Written questions by Chope.

Pursuant to the Answer on 27 October 2025 to Question 84141 on All-party Parliamentary Group for Energy Studies, how many invitations he received for speaking events in (a) August, (b) September and (c) October 2025; and how many of those invitations were (i) answered within (A) one month and (B) two months and (ii) not answered.

As I notified the hon. Member in my Answer on 27 October 2025 to Question 84141, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero receives a high volume of invitations to events and is not able to accommodate all requests.

If she will conduct an inquiry into the reasons why Dorset Police discontinued their investigation into the fraudulent activities identified in Operation Ringwood.

The Home Office is aware of the Operation Ringwood investigation and strongly sympathises with the distressing experience that victims have faced.The Home Secretary is unable to intervene in any operational decisions made by law enforcement regarding reports and the investigation of potential crimes. This is to maintain the independence of the organisations involved, including the police and courts, which remains a fundamental part of the British justice system.We are committed to strengthening law enforcement capabilities to tackle fraud and protect the public. Further detail will be set out in the upcoming Fraud Strategy.

How many beds at University Hospitals Dorset were occupied on (a) 1 April and (b) 1 October 2025 by patients with no criteria to reside.

Information about how many beds are occupied by patients with no criteria to reside by trust is published by NHS England, and this information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/discharge-delays/acute-discharge-situation-report/The following table shows how many beds at University Hospitals Dorset were occupied by patients with no criteria to reside for 1 April 2025 and 1 October 2025:DateNumber of patients remaining in hospital who no longer meet the criteria to reside1 April 20251861 October 2025194Source: NHS EnglandTo support trusts to reduce the number of beds occupied by patients with no criteria to reside, the Government published a new policy framework in January 2025 for the £9 billion Better Care Fund. This holds the National Health Service and local authorities accountable for setting and achieving joint goals for reducing discharge delays and preventing avoidable emergency admissions. Some challenged systems are also receiving a programme of improvement support.

If he will make his policy that witnesses giving evidence at hearings of the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) should do so under oath.

As an issue of tribunal procedure, giving evidence under oath would be a matter for judicial consideration. Rule 14(3) of the Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) already provides that the tribunal may require evidence to be given under oath.Additionally, a witness statement, the equivalent of the oral evidence which the witness would, if called, give in evidence must always include a statement by the intended witness in their own language that they believe the facts in it are true.

How many appeals to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) were outstanding on 30 September (a) 2025, (b) 2024 and (c) 2023.

The number of open cases in the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) is published in table FIA4 of the Tribunals Statistics quarterly tables and more recently monthly data in table 3 of the HMCTS management information.Figures covering up to September 2025 are scheduled for publication on 11 December 2025.

For what reason is the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) at Taylor House Tribunal Hearing Centre on Rosebery Avenue, London, is restricted from using more than 20 of its 27 courts on average during the year; and what would be the additional cost of allowing all of its 27 courts to be used.

The First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber (FtTIAC) is currently sitting to maximum levels possible based on available judicial capacity.The FtTIAC has 27 hearing rooms available to list into at the Taylor House Tribunal Hearing Centre. Utilisation of this space is dependent on a number of factors including the volume of ‘in person’ versus ‘remote’ hearings scheduled, budgetary allocations, the requirement for judges to sit at satellite venues and available staffing and judicial resource.Work is ongoing to increase capacity through recruitment of Judges and support staff. Judicial recruitment exercises which commenced in 2024 for the First-tier Tribunal, including the IAC, are ongoing with appointments due later this year and we are working to grow capacity further across future years. As additional Judges begin to sit we expect to see higher levels of listing across the FtTIAC estate.

