theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1577
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1577

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the headcount number of caseworkers for processing asylum claims was broken down by (a) individual route and (b) month since July 2024. \p Alex Norris: The Home Office is maintaining sufficient resource in place to clear the Asylum backlog.

The number of full time equivalent (FTE) asylum caseworkers employed per month until June 2025 is published in the ASY_05(M) tab of the published migration transparency statistics, located here: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK.

At the end of June 2025 there were 2,057 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Asylum Caseworking Staff.

We do not publish breakdown of this information by individual route.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1578
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1578

Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to provide frontline police officers with training to (a) recognise and (b) address antisemitism. \p Sarah Jones: The Government is determined to tackle all forms of hate crime, including antisemitic hate crime.

The College of Policing is responsible for setting the national training standards and operational guidance (known as authorised professional practice) in England and Wales that guide officers and staff in responding to hate crime, promoting a consistent and victim-sensitive approach across forces.

Improving investigative standards, including in relation to hate crime, is a national priority. The College is supporting this work through targeted interventions aimed at increasing knowledge, consistency, improving outcomes, and strengthening public confidence in policing. This includes making specific reference to antisemitism (in line with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition) within hate crime guidance to reflect both religious and racial hostility; incorporating hate crime training within initial entry route into policing learning; and improving supervisory learning to ensure hate crime is prioritised and that the most vulnerable in our communities are safeguarded.

Whilst the police are operationally independent and work in line with the College of Policing’s operational guidance, we expect the police to fully investigate these appalling offences and work with the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure perpetrators face the full force of the law and are brought to justice.

The College of Policing has also launched the Neighbourhood Policing Programme – Career Pathway training, as part of the Government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. This programme has a specific focus on engaging with and supporting communities to build trust and confidence.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1579
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1579

Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's timetable is for publishing its planned consultation on bringing the licensing of shotguns under Section 2 of the Firearms Act 1968 in line with the licensing requirements under Section 1 of that Act. \p Sarah Jones: The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February this year, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns, to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety. We intend to publish this consultation later this year.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1580
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1580

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of how many arrestees waived their right to make no comment during police interviews in the latest period for which data is available. \p Sarah Jones: The Home Office does not collect information on the content of police interviews, including whether suspects waive their right to make no comment during police interviews. This information may be held by individual police forces.

The Home Office collects and publishes data on arrests by police. The most recent publication relating to arrest statistics can be found at the link below:

Stop and search, arrests and mental health detentions, March 2024 - GOV.UK

The Home Office takes a judicious approach to the collection of data from police in order to avoid disproportionate burdens on forces. More information on the Annual Data Requirement is available at the following link:

Home Office Annual Data Requirement (ADR) data – Privacy Information Notice - GOV.UK
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1581
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1581

Suella Braverman:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to allocate additional resources to rural police forces to help tackle rural crime. \p Sarah Jones: The Government is committed to giving police the resources they need to tackle a range of different crimes. The Chancellor has announced a real terms increase in police spending power over the next three years. The allocation of funding to police forces remains an important consideration and as with previous years, more details on force funding allocations for 2026-27, including decisions on police force funding allocations, will be made via the provisional police funding settlement later in the year.

It is the responsibility of Chief Constables and locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), including Mayors who exercise PCC or equivalent functions, to take decisions around their resourcing. They are best placed to make decisions with their communities based on their local knowledge and experience.

Through our Safer Streets Mission, rural communities will be safeguarded, with tougher measures to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing and stronger measures to prevent farm theft and fly-tipping. The Home Office have worked closely with the National Police Chief’s Council to deliver their updated Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy for 2025-2029. The strategy will set out operational and organisational policing priorities in respect of tackling crimes that predominantly affect rural communities.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1582
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1582

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average processing time for asylum claims was broken down by (a) individual route and (b) month since July 2024. \p Alex Norris: The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the number of claims awaiting an initial decision, broken down by duration, is published in table Asy_D03 and data on the number of people claiming asylum, by route of entry to the UK, is published in table Asy_D01a. These data tables are published as part of the asylum detailed datasets.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1583
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1583

Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential (a) current and (b) future impact of the number of people seeking asylum in the UK because of the impact of climate change in their countries of origin. \p Alex Norris: The Home Office regularly assess all potential current and future causes of asylum and irregular migration to the UK, including the impact of climate change on the movement of people. The Home Office and other Government departments consider all available evidence to assess the situation.

