure… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allocating funding to the Vauxhall roundabout project in the context of the potential impact of that project on other infrastructure projects in Great Y
The A47 Great Yarmouth Vauxhall Junction scheme was cancelled due to a combination of cost increases and poor value for money. Great Yarmouth is benefiting from the Third River Crossing, a Norfolk Council scheme funded by DfT, and the Natio… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of asylum casework interviews are conducted remotely.
Most asylum interviews are now conducted remotely using video conference facilities outside of Home Office locations.This has enabled the Home Office to increase the availability of interview locations, interpreters and decision makers, and… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing records of meetings with the Pakistani government on the deportation of Pakistani national prisoners.
This Government is fully committed to making our communities safer by deporting those who break our laws. Despite significant and complex challenges when seeking to return foreign national offenders.I raised these issues with Foreign Minist… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Pakistani authorities on the return of Pakistani national prisoners.
This Government is fully committed to making our communities safer by deporting those who break our laws. Despite significant and complex challenges when seeking to return foreign national offenders. The UK has regular constructive discussi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department collects on child grooming activities online.
The Home Office has access to a variety of data sources on child sexual abuse, which covers grooming both offline and online.ONS publishes information on the number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in England and Wales, on a qu… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has allocated funding for victims of grooming gangs.
NHS England and the police and crime commissioners jointly commission 48 sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) for victims of sexual assault and abuse. SARCs provide crisis care, medical and forensic examinations, emergency contraception,… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a study of the impact of rape gang grooming on the long-term (a) physical and (b) mental health of victims.
We know that children who experience violence or abuse can suffer from a range of physical and mental health issues over the course of their lifetime, and some may go on to become perpetrators themselves.The Department funds research on hea… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what role NHS Trusts have in (a) identifying and (b) reporting suspected incidences of child grooming by organised gangs.
Every National Health Service trust has a contractual obligation to adhere to the NHS Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance Framework 2024, which includes the protection of children from abuse, harm, or violence.In addition, every regis… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how data on suspected victims of grooming gangs in schools is (a) collected and (b) shared with (i) law enforcement and (ii) child protection services.
The department can confirm that the statutory safeguarding guidance, ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE), provides clear and robust guidance on how schools and colleges must report all safeguarding concerns.It covers issues such as… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what protocols are in place for schools to report suspected grooming gang activities involving students.
The department can confirm that the statutory safeguarding guidance, ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE), provides clear and robust guidance on how schools and colleges must report all safeguarding concerns.It covers issues such as… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the is value is of (a) Bitcoin and (b) other cryptocurrency held by the Government.
The Government does not hold any cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin.The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) contains powers to deprive criminals of their money, or other property connected to criminal activity, and recover the proceeds of cr… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking an analysis of the fiscal contribution of migrants by their country of origin.
The OBR produces economic and fiscal forecasts. Box 4.5 of the OBR’s published Economic and Fiscal Outlook in March 2024 sets out estimated impacts of migration on the fiscal forecast. This looks at the fiscal impact of migration scenarios … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) nationality, (b) ethnicity, (c) gender and (d) age is of the victims of Pakistani heritage grooming gangs.
The Government continues to invest in a range of work to strengthen law enforcement capacity and capability to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, including group-based offending. We support the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Task… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an awareness programme to protect primary and secondary school children from rape gang abuse.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. The department has an established robust safeguarding framework… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a programme to increase awareness of the signs of rape gang abuse for teachers in primary and secondary schools.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. The department has an established robust safeguarding framework… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation to require more (a) frequent and (b) detailed checks on the immigration status of licenced taxi drivers.
The Government sets the regulatory structure within which local licensing authorities license the private hire vehicle (PHV) and taxi sector. The primary function of licensing authorities is to ensure that the sector is safe, including defi… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the operation of Sharia courts on the legal system.
I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on 18 December to Question 18879: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-12-10/18879.Sharia Councils are not part of the judicial system. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make it her policy to close all Sharia courts in the UK.
I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on 18 December to Question 18879: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-12-10/18879.Sharia Councils are not part of the judicial system. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if her Department will make an estimate of the number of Sharia Courts there are in the UK.
I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on 18 December to Question 18879: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-12-10/18879.Sharia Councils are not part of the judicial system. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to commission a study into the potential impact of Halal meat on animal welfare.
