Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation requirement from 25 February 2026 on dual British nationals travelling to the UK.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
We have been clear on the requirement for dual British citizens to travel with a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement. This requirement applies equally to all British citizens, whether or not they hold another nationality. We recognise the enforcement of ETAs by carriers is a significant change, and so we have provided additional temporary guidance to carriers on possible alternative documentation, and have put in place around the clock support for carriers to prepare for these changes. In line with current practice, on arrival at the UK border, Border Force will still assess a person’s eligibility to enter the UK and conduct additional checks if required.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that passports sent to UK Visas and Immigration are returned in a timely manner.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Visa processing times are published on the UKVI website at Visa processing times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). UKVI are currently processing applications on the overwhelming majority of its visa routes within their published customer service standards.
With the introduction of the eVisa digital permission, eligible customers can complete their biometric appointment at the Visa Application Centre (VAC) and retain their passport. Where customers applied before eVisa rollout, passports are retained whilst a decision is being made on their visa application by the Home Office and when a decision is made, this is communicated to the Visa Application Centre who in turn contact the customer to arrange collection of their passport. Some customers can purchase an optional service to retain their passport whilst a decision is being taken.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of applying the proposed immigration reforms to BNO visa holders who are already registered to vote on the electorate.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.
We sought views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, which was open between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. We will now carefully review and analyse all responses received and the findings will support the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures. Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.
Economic and equality impact assessments will be conducted on the final model and will consider the impacts on different groups and will be published in due course.
In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the number and proportion of licensed sponsoring employers for (a) Skilled Worker visa holders and (b) Health and Care Worker visa holders registered in each local authority area.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data.
Statistics regarding the UK population is a matter for the independent Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Asked by: Julian Smith (Conservative - Skipton and Ripon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to investigate the use of English-as-a-Foreign-Language Courses as a route for individuals trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein to obtain UK visas.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
This is a live police investigation, so we are unable to comment. The Government stands ready to support the police in whatever way it can.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of UK Visa and Immigration holding applicants' passports for multiple months on those applicants.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Visa processing times are published on the UKVI website at Visa processing times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). UKVI are currently processing applications on the overwhelming majority of its visa routes within their published customer service standards.
With the introduction of the eVisa digital permission, eligible customers can complete their biometric appointment at the Visa Application Centre (VAC) and retain their passport. Where customers applied before eVisa rollout, passports are retained whilst a decision is being made on their visa application by the Home Office and when a decision is made, this is communicated to the Visa Application Centre who in turn contact the customer to arrange collection of their passport. Some customers can purchase an optional service to retain their passport whilst a decision is being taken.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps is her department taking to ensure all UK Visa and Immigration applications are processed in a timely manner.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Visa processing times are published on the UKVI website at Visa processing times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). UKVI are currently processing applications on the overwhelming majority of its visa routes within their published customer service standards.
With the introduction of the eVisa digital permission, eligible customers can complete their biometric appointment at the Visa Application Centre (VAC) and retain their passport. Where customers applied before eVisa rollout, passports are retained whilst a decision is being made on their visa application by the Home Office and when a decision is made, this is communicated to the Visa Application Centre who in turn contact the customer to arrange collection of their passport. Some customers can purchase an optional service to retain their passport whilst a decision is being taken.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme public register, how many registrations have been made since the introduction of the scheme which have not be publicly published; and for what reason there are no political influence registrations relating to countries on the enhanced tier.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
As of the 5th of March, there are 11 registrations on the FIRS public register. We will not provide details of registrations beyond that which is on the public register as to do so could identify information not intended to be published and undermine the scheme’s objectives.
Registrations under the enhanced tier will not be published, unless they relate to political influence activities. There are additionally circumstances where exceptions to publication may apply, for example where publication could create a risk to the safety or interests of the UK or to an individual or entity’s safety.
The Government will be publishing an annual report setting out, among other things, the number of registrations across both tiers, number of information notices issued, the number of persons charged with an offence and the number of persons convicted of an offence. The first report will be published as soon as practicable after 30 June 2026.
FIRS is a new scheme, and a published impact assessment sets out expected numbers of registrations in the first year (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-security-bill-overarching-documents/impact-assessment-foreign-influence-registration-scheme-accessible)
Where there is evidence of a criminal offence having been committed, including failure to register with FIRS, the Government will refer the matter to the police.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 92 of the Strategic Defence Review, how many meetings officials from their Department have attended on the national conversation on defence and security; which directorate in their Department is responsible for the departmental contribution to that national conversation; and what the job title is of the official responsible.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Officials from the Home Office regularly attend meetings to discuss matters of national security, defence and resilience as well as the associated public communications required to deliver these lines of efforts. The conversation on National Defence was a recommendation in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which the Government accepted. The Ministry of Defence is the lead department for delivering the SDR, with support from the Cabinet Office, and particularly from the National Security Secretariat.
As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation will be a multi-year, cross-departmental effort designed to deliver on the whole-of-society approach to national security and defence allowing Government, the private sector and public to play their part in strengthening the UK’s resilience to any potential future shocks. This work addresses the risks and threats the UK faces, including those below and above the threshold of an armed attack.
Asked by: Luke Akehurst (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many registrations have been made under the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme; and how many of those registrations have included the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
As of the 5th of March, there are 11 registrations on the FIRS public register. We will not provide details of registrations beyond that which is on the public register as to do so could identify information not intended to be published and undermine the scheme’s objectives.
Registrations under the enhanced tier will not be published, unless they relate to political influence activities. There are also circumstances where exceptions to publication may apply, for example, where publication could create a risk to the safety or interests of the UK.
However, the Government will be publishing an annual report setting out, among other things, the number of registrations under both tiers, number of information notices issued, the number of persons charged with an offence and the number of persons convicted of an offence.
The first report will be published as soon as practicable after 30 June 2026.