Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with herFrench counterparts on reducing the time taken to check passports at Paris Gare Du Nord station.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Border Force work closely with partners to minimise passenger wait times and deploy officers flexibly and when required to meet demand and support passengers. We have introduced ePassport Gates to Paris Gare Du Nord station in two waves, the last being timed to ensure that we had maximum gate coverage within the allotted space provided to us by SNCF prior to the Paris Olympics. Since eGate deployment, we have lowered the age of people able to use eGates and increased the number of nationalities that are also able to use them. We have also installed new front desk technology that is quicker and more robust than its predecessor. We are also prioritising the deployment of new eGates to Paris and other parts of the rail network when they become available which will help streamline increased passenger fluidity during peak times. Border Force enjoys a strong operational relationship with Eurostar which has allowed us to successfully plan and deploy our resources at peak times – evidenced by the successful recent operational deliveries of both the Paris Olympics in the summer of 2024 and the Easter bank holiday period in 2025 that was equally as challenging from a passenger flow perspective.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects the Migration Advisory Committee's review into the financial requirements for the Family Visa route to be published; and what plans she has for the minimum salary threshold for the Family Visa.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is an independent body, and their review of the financial requirements will be robust and transparent. It is expected the MAC will issue their report in the Summer. We will carefully consider the MAC’s recommendations before making any further changes.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people on leave extended by section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 have been provided e-Visas.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
We are developing a border and immigration system that is more digital and streamlined.
We plan to provide digital status for all those with a valid UK immigration status, including those on whose permission has been extended by section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971. This is being rolled out gradually as we transition to a digital system.
We do not currently produce data on the number of people whose permission has been extended by section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 and who have eVisas. Also, this number would change on a daily basis as people make new applications and applications are decided.
People with UKVI accounts and eVisas are already able to prove their status digitally. When they subsequently submit a valid, in-time immigration application and their permission has been extended by section 3C, their eVisa will automatically reflect that.
A small proportion of people who submitted immigration applications before they were transitioned to an eVisa, for which an outcome is still pending, will be unable to demonstrate that their permission has been extended by section 3C using our digital services. However, their digital immigration status will be updated when their pending application is decided, and if it is granted, they will receive an eVisa.
If a person’s eVisa does not display their 3C leave because their pending application was made before the eVisa system went live, and they need to prove their right to work or to rent whilst their application remains outstanding, employers can use the Employers Checking Service (ECS) and landlords can use the Landlord Checking Service. These services are for people with outstanding applications, administrative reviews, or appeals, who cannot provide evidence of their status digitally.
If a government department requires information in relation to benefits and healthcare, and they are unable to confirm an individual's’ immigration status, they are able to seek clarification via the Home Office Status Verification Enquiry and Checking Service (SVEC).
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 8 April (HL6130), whether they intend to publish the interim and final findings of the evaluation of the changes to the move on period for refugees who have been granted leave to remain in the UK.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office will consider in due course what can be published in this area, once the department has had an opportunity to study the findings.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 7 April (HL6174), what specific factors they have taken into account in deciding not to collect and publish data on the revocation of foreign student visas.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
I refer the Rt. Hon. Lord to the Answer he received on 26 March 2025 to UIN HL6174.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2025 to Question 33251 on Domestic Abuse: Parents, when she plans to publish the Government response to the consultation on the definition of child-to-parent abuse.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government.
A consultation into the definition of child to parent abuse was launched by the previous government but never responded to. This Government is looking afresh at theresponses and will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Public Order Act 2024 to safeguard liberty of conscience and freedom of assembly.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The right to peacefully protest is a fundamental part of our democratic society.
We have committed to carry out post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 beginning in May 2025.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding her Department makes available to local authorities for community-based behaviour change programmes for (a) high risk and (b) medium risk perpetrators of domestic abuse.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this government, and we have committed to use every government tool available to target perpetrators and address the root causes of abuse and violence.
The Home Office Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Intervention Fund provides funding to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to commission domestic abuse and stalking perpetrator interventions in their local area to reduce reoffending and protect victim-survivors. For financial year 2025-26, over £19 million of funding has been continued to 27 PCC areas.
The interventions delivered by PCCs include behaviour change programmes for perpetrators at different risk levels, or other interventions to support a reduction in reoffending, and may also be used for victim support services which sit alongside perpetrator intervention programmes.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding is available to local authorities for community-based behaviour change programmes for (a) high-risk and (b) medium-risk perpetrators of domestic abuse.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this government, and we have committed to use every government tool available to target perpetrators and address the root causes of abuse and violence.
The Home Office Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Intervention Fund provides funding to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to commission domestic abuse and stalking perpetrator interventions in their local area to reduce reoffending and protect victim-survivors. For financial year 2025-26, over £19 million of funding has been continued to 27 PCC areas.
The interventions delivered by PCCs include behaviour change programmes for perpetrators at different risk levels, or other interventions to support a reduction in reoffending, and may also be used for victim support services which sit alongside perpetrator intervention programmes.
Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Home Office keeps all the recommendations from the report by the UN Committee under review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders.
Relevant departments are currently considering the Committee’s concluding observations in detail. The department will give written responses to three priority areas that the Committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027.
The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the UK’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.