Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the First Minister of Scotland on a second independence referendum.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
Another independence referendum is firmly off the table.
At a time when families are focused on household bills and public services, constitutional division is a distraction.
Both of Scotland's governments should be working hand in glove to drive opportunity and investment into every community.
I look forward to joining the Prime Minister and the First Minister at the National Economic Council on Friday to focus on what truly matters: delivering jobs, growth, and prosperity for the people of Scotland.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Immigration Officers were employed in the operational arm of the Foreign National Offender Returns Command Immigration Prison Team on 2 September 2026; which prisons those officers were based in; and whether they were located (a) within the prison estate, (b) in embedded hubs and (c) in other facilities.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not publish the number of visits conducted by immigration officers (IOs) in UK prisons.
It may be useful to note that Immigration Prison Team (IPT) IOs do a significant number of engagements by virtual means, particularly across the Scottish Prison Service estate.
Consequently, the number of physical visits conducted by IOs would not accurately reflect the work IPT do across the prison estate.
However, as of 2 September 2026, there were 93 IOs employed by Foreign National Offender Returns Command. These officers are located within the IPT, which covers all prisons in the UK. Most of the IPT’s officers are embedded in prison locations. However, some are located within Home Office (HO) premises, from where they conduct prison visits.
The number of IOs embedded in a hub and the prisons they cover are:
Embedded Hub | Prisons Covered | Number of IOs (some of which will be part-time) |
HMPs Pentonville and The Mount | HMPs Pentonville & The Mount Feltham YOI HMP Ford HMP Lewes | 8 |
HMP The Verne | HMP The Verne HMP Ashfield HMP Bristol HMP Cardiff HMP Channings Wood HMP Eastwood Park HMP Erlestoke HMP Exeter HMP Guys Marsh HMP Leyhill HMP Parc HMP Swansea HMP Usk HMP Prescoed | 6 |
HMP Highpoint | HMP Highpoint HMP Bure HMP Chelmsford HMP Hollesley Bay HMP LIttlehey HMP Norwich HMP Peterborough (Female) HMP Warren Hill HMP Wayland HMP Whiteland | 6 |
HMP Hewell | HMP Hewell HMP Birmingham HMP Brinsford HMP Dovegate HMP Drake Hall HMP Featherstone HMP Foston Hall HMP Long Lartin HMP Oakwood HMP Onley HMP Rye Hill HMP Stafford HMP Stoke Heath HMP Sudbury HMP Swinfen Hall | 9 |
HMP Risley | HMP Risley HMP Altcourse HMP Berwyn HMP Buckley Hall HMP Forest Bank HMP Garth HMP Haverigg HMP Hindley HMP Kirkham HMP Lancaster Farms HMP Liverpool HMP Manchester HMP Preston HMP Styal HMP Thorn Cross HMP Wymott | 8 |
HMP Moorland | HMP Moorland HMP Fosse Way HMP Gartree HMP Hatfield HMP Hull HMP Humber HMP Leicester HMP Lindholme HMP Nottingham HMP Whatton HMP Ranby | 6 |
HMP Maidstone | HMP Maidstone HMP Cookham Wood HMP East Sutton Park HMP Elmley HMP Rochester HMP Standford Hill HMP Swaleside | 9 |
HMP Huntercombe | HMP Aylesbury HMP Bullingdon HMP Bedford HMP Five Wells HMP Grendon HMP Spring Hill HMP Woodhill | 7 |
HMP Wormwood Scrubs | HMP Wormwood Scrubs HMP Bronzefield HMP Winchester | 6 |