Legislation requires that animals must be stunned prior to slaughter so that they are unconscious and insensible to pain. The only exception to the requirement to stun is where animals are slaughtered in accordance with religious rites. The… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average time is for grooming-gang offences to proceed through the judicial system from initial report to final decision.
Information on timeliness through the criminal justice system is published as part of the quarterly Accredited Official Statistics series “Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly” which is available at the link provided: Criminal court statisti… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a comparative review of grooming-gang offences with other countries to learn best practice.
The Government continues to invest in a range of work to strengthen law enforcement capacity and capability to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, including group-based offending. We support the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Task… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department (a) collects and (b) analyses the (i) demographic, (ii) ethnic and (iii) religious backgrounds of people convicted of grooming gang offences.
The Government continues to invest in a range of work to strengthen law enforcement capacity and capability to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, including group-based offending. We support the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Task… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a review of sentencing guidelines for people convicted of grooming-gang offences.
Child sexual abuse and exploitation are the most horrific of crimes and the Government is determined to act to strengthen the law in this area. We have committed to legislate to make grooming an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training programmes there are for (a) law enforcement and (b) judicial officers to (i) identify and (ii) tackle grooming gang activities.
The Government continues to invest in a range of work to strengthen law enforcement capacity and capability to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, including group-based offending. We support the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Task… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been returned to their country of origin by the Third Country Unit in the last five years.
The Home Office publishes data on returns in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. The Third Country Unit is responsible for inadmissible asylum cases, which may be removed to a safe third country. Data on inadmissibility r… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2024 to Question 18440 on Visas: Families, whether her Department collects data on the immigration status of sponsors for family visa applications.
There are a number of different family application routes including partner, parent, child and adult dependent relative and the immigration status requirements vary depending on the route. We routinely check the immigration status of those … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of known irregular migrants the Department has lost track of in each of the last five years.
Robust procedures are in place to ensure that individuals with no right to be in the UK are removed, either voluntarily or through enforcement action.When an individual fails to engage with the Home Office or attend a reporting event, we au… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation to lower the threshold at which the Department has a legal duty to deport foreign national offenders.
Under the UK Borders Act 2007, the Home Secretary has a duty to deport a foreign criminal convicted in the UK and sentenced to a period of imprisonment of 12 months or more unless an exception applies. Where the automatic deportation thresh… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people on bail for immigration cases have public authorities lost track of in each of the last five years.
The information requested is not readily available and could only be collated for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many travel warrants have been issued to irregular migrants in each of the last five years; and what the total cost to the public purse of these were.
Obtaining the information requested would involve checking multiple databases across multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office and, therefore, could only be collated at disproportionate cost. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a review of the number of irregular migrants resident in the UK.
Robust procedures are in place to ensure that individuals with no right to be in the UK are removed, either voluntarily or through enforcement action.When an individual fails to engage with the Home Office or attend a reporting event, we au… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people scheduled for deportation have absconded in each of the last five years.
Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office and, therefore, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The Home Of… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average award to each individual was under the Voluntary Returns Scheme; and what the total cost was to the public purse of the Voluntary Returns Scheme in each of the last five years.
The specific information requested is not readily available from published statistics and could only be obtained for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.There are long standing arrangements to encourage individua… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of illegal migrants have been deported following an immigration raid in each of the last five years.
Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office and, therefore, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The Home Of… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the nationalities were of illegal migrants removed since 2018.
The Home Office publishes statistics on returns from the UK in the ‘Immigration System Statistics quarterly release’.Data on enforced and voluntary returns from the UK, including the breakdown by nationality can be found in Ret_D01 of the ‘… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many removals of illegal migrants were (a) voluntary and (b) enforced since 2018.
The Home Office publishes statistics on returns from the UK in the ‘Immigration System Statistics quarterly release’.Data on enforced and voluntary returns from the UK, including the breakdown by nationality can be found in Ret_D01 of the ‘… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many chartered flights for the deportation of illegal migrants there were in each of the last five years; and how many such migrants there were on each such flight.
The table below shows the number of flights chartered in each of the last five years, and the total number of individuals who were returned or removed on these flights.YearFlightsIndividuals2020478832021641,2982022621,5662023602,6222024663,… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on returning people from that country convicted for involvement in grooming gangs.
