Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to (a) update or (b) consolidate the legal framework governing the rights of Irish citizens in the UK, including the (i) Ireland Act 1949 and (ii) post-Brexit guidance.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
We remain firmly committed to both the Good Friday Agreement and protecting the integrity and security of the Common Travel Area, which provides reciprocal rights for Irish citizens in the UK and UK citizens in Ireland. The UK Government and Irish Government work closely together to ensure that the rights continue to operate fully and correctly.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many Troubles-related civil suits against government departments were stopped by the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023; what legal categories they fall under; and whether they will all be permitted to continue after the enactment of the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Existing civil cases were not barred from proceeding by the Legacy Act. The Government is, by way of a Remedial Order, repealing the retrospective bar on new civil cases and the bar on future civil cases, which was found to be incompatible with our human rights obligations.
It is right that citizens in all parts of the UK have the right to bring a civil case, and these are not necessarily cases against government departments. For example, four individuals were found responsible for the Omagh bombing in the civil courts in 2009.
Asked by: Steve Yemm (Labour - Mansfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of online storefronts or game servers being shut down on (a) consumer rights and (b) digital ownership.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is aware of concerns relating to the continued access to video games, including licensed, online-only video games, and we appreciate the frustrations of players of some games that have been discontinued. The Government has spoken with the video games industry and has responded to a recent petition on this issue. As the petition has since reached 100,000 signatures, it will be debated by Parliament on 3 November 2025.
Those selling games must comply with existing requirements in consumer law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) and Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA), giving clear advice to consumers. Video game sellers must not omit or hide material information, or provide it in an unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely manner. If consumers believe that there has been a breach of these regulations, they should report it to the Citizens Advice helpline on 0808 223 1133 (www.citizensadvice.org.uk)
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens Rights Survey 2025, published on 1 October 2025, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle discrimination in (a) work and (b) public services against EU citizens living in the UK.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The UK takes seriously its obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement, including those set out in Article 23 on equal treatment of EU citizens and in Article 24 on the rights of workers. EU nationals with a status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) are entitled to work in the UK and can access public services subject to relevant criteria depending on the service.
The Equality Act 2010 (the Act) provides legal protection for the protected characteristic of race, which includes colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origins to everyone in the UK, including EU citizens. This means the Act provides protection against unlawful racial or ethnic discrimination in employment and in other areas covered by the Act such as services, transport, education and housing.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children whose parents were deported in each of the last 10 years are British citizens.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The information you have requested is not available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
Under the UK Borders Act 2007, a deportation order must be made where a foreign national has been convicted of an offence and received a custodial sentence of 12 months or more. This is subject to several exceptions, including where to do so would be a breach of a person’s rights under the European Convention on Human Rights or the UK’s obligations under the Refugee Convention.
The deportation of a foreign national offender is considered on its individual merits, including assessment of a genuine and subsisting relationship with a child and the effect of deportation on the child.
In every decision, Home Office staff will have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the best interests of any children in line with our duty under section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009.
Asked by: Lord Moylan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 30 September (HL10522), whether they will answer the question put, namely when the Common Travel Area Forum most recently discussed passport-free direct air travel between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Conversations on this are ongoing including through the Common Travel Area Forum.
The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative working relationship on a range of issues, including migration and border security. That collaboration includes a joint commitment to protect the Common Travel Area from abuse, while preserving the rights of British and Irish citizens.
Conversations on this are ongoing including through the Common Travel Area Forum which met in May this year.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with businesses on the steps they are taking to (a) identify and (b) prevent forms of support that help to maintain unlawful occupation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK Government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in Palestine are illegal under international law. The overseas business risk guidance, available on gov.uk, states there are clear risks to UK operators related to economic and financial activities in the settlements. UK citizens and businesses should be aware of the potential reputational implications of involvement in economic and financial activities in settlements, as well as possible abuses of the rights of individuals that such activity may entail. We discourage such activity and advise that those contemplating any economic or financial involvement in settlements should seek appropriate legal advice. Separately, we are conducting a review of Responsible Business Conduct, focusing on the global supply chains of businesses operating in the UK, as outlined in our Trade Strategy.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking discussions with her Irish counterpart on establishing an all-island work visa for the island of Ireland.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative working relationship on a range of issues, including migration and border security which is underpinned by our joint commitment to protecting the Common Travel Area (CTA) from abuse while preserving the rights of British and Irish citizens.
However, the operation of the CTA has never required the UK and Ireland to have entirely harmonised immigration arrangements and UK immigration policy is determined for the benefit of the UK.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with his Irish counterpart on the potential merits of creating an all-island working visa.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative working relationship on a range of issues, including migration and border security which is underpinned by our joint commitment to protecting the Common Travel Area (CTA) from abuse while preserving the rights of British and Irish citizens.
However, the operation of the CTA has never required the UK and Ireland to have entirely harmonised immigration arrangements and UK immigration policy is determined for the benefit of the UK.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an all-island working visa for the island of Ireland.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative working relationship on a range of issues, including migration and border security which is underpinned by our joint commitment to protecting the Common Travel Area (CTA) from abuse while preserving the rights of British and Irish citizens.
However, the operation of the CTA has never required the UK and Ireland to have entirely harmonised immigration arrangements and UK immigration policy is determined for the benefit of the UK.