Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 19 December 2025 (HL11657), and further to the Prime Minister's statement on 21 September that he had "directed work to sanction other Hamas figures in the coming weeks", what plans the Home Office has to review (1) the continued presence in the United Kingdom of members of Hamas, and (2) the continued citizenship of Hamas members who hold British passports but are resident overseas.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government’s top priority remains the safety and security of the United Kingdom and its citizens. The Government does not comment on individual cases or on operational activity.
Part Suitability of the Immigration Rules sets out the grounds on which the Home Office may refuse or cancel entry clearance, permission to enter, or permission to stay. These provisions allow action to be taken where a person’s presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good because of their conduct, character, associations or other reasons.
The Home Secretary has the power to deprive an individual of British citizenship where it was obtained by fraud, or where deprivation is conducive to the public good. Deprivation on conducive grounds is used only for individuals who pose a threat to the UK or whose conduct is considered to involve very high harm, for example activities relating to national security (including terrorism and espionage), war crimes, serious and organised crime, or extremism and the glorification of terrorism. Decisions on deprivation are taken on a case-by-case basis.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of establishing Ethiopia as a priority country for investigations of alleged war crimes.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the response he was given to Question HL9366 on 14 July 2025.
Further to that response, on 12 December, the UK issued a formal statement alongside international partners calling for any tensions or disputes to be resolved peacefully and diplomatically. We maintain close coordination with international partners to ensure alignment on human rights actions, including at the Human Rights Council. Recommendations from the Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability are being translated into concrete actions measures or actions to strengthen accountability, reinforce mechanisms for monitoring and investigation, and improve documentation of international human rights and humanitarian law violations. We continue to help victims organise, prepare and be ready to participate fully when the transitional justice process resumes. And we continue actively supporting multilateral efforts to promote peace and stability in Ethiopia, engaging with the African Union and backing implementation of the African Union-led Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, including funding monitoring and compliance mechanisms.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many British citizens born (a) in the UK and (b) abroad have had their British citizenship revoked in each of the last 5 years.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The British Nationality Act 1981 provides the Secretary of State with the power to deprive an individual of their British citizenship where:
The Government considers that deprivation on ‘conducive grounds’ is an appropriate response to activities such as those involving:
The Home Office publishes data relating to those deprived of British Citizenship on ‘conducive to the public good’ grounds. These are published in the Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Reports have been published up to 2024.
The figures from the previous five years, of individuals who have been deprived of their British citizenship for this reason, are below:
Year | Number of individuals |
2021 | 8 |
2022 | 3 |
2023 | 2 |
2024 | 1 |
2025 | Not yet published |
In the interest of safeguarding national security, we do not break down these figures into sub-categories.
This report also references s66 of the Immigration Act 2014, which allows the Secretary of State to deprive a person of their British citizenship on the ground it is conducive to the public good even if it would leave them stateless. To date, this power has not been used.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of whether the presence in the UK of Alaa Abd el Fattah is conducive to the public good.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
We do not routinely comment on individual cases however the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have made clear that Ministers and officials were previously unaware of the historic posts made by Mr El-Fattah.
Further, all British citizens automatically have a Right of Abode (ROA) in the UK which means they are entitled to live in the UK without any immigration restrictions and do not need to obtain the permission of an immigration officer to enter the UK.
For those who are not deprived of citizenship but may have acted in a criminal manner, we encourage independent law enforcement to use their full suite of powers.
Depriving an individual of British citizenship is one of the most powerful tools in the Home Secretary’s arsenal as it keeps the very worst, high harm offenders out of the UK. Each case is assessed individually on the basis of all available evidence.
This government and successive government before it, have been clear that the exercise of this powerful tool will be used sparingly, and against the highest harm and most dangerous individuals.
This includes those who pose a threat to the UK, and who are involved in serious organised crime. The government does not propose to change the basis on which the power is used. The Government considers that deprivation on ‘conducive grounds’ is an appropriate response to activities such as those involving:
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether support for a proscribed terrorist organisation automatically qualifies for deprivation of citizenship on the understanding of being conducive to the public good.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The British Nationality Act 1981 provides the Secretary of State with the power to deprive an individual of their British citizenship where:
The Government considers that deprivation on ‘conducive grounds’ is an appropriate response to activities such as those involving:
The Home Office publishes data relating to those deprived of British Citizenship on ‘conducive to the public good’ grounds. These are published in the Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Reports have been published up to 2024.
