Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's joint press release entitled UK removes Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham from terrorist organisation list, published on 21 October 2025, on what date she commenced the process to review the proscription of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
HTS was proscribed as an alias of Al Qa’ida in 2017. The Government no longer assesses HTS to be an alias of AQ.
The decision to remove HTS as an alias of Al Qa’ida was based on assessments and relevant information available at the time. Every proscription decision is made after careful consideration by the Home Secretary and follows advice from the expert cross-government Proscription Review Group.
We want to step up our engagement and support to give this transition the best chance of success. Deproscription will enhance our ability to do this. A stable Syria is in the UK's interests, reducing the risk of irregular migration and the threats to our national security.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's joint press release entitled UK removes Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham from terrorist organisation list, published on 21 October 2025, whether she has placed conditions on Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham as part of her decision to deproscribe that organisation.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
HTS was proscribed as an alias of Al Qa’ida in 2017. The Government no longer assesses HTS to be an alias of AQ.
Deproscription decisions are not taken lightly. The Home Secretary is supported in her decision making by a robust process which involves substantial consultation with operational partners and other Government departments. The decision to deproscribe HTS will support our continued efforts to counter Daesh in Syria and reduce the risk to the UK.
We want to step up our engagement and support to give this transition the best chance of success. Deproscription will enhance our ability to do this. A stable Syria is in the UK's interests, reducing the risk of irregular migration and the threats to our national security.
The Home Secretary reserves the right to review proscription decisions in response to evolving threats. The Government will always act swiftly and decisively in the interests of national security.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason she has not placed China on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
No decision has been made in relation to specifying China on the enhanced tier of FIRS. As I set out in the House of Commons on 13th October, we look very carefully at any question of whether to place a particular country on the enhanced tier of the scheme.
Any changes to the countries listed will be announced first in Parliament in the usual way.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential threat from China to UK national security; and when she plans to make a decision on the status of China in relation to the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
We continually assess potential threats to the UK and treat the protection of our national security with the upmost seriousness. Upholding national security and keeping the public safe is the first duty of Government.
We are taking a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK's relations with China. We will co-operate where we can; compete where we need to; and challenge where we must, including on issues of national security.
With regards to FIRS, I told the House in March, we intend to lay regulations before Parliament as soon as possible with a view to having the scheme up and running by the summer.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the proposed Chinese embassy on (a) national security and (b) the risk of transnational repression of diasporic (i) Hong Kong, (ii) Uyghur, (iii) Tibetan and (iv) other communities in the UK.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and she will make this quasi-judicial decision independent from the rest of Government.
We are clear that national security is the first duty of Government. The Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary submitted written representations to the Planning Inspector on 14 January. That letter is clear that the Home Office has considered the breadth of national security issues.
We have a broad suite of powers to counter foreign interference, including those actions which amount to transnational repression. We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to keep people safe.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of asylum seekers who will be accommodated at Wethersfield in (a) 2024 and (b) each of the next five years.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The government inherited an asylum system under unprecedented strain. We have taken immediate action to restart asylum processing which will save an estimated £7 billion for the taxpayer over the next ten years, and are delivering a major uplift in returns to remove people with no right to be in the UK. Over the long term this will reduce our reliance on hotels and costs of accommodation.
Occupancy at the Wethersfield site is currently capped at 580 as part of the Special Development Order. This means that during current operation of the site, the population will not exceed 580.
Once the relevant Special Development Order conditions have been discharged, regular occupancy will be capped at 800.
The number of residents on the site at any one time is likely to vary due to a number of factors, including individuals having moved to onward dispersed accommodation while their claims are being considered.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to continue to use the Wethersfield site to provide accommodation for asylum seekers.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The government inherited an asylum system under unprecedented strain. We have taken immediate action to restart asylum processing which will save an estimated £7 billion for the taxpayer over the next ten years, and are delivering a major uplift in returns to remove people with no right to be in the UK. Over the long term this will reduce our reliance on hotels and costs of accommodation.
Occupancy at the Wethersfield site is currently capped at 580 as part of the Special Development Order. This means that during current operation of the site, the population will not exceed 580.
Once the relevant Special Development Order conditions have been discharged, regular occupancy will be capped at 800.
The number of residents on the site at any one time is likely to vary due to a number of factors, including individuals having moved to onward dispersed accommodation while their claims are being considered.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of operating the Wethersfield site for asylum accommodation in each of the next five years.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Cost information is prospective and commercially sensitive, and as such is not available to be released.
The Home Office publishes information on asylum expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts at HO annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab). It does not publish a breakdown of statistics which disaggregates asylum accommodation costs by type or location.
Asylum seekers who are resident in accommodation where meals are provided, such as Wethersfield, are in receipt of 8.86 per week. Further details about support asylum seekers may be entitled to can be found at Asylum support: What you'll get - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) average and (b) total cost of financial support provided to asylum seekers at the Wethersfield site was in the last 12 months.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Cost information is prospective and commercially sensitive, and as such is not available to be released.
The Home Office publishes information on asylum expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts at HO annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab). It does not publish a breakdown of statistics which disaggregates asylum accommodation costs by type or location.
Asylum seekers who are resident in accommodation where meals are provided, such as Wethersfield, are in receipt of 8.86 per week. Further details about support asylum seekers may be entitled to can be found at Asylum support: What you'll get - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of small boat arrivals there will be by the end of (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Home Office does not make estimates of this kind.