Written questions by Mohamed.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing independent modern slavery advocates for survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking.

The Government recognises the role of Independent Modern Slavery Advocates (IMSAs) in empowering victims of exploitation. IMSAs can play an important role in helping victims understand their rights and navigate complex systems.Under the Home Office funded Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC), adult victims are provided with a dedicated support worker who also offers tailored assistance across social, legal, psychological and health domains. The support will continue under the new Support for Victims of Modern Slavery (SVMS) contract, when the MSVCC ends in 2027.In developing the SVMS contract, we have engaged extensively with frontline practitioners and individuals with lived experience. We assessed the merits of different support models, to inform enhancements to the training, partnership working, and access to specialist resources for support workers, ensuring that they are well equipped to meet the complex and evolving needs of victims and to support a smooth transition from contracted support to wider services.

What steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for administrative reviews relating to immigration casework.

The allocation of resources across competing demands within the immigration system requires that prioritisation decisions are made, but the Home Office continues to work hard to meet the timescales set out in public guidance for the processing of AR applications.

What steps she is taking to reduce the time taken for the consideration of Administrative Reviews of immigration casework.

The allocation of resources across competing demands within the immigration system requires that prioritisation decisions are made, but the Home Office continues to work hard to meet the timescales set out in public guidance for the processing of AR applications.

Whether her Departments plans to implement transitional arrangements for people impacted by the proposals outlined in her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025.

The Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues.We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year. Further details will be set out in the normal way in due course, and where necessary, will be subject to consultation.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that home delivery drivers are protected from abuse within the Crime and Policing Bill.

The Government is determined to tackle all forms of hate crime.We have a robust legislative framework in place to respond to hate crimes which target race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and transgender identity, and we back the police in taking strong action against the perpetrators of these heinous crimes.The Government funds an online hate crime reporting portal, True Vision, designed so victims of all types of hate crime do not have to visit a police station to report. We are also continuing to fund the National Online Hate Crime Hub, which supports individual local police forces in dealing specifically with online hate crime, providing expert advice to police to support them in investigating these abhorrent offences.The Government is carefully considering how best to strengthen the response to hate crime going forward so we can continue to tackle this offending head on.

Whether her Department considers Afghanistan to be a safe country for asylum returns.

Our assessment of the general situation in Afghanistan is set out in the relevant country policy and information notes, which are available on the GOV.UK website.All asylum and human rights claims from Afghan nationals are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations.

How many asylum claims from Afghans were refused in 2024.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on initial decisions on asylum claims by nationality is published in table Asy_D02 the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datasets’. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbooks.The latest data relates to the year ending September 2024. Data for October to December 2024 will be published on 27 February 2025.

When she plans to bring forward legislation to make all hate crime an aggravated offence.

This Government is determined to tackle all forms of hate crime. We have committed to changing hate crime legislation to bring parity of protection for LGBT+ and disabled people under the aggravated offences and we are currently considering how best to implement this.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the feasibility of Palestinians in Gaza seeking to make a UK visa application enrolling their biometrics in a Visa Application Centre in (a) Ramallah a

Biometrics underpin the UK immigration system to support identity assurance and suitability checks on foreign nationals who are subject to immigration control. In most circumstances, foreign nationals who are required to apply for entry clearance to come ...

What steps she is taking to help ensure that legitimate knife manufacturers are not adversely affected by online restrictions intended to reduce knife crime.

We are committed to strengthening the law around online sales which is why we are conducting a rapid review of the online sale and delivery of knives and how controls can be strengthened. The review is being taken forward by Commander Stephen Clayman, Nat...

How many requests for (a) predetermination and (b) biometric excusal have been granted to Palestinians in Gaza seeking to reunite with family members in the UK since 7 October 2023.

Since 7 October 2023, the Home Office have granted 143 predetermination requests, and 5 biometric excusal requests to Palestinians located in Gaza.The Home Office is aware from legal representatives that two Palestinian nationals located in Gaza died befo...

How many Palestinians in Gaza seeking to reunite with family members in the UK have died while waiting for her Department to decide requests for (a) predetermination and (b) biometric excusal since 7

Since 7 October 2023, the Home Office have granted 143 predetermination requests, and 5 biometric excusal requests to Palestinians located in Gaza.The Home Office is aware from legal representatives that two Palestinian nationals located in Gaza died befo...

What steps she is taking to enable Palestinians from Gaza to be reunited with their family members in the UK.

Palestinian nationals who wish to come to the UK and do not have a current UK visa can apply under one of the existing visa routes available. The routes available for families to reunite will depend on the status of the sponsor. Options available may incl...

What steps her Department is taking to collect biometric data from Palestinians seeking to reunite with family members in the UK in the absence of a functioning visa application centre in Gaza.

In most circumstances, foreign nationals who are required to apply for entry clearance to come to the UK are required to enrol their biometrics in the form of a facial image and fingerprints as part of the application process.The Visa Application Centre i...

Whether her Department has had discussions with (a) people that have experienced immigration detention and (b) charities and NGOs on the review of the Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention policy.

We will be engaging with NGOs as part of the review at the appropriate time, to ensure that they have the opportunity to share their views and experiences of working with those who have been in immigration detention.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing the recommendations of the 14th Report of Session 2017-19 of the Home Affairs Committee entitled Immigration Detention, HC 913, p

The Adults at Risk review is a wholesale review of the policy, including Rule 34 and Rule 35 of the detention centre rules. Accordingly, the review will engage broadly with some of the themes in the Report, since the focus of the review centres on vulnera...

How many entry clearance applications from Palestinians in Gaza have been approved since 7 October 2023.

Since 7 October 2023, the Home Office have granted 143 predetermination requests, and 5 biometric excusal requests to Palestinians located in Gaza.The Home Office is aware from legal representatives that two Palestinian nationals located in Gaza died befo...

Whether her Department plans to issue any physical documents as part of the rollout of e-Visas.

We have taken a number of steps to support people with the rollout and transition to eVisas.We are running targeted communications to raise awareness of the decommissioning of physical immigration documents and our move to eVisas, and to encourage people ...

What steps her Department is taking to support people with the roll-out of e-Visas.

We have taken a number of steps to support people with the rollout and transition to eVisas.We are running targeted communications to raise awareness of the decommissioning of physical immigration documents and our move to eVisas, and to encourage people ...

Which levels of study the Future opportunity Market testing for Home Office English Language Testing (HOELT) services, notice reference: 2024/S 000-027422, published on 28 August 2024, applies to.

The new service will cover the policies in place across all visa routes where there is a requirement for language ability to be tested as part of the visa application process.