There is mixed evidence on the impact of climate change on migration flows. FCDO conducted a Rapid Evidence Assessment and found strong evidence that climatic shock events are linked to increased internal and, to a lesser extent, international, migration. In the medium- to long-term, other gradual climate-related emergencies may impact migratory movements, though this is likely to be within the borders or to the immediate neighbours of countries with low climate resilience. The report found there are no rigorous global estimates of the number of people displaced by or migrating in response to weather shocks or climate change, and high-end projections of future climate-related migration are not considered credible.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1584
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1584

James Asser:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) adult and (b) child passports have been revoked since 1 January 2024. \p Mike Tapp: The information requested is not centrally held, and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

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.

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.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1585
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1585

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people who entered the UK on a social care work visa in each of the past ten years remain (a) in the UK and (b) working in social care. \p Mike Tapp: The information requested is not centrally held and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1586
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1586

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure consistent (a) standards and (b) decision making in the licensing of (i) shotguns and (ii) firearms. \p Sarah Jones: The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February this year, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns, to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety.

We intend to publish this consultation later this year. This is in addition to the publication of revised Statutory Guidance for Chief Officers of Police in August, intended to strengthen the assessment of those who hold, or who apply for, both shotgun and firearms licences. The Statutory Guidance is helping to ensure consistency in decision making across all police forces.

The assessment of suitability to hold a shotgun or firearm, including in relation to the safety of the applicant and the wider community, is a matter for the relevant Chief Officer of Police. We do not have any plans to introduce additional safety lessons for licence holders.

The Government keeps all controls on firearms under constant review to safeguard the public against the misuse of licensed firearms.

The terrible murders in Luton on 13 September 2024, when Juliana Prosper and two of her children, Giselle and Kyle, were fatally shot by Juliana's son using an illegally purchased shotgun, exposed weaknesses in the controls on the private sale and purchase of firearms. In the light of this incident, the Government is considering options for tightening the law in this area, and we will bring forward our proposals shortly.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1587
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1587

Jim Allister:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many inbound anti-smuggling checks have been conducted by the Border Force at (a) Belfast, (b) Larne and (c) Warrenpoint ports since 2021. \p Mike Tapp: This information is not held in an easily accessible format.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1588
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1588

Seamus Logan:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to correspondence of 30 July and 10 September 2025 from the Hon Member for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East, references SL02586/dw and MIN/1368520/25. \p Mike Tapp: The Minister for Border Security & Asylum responded on 16 October 2025.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1589
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1589

Siân Berry:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse was of the policing of the law that proscribes Palestine Action on 6 September 2025 in London. \p Sarah Jones: Policing is operationally independent and decisions as to spending will be taken by Chief Constables and PCCs at a local level. The Home Office does not hold figures on the cost to the public purse of specific protests or enforcement of specific laws.

The decision to proscribe Palestine Action was taken following an escalating campaign by the organisation involving not just sustained criminal damage, including to Britain’s national security infrastructure, but also intimidation, alleged violence and serious injuries to individuals.

It is a criminal offence to express support for a proscribed organisation. This Government has been and will continue to be clear about the importance of upholding the rule of law
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1590
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1590

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number of people who (a) have indefinite leave to remain and (b) arrived in the UK on a skilled worker visa who work in an eligible profession. \p Mike Tapp: The Home Office does not produce estimates of the total number of people who currently hold indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK, and of those, who arrived on a Skilled Worker visa and are working in an eligible profession.

Migration Statistics do not provide estimates but instead publish official data on casework applications and decisions made under the UK immigration system. These data are available within the quarterly Immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK publication.

While Migration Statistics do not hold the total number of people with ILR, we do publish quarterly figures on the number of grants and refusals of settlement, and those made through the EU Settlement Scheme, both of which provide the overview of indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

In addition, the Migrant journey - GOV.UK detailed dataset (table MJ_D02) provides information on the number of people granted settlement each year by their year of initial grant and category of leave. However, this dataset’s level of detail only extends to the broad category of “Worker”, which may include those initially granted a Skilled Worker visa, but not exclusively; it can also include other routes such as Health and Care Worker or related visa types.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1591
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1591

Dr Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to prevent rape suspects from leaving the country during an active investigation. \p Sarah Jones: Police have wide discretion to impose bail conditions on rape suspects intended to protect victims and witnesses, prevent offending and to prevent the suspect from failing to appear in court – including by requiring suspects to surrender their passport.

