Home Office
The first duty of the government is to keep citizens safe and the country secure. The Home Office has been at the front line of this endeavour since 1782. As such, the Home Office plays a fundamental role in the security and economic prosperity of the United Kingdom.
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Lord Davies of Gower (Con - Life peer)Shadow Minister (Home Office)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Alicia Kearns (Con - Rutland and Stamford)Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Home Office)
Ministers of State
Angela Eagle (Lab - Wallasey)Minister of State (Home Office)
Diana Johnson (Lab - Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham)
Minister of State (Home Office)
Dan Jarvis (Lab - Barnsley North)
Minister of State (Home Office)
Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab - Life peer)
Minister of State (Home Office)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Seema Malhotra (LAB - Feltham and Heston)Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Jess Phillips (Lab - Birmingham Yardley)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
14:30
Digital ID can refer to many different aspects of a person’s identity which can be recorded and stored digitally, including …
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce anti-social behaviour …
This Order amends the Extradition Act 2003 (Designation of Part 2 Territories) Order 2003 (“the Part 2 Order”) (S.I. 2003/3334).
A Bill to Make provision about the effect, during an appeal, of an order under section 40 of the British …
Home Office Commons Appearances
Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs
Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:- Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
- Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
- Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.
Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue
Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.
Bills currently before Parliament
Home Office does not have Bills currently before Parliament
Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament
A Bill to require persons with control of certain premises or events to take steps to reduce the vulnerability of the premises or event to, and the risk of physical harm to individuals arising from, acts of terrorism; to confer related functions on the Security Industry Authority; to limit the disclosure of information about licensed premises that is likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism; and for connected purposes.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 3rd April 2025 and was enacted into law.
Home Office - Secondary Legislation
Petitions
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
(9,438 in the last 7 days)
(3,184 in the last 7 days)
(2,158 in the last 7 days)
(1,888 in the last 7 days)
(1,386 in the last 7 days)
(9,438 in the last 7 days)
(1,386 in the last 7 days)
(None in the last 7 days)
(695 in the last 7 days)
(533 in the last 7 days)
c. 1,083 added daily
258,188
(Estimated)
Ban immediately the use of dogs in scientific and regulatory procedures
Sign this petition Gov Responded - 5 Mar 2025 Debated on - 28 Apr 2025closes in 3 weeks, 4 days
As a first step to end animal testing, we want an immediate ban for dogs. They are commercially bred in what we see as bleak and inhumane factory-like conditions. We believe there is evidence suggesting that dogs are left being unattended for extended periods in a Government-licenced establishment.
Petition Closed
closed 1 month, 3 weeks ago
We believe our country is facing serious challenges both from legal and illegal migration, and think the only way to deal with this is to suspend all immigration temporarily for 5 years.
Departmental Select Committee
Home Affairs Committee
Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.
At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.
Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.
11 Members of the Home Affairs Committee
Home Affairs Committee Member since 11th September 2024
Home Affairs Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Home Affairs Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Home Affairs Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Home Affairs Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Home Affairs Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Home Affairs Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Home Affairs Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Home Affairs Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Home Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Home Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Home Affairs Committee: 10 Current Inquiries
Home Affairs Committee: Previous Inquiries
50 most recent Written Questions
(View all written questions)Drone technology is developing at a rapid pace and decisions on operational equipment are made independently by police forces, who are best placed to assess their own operational needs.
The Home Office and operational partners are working closely across government, including with the UK Civil Aviation Authority and Department for Transport, to support police use of drones and explore the benefits that future drones’ capabilities may provide to police operations. This includes standardising police operations, trialling innovative use of drones to improve police productivity, and supporting the progression of a future operating model for police aviation.
Minister of State (Home Office)
Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.
Our Crime and Policing Bill will give the police greater powers to clamp down on all vehicles, including motorbikes, involved in anti-social behaviour, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles.
On 28 May, the Government launched a six-week consultation on proposals to allow the police to more quickly dispose of seized vehicles such as motorbikes, which have been used anti-socially.
