Written questions by Ribeiro-Addy.

Whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to help prevent the misuse of ID card data by (a) public authorities and (b) third-party contractors.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential implications of a national ID card scheme on levels of (a) public surveillance and (b) personal privacy.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

What steps her Department is taking with (a) local authorities and (b) police to (i) prevent repeat offences and (ii) ensure effective safeguarding measures are in place to protect communities from sexual (A) violence and (B) harassment.

We expect sexual violence to be treated seriously by all police forces from the point of disclosure, every victim to be treated with dignity and every investigation and prosecution to be conducted thoroughly and professionally.Baroness Casey’s 2023 review of culture and standards in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) highlighted a number of areas for improvement, including the MPS’s handling of VAWG. Since the review’s publication, the MPS commissioner has set out his ‘New Met for London’ plan to improve confidence in the force and address the concerns raised in Baroness Casey’s review and other cases of failing in the MPS. The Home Secretary will continue to work with the MPS Commissioner and Mayor for London as they take action to deliver those improvements.

What steps she is taking to ensure that survivors of sexual assault are (a) kept informed of the progress of cases and (b) provided with appropriate (i) safeguarding and (ii) support.

We expect sexual violence to be treated seriously by all police forces from the point of disclosure, every victim to be treated with dignity and every investigation and prosecution to be conducted thoroughly and professionally.Baroness Casey’s 2023 review of culture and standards in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) highlighted a number of areas for improvement, including the MPS’s handling of VAWG. Since the review’s publication, the MPS commissioner has set out his ‘New Met for London’ plan to improve confidence in the force and address the concerns raised in Baroness Casey’s review and other cases of failing in the MPS. The Home Secretary will continue to work with the MPS Commissioner and Mayor for London as they take action to deliver those improvements.

What steps the Metropolitan Police Service is taking to ensure (a) timely and (b) adequate responses to reports of sexual (i) assault and (ii) harassment.

We expect sexual violence to be treated seriously by all police forces from the point of disclosure, every victim to be treated with dignity and every investigation and prosecution to be conducted thoroughly and professionally.Baroness Casey’s 2023 review of culture and standards in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) highlighted a number of areas for improvement, including the MPS’s handling of VAWG. Since the review’s publication, the MPS commissioner has set out his ‘New Met for London’ plan to improve confidence in the force and address the concerns raised in Baroness Casey’s review and other cases of failing in the MPS. The Home Secretary will continue to work with the MPS Commissioner and Mayor for London as they take action to deliver those improvements.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that policing strategies (a) safeguard victims of sexual assault and (b) prevent repeat sexual offences in public spaces.

We expect sexual violence to be treated seriously by all police forces from the point of disclosure, every victim to be treated with dignity and every investigation and prosecution to be conducted thoroughly and professionally.Baroness Casey’s 2023 review of culture and standards in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) highlighted a number of areas for improvement, including the MPS’s handling of VAWG. Since the review’s publication, the MPS commissioner has set out his ‘New Met for London’ plan to improve confidence in the force and address the concerns raised in Baroness Casey’s review and other cases of failing in the MPS. The Home Secretary will continue to work with the MPS Commissioner and Mayor for London as they take action to deliver those improvements.

What steps her Department is taking to improve the accountability of (a) the Metropolitan Police and (b) other police forces in (i) investigating and (ii) responding to sexual assault cases.

We expect sexual violence to be treated seriously by all police forces from the point of disclosure, every victim to be treated with dignity and every investigation and prosecution to be conducted thoroughly and professionally.Baroness Casey’s 2023 review of culture and standards in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) highlighted a number of areas for improvement, including the MPS’s handling of VAWG. Since the review’s publication, the MPS commissioner has set out his ‘New Met for London’ plan to improve confidence in the force and address the concerns raised in Baroness Casey’s review and other cases of failing in the MPS. The Home Secretary will continue to work with the MPS Commissioner and Mayor for London as they take action to deliver those improvements.

With reference to her Department’s report entitled Understanding asylum seeker and refugee vulnerabilities and needs, published on 22 May 2025, what was the methodology for the vulnerability identification framework: and how (a) gender and (b) sexual orientation fit this framework.

The report in question was produced under the previous government in 2022. Sections 2 and 3 of the report detail at length the methodologies and definitions underpinning the research.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits expanding existing safe and legal routes.

The Immigration White paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues including refugee sponsorship and resettlement, further details of which will be set out in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 44272 on Public Order Act 2023, what her planned timetable is for the review process; and what methodology will be used.

Post legislative scrutiny will be undertaken in accordance with established parliamentary procedure, as set out here: Guide to making legislation - GOV.UK

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of consulting on introducing a pilot humanitarian refugee visa for people fleeing (a) war and (b) persecution.

The Immigration White paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues including refugee sponsorship and resettlement, further details of which will be set out in due course.

With reference to the White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, whether refugees seeking to bring family to the UK will be subject to increased (a) financial and (b) English language requirements.