HMP Wandsworth | HMP Wandsworth HMP Brixton HMP Highdown | 6 |
HMP Morton Hall | HMP Morton Hall HMP Lincoln HMP Stocken HMP Lowdham Grange HMP North Sea Camp HMP Peterborough (Male) | 6 |
HMP Barlinnie | HMP Barlinnie HMP Addiewell HMP Castle Huntly HMP Cornton Vale & YOI HMP Dumfries HMP Edinburgh HMP Glenochil HMP Greenock HMP Kilmarnock HMP Low Moss HMP Perth & YOI HMP Shotts HMP Stirling Polmont YOI | 5 |
The two teams below are not embedded in any HMP location, but are based at HO locations and deploy staff to HMP locations as required:
Embedded Hub | Prisons Covered | Number of IOs (some of which will be part-time) |
HMPs Thameside, Belmarsh and Isis (2RS) | HMPs Thameside, Belmarsh and Isis HMP Coldingley HMP Downview HMP Isle of Wight HMP Send | 5 |
Leeds Mobile (Leeds WSC) | HMP Askham HMP Deerbolt HMP Doncaster HMP Durham HMP Frankland HMP Full Sutton HMP Holme House HMP Kirklevington Grange HMP Low Newton HMP New Hall HMP Northumberland HMP Wakefield HMP Wealstun HMP Werrington HMP Wetherby N Ireland HMP Hydebank Wood HMP Maghaberry HMP Magilligan | 5 + 1 NI based |
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, where the embedded hubs for Immigration Prison Teams are located; which prisons are included in each hub; and how many Immigration Officers are employed in each hub.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not publish the number of visits conducted by immigration officers (IOs) in UK prisons.
It may be useful to note that Immigration Prison Team (IPT) IOs do a significant number of engagements by virtual means, particularly across the Scottish Prison Service estate.
Consequently, the number of physical visits conducted by IOs would not accurately reflect the work IPT do across the prison estate.
However, as of 2 September 2026, there were 93 IOs employed by Foreign National Offender Returns Command. These officers are located within the IPT, which covers all prisons in the UK. Most of the IPT’s officers are embedded in prison locations. However, some are located within Home Office (HO) premises, from where they conduct prison visits.
The number of IOs embedded in a hub and the prisons they cover are:
Embedded Hub | Prisons Covered | Number of IOs (some of which will be part-time) |
HMPs Pentonville and The Mount | HMPs Pentonville & The Mount Feltham YOI HMP Ford HMP Lewes | 8 |
HMP The Verne | HMP The Verne HMP Ashfield HMP Bristol HMP Cardiff HMP Channings Wood HMP Eastwood Park HMP Erlestoke HMP Exeter HMP Guys Marsh HMP Leyhill HMP Parc HMP Swansea HMP Usk HMP Prescoed | 6 |
HMP Highpoint | HMP Highpoint HMP Bure HMP Chelmsford HMP Hollesley Bay HMP LIttlehey HMP Norwich HMP Peterborough (Female) HMP Warren Hill HMP Wayland HMP Whiteland | 6 |
HMP Hewell | HMP Hewell HMP Birmingham HMP Brinsford HMP Dovegate HMP Drake Hall HMP Featherstone HMP Foston Hall HMP Long Lartin HMP Oakwood HMP Onley HMP Rye Hill HMP Stafford HMP Stoke Heath HMP Sudbury HMP Swinfen Hall | 9 |
HMP Risley | HMP Risley HMP Altcourse HMP Berwyn HMP Buckley Hall HMP Forest Bank HMP Garth HMP Haverigg HMP Hindley HMP Kirkham HMP Lancaster Farms HMP Liverpool HMP Manchester HMP Preston HMP Styal HMP Thorn Cross HMP Wymott | 8 |
HMP Moorland | HMP Moorland HMP Fosse Way HMP Gartree HMP Hatfield HMP Hull HMP Humber HMP Leicester HMP Lindholme HMP Nottingham HMP Whatton HMP Ranby | 6 |