How many decisions of the Home Office with a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) have been made in each of the last 12 months; and how many of these have been or are now the subject of such an appeal.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’.Data on initial decisions and outcomes on asylum claims, is published in table Asy_D02 of the ‘Asylum claim and initial decisions detailed datasets’. The latest data relates to as at 30 June 2025.Data for as at 30 September 2025 will be published on 27 November 2025.Data on asylum appeals is published in table Asy_D06 and Asy_D07 of the ‘Asylum appeals lodged and determined detailed datasets’. The latest data relates to the year ending March 2023. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbooks.Appeals data from April 2023 onwards is currently unavailable for publication due to ongoing work as immigration data transitions to a new caseworking system. Work is ongoing to make this information available, and it will be included in a future edition of the Immigration System Statistics release. Please note that figures for immigration and asylum appeals at First-Tier Tribunal and subsequent stages are published by the Ministry of Justice as part of their Tribunal Statistics release. The latest data relates to January to March 2025.

If he will make it his policy that requests by district judges to transfer up to the High Court for enforcement should always be allowed (a) where the County Court bailiff delay locally is three months or more and (b) where it is possible that reasonable force may have to be used.

The Government has noted the findings of the High Court Enforcement Officer Association’s recent report about the process for transferring possession cases to the High Court for enforcement by High Court Enforcement Officers and is considering its recommendations.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2025 to Question 33850 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme: Coronavirus, how many of the 69 cases referred to the First-Tier Tribunal were (a) successful and (b) rejected; and how many have been outstanding for more than (i) three and (ii) six months.

Data from the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), which administers the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, shows that of the 69 claims identified in Question 33850:32 claims have been rejected by the First-Tier Tribunal;one claim has been upheld with instruction to undertake a disablement assessment;one claim has been considered as a “live claim unresolved” for more than three months;28 claims have been considered as “live claim unresolved” for more than six months; andseven claims have been closed by the HM Courts and Tribunal Service with either a status of Appeal Struck out or Appeal Withdrawn.Appeals to the First-Tier Tribunal are managed by the HM Courts and Tribunals Service, and therefore the NHSBSA must follow the directions and timescales specified by the HM Courts and Tribunals Service. The data is based on the date the HM Courts and Tribunals Service notified the NHSBSA of an appeal. The NHSBSA is not always provided the date the appellant made the appeal application to the HM Courts and Tribunals Service.

How many claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme for damage caused by covid-19 vaccines were received between 1 April and 30 September 2025; how many awards were made to claimants in that period; how many claims were rejected (a) through lack of causation and (b) because they were below the disability threshold; how many claims remained outstanding on 30 September 2025; and how many of those claims have been outstanding for over 12 months.

My deepest sympathies are with those who have experienced harm following vaccination and to their families.Data from the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrator of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, shows that during the period of 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025:2,146 COVID-19 claims were registered;15 COVID-19 claims were awarded;3,419 COVID-19 claims, with the causation claimed to be due to a vaccine, were not accepted; and54 COVID-19 claims had causation due to vaccine accepted, but had disablement assessed as less than 60%.As of 30 September 2025, there were 4,882 total COVID-19 claims that were unresolved, 1,672 of which had been so for over 12 months. Information on COVID-19 claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme is published on a quarterly basis by the NHS Business Service Authority. Further information is available at the following link:https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/vdps-covid-19I recognise many of the concerns that have been raised regarding the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme. This input will shape our ongoing consideration of reforms to the scheme and I will keep Parliament updated, as appropriate.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the High Court Enforcement Officers Association's report entitled Possessions - Transferring Up, published in October 2025.

The Government has noted the findings of the High Court Enforcement Officer Association’s recent report about the process for transferring possession cases to the High Court for enforcement by High Court Enforcement Officers and is considering its recommendations.

When the application for a mandatory reversal of the decision of the NHS Business Services Authority with reference VAD20662 will be actioned; and for what reason it has not yet been actioned.

The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) is administered by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). It would not be appropriate to comment on the status of an individual claim to the VDPS, which is a matter for NHSBSA

When he received an invitation to speak at the annual dinner of the Parliamentary Group for Energy Studies on 21 October 2025; what his response was; and when he sent his response.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero receives a high volume of invitations to events and is therefore not able to accommodate all requests.

In how many cases before the (a) First-Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) and (b) Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) has the applicant been in receipt of legal aid in the last 12 months for which information is available.

The information requested is not held centrally.