Bail conditions must be necessary, reasonable and proportionate, and subject to regular review as the perceived risk posed by the suspect may change over time.

The police should, if practicable, always consult the victim regarding the decision to release a suspect on bail and the conditions to impose.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1592
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1592

Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with (a) police forces and (b) local authorities on improving the enforcement of the Highway Code requirement that dogs must be kept on a short lead when on pavements, roads or shared paths. \p Sarah Jones: Under Section 27 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, and reflected in Rule 56 of the Highway Code, dogs should not be on the road without a responsible person present. Further advice is to keep it on a short lead when walking on the pavement, road or path shared with cyclists or horse riders.

Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police who will decide on the evidence of each individual case, whether an offence has been committed and the appropriate action to take.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1593
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1593

Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will publish the formal consultation on proposals to change the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain from 5 years to 10 years. \p Mike Tapp: We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1594
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1594

Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has provided to (a) local police forces (b) local authorities and (c) residents in areas where vigilante groups have been set up purporting to patrol the streets. \p Sarah Jones: With regard to vigilantism, the Government does not support anybody taking the law into their own hands.

Any person who has information about a crime, suspected crime, or an alleged offender should contact the police so that it can be investigated through the established process.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1595
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1595

Christine Jardine:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to review the adequacy of rules governing (a) passport countersignatures and (b) the associated list of allowed professions. \p Mike Tapp: His Majesty’s Passport Office policy on who can act as a referee is kept under review as part of the general programme of work to modernise and improve the passport application process.

The list of recognised professions is set out online. It is not a definitive list; alternatives provided by a customer will be considered. Customers can call the Passport Adviceline if they have questions about a passport application.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1596
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1596

Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to refuse (a) asylum and (b) humanitarian leave to remain to anyone who does not speak English to a proficient level. \p Mike Tapp: It is not possible to impose language requirements as a prerequisite for being granted protection in the UK.

Every asylum claim admitted to the UK asylum system is carefully considered on its individual merits. Protection is normally granted where a claimant has a well-founded fear of persecution under the Refugee Convention, or a claimant faces a real risk of serious harm. Those found not to need protection are refused.

English language proficiency is a requirement across a range of other immigration routes.

The Government published an Immigration White Paper on 12 May setting out reforms to legal migration, so that we can restore order, control and fairness to the system, bring down net migration and promote economic growth.  Part of these reforms will focus on introducing new English language requirements across a range of immigration routes, for both main applicants and their dependants. Further information is available on GOV.UK at: Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper - GOV.UK

We will separately set out new reforms to the asylum system and to border security in response to irregular and illegal migration, to bring the asylum system back under control and end the use of asylum hotels later this year.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1597
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1597

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what biometric data is stored by her Department as part of the Immigration and Asylum Biometric System. \p Mike Tapp: Biometrics, in the form of fingerprints and facial images, underpin the UK Immigration system to support identity assurance and suitability checks on foreign nationals who are subject to immigration control. This data is stored on the Immigration and Asylum Biometric System (IABS).
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1598
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1598

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress she has made in signing a new contract to (a) run, (b) maintenance and (c) support the Law Enforcement Cloud Platform. \p Sarah Jones: The Law Enforcement Cloud Platform (LECP) is moving away from using an outside service provider and will start managing its own support through the in-house Shared Application Service (SAS) team.

By the end of this financial year key roles will be taken over by civil servants and other Home Office Digital staff. During 2026, service management and security for LECP will be included in a unified support model, reducing reliance on external providers.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1599
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1599

Layla Moran:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her speech at the Labour Party Conference of 29 September 2025, whether her proposed changes to the conditions in which indefinite leave to remain is granted will apply to (a) all applicants or (b) new applicants only. \p Mike Tapp: We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year. Following that, we will provide details of how this initiative will work, including on any transitional arrangements for people already in the UK.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1600
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1600

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people with indefinite leave to remain status are in full time employment. \p Mike Tapp: The information requested is not centrally held.