HMP Maidstone | HMP Maidstone HMP Cookham Wood HMP East Sutton Park HMP Elmley HMP Rochester HMP Standford Hill HMP Swaleside | 9 |
HMP Huntercombe | HMP Aylesbury HMP Bullingdon HMP Bedford HMP Five Wells HMP Grendon HMP Spring Hill HMP Woodhill | 7 |
HMP Wormwood Scrubs | HMP Wormwood Scrubs HMP Bronzefield HMP Winchester | 6 |
HMP Wandsworth | HMP Wandsworth HMP Brixton HMP Highdown | 6 |
HMP Morton Hall | HMP Morton Hall HMP Lincoln HMP Stocken HMP Lowdham Grange HMP North Sea Camp HMP Peterborough (Male) | 6 |
HMP Barlinnie | HMP Barlinnie HMP Addiewell HMP Castle Huntly HMP Cornton Vale & YOI HMP Dumfries HMP Edinburgh HMP Glenochil HMP Greenock HMP Kilmarnock HMP Low Moss HMP Perth & YOI HMP Shotts HMP Stirling Polmont YOI | 5 |
The two teams below are not embedded in any HMP location, but are based at HO locations and deploy staff to HMP locations as required:
Embedded Hub | Prisons Covered | Number of IOs (some of which will be part-time) |
HMPs Thameside, Belmarsh and Isis (2RS) | HMPs Thameside, Belmarsh and Isis HMP Coldingley HMP Downview HMP Isle of Wight HMP Send | 5 |
Leeds Mobile (Leeds WSC) | HMP Askham HMP Deerbolt HMP Doncaster HMP Durham HMP Frankland HMP Full Sutton HMP Holme House HMP Kirklevington Grange HMP Low Newton HMP New Hall HMP Northumberland HMP Wakefield HMP Wealstun HMP Werrington HMP Wetherby N Ireland HMP Hydebank Wood HMP Maghaberry HMP Magilligan | 5 + 1 NI based |
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many visits by Immigration Officers have taken place in each Scottish prison in each year since 2015.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not publish the number of visits conducted by immigration officers (IOs) in UK prisons.
It may be useful to note that Immigration Prison Team (IPT) IOs do a significant number of engagements by virtual means, particularly across the Scottish Prison Service estate.
Consequently, the number of physical visits conducted by IOs would not accurately reflect the work IPT do across the prison estate.
However, as of 2 September 2026, there were 93 IOs employed by Foreign National Offender Returns Command. These officers are located within the IPT, which covers all prisons in the UK. Most of the IPT’s officers are embedded in prison locations. However, some are located within Home Office (HO) premises, from where they conduct prison visits.
The number of IOs embedded in a hub and the prisons they cover are:
Embedded Hub | Prisons Covered | Number of IOs (some of which will be part-time) |
HMPs Pentonville and The Mount | HMPs Pentonville & The Mount Feltham YOI HMP Ford HMP Lewes | 8 |
HMP The Verne | HMP The Verne HMP Ashfield HMP Bristol HMP Cardiff HMP Channings Wood HMP Eastwood Park HMP Erlestoke HMP Exeter HMP Guys Marsh HMP Leyhill HMP Parc HMP Swansea HMP Usk HMP Prescoed | 6 |
HMP Highpoint | HMP Highpoint HMP Bure HMP Chelmsford HMP Hollesley Bay HMP LIttlehey HMP Norwich HMP Peterborough (Female) HMP Warren Hill HMP Wayland HMP Whiteland | 6 |
HMP Hewell | HMP Hewell HMP Birmingham HMP Brinsford HMP Dovegate HMP Drake Hall HMP Featherstone HMP Foston Hall HMP Long Lartin HMP Oakwood HMP Onley HMP Rye Hill HMP Stafford HMP Stoke Heath HMP Sudbury HMP Swinfen Hall | 9 |
HMP Risley | HMP Risley HMP Altcourse HMP Berwyn HMP Buckley Hall HMP Forest Bank HMP Garth HMP Haverigg HMP Hindley HMP Kirkham HMP Lancaster Farms HMP Liverpool HMP Manchester HMP Preston HMP Styal HMP Thorn Cross HMP Wymott | 8 |