The Immigration White paper, published 12 May 2025, set out a wide range of reforms, including to family policy, further details of which will be set out in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the lessons learned from international examples of the use of limited humanitarian visas to allow people to apply for asylum from their country of origin.

The UK has a proud history of providing protection for those who need it through a number of safe and legal routes. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Whilst we sympathise with people in many difficult situations around the world, we are not bound to consider asylum claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might like to come here. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.The UK continues to welcome refugees and people in need through our existing global resettlement schemes which include the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Community Sponsorship and the Mandate Resettlement Scheme. Alongside these schemes, we operate specific schemes for those fleeing Ukraine and Afghanistan, and an immigration route for British National (overseas) status holders from Hong Kong.There are additional safe and legal routes for people to come to the UK should they wish to join family members here, work or study.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of using limited humanitarian visas to allow people to apply for asylum from their country of origin.

The UK has a proud history of providing protection for those who need it through a number of safe and legal routes. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Whilst we sympathise with people in many difficult situations around the world, we are not bound to consider asylum claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might like to come here. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.The UK continues to welcome refugees and people in need through our existing global resettlement schemes which include the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Community Sponsorship and the Mandate Resettlement Scheme. Alongside these schemes, we operate specific schemes for those fleeing Ukraine and Afghanistan, and an immigration route for British National (overseas) status holders from Hong Kong.There are additional safe and legal routes for people to come to the UK should they wish to join family members here, work or study.

Whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of people who will be impacted by the changes to the five-year settlement.

The Government's Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including indefinite leave to remain.This will include an expansion of the Point-Based System which will increase the standard qualifying period for settlement to ten years. As part of this expansion, we will reform the current rules around settlement so that individuals must earn their right to a privileged immigration status in the UK through the long-term contribution they bring to our country.We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and will provide details of how the scheme will work after that, including on any transitional arrangements for people already in the UK.

If she will consider the potential merits of establishing a safeguarding process to protect child refugees who are being mistakenly routed through the adult asylum system.

It is Home Office policy that an individual claiming to be a child will only be treated as an adult, if two Home Office members of staff independently determine that the individual's physical appearance and demeanour very strongly suggests they are significantly over 18 years of age. The lawfulness of this process was endorsed by the Supreme Court in the case of R (on the application of BF (Eritrea)) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2021] UKSC 38.Where there remains doubt about the individual’s age, they will be transferred to a local authority for further consideration of their age, usually in the form of a holistic social worker assessment of age, referred to as a ‘Merton’ age assessment.We continue to work with local authorities and our asylum accommodation providers to ensure appropriate processes for individuals claiming to be children. For example, we have already improved information sharing with local authorities so that we are more routinely sharing reports for initial decisions on age, when required, as well as reviewing the initial decisions on age training rolled out to Home Office staff at the Western Jet Foil in Kent. We are also exploring new methods of scientific and technological age assessment, including Facial Age Estimation.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) the age of refugee children is accurately assessed at the port of entry and (b) they are not inappropriately placed in adult (i) accommodation and (ii) detention settings.

It is Home Office policy that an individual claiming to be a child will only be treated as an adult, if two Home Office members of staff independently determine that the individual's physical appearance and demeanour very strongly suggests they are significantly over 18 years of age. The lawfulness of this process was endorsed by the Supreme Court in the case of R (on the application of BF (Eritrea)) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2021] UKSC 38.Where there remains doubt about the individual’s age, they will be transferred to a local authority for further consideration of their age, usually in the form of a holistic social worker assessment of age, referred to as a ‘Merton’ age assessment.We continue to work with local authorities and our asylum accommodation providers to ensure appropriate processes for individuals claiming to be children. For example, we have already improved information sharing with local authorities so that we are more routinely sharing reports for initial decisions on age, when required, as well as reviewing the initial decisions on age training rolled out to Home Office staff at the Western Jet Foil in Kent. We are also exploring new methods of scientific and technological age assessment, including Facial Age Estimation.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the National Police Chiefs’ Council's guidance entitled Practice Advice on Child Death Investigation, published in February 2025, on (a) bereaved families and (b) trust in maternity services.

Guidance to support operational policing in discharging their duties is a matter for the National Police Chiefs’ Council.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 50209 on British Nationality: Children, what the reason was of the increase in administrative cost for child citizenship applications since 2021-22.

The published administrative cost of processing immigration and nationality applications reflects the full financial cost of providing the relevant service which includes direct costs, relevant local and central overheads, (e.g. accommodation, HR, Finance and IT), depreciation, cost of capital employed, and other factors that are in connection to immigration and nationality. The Home Office keeps the cost of processing applications under review and where costs associated with processing applications change, published fee tables will be updated accordingly.The cost base that is apportioned to setting the unit cost has increased year on year. This is due to factors such as inflation.

If she will review the National Police Chiefs' Council's guidance on investigating stillbirths.

Guidance to support operational policing in discharging their duties is a matter for the National Police Chiefs’ Council.