Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had recent discussions with her international counterparts on the potential cost to the public purse of proposed agreements with third countries to take failed asylum seekers from the UK.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
We do not provide a running commentary on discussions with our overseas partners.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to increase the number of apprenticeship starts in her Department.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
We remain committed to supporting the use of apprenticeships across all government departments to break down barriers to opportunity. This includes supporting the Government's commitment to 2,000 digital apprenticeships through its TechTrack scheme by 2030 to improve digital skills and drive improvements and efficiency in public services.
Additionally, a new cross-Government Level 3 apprenticeship programme in Business Administration, The ‘Civil Service Career Launch Apprenticeship’ (CLA), will see new apprentices kickstart their careers, across various departments, starting from January 2026.
In addition, in the Home Department we have recently launched a new Apprenticeship Strategy designed to accelerate progress in embedding apprenticeships across the department. This strategy is aimed at significantly expanding access to high-quality apprenticeship opportunities across all areas of our workforce, with a ‘think apprenticeship first’ approach.
As part of this strategy, we have set an ambitious target: at least 5% of our staff will be undertaking an apprenticeship at any given time. This target reflects our strong commitment to developing talent, supporting career progression, and addressing skills gaps within the Department.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the total value of contracts awarded to Clearsprings Ready Homes in relation to housing asylum seekers since 2019.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Contract Values for the AASC contracts, awarded by the previous government, to Clearsprings Ready Homes are £334,000,000 (Wales) and £662,000,000 (South).
These values and further details are available publicly on Contracts Finder:
AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Wales - Contracts Finder
AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract South - Contracts Finder
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish membership of the Labour Market Evidence Group ahead of its establishment.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Labour Market Evidence (LME) Group will be comprised of:
• The Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, who are encouraged to focus on domestic recruitment and training;
• The Department for Work and Pensions, tasked with reducing economic inactivity and increasing workforce participation;
• Skills England and equivalent organisations in the Devolved Governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which will target training needs; and
• The Migration Advisory Committee which will guide immigration policy.
The LME Group will be set up in due course.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Labour Market Evidence Group will be set up.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Labour Market Evidence (LME) Group will be comprised of:
• The Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, who are encouraged to focus on domestic recruitment and training;
• The Department for Work and Pensions, tasked with reducing economic inactivity and increasing workforce participation;
• Skills England and equivalent organisations in the Devolved Governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which will target training needs; and
• The Migration Advisory Committee which will guide immigration policy.
The LME Group will be set up in due course.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's definition is of a graduate level job which students must acquire in order to remain in the UK after their studies.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, and recently published a White Paper setting out the Government’s plans for reforms in relation to Family visas, graduate rules, settlement criteria, and a range of other areas.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the proposed 10 year residence criteria for migrants will include time spent in the person's country of origin on extended leave.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, and recently published a White Paper setting out the Government’s plans for reforms in relation to Family visas, graduate rules, settlement criteria, and a range of other areas.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an annual statement to Parliament on the progress on her plan to reduce immigration.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, and recently published a White Paper setting out the Government’s plans for reforms in relation to Family visas, graduate rules, settlement criteria, and a range of other areas.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to cap the number of family visas annually.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, and recently published a White Paper setting out the Government’s plans for reforms in relation to Family visas, graduate rules, settlement criteria, and a range of other areas.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the proposed ten year residence criteria for migrants will include time spent in a third country.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, and recently published a White Paper setting out the Government’s plans for reforms in relation to Family visas, graduate rules, settlement criteria, and a range of other areas.