HMP Moorland | HMP Moorland HMP Fosse Way HMP Gartree HMP Hatfield HMP Hull HMP Humber HMP Leicester HMP Lindholme HMP Nottingham HMP Whatton HMP Ranby | 6 |
HMP Maidstone | HMP Maidstone HMP Cookham Wood HMP East Sutton Park HMP Elmley HMP Rochester HMP Standford Hill HMP Swaleside | 9 |
HMP Huntercombe | HMP Aylesbury HMP Bullingdon HMP Bedford HMP Five Wells HMP Grendon HMP Spring Hill HMP Woodhill | 7 |
HMP Wormwood Scrubs | HMP Wormwood Scrubs HMP Bronzefield HMP Winchester | 6 |
HMP Wandsworth | HMP Wandsworth HMP Brixton HMP Highdown | 6 |
HMP Morton Hall | HMP Morton Hall HMP Lincoln HMP Stocken HMP Lowdham Grange HMP North Sea Camp HMP Peterborough (Male) | 6 |
HMP Barlinnie | HMP Barlinnie HMP Addiewell HMP Castle Huntly HMP Cornton Vale & YOI HMP Dumfries HMP Edinburgh HMP Glenochil HMP Greenock HMP Kilmarnock HMP Low Moss HMP Perth & YOI HMP Shotts HMP Stirling Polmont YOI | 5 |
The two teams below are not embedded in any HMP location, but are based at HO locations and deploy staff to HMP locations as required:
Embedded Hub | Prisons Covered | Number of IOs (some of which will be part-time) |
HMPs Thameside, Belmarsh and Isis (2RS) | HMPs Thameside, Belmarsh and Isis HMP Coldingley HMP Downview HMP Isle of Wight HMP Send | 5 |
Leeds Mobile (Leeds WSC) | HMP Askham HMP Deerbolt HMP Doncaster HMP Durham HMP Frankland HMP Full Sutton HMP Holme House HMP Kirklevington Grange HMP Low Newton HMP New Hall HMP Northumberland HMP Wakefield HMP Wealstun HMP Werrington HMP Wetherby N Ireland HMP Hydebank Wood HMP Maghaberry HMP Magilligan | 5 + 1 NI based |
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of UK asylum processing backlogs on Scottish local authority public services.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
We have restored order to what was a huge backlog of cases, with a streamlined and stable caseload that can be processed quickly and efficiently, ensuring people spend less time awaiting an initial asylum decision.
At the end of June 2026 there were 40,168 people (relating to 32,401 cases) awaiting an initial decision, 56% less than at the end of June 2025 and the lowest level since June 2019.
The Home Office recognises the importance of a smooth transition for individuals leaving asylum accommodation following a positive asylum decision. We have deployed Asylum Move On Liaison Officers (AMLOs) across the UK, including in Glasgow and Aberdeenshire. AMLOs work with newly granted refugees, local authorities and partner organisations to support successful move on from asylum accommodation.
The Home Office continues to engage regularly with local authorities, Strategic Migration Partnerships and other stakeholders to understand local pressures and address issues raised by local partners.
To support local planning and preparedness, the Home Office shares the Discontinuation Prediction Tool (DPT) on a weekly basis. This provides a forward look of cases expected to enter the discontinuation process and the potential number of individuals who may seek support from local authorities following a positive asylum decision.
Following notification from the Home Office that a decision has been served, accommodation providers notify local authorities within two working days. The Home Office continues to work with accommodation providers to support consistent and timely notifications across all areas.
