Written questions by Coghlan.

When the Rt Hon Member for Dorking and Horley will receive a response to his correspondence dated 27 April 2026 on an International Letter of Request for the late Police Constable, Hannah Byrne.

Awaiting answer.

What recent steps she has taken to close asylum hotels, particularly the Four Points Hotel in Horley.

This Government inherited a broken asylum system, with tens of thousands stuck in a backlog and claims not being processed, wasting millions in taxpayer money. We will empty asylum hotels as soon as possible, and by the end of this Parliament. That is a complex process that must be delivered through a controlled, managed and orderly plan of work.For the safety, security, and wellbeing of those we accommodate, we do not publicly comment on individual hotels which may or may not be utilised by the Home Office, nor do we provide details of those we accommodate at any site.

How the government will ensure that any changes to BN(O) and wider settlement rules are matched by a plan to boost domestic skills and fill vacancies in the NHS and wider economy.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, will raise the standard qualifying period for settlement from five years to ten years.The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK. BN(O) visa holders will attract a five-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after five years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.As part of the earned settlement model, we are proposing a series of tests that will measure a person’s contribution to this country and either reduce or increase the amount of time to settlement. This will include work undertaken by the individual. This earned settlement model and the tests which measure contribution are currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.The consultation also seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement and we will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers.Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following the close of that consultation. In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.

What transitional protections are planned to be put in place for BN(O) applicants, dependants and children reaching 5 years’ residence from 2026 so they are not disadvantaged compared with the expectations when they entered the route.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, will raise the standard qualifying period for settlement from five years to ten years.The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK. BN(O) visa holders will attract a five-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after five years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.As part of the earned settlement model, we are proposing a series of tests that will measure a person’s contribution to this country and either reduce or increase the amount of time to settlement. This will include work undertaken by the individual. This earned settlement model and the tests which measure contribution are currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.The consultation also seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement and we will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers.Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following the close of that consultation. In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.

What assessment she has made of the humanitarian and mental health impact of asylum delays for Hong Kongers fleeing political persecution; and what steps the Government will take to ensure their claims are processed swiftly.

The Home Office takes safeguarding issues extremely seriously. Protecting vulnerable people is a key cross-cutting departmental priority. We recognise that that all asylum seekers are potentially vulnerable. During the asylum decision making process we aim to ensure that particularly vulnerable claimants are identified and that they are given help in accessing appropriate services. A claimant or their legal representative can also request their case is prioritised by emailing or writing to the relevant decision-making unit responsible for their claim. Individual claims may be prioritised on a case-by-case basis due to exceptional and compelling circumstances. Please see Case by case prioritisation on GOV.UK for further information about how individual asylum claims may be prioritised. The Home Office continues to invest in a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives, including innovative tooling to speed up decision-making, reduce the time people spend in the asylum system. The number of people awaiting an initial decision as of September 2025 is down 54% from the peak in June 2023, and we continue to make good progress. This shows that the steps we have already taken to streamline the asylum process and increase our efficiency are paying off and is an important achievement in building an asylum system that is efficient, sustainable and flexible.

How the proposed earned settlement system will apply to Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders and their families; and whether new income, compliance or conduct requirements could extend the qualifying period or make some of those visa holders ineligible for settlement, particularly those with low or no taxable earnings, prior use of public funds or minor immigration breaches.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, will raise the standard qualifying period for settlement from five years to ten years.The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK. BN(O) visa holders will attract a five-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after five years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.As part of the earned settlement model, we are proposing a series of tests that will measure a person’s contribution to this country and either reduce or increase the amount of time to settlement. This will include work undertaken by the individual. This earned settlement model and the tests which measure contribution are currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.The consultation also seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement and we will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers.Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following the close of that consultation. In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.

With reference to Croydon Magistrates' Court's 8 December sentencing of a resident of the Four Points Hotel in Horley, what steps she is taking to end the use of the Four Points Hotel to house asylum seekers.

Hotel closure will be prioritised based on a wide range of criteria. The hotel exit plan will continue to be carefully managed to ensure that all supported asylum seekers are accommodated in suitable alternative accommodation, including large sites, elsewhere in the estate.

What recent progress her Department has made on the national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs.

On 9 December 2025 the Home Secretary announced to Parliament the appointment of Baroness Anne Longfield CBE as Chair of the new Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs, and Zoë Billingham CBE and Eleanor Kelly CBE as Panel.The Chair will consult on the draft Terms of Reference published alongside this announcement with a view to making recommendations to the Home Secretary who will agree the final Terms of Reference in March 2026.

What steps her Department is taking to prevent the formation of criminal cash-intensive businesses.

