Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that the use of return hubs will not be subject to external judicial scrutiny.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has been clear we will continue to work with international partners to tackle the global migration crisis. Our guiding principle will always be that any partnership must be workable and meet our international obligations.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of allowing individuals to provide a physical proof of residency for applications under the EU Settlement Scheme.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office seeks to process all applications to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) as swiftly as possible.
Details of the processing times can be found on the GOV.UK website – (EU Settlement Scheme: current estimated processing times for applications - GOV.UK) which advises on expected processing times and common reasons why an application may take longer to conclude.
As it is now more than four years since the deadline to apply to the main scheme, the majority of applications are from people who already hold an initial grant of pre-settled status who are seeking settled status. To improve customer service we have introduced an automated process to automatically convert eligible pre-settled status holders to settled status, without the need for them to make a further application.
The EUSS automation process reduces the burden on tens of thousands of customers and supports our ambition to ensure people have the right EUSS status.
The EU Settlement Scheme was the first fully digital immigration route. As such, customers provide evidence to support their applications online, rather than sending in physical evidence. This approach ensures that applicants can retain their key documents.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to improve the process for applications under the EU Settlement Scheme.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office seeks to process all applications to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) as swiftly as possible.
Details of the processing times can be found on the GOV.UK website – (EU Settlement Scheme: current estimated processing times for applications - GOV.UK) which advises on expected processing times and common reasons why an application may take longer to conclude.
As it is now more than four years since the deadline to apply to the main scheme, the majority of applications are from people who already hold an initial grant of pre-settled status who are seeking settled status. To improve customer service we have introduced an automated process to automatically convert eligible pre-settled status holders to settled status, without the need for them to make a further application.
The EUSS automation process reduces the burden on tens of thousands of customers and supports our ambition to ensure people have the right EUSS status.
The EU Settlement Scheme was the first fully digital immigration route. As such, customers provide evidence to support their applications online, rather than sending in physical evidence. This approach ensures that applicants can retain their key documents.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Home Office and its subcontractor are paying above market rates to hire Houses in Multiple Occupation for asylum accommodation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly. This includes our accommodation sites, as the Home Office continues to identify a range of options to minimise the use of hotels and ensure better use of public money, whilst maintaining sufficient accommodation to meet demand.
The procurement process is guided by principles of sustainability and measured growth, ensuring that accommodation is not only available but also suitable for long-term use and integrated within local communities.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether people living in the UK on family visas will be exempt from the sustained economic contribution requirement under proposed changes to earned settlement.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The new earned settlement model is currently subject to an ongoing public consultation, due to conclude on 12 February 2026. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment has been made of adequacy of the (a) support and (b) guidance available for those who are unable to access their e-visas.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office has a robust support model in place that strives to ensure that all people, including the most vulnerable, are properly supported to access their eVisa and use the View and Prove service:
We have delivered £4.4m of grant funding across 18 months to 72 voluntary and community sector organisations across the UK to support customers who needed help transitioning from a physical document to an eVisa.
People who need support can contact the UKVI Resolution Centre, which provides support via email and webchat to those creating their UKVI account, and telephone support to those using the online immigration status services. This includes supporting users through the online journey by:
o helping them to access or recover their account
o helping them to update their personal details
o sharing status on behalf of users if they are unable to do so themselves
Should anyone find themselves needing support with creating their UKVI account or getting access to their eVisa, the latest updates and guidance can be found on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/evisa.
Employers and landlords in England can use the Employer Checking Service (ECS) and Landlord Checking Service (LCS) to check the status of people who are having difficulty providing digital status evidence.
An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) was completed on the first phase of the roll out of eVisas to EEA nationals on 9 November 2020, which built on the Policy Equality Statement (PES) for the EUSS which was produced in 2017 and published on the gov.uk website on 18 November 2020:
A separate EIA considering equalities issues in relation to the use of digital only right to work and rent checks was published on gov.uk in June 2022:
We are also in the process of reviewing our eVisas EIA, setting out further analysis of the equalities issues to reflect the current stage in the roll out of eVisas, and we will continue to keep the issue under review.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which government departments and schemes will explicitly include families with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) within their eligibility criteria following the introduction of new guidance; and what steps will be taken to monitor and enforce consistency of support across these schemes.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The new guidance being produced by the Home Office is designed to assist local authorities in supporting families with NRPF, as set out in the Child Poverty Strategy. The guidance will provide clarity around statutory duties and key safeguards for local authorities, ensuring a clear and consistent approach. The guidance does not alter the eligibility criteria for any current schemes or benefits.
Children whose families are subject to the ‘no recourse to public funds’ condition (NRPF) can currently access schemes and benefits such as free school meals, 15 hours of free childcare for disadvantaged two-year-olds and15 hours free childcare for three- to four-year-old.
The Home Office will continue to work across government where relevant to ensure that migrant children with NRPF are specifically considered when reviewing or deciding on eligibility for schemes and benefits.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her statement, entitled A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, of 20 November, if she will explain the impact of the changes on pathways to settlement on the children of British National (Overseas) visa holders.
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.
BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements. Children of BN(O) visa holders will also remain on the 5-year path to settlement in line with their parents.
We are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, including on how dependants should be accommodated within an earned settlement system, and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation.
In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support people with British Nationals (Overseas) visas in relation to the changes set out in the Command Paper entitled A Fairer Pathway to Settlement.
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.
BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.
We are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation.
Once the changes are implemented, we will publish clear guidance for BN(O) visa holders to help them understand any new requirements.
In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the 20-year baseline for refugees on core protection routes for Hong Kongers (a) born after 1997 and (b) whose parents did not register for BN(O) status; whether B1 English-language qualifications will remain valid for BN(O) visa holders approaching eligibility for Indefinite Leave to Remain; and what her Department's plans are for BN(O) residents who contribute to society in non-financial ways, including carers, elderly people, students and stay-at-home parents.
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.
BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements. Children of BN(O) status holders born after 1997 are eligible for the BN(O) route and will therefore qualify for the same reduction.
We are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation, including which groups might be exempted from requirements to demonstrate earnings.
In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply, including the current B1 English language requirement.