The steps we have already taken to streamline the asylum process and increase our efficiency are paying off and is an important achievement in building an asylum system that is efficient, sustainable and flexible.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions officials in her Department have had with a) the Scottish Government and b) representatives of Scottish universities regarding the fall in overseas student numbers since Brexit.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Education is a devolved matter. As such, the Scottish Government is responsible for higher education (HE) policy in Scotland
The independent regulator of the English HE sector, the Office for Students (OfS), is responsible for monitoring the sector’s financial position. We work closely with the OfS to understand emerging issues and risks within the sector. As HE providers in England are independent of government, they are responsible for managing their own finances. All providers must continue to adapt their business models as necessary to safeguard their long-term financial sustainability.
Our world class HE sector rightly attracts students from across the globe, who positively impact our HE sector, economy, and society as a whole and become global ambassadors for the UK.
The UK government’s International Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith, is a member of the Scottish government’s International Education Strategy Governance Group and there are regular engagements between officials of both governments on matters pertaining to international students.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the number of overseas university students enrolling in UK higher education institutions since the UK’s departure from the European Union.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Education is a devolved matter. As such, the Scottish Government is responsible for higher education (HE) policy in Scotland
The independent regulator of the English HE sector, the Office for Students (OfS), is responsible for monitoring the sector’s financial position. We work closely with the OfS to understand emerging issues and risks within the sector. As HE providers in England are independent of government, they are responsible for managing their own finances. All providers must continue to adapt their business models as necessary to safeguard their long-term financial sustainability.
Our world class HE sector rightly attracts students from across the globe, who positively impact our HE sector, economy, and society as a whole and become global ambassadors for the UK.
The UK government’s International Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith, is a member of the Scottish government’s International Education Strategy Governance Group and there are regular engagements between officials of both governments on matters pertaining to international students.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reduced numbers of EU students on the financial stability of higher education institutions across the UK.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Education is a devolved matter. As such, the Scottish Government is responsible for higher education (HE) policy in Scotland
The independent regulator of the English HE sector, the Office for Students (OfS), is responsible for monitoring the sector’s financial position. We work closely with the OfS to understand emerging issues and risks within the sector. As HE providers in England are independent of government, they are responsible for managing their own finances. All providers must continue to adapt their business models as necessary to safeguard their long-term financial sustainability.
Our world class HE sector rightly attracts students from across the globe, who positively impact our HE sector, economy, and society as a whole and become global ambassadors for the UK.
The UK government’s International Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith, is a member of the Scottish government’s International Education Strategy Governance Group and there are regular engagements between officials of both governments on matters pertaining to international students.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reduced numbers of EU students on the financial stability of higher education institutions in Scotland.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Education is a devolved matter. As such, the Scottish Government is responsible for higher education (HE) policy in Scotland
The independent regulator of the English HE sector, the Office for Students (OfS), is responsible for monitoring the sector’s financial position. We work closely with the OfS to understand emerging issues and risks within the sector. As HE providers in England are independent of government, they are responsible for managing their own finances. All providers must continue to adapt their business models as necessary to safeguard their long-term financial sustainability.
Our world class HE sector rightly attracts students from across the globe, who positively impact our HE sector, economy, and society as a whole and become global ambassadors for the UK.
The UK government’s International Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith, is a member of the Scottish government’s International Education Strategy Governance Group and there are regular engagements between officials of both governments on matters pertaining to international students.
Asked by: Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party - Perth and Kinross-shire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to clause 23(5) of the Immigration and Asylum Bill, whether her Department intends to carry out individual destitution tests on all refugees or whether a minimum income threshold will be set.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Immigration and Asylum Bill introduces the principle that, where a person has received taxpayer-funded asylum support and later becomes financially able to contribute towards those costs, it is right and fair that they should do so.
The detailed design of the scheme, including repayment thresholds and rates, will be set out in secondary legislation.
The policy intent is that repayment will only begin once an individual reaches a defined threshold for repayment and that deductions will be set at a manageable rate so that recovery remains proportionate and does not cause hardship or destitution.
Any regulations will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny and there will be clear safeguards to ensure the scheme operates fairly.
Draft regulations will be shared during the passage of the Immigration and Asylum Bill through Parliament.