Combined, these proposals will help tackle the scourge of vehicles ridden anti-socially and illegally by sending a clear message to would be offenders and local communities that this behaviour will not be tolerated.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is operating extended surrender arrangements throughout July focused on Greater London, West Midlands and Greater Manchester, as the three highest areas of knife crime in England and Wales. These arrangements involve a mobile surrender van which is being operated by the charity Faz Amnesty to allow people to anonymously surrender knives and weapons along with the provision of surrender bins in partnership with the charity Word 4 Weapons. Faz Amnesty will be looking to work across wider locations in the future.
We are also running a separate surrender and compensation scheme to allow the public to surrender ninja swords and claim compensation at designated police stations across England and Wales. The list of designated police stations, including those within Thames Valley Police is available on Gov.UK at: Ninja sword surrender and compensation scheme - GOV.UK
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is committed to tackling and preventing arson. We know the serious impact that arson can have on both individuals and the wider community.
We are committed to ensuring fire services have the resources they need to do their vital work and to keep the public safe from fires, including those caused by arson. We are also delivering on our commitment to restore and strengthen neighbourhood policing, ensuring thousands of additional police officers and police community support officers are out patrolling in our town centres and communities to make the streets safer. As part of the Neighbourhood Policing Grant, £200 million has been allocated to forces for 2025/26 to support this commitment. Nottinghamshire Police has been allocated £3,570,488 and will deliver an increase of 30 police officers, 20 Police Community Support Officers and 20 Special Constables by 31 March 2026.
The Home Office is also providing £66.3 million funding in 2025-26 to forces in England and Wales to deliver high visibility patrols in the areas worst affected by knife crime, serious violence and anti-social behaviour, including criminal damage caused by arson. Nottinghamshire Police will receive £1,529,097 of this funding.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police and local authorities with a range of flexible tools and powers, including Public Spaces Protection Orders, that they can use to tackle dog-related incidents in public spaces.
Appropriate use of the powers is a local decision for local authorities, police and other agencies. The Home Office regularly engages with police and local authority partners to discuss the effectiveness of the legislation.
We are making changes to some of the powers in the 2014 Act via the Crime and Policing Bill to ensure the powers – based on engagement with police and local authorities – are as effective as possible. These changes include increasing the upper limit for a fixed penalty notice for breach of a Public Spaces Protection Order from £100 to £500 to act as a stronger deterrent to anti-social behaviour, including dog-related incidents in public spaces.
Minister of State (Home Office)
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.
Minister of State (Home Office)
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 Statistics landing page, which is available online here:
Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK
However, this data is not broken down by nationality or immigration status.
Minister of State (Home Office)
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 Statistics landing page, which is available online here:
Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK
However, this data is not broken down by nationality or immigration status.
Minister of State (Home Office)
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 Statistics landing page, which is available online here:
Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK
However, this data is not broken down by nationality or immigration status.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is keeping all existing visa pathways under review in response to events in Gaza. Palestinians who wish to settle in the UK can do so via the existing routes available. Further information can be found on the GOV.UK website: Visas and immigration - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Government is keeping all existing visa pathways under review in response to events in Gaza. Palestinians who wish to settle in the UK can do so via the existing routes available. Further information can be found on the GOV.UK website: Visas and immigration - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
There are currently two UK Visa Application Centres operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in Ramallah and Jerusalem. The centres in Ramallah and Jerusalem are open twice per week and once every two weeks respectively for biometrics enrolment. The UK Visa Application Centre in Gaza has been closed since 7 October 2023 due to the conflict in the region and to ensure the safety of staff and customers. UKVI will continue to monitor the situation and work closely with the supplier, VFS, to re-open this centre when it becomes safe to do so. There are also Visa Application Centres in neighbouring countries, such as Egypt and Jordan, which are open daily if customers are able to travel to these locations.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Government is committed to tackling violent crime and boosting public confidence in policing. Those are central ambitions within our Safer Streets mission.
In 2025-26 total funding to police forces will be up to £17.6 billion, an increase of up to £1.2 billion compared to the 2024-25 police funding settlement. This equates to a 7.1% cash increase, and 4.6% real terms increase in funding.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The 2024/25 annual report, published on 17 July 2025, states on p75 that £2.1bn was spent on hotels in 2024-25, at an average of £5.77m per day, compared to 3.0bn spent on hotels in 2023-24, at an average of £8.3m per day.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number of police officer leavers in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin.
