Written questions by Dodds.

What the average processing time is for an application for leave to remain as a partner or spouse - private life (minimum income and English language not required).

Awaiting answer.

When the gov.uk website entitled visa processing times: applications inside the UK, will be updated to reflect the average processing time for an application for leave to remain as a partner or spouse - private life (minimum income and English language not required).

Awaiting answer.

What recent assessment she has made of the efficacy of Border Force protections for children subject to sexual abuse travelling with their abusers.

Border Force Officers have an obligation under Section 55 of the Borders Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 to carry out their core function with due regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in the UK.Border Force Officers are trained to identify safeguarding issues through behavioural indicators and questioning, and this includes being satisfied that a child crossing the border is not accompanied by someone who poses a threat. Where there are concerns about the safety of a child they are referred to the appropriate agencies. Border Force works closely with other law enforcement agencies, including the National Crime Agency and Police, in delivering this protection.Frontline operational processes, agency partnerships, training, and wider safeguarding arrangements and structures are kept under ongoing review.

What steps her Department is taking to monitor outcomes from the Asylum Case Summarisation system to ensure that summaries are not provided to caseworkers if they (a) include missing information and (b) are inaccurate.

Asylum Case Summarisation (ACS) was designed with the ‘Human in the Loop’ principle in mind. This means it is not possible for decision makers to use the tool to decide an asylum claim; it is an aid to case working. The tool uses a Large Language Model to extract and summarise information from existing asylum interview transcript documents to provide decision-makers with a concise summary document. Asylum Decision Makers are required to read all evidence and case notes specific to the claimant, before deciding a claim.Part of the quality assurance framework asks if all documents submitted in support of a claim have been considered, with quality assurance checks regularly carried out on both asylum interviews and decisions.As part of ongoing evaluation of the Asylum Policy Search (APS) tool, Subject Matter Expert (SME) testing continues in conjunction with the Country Policy and Information Team. A dedicated inbox was created for feedback and/or errors to be flagged and rectified. This is in addition to the existing quality assurance checks conducted in Asylum Operations. ACS has (as of today 27/04) become operational, and the same approach to ongoing evaluation and feedback mechanisms is being set out.

If she will set out the mechanisms her Department are using to monitor the early stages of use of the Asylum Case Summarisation and Asylum Policy Search tools.

Asylum Case Summarisation (ACS) was designed with the ‘Human in the Loop’ principle in mind. This means it is not possible for decision makers to use the tool to decide an asylum claim; it is an aid to case working. The tool uses a Large Language Model to extract and summarise information from existing asylum interview transcript documents to provide decision-makers with a concise summary document. Asylum Decision Makers are required to read all evidence and case notes specific to the claimant, before deciding a claim.Part of the quality assurance framework asks if all documents submitted in support of a claim have been considered, with quality assurance checks regularly carried out on both asylum interviews and decisions.As part of ongoing evaluation of the Asylum Policy Search (APS) tool, Subject Matter Expert (SME) testing continues in conjunction with the Country Policy and Information Team. A dedicated inbox was created for feedback and/or errors to be flagged and rectified. This is in addition to the existing quality assurance checks conducted in Asylum Operations. ACS has (as of today 27/04) become operational, and the same approach to ongoing evaluation and feedback mechanisms is being set out.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations the UK Embassy in Israel has made to the Government of Israel over the last six months concerning the UK's stated objection to the E1 proposal.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on illegal settlements at the last session of departmental oral questions on 21 April. We continue to be clear with Israel that we oppose the E1 settlement plan.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with other nations over the last six months concerning coordinated action against the Government of Israel’s E1 proposal.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on illegal settlements at the last session of departmental oral questions on 21 April. We continue to be clear with Israel that we oppose the E1 settlement plan.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made over the last six months to the Government of Israel concerning the UK’s objection to the E1 proposal.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on illegal settlements at the last session of departmental oral questions on 21 April. We continue to be clear with Israel that we oppose the E1 settlement plan.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what budget is allocated to (a) the Conflict and Atrocity Prevention Department overall and (b) to work on atrocity anticipation, prevention and response not including conflict prevention work.

The Department's conflict and atrocity prevention funding is embedded across our diplomacy, development, humanitarian, human rights and multilateral activity. We will continue to prioritise funding where it has the greatest preventative impact, including in fragile and conflict-affected states, with UK spend in these countries increasing to over 70 per cent of all country and regional spending by 2028/29.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure diplomatic posts are trained in atrocity prevention.

