Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the number and proportion of asylum seekers who previously entered the UK on a) a visa or b) other leave with relevant documentation, including the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK since 2024.

This government has already taken action to stem the surge in asylum claims from visa holders, including record numbers of credibility interviews and mandating a genuine study requirement for short term student routes. The number of student visa holders claiming asylum has reduced every quarter since this government took office.

By changing our protection offer, we are making it fairer for those who comply with the Rules. A person who enters the UK on a visa and continues to qualify will be on a faster route to settlement if they remain on that route, rather than claiming asylum. Claiming asylum will no longer provide the advantages that it does under the current system.