Information on the length of service of leavers is available in table JL6 of the data tables accompanying the publication.
Table 1 below shows the number of police officer leavers, by length of service, in England and Wales for the year ending 31 March 2024. In the year ending 31 March 2024 there were 9,236 police officers leaving the police forces in England and Wales. 16.2% of all leavers had less than 1 years service, while 12.3% of all leavers had more than 30 years service.
Table 1: Police officer leavers (headcount) by length of service in the year ending 31 March 2024, England and Wales.
Length of service | Headcount Officer leavers | % of all leavers |
Less than 1 year | 1,495 | 16.2% |
1 to 2 years | 1,082 | 11.7% |
2 to 3 years | 606 | 6.6% |
3 to 4 years | 484 | 5.2% |
4 to 5 years | 297 | 3.2% |
5 to 10 years | 674 | 7.3% |
10 to 15 years | 393 | 4.3% |
15 to 20 years | 749 | 8.1% |
20 to 25 years | 1,028 | 11.1% |
25 to 30 years | 1,289 | 14.0% |
30 years or over | 1,139 | 12.3% |
Total | 9,236 | 100.0% |
Note:
- Excludes transfers
Data on police officer leavers for the year ending 31 March 2025 will be published on 23 July 2025.
Retention is a key focus for the Home Office and the NPCC and forces should be using evidence-based strategies to manage the retention and progression of existing officers, as well as continuing to recruit new officers.
Minister of State (Home Office)
Journeys from Ireland to the UK are within the Common Travel Area (CTA). As part of the CTA arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls of individuals arriving in the UK by air or sea from within the CTA, and no immigration checks are undertaken at the land border with Ireland.
The UK does however operate intelligence-led operational activity on CTA routes – away from the land border. This is to detect those who intend to abuse CTA arrangements. Operational activity must be targeted and supported by specific intelligence of CTA abuse.
There is a high level of cooperation on migration and border security between all members of the CTA (UK, Ireland, and the Crown Dependencies) to identify and tackle migration trends as they emerge.
Everyone entering the UK, regardless of where they enter from, is required to meet UK’s immigration requirements. Anyone identified attempting to circumvent UK border controls is liable to be detained and, if they are not lawfully present within the UK, removed.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Occupancy and Capacity are not terms defined within asylum accommodation contracts. Data on the number of individuals occupying asylum accommodation is published in the quarterly migration statistics.
Minister of State (Home Office)
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 to obtain a visa prior to travelling to the UK means that we can assess whether an individual is a genuine visitor to the UK and will comply with the Immigration Rules on arrival. It allows us to intervene and, where necessary, refuse a visa before the individual travels to the UK.
The UK visa system, including the Visa National List, is kept under regular review. Decisions on which countries are required to apply for a visa (known as “visa national” countries) and which are not required to apply for a visa (known as “non-visa national” countries) are taken on the basis of a range of factors including security, compliance and returns arrangements.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
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 to obtain a visa prior to travelling to the UK means that we can assess whether an individual is a genuine visitor to the UK and will comply with the Immigration Rules on arrival. It allows us to intervene and, where necessary, refuse a visa before the individual travels to the UK.
The UK visa system, including the Visa National List, is kept under regular review. Decisions on which countries are required to apply for a visa (known as “visa national” countries) and which are not required to apply for a visa (known as “non-visa national” countries) are taken on the basis of a range of factors including security, compliance and returns arrangements.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Police National Database provides a joined-up view of vital intelligence gathered nationwide and made available to Policing and law enforcement agencies. Its data is uploaded regularly by police forces and law enforcement agencies.
PND searches can link people, addresses, phones and vehicles and can be used to investigate individual offenders or crimes, or to build intelligence about networks or gangs involved in criminal activity.