The figures from the previous five years, of individuals who have been deprived of their British citizenship for this reason, are below:
Year | Number of individuals |
2021 | 8 |
2022 | 3 |
2023 | 2 |
2024 | 1 |
2025 | Not yet published |
In the interest of safeguarding national security, we do not break down these figures into sub-categories.
This report also references s66 of the Immigration Act 2014, which allows the Secretary of State to deprive a person of their British citizenship on the ground it is conducive to the public good even if it would leave them stateless. To date, this power has not been used.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of British citizens born (a) in the UK and (b) abroad who have been deported after their citizenship was revoked in each of the last 5 years.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The British Nationality Act 1981 provides the Secretary of State with the power to deprive an individual of their British citizenship where:
The Government considers that deprivation on ‘conducive grounds’ is an appropriate response to activities such as those involving:
The Home Office publishes data relating to those deprived of British Citizenship on ‘conducive to the public good’ grounds. These are published in the Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Reports have been published up to 2024.
The figures from the previous five years of individuals who have been deprived of their British citizenship for this reason, are below:
Year | Number of individuals |
2021 | 8 |
2022 | 3 |
2023 | 2 |
2024 | 1 |
2025 | Not yet published |
In the interest of safeguarding national security, we do not break down these figures into sub-categories.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to review the British citizenship of dual nationals convicted of previously expressing violent, racist or xenophobic sentiments.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The British Nationality Act 1981 provides the Secretary of State with the power to deprive an individual of their British citizenship where:
The Government considers that deprivation on ‘conducive grounds’ is an appropriate response to activities such as those involving:
The Home Office publishes data relating to those deprived of British Citizenship on ‘conducive to the public good’ grounds. These are published in the Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Reports have been published up to 2024.
The figures from the previous five years of individuals who have been deprived of their British citizenship for this reason, are below:
Year | Number of individuals |
2021 | 8 |
2022 | 3 |
2023 | 2 |
2024 | 1 |
2025 | Not yet published |
In the interest of safeguarding national security, we do not break down these figures into sub-categories.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals were deprived of British citizenship under section 66 of the Immigration Act 2014 a) in the last year for which data is held and b) since its introduction.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The British Nationality Act 1981 provides the Secretary of State with the power to deprive an individual of their British citizenship where:
The Government considers that deprivation on ‘conducive grounds’ is an appropriate response to activities such as those involving:
The Home Office publishes data relating to those deprived of British Citizenship on ‘conducive to the public good’ grounds. These are published in the Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Reports have been published up to 2024.
The figures from the previous five years, of individuals who have been deprived of their British citizenship for this reason, are below:
Year | Number of individuals |
2021 | 8 |
2022 | 3 |
2023 | 2 |
2024 | 1 |
2025 | Not yet published |
In the interest of safeguarding national security, we do not break down these figures into sub-categories.
This report also references s66 of the Immigration Act 2014, which allows the Secretary of State to deprive a person of their British citizenship on the ground it is conducive to the public good even if it would leave them stateless. To date, this power has not been used.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals have been deprived of British citizenship for being charged with supporting a proscribed terrorist organisation.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The British Nationality Act 1981 provides the Secretary of State with the power to deprive an individual of their British citizenship where:
The Government considers that deprivation on ‘conducive grounds’ is an appropriate response to activities such as those involving:
The Home Office publishes data relating to those deprived of British Citizenship on ‘conducive to the public good’ grounds. These are published in the Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Reports have been published up to 2024.
The figures from the previous five years, of individuals who have been deprived of their British citizenship for this reason, are below:
Year | Number of individuals |
2021 | 8 |
2022 | 3 |
2023 | 2 |
2024 | 1 |
2025 | Not yet published |
In the interest of safeguarding national security, we do not break down these figures into sub-categories.
This report also references s66 of the Immigration Act 2014, which allows the Secretary of State to deprive a person of their British citizenship on the ground it is conducive to the public good even if it would leave them stateless. To date, this power has not been used.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports alleging torture and unlawful killing of civilians by Hamas in Palestine following the October ceasefire; and what representations they have made to the Palestinian Authority about compliance with international law, including the United Nations Convention Against Torture.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is concerned by reports of torture and unlawful killings of civilians in Gaza following the ceasefire. We condemn all such acts, and reiterate that international humanitarian law must be upheld by all parties. We urge full compliance with the United Nations Convention Against Torture. Protecting civilians is essential, and we support all efforts to uphold their fundamental rights.