The Government ensures that diplomatic posts are equipped to identify and respond to risks of mass atrocities through a combination of policy guidance, training and expert support. This year, we have established a community of expertise on conflict and violence, which integrates policy guidance, peer-to-peer engagement and evidence-based practice into a platform accessible to all staff.Through our partnership with the Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities, we have delivered foundational and bespoke atrocity prevention training to over 150 staff working in 35 countries.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what number of staff in the Conflict and Atrocity Prevention Department work on atrocity, prevention (a) as their primary role and (b) as part of their portfolio.

The Department's conflict and atrocity prevention funding is embedded across our diplomacy, development, humanitarian, human rights and multilateral activity. We will continue to prioritise funding where it has the greatest preventative impact, including in fragile and conflict-affected states, with UK spend in these countries increasing to over 70 per cent of all country and regional spending by 2028/29.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has commissioned research on the (a) scale and (b) impact of misogynistic online content.

The government is committed to tackling misogynistic online content and has taken action by criminalising additional forms of intimate image abuse, as well as prioritising these under the Online Safety Act, and introducing new measures including a 48‑hour takedown duty. Ofcom has produced guidance setting out how providers can take action against harmful content and activity that disproportionately affects women and girls, in recognition of the unique risks they face. Ofcom surveys found 15% of UK adults reported seeing content that objectified or demeaned women in the four weeks prior to January 2026. This was down from 20% in June 2025. We know there is still much more to do and are committed to acting.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking through the G7 and G20 processes to deliver improvements for women and girls.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer provided on 23 April to Question 128522.

Innovation and Technology, what steps the Government is taking to coordinate with international partners to address the cross-border spread of misogynistic online content.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps her Department is taking through the Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum to tackle misogynistic narratives promoted by online influencers.

This government is committed to ensuring that children are taught to tackle harmful ideas, unhealthy views about relationships, and misogyny in school. We have overhauled the Relationships, Sex, and Health Education curriculum, with a new focus on developing skills for healthy relationships from the beginning of primary school, and equipping children with the tools to tackle harmful influences. Through our new statutory guidance, we will support young people to develop positive conceptions of masculinity and femininity, and to understand the harmful impacts of misogynistic online content, including pornography.The department is currently finalising a series of resources for Key Stages 2 to 5 to support schools to root out and tackle misogyny, complementing the series on our Educate Against Hate website. The new resources will aid development of stronger, respectful teaching environments with enhanced safeguarding and the prevention of toxic behaviours.We have also developed misogyny-specific content for the Kids Online Safety campaign site that will give parents information and tools to spot warning signs, hold open conversations and direct to further support where they need it.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what humanitarian support is being provided by her Department to Sudanese refugees currently based outside of Sudan.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the statement provided to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 5 February after her visit to the Sudan-Chad border. Last May, the UK announced £36 million of dedicated funding to support Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad, helping to ease pressure on host communities and deliver food, health, water and protection assistance through trusted partners.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department intends to publish its Women and Girls' Framework.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer provided on 10 March 2026 to Question 117530.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Strait of Hormuz closure on humanitarian need and access in Sudan.

The UK continues to work with international partners to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. In the 17 April call hosted by the Prime Minister and President Macron of France with 51 countries and international organisations, the humanitarian impact of the Strait's closure was one of the issues discussed. Humanitarian access into and across Sudan itself remains a key barrier to aid delivery, as set out in the GOV.UK announcement issued on 15 April, and linked to below:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-boosts-funding-to-local-responders-to-help-more-than-18-million-people-in-sudans-humanitarian-crisis.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with international counterparts to help minimise disruption to humanitarian operations in Sudan resulting from the Strait of Hormuz closure.

The UK continues to work with international partners to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. In the 17 April call hosted by the Prime Minister and President Macron of France with 51 countries and international organisations, the humanitarian impact of the Strait's closure was one of the issues discussed. Humanitarian access into and across Sudan itself remains a key barrier to aid delivery, as set out in the GOV.UK announcement issued on 15 April, and linked to below:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-boosts-funding-to-local-responders-to-help-more-than-18-million-people-in-sudans-humanitarian-crisis.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that her Department’s humanitarian programmes are gender- and age- sensitive and are delivering effectively for women and girls of all ages.

We are strengthening our prioritisation of women and girls across the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) work and have committed that at least 90 per cent of FCDO bilateral Official Development Assistance programmes will contribute to gender equality by 2030, benefiting women and girls of all ages. In humanitarian settings, the UK backs women‑led organisations to help reach those most at risk, and we continue to demand that all UK funded programmes meet robust safeguarding standards.