Where people are suspected of crimes involving obscene publications, indecency or violence against women and girls, the details would be shown on their record on PND. If their record includes intelligence indicating both exposure to violent and misogynistic pornography and violence against women and girls, further investigation could follow to establish whether there was a link.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is responsible for the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA).
POCA equips law enforcement agencies with a range of powers to deprive criminals of their money, or other property connected to criminal activity, and recover the proceeds of crime, including cryptocurrencies.
In April 2024, new powers came into force to enable law enforcement to more effectively investigate, seize, and recover the proceeds of crime within the cryptoasset ecosystem.
As with all assets, action to seize, recover and manage cryptoassets is for operational agencies, such as independent law enforcement bodies, and the courts to consider.
Criminal proceeds recovered via POCA can subsequently be returned in compensation to victims (following criminal conviction) or reinvested for use in tackling crime through the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS) and ARIS ‘Top Slice’ grant.
Further Information on both ARIS can be found in the data tables within the Asset Recovery Statistical Bulletin, which is published annually by the Home Office: Asset recovery statistics, financial years ending 2019 to 2024: Data Tables.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes extensive data on the use of animals in science in the annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals.
There are no plans to disaggregate the number of procedures specifically relating to the LD50 and LC50 tests within these statistics.
Minister of State (Home Office)
As a matter of longstanding policy, we do not comment on the detail of security and intelligence matters.
Minister of State (Home Office)
As a matter of long-standing policy, we do not comment on the detail of security and intelligence matters.
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.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is committed to ensuring that the use of animals in scientific research is strictly regulated and is only permitted where no suitable alternatives are available.
In parallel, the Government is committed to working towards a vision of phasing out the use of animals in science. This Government will publish a strategy that describes how it will accelerate the development and uptake of alternative methods to animal research and testing later this year.
All applications for animal research must conform with all legal requirements set out in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. This includes, applying the principles of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement); the replacement of animals with alternatives, the reduction of the number of animals used to the minimum possible and the refinement of any techniques to reduce the harm suffered by the animals to the minimum.
The Home Office only allows the use of animals if it can be demonstrated that the benefits outweigh the harms and the 3Rs have been fully applied. This ensures that any project is justified by the expected benefits for humans, animals or the environment.
Minister of State (Home Office)
Our ongoing Stop! Think Fraud campaign continues to raise awareness and provide practical guidance to help both the public and businesses protect themselves against fraudulent activity.
Furthermore, the government has legislated to implement mandatory reimbursement for victims of Authorised Push Payment (APP) scams. This measure came into effect in October 2024 and is already contributing to improved outcomes for victims, while also strengthening incentives for firms to prevent these scams from occurring in the first place.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Safer Streets Summer Initiative will see a drive to reduce town centre criminality, shop theft, street crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) across England and Wales.
Running from 30 June to the end of September, it is focused on preventing crime and ASB in town centres through visible policing and swift, meaningful consequences for offenders. Crucially, this is a partnership-led approach. Police and Crime Commissioners and Deputy Mayors have submitted delivery plans outlining how they will work with councils, schools, health services, businesses, transport providers, and community organisations to tackle ASB, retail crime, and street crime.
We are monitoring activity monthly through national and local data to evidence outcomes of the Initiative. We will also be capturing local qualitative insights to understand progress and share learning across police forces and partners.
Across Northumbria police force area there are seventeen locations taking part in the Safer Streets Summer Initiative, including Elswick.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes official statistics on the number of religious hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales by the targeted religion of the victim. The Home Office does not hold data on who reported these crimes to the police.
The latest information, for the year ending March 2024, can be found here: Hate crime, England and Wales, year ending March 2024 - GOV.UK
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has not made an assessment of the potential impact of non-compliant number plates on the levels of revenue to traffic enforcement forces.
The Government is working closely with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), Trading Standards, local authorities and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not collect information related to the compliance of licence plates for vehicles which have been involved in criminal activity. Data may be held by local police forces.
Data be held locally by law enforcement organisations.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The police funding settlement provided territorial policing in England and Wales with additional funding of £230.3 million in 2025/26 to support forces with the cost of the changes to employer National Insurance Contributions set out in the Autumn Budget. Allocations were based on forces’ share of the total national workforce headcount as at 31 March 2024, which was 245,765.