The UK has regular constructive discussions with Pakistani authorities on a range of topics of vital mutual interest, including criminal justice. Despite the complex challenges when seeking to return foreign national offenders, this governm… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure that the Norfolk County Council elections take place on 1 May 2025.
As set out in my letter of 16 December to all councils in two-tier areas and neighbouring small unitaries, I will consider requests to postpone local elections where it is clear that postponement will help the area to deliver both reorganis… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on how many (a) police officers, (b) officials of local authorities and (c) social workers who were found to have had knowledge at the time of grooming by Pakista
The Government is actively working to ensure that all institutions and individuals remain responsible and accountable in protecting children from all forms of child sexual abuse. This includes compliance with existing statutory safeguarding… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when a final decision on elections to Norfolk County Council will be made.
As set out in my letter of 16 December to all councils in two-tier areas and neighbouring small unitaries, I will consider requests to postpone local elections where it is clear that postponement will help the area to deliver both reorganis… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what impact the Devolution Priority Programme will have on elections to Norfolk County Council.
As set out in my letter of 16 December to all councils in two-tier areas and neighbouring small unitaries, I will consider requests to postpone local elections where it is clear that postponement will help the area to deliver both reorganis… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging council tax discounts for residents in authorities without elections on 1 May 2025 due to participation in t
The assumption is that elections in most places where scheduled will take place as planned. Where I take a decision to postpone elections scheduled for May 2025, this will be where the councils concerned have requested it alongside a clear … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing an alternative title for county councillors who remain in office after 1 May 2025 due to their authority’s par
There are no plans to provide an alternative title for county councillors whose authority participates in the devolution priority programme. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a system to provide appropriate redress for people who were (a) officially reprimanded, (b) prosecuted and (c) faced other punitive action for
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Home Secretary's statement made on 16 January 2025, in which she announced the appointment of Baroness Louise Casey to lead a rapid three-month audit into these issues. The audit will examine all the current… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if the Minister will make an assessment of the potential merits of immediately releasing of all court transcripts related to the Pakistani heritage grooming gangs.
The release of court transcripts to interested parties in relation to individual court cases is a matter for the trial judge to consider. There is a standard process all applicants must follow to request and access a Crown Court transcript.… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people deported as a result of a conviction for involvement in a Pakistani heritage grooming gang benefited from her Department's Reintegration Programme.
Any foreign national who commits serious crimes in our country should be in no doubt that we will do everything possible to ensure their deportation from the UK, so that they can no longer represent an ongoing risk to our communities or an … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse of her Department's Reintegration Programme was in the last ten years; and how many people of what countries of origin benefited from that Programme in that period.
Any foreign national who commits serious crimes in our country should be in no doubt that we will do everything possible to ensure their deportation from the UK, so that they can no longer represent an ongoing risk to our communities or an … Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many visa applications from people with Pakistani nationality have been rejected because of their criminal record in each of the last five years.
Individuals with criminal records may automatically be denied a visa, depending on the circumstances of each case. All guidance on the use of criminality on the grounds for release can be found at: Grounds for refusal: criminality (accessib… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people convicted for their involvement in Pakistani heritage grooming gangs were in receipt of (a) Universal Credit and (b) another benefit when they committed their crimes.
The requested information is not held. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on how many (a) police officers, (b) officials of local authorities and (c) social workers (i) lost their jobs, (ii) faced legal proceedings and (iii) suffered ot
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Home Secretary's statement made on 16 January 2025, in which she announced the appointment of Baroness Louise Casey to lead a rapid three-month audit into these issues. The audit will examine all the current… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a police task force to (a) identify and (b) investigate (i) local and (ii) national officials that had knowledge of and failed to
This Government is focused on delivering meaningful change for victims and survivors impacted by these horrendous crimes, safeguarding children, and ensuring law enforcement have the tools and capabilities to pursue and bring offenders to j… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign national offenders convicted for their involvement in the grooming gangs scandal were deported; how many deportation orders failed; and for what reason.