The latest National Risk Assessment, published by this Government in July, highlights the continued threat of cash-based money laundering to the UK. The Government is committed to ensuring cash-intensive businesses such as candy retail stores and barbershops are not exploited by criminals who seek to launder their cash enabling them to profit from their illegal activities.The Government’s approach to tackling money laundering is set out in the Economic Crime Plan 2 which includes action to disrupt cash-based money laundering and strengthen system wide coordination. The Government, working in partnership with law enforcement and other agencies, is closely monitoring the level of illicit activity in the high street and actively considering whether further systemic interventions are needed to tackle this threat.Using new powers under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, Companies House is also taking stronger action to monitor and safeguard the company register to ensure accurate information, prevent misuse of the register for economic crime, and build public trust in the UK business environment.Operationally, in March 2025, the National Economic Crime Centre in the National Crime Agency, coordinated a three-week crackdown against barbershops and other cash intensive businesses involving 19 different police forces and Regional Organised Crime Units, as well as national agencies including HMRC, Trading Standards and Home Office Immigration Enforcement. In total, 380 premises were visited across the three-week operation, with officers securing freezing orders over bank accounts totalling more than £1m, executing 84 warrants and arrested 35 individuals. Officers also seized more than £40,000 in cash, 200,000 cigarettes, 7,000 packs of tobacco, over 8,000 illegal vapes and two vehicles.This is the first phase of targeted action against criminals and organised crime groups who use high-street businesses to launder criminal monies.

What steps her Department is taking to expedite the processing of visa applications for charity workers volunteering in adult care homes.

Any Charity Worker applying for Entry Clearance who qualifies under the Immigration Rules will have their case decided within 15 working days as a maximum.Charity Workers must not be filling permanent positions, even if they are on a temporary basis. This includes performing routine activities for the sponsor.Current visa processing times can be found at: Visa processing times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK.

What steps she is taking to end the use of the Four Points Hotel in Horley to house asylum seekers.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on the 4 September to Question 71421.

Whether she plans to publish a second Telecommunications Fraud Charter.

‘Spoofing’ is a common technique used by fraudsters and spam callers to disguise their telephone numbers and pretend to be someone else, such as a bank or another person.Ofcom have already strengthened activity against ‘spoofed’ calls. New rules were introduced last year to ensure that operators block calls from suspicious numbers from the UK and overseas.Ofcom have announced further initiatives which will make it more difficult for spammers and scammers to use UK telephone numbers to harm consumers. For instance, in July 2025 Ofcom launched a consultation proposing that telecoms companies withhold the caller ID (CLI) of calls that appear to come from a UK mobile number (+447) when they originate abroad, unless the number’s validity can be verified. This measure aims to close the loophole that previously allowed spoofed mobile numbers via roaming to bypass existing blocks.The Home Office is also currently developing a second Telecommunications Fraud Charter. This new charter will build on the existing voluntary anti-fraud efforts in the telecoms sector and will aim to go further in identifying, preventing, and disrupting fraud activities.

What progress Ofcom has made on reducing the number of spoofed phone numbers being used by (a) spammers and (b) scammers.

‘Spoofing’ is a common technique used by fraudsters and spam callers to disguise their telephone numbers and pretend to be someone else, such as a bank or another person.Ofcom have already strengthened activity against ‘spoofed’ calls. New rules were introduced last year to ensure that operators block calls from suspicious numbers from the UK and overseas.Ofcom have announced further initiatives which will make it more difficult for spammers and scammers to use UK telephone numbers to harm consumers. For instance, in July 2025 Ofcom launched a consultation proposing that telecoms companies withhold the caller ID (CLI) of calls that appear to come from a UK mobile number (+447) when they originate abroad, unless the number’s validity can be verified. This measure aims to close the loophole that previously allowed spoofed mobile numbers via roaming to bypass existing blocks.The Home Office is also currently developing a second Telecommunications Fraud Charter. This new charter will build on the existing voluntary anti-fraud efforts in the telecoms sector and will aim to go further in identifying, preventing, and disrupting fraud activities.

Whether she plans to create national guidelines for preventing adult grooming.

The Government is taking a range of actions to prevent the grooming and exploitation of vulnerable adults.To tackle criminal exploitation, we are introducing a new cuckooing offence in the Crime and Policing Bill to target criminals who groom and exploit vulnerable people in order to take over their homes for criminal purposes. We are also introducing a new offence of coerced internal concealment to address the appalling practice whereby criminals exploit children and vulnerable adults to cause them to internally conceal items such as drugs for criminal purposes. Both offences will be supported by statutory guidance for police as well as non-statutory multi-agency guidance which will include information on preventative action to protect those at risk of these terrible forms of adult grooming and exploitation.In terms of adult grooming for sexual exploitation, we are working closely with police and others to tackle the drivers of trafficking for sexual exploitation, including through law enforcement operational intensifications aimed at tackling modern slavery threats and targeting prolific perpetrators.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of gathering data on time taken between immigration appeals tribunal decisions and the receipt of resulting deportation notices to appellants.

Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile statistics, as well as quality and availability of data.