The Home Office publishes quarterly statistics relating to decisions on applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain, and those made through the EU Settlement Scheme, in the Immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK publication, both of which provide an overview of those persons with indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1601
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1601

Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper, published on 12 May 2025, whether her Department plans to include employment in the public sector as counting towards the long-term contribution to the country under the points-based system for British National (Overseas) visa holders seeking citizenship. \p Mike Tapp: The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed plans for citizenship will be set out in due course.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1602
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1602

Cameron Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the processing of SET DV applications. \p Mike Tapp: Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority for this government and our mission is to halve levels of violence against women and girls within a decade.

Migrant victims of domestic abuse can apply via form SET(DV) for immediate settlement under the Immigration Rules (Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse (Appendix VDA)). Appendix VDA provides for victims of domestic abuse who have, or were last granted, permission to stay as a partner under the family Immigration Rules where the sponsor is a British citizen, settled, a member of HM Forces, is in the UK with limited stay as a refugee or with pre-settled status under the EUSS.

SET(DV) is a bespoke application form that captures all the information required to make a decision under Appendix VDA. These applications are assessed by a dedicated domestic abuse caseworking team within the Home Office. They consider all the information and evidence provided in the round and whether, on the balance of probabilities, the applicant can be granted settlement as a victim of domestic abuse.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1603
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1603

Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many dependents of people granted humanitarian leave to remain have come to the UK in each of the last three years. \p Mike Tapp: The information you have requested is published in the Immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK Data on grants of humanitarian protection following an asylum claim is published in table Asy_D02 of the asylum detailed datasets. Data on grants of entry clearance visa applications, by visa type, is published in table Vis_D02 of the entry clearance visas detailed datasets. Data on refugees resettled is published in table Res_D02 of the resettlement detailed datasets. The latest data is available up to the end of June 2025. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the 'Notes' page of the workbook.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1604
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1604

Nadia Whittome:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to skilled worker visa requirements for prison officers on the level of prison staffing. \p Mike Tapp: I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given to Parliamentary Question 76286.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1605
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1605

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the guidance entitled Register of licensed sponsors: workers, published on 26 September 2025, what estimate her Department has made of the number of organisations on the register who can sponsor charity workers whose main function is to perform religious work. \p Mike Tapp: The information requested is not available from published statistics and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1606
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1606

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what step her Department is taking to ensure that Skilled Worker visa holders are earning an income above the qualifying threshold for that visa. \p Mike Tapp: Our compliance officers regularly check workers salary particulars, including bank statements detailing payments made to them by their employer, as well as the payment documentation provided by sponsors. In addition, routine checks are carried out with OGDs if there is any indication of a failure to pay the designated rate.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1607
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1607

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to to publish annual workforce totals for each organisation on the register of licensed sponsors (workers). \p Mike Tapp: At present, there are no plans to publish this data, although we do keep such matters under review.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1608
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1608

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of employees in the average workforce of organisations listed on the register of licences sponsors (workers) are visa holders. \p Mike Tapp: The Home Office does not hold any data on this matter. Obtaining the specific information requested would involve a breakdown of the workforce for each individual sponsor, which would require GDPR compliant agreements in place and only be obtained by disproportionate cost.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1609
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1609

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what DNA information is (a) recorded and (b) stored as part of the Home Office Biometrics programme. \p Mike Tapp: The Forensic Information Databases Service (FINDS) Unit manages the National DNA Database (NDNAD) and other national DNA databases on behalf of policing. The Home Office Biometrics Programme provides maintenance and development support of the IT system which contains the databases.

The DNA databases administered by FINDS are as follows:
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1610
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1610

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigrants found to have been working illegally have been deported since 4 July 2024. \p Mike Tapp: 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 does not routinely categorise immigration offenders by the manner in which they became irregular, including those who may have been found to be working in breach of visa conditions, and to do so could only be achieved at disproportionate cost.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1611
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1611

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what financial requirements there are to be granted a work visa related to charity work. \p Mike Tapp: The financial requirements for the Charity Worker route are published in Appendix Temporary Work – Charity Worker of the Immigration Rules: Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules Appendix Temporary Work - Charity Worker - Guidance - GOV.UK.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1612
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1612

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the affordability of visa application and renewal fees under the family route. \p Mike Tapp: Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review; however, the Home Office provides for exceptions to the need to pay application fees in a number of specific circumstances. These include affordability-based waivers for entry clearance and leave to remain on family and human rights grounds.

