Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her department has made of the cost to local authorities of emergency social services provisions to those affected by changes to earned settlement.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.
As part of this consultation, we sought views on the potential impact of the proposed changes, including on local authorities.
We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.
Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic and equality impact assessments.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a introducing an expedited process for frontline healthcare organisations requiring Certificates of Sponsorship to support visa renewals.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Working alongside the DHSC-funded Regional Partnerships, UKVI have already established a process for expediting the processing of applications for the social care sector.
This supports visa renewals and those care workers who have been impacted by their employer's licence being revoked. This involves a letter of support from the relevant Director for Adult Social Services (DASS) being issued to a specific UKVI mailbox which receives preferential consideration over other priority services.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what engagements she has had with the Windrush Commissioner since he took up that role.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Independent Windrush Commissioner, since his appointment last year, has engaged regularly with the Minister for Migration and Citizenship and senior Home Office officials and will continue to do so as part of his role in overseeing progress on the Government’s commitments.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her written statement of 2 March 2026 on Asylum changes, by what date her department intends to have operationalised a Named Community Sponsorship scheme for refugee resettlement.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
In the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government committed to transforming its approach to safe and legal routes. This included the creation of a named sponsorship scheme to enable community groups to sponsor refugees and displaced persons.
Work is underway to deliver the named community sponsorship route.
Further details, including timeframes for the launch of the route and the volume of beneficiaries, will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her written statement of 2 March 2026 on Asylum changes, what assessment her department has made of the adequacy of the timeline for establishing a Named Community Sponsorship scheme.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
In the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government committed to transforming its approach to safe and legal routes. This included the creation of a named sponsorship scheme to enable community groups to sponsor refugees and displaced persons.
Work is underway to deliver the named community sponsorship route.
Further details, including timeframes for the launch of the route and the volume of beneficiaries, will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her written statement of 2 March 2026 on Asylum changes, what the target number of resettlements is under a Named Community Sponsorship scheme.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
In the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government committed to transforming its approach to safe and legal routes. This included the creation of a named sponsorship scheme to enable community groups to sponsor refugees and displaced persons.
Work is underway to deliver the named community sponsorship route.
Further details, including timeframes for the launch of the route and the volume of beneficiaries, will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of people eligible for compensation under the Windrush compensation scheme that have not made a claim.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
As of the end of December 2025, the Windrush Compensation Scheme had received 11,133 claims. Of those, 10,696 claims (over 94% of all claims received) had received a final decision, with 9,061 claims fully closed.
The Government remains committed to improving the Windrush Compensation Scheme. To ensure those who wish to apply to the scheme are supported to do so, the Government launched the £1.5 million Windrush Compensation Advocacy Support Fund in 2025, enabling trusted local organisations to help claimants gather evidence and complete applications. The Year 2 funding round opened on 12 January and closed on 6 February, with successful bids to be announced shortly.
Work is also underway, in collaboration with the Windrush Commissioner, to review the scheme’s application process.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has considered the potential merits of reforming the application process to the Windrush compensation scheme.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
As of the end of December 2025, the Windrush Compensation Scheme had received 11,133 claims. Of those, 10,696 claims (over 94% of all claims received) had received a final decision, with 9,061 claims fully closed.
The Government remains committed to improving the Windrush Compensation Scheme. To ensure those who wish to apply to the scheme are supported to do so, the Government launched the £1.5 million Windrush Compensation Advocacy Support Fund in 2025, enabling trusted local organisations to help claimants gather evidence and complete applications. The Year 2 funding round opened on 12 January and closed on 6 February, with successful bids to be announced shortly.
Work is also underway, in collaboration with the Windrush Commissioner, to review the scheme’s application process.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Windrush compensation scheme.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
As of the end of December 2025, the Windrush Compensation Scheme had received 11,133 claims. Of those, 10,696 claims (over 94% of all claims received) had received a final decision, with 9,061 claims fully closed.
The Government remains committed to improving the Windrush Compensation Scheme. To ensure those who wish to apply to the scheme are supported to do so, the Government launched the £1.5 million Windrush Compensation Advocacy Support Fund in 2025, enabling trusted local organisations to help claimants gather evidence and complete applications. The Year 2 funding round opened on 12 January and closed on 6 February, with successful bids to be announced shortly.
Work is also underway, in collaboration with the Windrush Commissioner, to review the scheme’s application process.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of claimants for the Windrush compensation scheme whose applications are being processed.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
As of the end of December 2025, the Windrush Compensation Scheme had received 11,133 claims. Of those, 10,696 claims (over 94% of all claims received) had received a final decision, with 9,061 claims fully closed.
The Government remains committed to improving the Windrush Compensation Scheme. To ensure those who wish to apply to the scheme are supported to do so, the Government launched the £1.5 million Windrush Compensation Advocacy Support Fund in 2025, enabling trusted local organisations to help claimants gather evidence and complete applications. The Year 2 funding round opened on 12 January and closed on 6 February, with successful bids to be announced shortly.
Work is also underway, in collaboration with the Windrush Commissioner, to review the scheme’s application process.