Separately, in recognition of the decision to increase employer National Insurance Contributions, MHCLG provided £515 million to local authorities in England. This includes standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities, as well as Fire and Rescue Authorities that are part of a county council. Allocations are based on local authorities’ net current expenditure.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The health and wellbeing of our police is a top priority for the Home Office and it's essential that those who have faced traumatic incidents in the line of duty receive the support they need to recover and continue serving. We continue to fund the National Police Wellbeing Service who have developed an evidenced-based trauma support model which is now available to forces.
NPWS have also created a national suicide action plan which aims to educate and support the workforce, reduce stress and improve data recording. In addition, the Service is piloting a 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Support Line to provide urgent support for our police when they need it the most.
It is the responsibility of individual Chief Officers to effectively manage their workforce, ensuring the appropriate health and wellbeing provisions are in place for their officers and staff.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The health and wellbeing of our police is a top priority for the Home Office and it’s essential that those who have faced traumatic incidents in the line of duty receive the support they need to recover and continue serving. We continue to fund the National Police Wellbeing Service who have developed an evidenced-based trauma support model which is now available to forces.
NPWS have also created a national suicide action plan which aims to educate and support the workforce, reduce stress and improve data recording. In addition, the Service is piloting a 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Support Line to provide urgent support for our police when they need it the most.
It is the responsibility of individual Chief Officers to effectively manage their workforce, ensuring the appropriate health and wellbeing provisions are in place for their officers and staff.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Secretary has been clear that tackling mobile phone theft is a key priority. In February, the Home Secretary brought together police, the National Crime Agency, the Mayor of London, local government representatives, leading technology companies and others to drive greater collaboration in breaking the business model of mobile phone thieves. The Summit resulted in commitments from attendees to work in partnership, including to significantly boost the sharing of data and intelligence on mobile phone theft to build a comprehensive picture of the problem, better understand the role of organised crime networks and identify the most effective means of tackling these crimes.
The Home Secretary will reconvene the group shortly to review progress made and determine next steps to ensure that the police, technology companies and the Government continues to work together to tackle this criminality.
In addition, the Crime and Policing Bill includes a measure to give police the power to enter and search premises for stolen property that has been electronically geo-location tracked to those premises, where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant without seriously prejudicing the entry and search purpose. This power will support efforts to recover stolen phones before they can be resold.
Through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee we will also place thousands of additional police officers and police community support officers in neighbourhood policing roles to provide a more visible and effective service to the public, with each neighbourhood having a named, contactable officer dealing with local issues, including the theft of mobile phones.
Minister of State (Home Office)
Halving knife crime over the next decade is a key part of the Government’s Safer Streets Mission.
As part of this mission, we have launched the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime. The Coalition brings together campaign groups, families of people who have tragically lost their lives to knife crime, young people who have been impacted and community leaders, united in their mission to save lives and make Britain a safer place for all.
The Coalition includes representation from charities who work across Surrey and provide advice and expertise to the Government as it takes action to halve knife crime in a decade.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of notifiable offences, including arson offences, recorded by the police in England and Wales, at the Police Force Area level and the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) Area level.
This information is published on a quarterly basis, and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tables
The Home Office does not collect information at the Parliamentary Constituency level.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration and asylum system under regular review, and recently published a White Paper setting out the Government’s plans for reform in a wide range of areas, including employment opportunities for refugees, illegal working by asylum seekers, and exploitation and abuse of migrant workers.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The route was created following a Private Members’ Bill introduced to the House of Commons by the Right Honourable Gavin Robinson MP on 6 December 2023. The new route reflects the unique historical and geographical position of Ireland, and existing Common Travel Area arrangements. The Act received Royal Assent on the 24 May 2024.
Irish citizens already enjoy settlement rights upon entry to the UK under the provisions of the Common Travel Area.
Irish nationals will not be subject to demonstrating Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK. Irish nationals also are already able to demonstrate the language requirement for naturalisation through being nationals of a majority English-speaking country. We recognise that the UK has a unique relationship with Ireland, and the close historical links, geographical proximity and shared experiences between the two countries mean that those in this group would already have a sufficient knowledge of language and life in the UK.