Considerations regarding fees charged on the family route have also been addressed in published Equalities Impact Assessment, which can be found at the following link: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/363/pdfs/uksiod_20250363_en_001.pdf.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1613
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1613

Cameron Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to enable citizenship applicants to track the progress of their applications. \p Mike Tapp: Citizenship customers can submit their application for British citizenship online, however they are not currently able to track it’s progress.

The service standard for the processing of a straightforward application for British citizenship is six months.

The most recent migration transparency data confirms that 99.36% of straightforward applications for citizenship are processed within service standard. This can be found at the following link: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK

The Home Office does contacts customers and provides them with an update, where an application cannot be processed within the published service standard.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1614
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1614

David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to extend the list of accepted occupations for counter signatories of passports. \p Mike Tapp: The current list of recognised professions is set out in guidance here: Confirming ID: referees (accessible) - GOV.UK. The guidance explains that these are examples of accepted professions rather than a definitive list. Similar professions will be considered.

Customers can call the Passport Adviceline if they have questions about a passport application.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1615
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1615

Maureen Burke:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time is to process an application for (a) Leave to Remain and (b) Indefinite Leave to Remain; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce the time to process such applications. \p Mike Tapp: UKVI are currently processing applications on all of its routes where a customer service standard is operated within their published customer service standards. As previously announced by the Home Secretary, Family Reunion applications are currently paused. Visa processing times are published on the UKVI website at Visa processing times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK and Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK.

It may take longer to process an application if:

we need more information on personal circumstances (for example if there is a criminal conviction)
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1616
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1616

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of visa applications were rejected by visa type since 4 July 2024. \p Mike Tapp: The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas by visa route, including Religious Worker, and applicant type in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the outcomes of visa applications are published in table ‘Vis_D02’ of the detailed entry clearance visas dataset.

Please note that Religious Worker dependants are grouped into the 'Dependant - Temporary Worker' category.

Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data is from January 2005 up to the end of June 2025.

To calculate a refusal rate, we recommend that you take the number of refusals and divide by the total number of outcomes in a given period.

Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1617
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1617

Kirsty Blackman:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department carried out an equality impact assessment prior to suspending refugee family reunion. \p Mike Tapp: Impacts on vulnerable individuals and equalities considerations are at the front and centre of our work. As required through the Public Sector Equality Duty, we consider equality impacts throughout the policy development process, refugee family reunion is no exception.

The Home Office has carried out and published an Economic Note on the changes to the Immigration Rules on 4 September 2025.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1618
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1618

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's press release entitled UK-France treaty targeting illegal crossings comes into force, published on 7 August 2025, what the eligibility checks required to qualify for the legal route are. \p Mike Tapp: The eligibility criteria for the UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme (the legal route) are set out in published immigration rules which can be found at the following link: Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules Appendix UK/
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1619
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1619

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Government's news story entitled, Update on Gaza medical evacuation scheme, published on 22 August 2025, what immigration status will the Gazan (a) children and (b) immediate family members have following the completion of the medical treatment and recovery. \p Mike Tapp: The children medically evacuated to the UK, alongside their immediate family members, will be granted leave to stay for up to two years with the ability to access public funds, including treatment and wraparound support in the UK.

Those who wish to remain in the UK beyond that can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules.

Should individuals brought to the UK under this process wish to return to Gaza or the region, then HMG will look to support them.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1620
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1620

Cameron Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the time it will take UK Visas and Immigration to process its backlog of citizenship applications for people with indefinite leave to remain. \p Mike Tapp: The service standard for the processing of a straightforward application for British citizenship is six months.

The most recent migration transparency data confirms that 99.36% of straightforward applications for citizenship are processed within published service standard.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/migration-transparency-data#passports-citizenship-and-civil-registration
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1621
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1621

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the guidance entitled Register of licensed sponsors: workers, published on 26 September 2025, how many and what proportion of organisations on the register have received an in-person inspection by her Department since 4 July 2025. \p Mike Tapp: Routine reviews of the register of licensed sponsors are undertaken to check that sponsors are still classified as active.

