Written questions by Maguire.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain criteria on the social care workforce in Epsom and Ewell constituency.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, announced changes to the mandatory requirements and qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain. It was subject to a public consultation, which ran until 12 February 2026.As part of this consultation, we are seeking views on the potential impact of the proposed changes on different groups, including those working in sectors such as social care. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following the consultation.The final proposals will also be subject to full economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

Whether the English language component of the citizenship application will change to B2 for incoming BN(O) visa applicants.

The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK and is committed to maintaining lawful routes of entry for people from Hong Kong, including the BN(O) route.BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.We are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation, including any transitional arrangements and exemptions from the mandatory requirements.In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.We will also consider the requirements for English language qualifications in nationality applications, and any changes will be announced at a later date.

Whether income requirements will be (a) waived and (b) adapted for BN(O) visa applicants in full-time education.

The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK and is committed to maintaining lawful routes of entry for people from Hong Kong, including the BN(O) route.BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.We are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation, including any transitional arrangements and exemptions from the mandatory requirements.In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.We will also consider the requirements for English language qualifications in nationality applications, and any changes will be announced at a later date.

What steps she is taking to ensure that entry routes to the UK remain open for people in Hong Kong.

The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK and is committed to maintaining lawful routes of entry for people from Hong Kong, including the BN(O) route.BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.We are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation, including any transitional arrangements and exemptions from the mandatory requirements.In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.We will also consider the requirements for English language qualifications in nationality applications, and any changes will be announced at a later date.

How B2 requirements will be assessed for 18-year-old BN(O) dependants.

The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK and is committed to maintaining lawful routes of entry for people from Hong Kong, including the BN(O) route.BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.We are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation, including any transitional arrangements and exemptions from the mandatory requirements.In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.We will also consider the requirements for English language qualifications in nationality applications, and any changes will be announced at a later date.

Whether mandatory settlement requirements for BN(O) visa holders will be retrospectively changed.

The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK and is committed to maintaining lawful routes of entry for people from Hong Kong, including the BN(O) route.BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.We are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation, including any transitional arrangements and exemptions from the mandatory requirements.In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.We will also consider the requirements for English language qualifications in nationality applications, and any changes will be announced at a later date.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of making it a statutory requirement for police officers to record how many suicides they attend.

The Home Office does not collect data from police about suicides they have attended and has no current plans to do so.

What her Department's timetable is for publishing its planned consultation on bringing the licensing of shotguns under Section 2 of the Firearms Act 1968 in line with the licensing requirements under Section 1 of that Act.

The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February this year, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns, to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety. We intend to publish this consultation later this year.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential (a) current and (b) future impact of the number of people seeking asylum in the UK because of the impact of climate change in their countries of origin.

The Home Office regularly assess all potential current and future causes of asylum and irregular migration to the UK, including the impact of climate change on the movement of people. The Home Office and other Government departments consider all available evidence to assess the situation.There is mixed evidence on the impact of climate change on migration flows. FCDO conducted a Rapid Evidence Assessment and found strong evidence that climatic shock events are linked to increased internal and, to a lesser extent, international, migration. In the medium- to long-term, other gradual climate-related emergencies may impact migratory movements, though this is likely to be within the borders or to the immediate neighbours of countries with low climate resilience. The report found there are no rigorous global estimates of the number of people displaced by or migrating in response to weather shocks or climate change, and high-end projections of future climate-related migration are not considered credible.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of misinformation spread by Russia on democracy in the UK.

The Government's Defending Democracy Taskforce, chaired by the Security Minister, is focused on safeguarding our democracy from the full range of threats including foreign interference.MI5’s National Protective Security Authority has recently launched new guidance to protect the UK’s democratic institutions from foreign interference. It notes that the UK is a target of long-term strategic foreign interference and provides advice for at-risk individuals to take to protect themselves, their teams and the integrity of our democratic processes.Protecting the UK’s democratic processes continues to be a priority for this Government and we have a number of mechanisms to tackle foreign interference and misinformation:The National Security Act 2023 provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt state threats.The Online Safety Act 2023 introduced measures which strengthen our ability to tackle information threats, especially in relation to electoral processes.

Whether her Department plans to issue public guidance on the limitations and risks of self-swab rape kits in order to ensure survivors of sexual violence are directed to Sexual Assault Referral Centres.