How many appeals heard at the First-Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) were on the grounds that removal of the appellant from the UK was unlawful under the Human Rights Act 1998 in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many of those appeals were successful in each of those months.

The number of human rights appeals (those lodged on human rights grounds) determined by the Immigration and Asylum Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal and the number of those that were successful and allowed by the Tribunal can be found in the following table:Table 1. First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) - Number of appeals determined at hearing or on paper for Human Rights Appeals, April 2024 to March 2025(1) YearMonthDetermined at hearings / papersAllowed/Granted2024April7984022024May7784142024June7223522024July7273832024August5963062024September6172982024October7103752024November5222402024December4772342025January4912492025February5502782025March592259 The table shows the latest 12 months of available data. Published statistics can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-statistics-quarterly-january-to-march-2025.

With reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for Secondary Care on 3 September 2025, Official Report, column 107WH, whether the Minister for Public Health and Women's Health plans to meet the hon. Member for Christchurch.

This is an issue that the Government takes very seriously. A meeting has been scheduled with the hon. Member for Christchurch.

How many appeals heard at the First-Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) were on the grounds that removal of the appellant from the UK would breach the UK’s obligations under the Refugee Convention in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many of those appeals were successful in each of those months.

The number of asylum, protection and revocation of protection appeals (those lodged on grounds relating to breach of the UK’s Refugee Convention obligations) determined by the Immigration and Asylum Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal and the number of those that were successful and allowed by the Tribunal can be found in the following table:Table 1. First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) - Number of appeals determined at hearing or on paper for Asylum/Protection/Revocation of Protection(1), April 2024 to March 2025(2)YearMonthDetermined at hearings / papersAllowed/Granted2024April6913182024May8323602024June7873782024July1,0064882024August8634222024September9944472024October1,1745782024November1,1985342024December9924382025January1,0854792025February1,2165132025March1,301553 The table shows the latest 12 months of available data. Published statistics can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-statistics-quarterly-january-to-march-2025.

For what reason the 19.05 train from Waterloo to Christchurch not arrive until 22.30 on Monday 14 July; what estimate she has made of the number of passengers affected; and what compensation is available.

A signal cable failure at Woking delayed the 19.05 from London Waterloo to Christchurch on the 14 July. Passengers are entitled to compensation under the national Delay Repay scheme. As the 19.05 was delayed for 120 minutes or more, passengers can claim compensation for 100 percent of the cost of their journey. Industry data doesn’t enable a reliable estimate on the number of impacted passengers to be made.

How many people have applied for appointment as a (a) First-Tier Tribunal Judge (Immigration and Asylum) and (b) Upper Tribunal Judge (Immigration and Asylum) in the last 12 months; and how many of those applications (i) were successful, (ii) were rejected and (iii) are outstanding.

We are maintaining investment in the annual recruitment of about 1,000 judges and tribunal members across all courts and tribunals.Recruitment was completed in 2024 for salaried and fee-paid judges of the FTT, including for the IAC, and for salaried and fee-paid judges of the Upper Tribunal IAC. Deployment to a specific FTT chamber is the responsibility of the Senior President of Tribunals.The independent Judicial Appointments Commission publishes data once recruitment is completed: https://judicialappointments.gov.uk/completed-exercises/.Information on the number of judges in post, leavers, new appointments and promotions is published annually at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/judicial-diversity-statistics.Recruitment exercises which commenced in 2024 for the First-tier Tribunal, including the IAC, are ongoing, with recommendations due later this year. Further recruitment will commence later in 2025. There is no ongoing or currently planned recruitment to the Upper Tribunal IAC.

How many trains between Waterloo and Christchurch have been (a) cancelled and (b) delayed for more than 15 minutes since South Western Railway was brought into public ownership.

South Western Railway (SWR) were brought into public ownership on 25 May 2025. Since this date, 9.5 per cent of trains have been cancelled and 12.9 per cent of trains have been delayed by more than 15 minutes between London Waterloo and Christchurch. These cancellations and delays were not a result of the move to public ownership and could have equally occurred under private ownership. The new Managing Director for SWR, Lawrence Bowman, has been tasked with developing a detailed plan to improve SWR performance.