It is normal practice to contact a sponsor if we have any concerns over any individuals they have sponsored or are seeking to sponsor however, we do not hold any published data on this.

Essential updates and reminders are sent periodically to those licensed sponsors currently on the register.

We do not hold any data on licensed sponsors in receipt of public funding.

We do not routinely publish data on in-person inspections.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1622
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1622

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what financial requirements there are to be granted a work visa related to religious work. \p Mike Tapp: The information regarding eligibility to sponsor religious workers or Ministers of Religion 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.

Checks are carried out on visa applications to verify they meet the published requirements of the individual routes, genuineness of a role and compliance checks may be conducted as well to satisfy that the roles involve religious work.

The Immigration Rules contain details on financial requirements for all visas and these are updated regularly.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1623
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1623

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the headcount number was of caseworkers processing visas by (a) each visa route and (b) month since July 2024. \p Mike Tapp: The Department is unable to provide previous headcount data for visa processing broken down by route and by month. Caseworkers are routinely reallocated across visa routes to maintain service standards and a flexible deployment model is used by UKVI to manage fluctuations in demand and seasonal surges. As a result, the Departmental systems do not capture headcount movements at a visa route level with sufficient accuracy to support robust external reporting.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1624
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1624

Samantha Niblett:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to harmonise the number of days EU and UK citizens do not require visas for. \p Mike Tapp: The UK has a generous offer for non-visa nationals (including EU/EEA nationals) to come to the UK for a period of up to 6 months without first applying for a visa. There are no current plans to change the permitted length of stay for visitors.

The EU and other countries have their own immigration systems, including the Schengen 90/180-day requirement, which reflect their specific circumstances and policy aims. It is not uncommon for other countries, including our close international partners, to take a different position to the UK on visa free length of stay.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1625
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1625

Carla Denyer:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Policy paper Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper, published on 12 May 2025, whether she consulted civil society organisations providing services to (a) migrants experiencing (i) poverty and (ii) destitution and (b) other migrants prior to designing the (1) settlement and (2) citizenship changes proposed. \p Mike Tapp: The Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper, sets out the government's plans to create an immigration system that promotes growth but is controlled and managed.

We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year. Following that, we will provide details of how this initiative will work, including on any transitional arrangements for people already in the UK.

The citizenship proposals will be developed in line with the settlement ones and further details on the proposed citizenship scheme will be provided at a suitable stage.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1626
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1626

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's accredited official statistics entitled How many people claim asylum in the UK?, published on 21 August 2025, what assessment she made of the potential implications for her policies of the 8,900 asylum applications from people with a visitor visa. \p Mike Tapp: In the year ending June 2025, UK Visas and Immigration issued 2.2 million Visitor visas. Applicants must satisfy the decision-maker that they are a genuine visitor who will leave the UK at the end of their Visit, and if not the decision-maker will refuse the visa application.

The UK keeps its visa system under regular review, and the government has been clear that we will do whatever it takes to tackle the issue of visa abuse.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1627
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1627

Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost to the public purse was for the translation of immigration and asylum (a) letters and (b) documentation into foreign languages in each of the last 3 years. \p Mike Tapp: The Home Office does not provide a document translation service for immigration and asylum letters and documentation.

Where documentary evidence is submitted in evidence, it must be translated into English in order for the contents to be taken into account by the decision maker. The translation should be dated and set out who has translated the document with any relevant qualifications.

All asylum seekers are entitled to legal representation to support them. This includes translation. Legal aid can help pay for legal advice, if eligible.

Asylum claimants may also seek support from family, friends, Non-Government Organisations and other support networks to help them respond to any additional information requests. Some charities like Refugee Action, Asylum Aid or the British Red Cross, and other NGOs may offer informal translation help. Charities are listed on section four of the published guidance: Information booklet about your asylum application - GOV.UK
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1628
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1628

Jonathan Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made a comparative assessment of measures taken to prevent or restrict third-party resellers of Electronic Travel Authorisations in (a) the UK and (b) other countries. \p Mike Tapp: We would always recommend that applications for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) be made via the official ETA app, and have consistently advised against the use of third party websites that offer ETAs. The overwhelming majority of applications are made via the app or the official web portal.