Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to family reunion rules on the number of refugees taking dangerous journeys.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including family reunion, further details of which will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions her Department has had with the charity sector on changes to refugee family reunion rules.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including family reunion, further details of which will be set out in due course.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of her Department's publication entitled Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper, published on 12 May 2025, on the Government's commitment to supporting Ukrainian refugees to resettle in the UK.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UK has offered sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families, thanks to the generosity of the British public. We have always been clear that the Ukraine Schemes are temporary and do not lead to settlement in the UK. Similarly, time spent in the UK with permission granted under the Ukraine Schemes cannot be relied upon towards the continuous qualifying period for the purposes of a Long Residence application.
We keep the Ukraine schemes under continuous review in line with the ongoing conflict and the Ukrainian government’s desire for the future return of its citizens to Ukraine.
Ukrainians in the UK under one of the Ukraine Schemes can apply to extend their permission by up to an additional 18 months through the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025. The scheme provides the same rights and entitlements to access work, benefits, healthcare and education as the current Ukraine schemes.
There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to aid children in Gaza in 2025, and especially those in need of medical assistance.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has consistently pressed Israel to do more to protect civilians in Gaza, including children, and for all parties to ensure adherence to international humanitarian law. In the last financial year, we announced £6 million for United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to support vulnerable families in Gaza, and £41 million funding for United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), supporting their delivery of essential services including education across Gaza, the West Bank and to Palestinian refugees in the region. £5.8 million of the UK's contribution to the Global Partnership for Education has been earmarked to support essential education service delivery in Gaza and the West Bank. Through our partnership with UK-Med, they have provided over 405,000 patient consultations in Gaza since January 2024. The UK also supported delivery of Polio vaccination campaigns protecting over 600,000 vulnerable children across Gaza through funding to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. As the Prime Minister has said, the UK will continue to play a key humanitarian role in Gaza.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support is in place for Ukrainian refugees who reach the end of their three-year visa.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The UK has offered or extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families under the Ukraine Schemes, thanks to the immense generosity of the British public. We are determined to continue to provide stability for those we have welcomed to the UK and who still need our sanctuary.
The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025, provides up to an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK for those with existing Ukraine Scheme permission.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of the hon. Member for Hazel Grove in Home Office oral questions on 31 March 2025, Official report, Column 19, whether Ukrainian refugees resident in the UK will be able to stay beyond the expiry of their visas.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The UK has offered or extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families under the Ukraine Schemes, thanks to the immense generosity of the British public. We are determined to continue to provide stability for those we have welcomed to the UK and who still need our sanctuary.
The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025, provides up to an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK for those with existing Ukraine Scheme permission.
We recognise the Ukrainian government’s desire for the future return of its citizens to Ukraine. It is important our approach respects these wishes.
This is why our offer of temporary sanctuary under the Ukraine Schemes does not lead to settlement in the UK. Similarly, time spent in the UK with permission granted under the Ukraine Schemes cannot be relied upon towards the continuous qualifying period for the purposes of a Long Residence application. This applies to holders of Ukraine Scheme permission regardless of nationality. There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements.
Registration or naturalisation as a British citizen is available to a Ukrainian national in the same way as other nationals, if they meet the statutory requirements.
Those granted permission under one of the Ukraine Schemes, which provide full rights to work and study, can apply to switch into other visa routes for which they qualify, including work and global talent visas.
We continue to keep the Ukraine schemes under review in line with the ongoing conflict.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 3 (Yorkshire & Humber), procurement reference CF-0333600D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.
Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 4 (West Midlands), procurement reference CF-0333700D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.
Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 9 (South East), procurement reference CF-0334400D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.
Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 8 (South West), procurement reference CF-0334500D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.
Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.