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Written Question
Asylum: Applications
Monday 23rd March 2026

Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what modelling they have undertaken of the likely impact of 30-monthly reviews on asylum decision backlogs and processing times.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

We want to encourage refugees to integrate more fully into the communities providing them sanctuary and we will encourage refugees to switch out of the Core Protection route wherever possible into a new, bespoke work and study route. In addition to the wider the socio-economic advantages, this will also enable them to access family reunion and settlement rights with new fees and conditions in accordance with the rules of that route.

We are committed to ensuring our policies are sustainable and do not place unnecessary burdens on the taxpayer, and this policy is no different. In terms of resources and processing, only those who do remain on Core Protection will have their protection needs regularly reviewed. Reviews will be targeted based on objective country information, and any other new information that comes to light, allowing us to make the most efficient use of resources. We will continue to monitor staffing levels and will deploy our workforce flexibly subject to business needs as we have done in the past.

The approach to reviewing status will be efficient and targeted; we will reassess where country conditions or personal circumstances have changed significantly.

To do this we will build on the efficiencies that have already seen record levels of initial decisions being made, including use of AI, such as our policy search tool or case summarisation which are already assisting asylum decision makers.

Written Question
Refugees: Resettlement
Monday 23rd March 2026

Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to establishing additional safe and legal routes for refugees to the United Kingdom alongside the Community Sponsorship Scheme.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Restoring Order and Control policy statement set out how the Government would transform its approach to safe and legal routes. Alongside the new community sponsorship route, the Government committed to the creation of capped routes for refugee and displaced students to study in the UK, and for skilled refugees and displaced people to come to the UK for work.

Work is underway to operationalise these new routes and further details will be provided in due course.

Division Vote (Lords)
19 Mar 2026 - Pension Schemes Bill - View Vote Context
Lord German (LD) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 46 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 217 Noes - 113
Division Vote (Lords)
19 Mar 2026 - Pension Schemes Bill - View Vote Context
Lord German (LD) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 40 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 184 Noes - 118
Division Vote (Lords)
19 Mar 2026 - Pension Schemes Bill - View Vote Context
Lord German (LD) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 40 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 191 Noes - 118
Division Vote (Lords)
19 Mar 2026 - Pension Schemes Bill - View Vote Context
Lord German (LD) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 43 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 217 Noes - 107
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 19 Mar 2026
Refugee Movements: Lebanon

"My Lords—..."
Lord German - View Speech

View all Lord German (LD - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Refugee Movements: Lebanon
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 19 Mar 2026
Refugee Movements: Lebanon

"My Lords, I draw attention to my interests; I am supported by the RAMP organisation. Based on yesterday’s figures, one million people are displaced in a country that already takes more displaced people than any other country in the world. We are talking about a massive humanitarian problem. The United …..."
Lord German - View Speech

View all Lord German (LD - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Refugee Movements: Lebanon
Division Vote (Lords)
18 Mar 2026 - Crime and Policing Bill - View Vote Context
Lord German (LD) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 56 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 0 Liberal Democrat No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 225 Noes - 189
Speech in Grand Committee - Mon 16 Mar 2026
Treaty Scrutiny in Westminster (International Agreements Committee Report)

"My Lords, I am loath to repeat what has been said before, but I want to thank the noble and learned Lord, Lord Goldsmith, for this report and for outlining its principles very clearly, which are, to encompass them in just one sentence, that the current legal framework in which …..."
Lord German - View Speech

View all Lord German (LD - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Treaty Scrutiny in Westminster (International Agreements Committee Report)