The crimes committed by child sexual offenders, who prey on the young and vulnerable, are appalling. It is well-documented that some of those involved in grooming in the UK have been foreign nationals and others have been dual nationals aga… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many of those convicted for their involvement in Pakistani heritage grooming gangs (a) are still in prison, (b) have been deported, (c) have been released back into the same community and (d) did not serve a
Information on whether individuals are part of ‘Pakistani heritage grooming gangs’ is not centrally identified in the data systems relevant to these questions. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the specific information requested.It i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) restricting foreign aid, (b) restricting visas and (c) using other punitive international measures to encourage t
We recognise and appreciate the great contribution of Pakistani people to the diverse culture of the UK. The UK has transitioned from a traditional aid relationship with Pakistan to a mutually beneficial partnership which underpins UK natio… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on whether family members (a) had knowledge of or (b) facilitated the crimes of people prosecuted for their involvement in Pakistani heritage grooming gangs.
The Government is working to ensure that perpetrators are pursued and brought to justice, and victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse are protected and supported.The Government continues to fund the Child Sexual Exploitatio… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a confidential government process for whistleblowers to safely raise concerns over foreign rape gangs.
Launching any investigation is a decision for the police to make. But the Government will continue to ensure that all institutions and individuals remain responsible and accountable for protecting children against this vile abuse. An import… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many men convicted for their involvement in Pakistani heritage grooming gangs have been given access to children born from their crimes against the mothers’ wishes; and if she will make it her pol
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Home Secretary's statement made on 16 January 2025, in which she announced the appointment of Baroness Louise Casey to lead a rapid three-month audit into these issues. The audit will examine all the current… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children have been born following rape committed by people convicted for their involvement in Pakistani heritage grooming gangs.
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Home Secretary's statement made on 16 January 2025, in which she announced the appointment of Baroness Louise Casey to lead a rapid three-month audit into these issues. The audit will examine all the current… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of people convicted for their involvement in Pakistani heritage grooming gangs (a) had previous convictions and (b) have reoffended.
Information on whether individuals are part of ‘Pakistani heritage grooming gangs’ is not centrally identified in the data systems relevant to these questions. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the specific information requested.It i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will publish the nationality of people convicted for their involvement in grooming gangs.
Information on whether individuals are part of ‘Pakistani heritage grooming gangs’ is not centrally identified in the data systems relevant to these questions. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the specific information requested.It i… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of girls that are still involved with Pakistani heritage grooming gangs.
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Home Secretary's statement made on 16 January 2025, in which she announced the appointment of Baroness Louise Casey to lead a rapid three-month audit into these issues. The audit will examine all the current… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate her Department has made of how many girls have been victims of Pakistani heritage grooming gangs.
The Government is working to ensure that perpetrators are pursued and brought to justice, and victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse are protected and supported.The Government continues to fund the Child Sexual Exploitatio… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will (a) issue an apology for failures to tackle rape gangs and (b) make an assessment of the potential merits of a compensation scheme for the victims of such gangs.
The Government is committed to using every lever to ensure all children are protected from sexual exploitation and abuse across our communities and online, regardless of who is perpetrating that horrific abuse. We are committed to continuin… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the immigration status of people prosecuted for membership of a rape gang.
The immigration status of convicted offenders may be disclosed as part of court proceedings, at the discretion of the Judge in each case. Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent the (a) grooming, (b) rape, (c) exploitation and (d) abuse of young girls.
The Government is committed to using every lever to ensure all children are protected from sexual exploitation and abuse across our communities and online, regardless of who is perpetrating that horrific abuse. We are committed to continuin… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will commission an investigation into officials who had knowledge of rape gangs and failed to act.
The Government is committed to using every lever to ensure all children are protected from sexual exploitation and abuse across our communities and online, regardless of who is perpetrating that horrific abuse. We are committed to continuin… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing UK citizenship from dual nationals prosecuted for membership of a rape gang.
The power to deprive a person of their British citizenship is already provided for in Section 40 of the British Nationality Act 1981 where it is conducive to the public good. Deprivation of citizenship is used against the most dangerous peo… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will deport (a) foreign nationals prosecuted for membership of a rape gang, (b) UK dual nationals prosecuted for membership of a rape gang scandal and (c) foreign national family members of tho
Any foreign national convicted of a crime in the UK and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity. Section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971 also provides for the deportation of a family member of a… Full answer on Parliament's site
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will commission a national inquiry into rape gangs.
The Government is committed to using every lever to ensure all children are protected from sexual exploitation and abuse across our communities and online, regardless of who is perpetrating that horrific abuse. We are committed to continuin… Full answer on Parliament's site
Try a shorter search term, reset the filters, or pick another year above.