The Home Office receives approximately 300-400 applications per year from Irish citizens on existing routes.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The route was created following a Private Members’ Bill introduced to the House of Commons by the Right Honourable Gavin Robinson MP on 6 December 2023. The new route reflects the unique historical and geographical position of Ireland, and existing Common Travel Area arrangements. The Act received Royal Assent on the 24 May 2024.
Irish citizens already enjoy settlement rights upon entry to the UK under the provisions of the Common Travel Area.
Irish nationals will not be subject to demonstrating Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK. Irish nationals also are already able to demonstrate the language requirement for naturalisation through being nationals of a majority English-speaking country. We recognise that the UK has a unique relationship with Ireland, and the close historical links, geographical proximity and shared experiences between the two countries mean that those in this group would already have a sufficient knowledge of language and life in the UK.
The Home Office receives approximately 300-400 applications per year from Irish citizens on existing routes.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The route was created following a Private Members’ Bill introduced to the House of Commons by the Right Honourable Gavin Robinson MP on 6 December 2023. The new route reflects the unique historical and geographical position of Ireland, and existing Common Travel Area arrangements. The Act received Royal Assent on the 24 May 2024.
Irish citizens already enjoy settlement rights upon entry to the UK under the provisions of the Common Travel Area.
Irish nationals will not be subject to demonstrating Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK. Irish nationals also are already able to demonstrate the language requirement for naturalisation through being nationals of a majority English-speaking country. We recognise that the UK has a unique relationship with Ireland, and the close historical links, geographical proximity and shared experiences between the two countries mean that those in this group would already have a sufficient knowledge of language and life in the UK.
The Home Office receives approximately 300-400 applications per year from Irish citizens on existing routes.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The route was created following a Private Members’ Bill introduced to the House of Commons by the Right Honourable Gavin Robinson MP on 6 December 2023. The new route reflects the unique historical and geographical position of Ireland, and existing Common Travel Area arrangements. The Act received Royal Assent on the 24 May 2024.
Irish citizens already enjoy settlement rights upon entry to the UK under the provisions of the Common Travel Area.
Irish nationals will not be subject to demonstrating Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK. Irish nationals also are already able to demonstrate the language requirement for naturalisation through being nationals of a majority English-speaking country. We recognise that the UK has a unique relationship with Ireland, and the close historical links, geographical proximity and shared experiences between the two countries mean that those in this group would already have a sufficient knowledge of language and life in the UK.
The Home Office receives approximately 300-400 applications per year from Irish citizens on existing routes.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Home Office ministers and officials receive correspondence from a range of businesses and other organisations on a regular basis.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office’s Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, sets out proposals for reform in a wide range of areas across the immigration and asylum system, including a cap on the amount of lower skilled migration into the UK.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him on 19 May in response to Question 51194.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The requested information is not available from published statistics.
Work is currently underway to improve the quality of information held by the department on FNOs. Further information can be found at: Statistics on foreign national offenders and the immigration system - GOV.UK.
Minister of State (Home Office)
Where biometric data cannot be collected at the time of encounter, the Biometric Enrolment: Policy Guidance – GOV.UK sets out the procedures that should be followed. Children under five are not required to provide fingerprints, though facial photographs should be taken. In cases involving individuals who are medically or physically unable to provide biometric data, the reason is recorded, and collection is deferred until the individual is able to comply except in circumstances where fingerprints can never be enrolled.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil our statutory obligations and deliver our commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels by the end of this Parliament.
Minister of State (Home Office)
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 before the end of May.
Of the total returns since 5 July 2024, 4,436 were of foreign national offenders (FNOs). This is an increase of 14% compared to the 3,879 FNO returns in the same period 12 months prior.
The specific information requested is not currently available from published statistics, but work is currently underway to publish more detailed information on FNOs subject to deportation. Further information on this work can be found at: Statistics on foreign national offenders and the immigration system - GOV.UK.
Minister of State (Home Office)