We recognise the devastating impact of sexual violence, which is why we are absolutely committed to tackling rape and sexual offences and achieving the best possible outcome for victims.We are aware of self-swabbing kits being promoted and made available to victims of sexual violence. These kits are in no way associated with the Government’s VAWG mission.The National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection has produced guidance for police forces outlining the steps officers should take when investigating a case which involves a self-swab. The Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine and other criminal justice agencies have also published a joint position statement on this topic, which does not advocate for the use of self-swabbing kits.There are many types of support available for those who have been a victim of a sexual offence, this includes the 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line and Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs). We recommend that victims of sexual violence attend a SARC, where trained clinicians can provide holistic care and forensic evidence can be collected in accordance with established standards.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of partnering with customs to monitor the importation of nitrous oxide.

Border Force works closely with law enforcement and our partners across the world to share intelligence in order to protect the public. We have seen a record level of drug seizures in FY2024, demonstrating police and Border Force are working relentlessly to stop illegal drugs from coming into the country and keep them off our streets. Nitrous Oxide is a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. It is an offence for a person to import or export nitrous oxide if they intend to wrongfully inhale it or if they know, or are reckless as to whether, it is likely to be wrongfully inhaled by some other person. “Wrongful inhalation” means inhalation other than for medical or dental purposes, and which is not accidental inhalation of nitrous oxide which has been released into the atmosphere (such as in industrial processes). Data on seizures of nitrous oxide and other controlled drugs at the UK border are published at:Seizures of Drugs in England and Wales, financial year ending 2024Border Force Transparency Data

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of prolonged temporary immigration status on British National (Overseas) visa holders’ access to (a) employment, (b) housing and (c) credit.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.I welcomed the opportunity to listen to the views of Members around these subjects in the recent 8th September Westminster Hall Debate on Indefinite Leave to Remain.We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year. All will be welcome to participate. We will provide details of how the scheme will work after that consultation.We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of extending the settlement pathway to ten plus one years on the cost of visa renewal fees for families of British National (Overseas) visa holders.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.I welcomed the opportunity to listen to the views of Members around these subjects in the recent 8th September Westminster Hall Debate on Indefinite Leave to Remain.We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year. All will be welcome to participate. We will provide details of how the scheme will work after that consultation.We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.

Whether her Department encouraged the Tunisian government to set up complaint mechanisms for people to report alleged violations of their human rights as part of the implementation of (a) the upskilling of migrants in-country, (b) the International Organisation for Migration’s Assisted Voluntary Returns & Reintegration Programme and (c) other UK funded programmes.

We have engaged with the Tunisian Government on allegations of human rights abuses and expect them to investigate such allegations. The UK has worked with Tunisian officials and partners on the implementation of a ‘code of conduct’ that aims to increase the accountability of Tunisian authorities. With UK funding, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) delivers case management for migrants in Tunisia which provides opportunities to disclose information on their experience of their journey.

What criteria her Department uses to determine whether contracts for projects funded by the UK Government in Tunisia should be suspended due to alleged violations of human rights; and whether those criteria have been published.

The UK Government routinely carries out Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessments before agreeing to undertake capacity building and other collaborative activities with overseas governments and agencies.

Whether her Department plans to allow British National (Overseas) visa holders to use the same border control queues as UK citizens at UK airports.

There are no proposed changes to airport queuing arrangements for any cohorts, including British National (Overseas) passport holders, at the current time.However, queueing arrangements at the UK border, including the use of eGates, remain under constant review to prioritise security, maintain fluidity and ensure that we continue to run our border in the best interests of the UK whilst also taking into account capacity and availability of space at individual ports. The government is committed to improving our border security and the passenger experience by continuing to look at options to increase the usage of eGates by those currently eligible and explore innovative technologies to increase the use of automation at the UK border.

Whether her Department plans to include voluntary work as a qualifying measure of societal contribution for British National (Overseas) visa holders under the proposed points-based pathway to Indefinite Leave to Remain.

We will consult later this year on the details of the Earned Settlement policy and will provide details of how the scheme will work after that, including on any transitional arrangements for those already in the UK.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of extending the route to settlement from 5+1 to 10+1 years on the mental health of British (National) Overseas visa holders.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at the time. An impact assessment will be developed alongside any finalised policy.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of suicide prevention training provided to police staff.

The College of Policing set the professional standards for police in England and Wales. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework which incorporates autism, learning disabilities, mental health and vulnerabilities. Through this, officers are taught to assess vulnerability and amend their approaches as required.The College further promotes the need for frameworks to assess vulnerability, to aid in consistent identification, support decision making, and to trigger appropriate safeguarding action.