Written questions by Sollom.

What is the policy rationale for treating Indefinite Leave to Remain applications as withdrawn if an applicant leaves the UK while a decision is pending; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of this policy on young dependants.

In-country immigration routes, and any associated in country appeals rights, are designed to operate while the applicant remains physically present in the UK.Where an applicant leaves the UK before a decision is made, the application can no longer be considered on the basis on which it was made and is therefore treated as withdrawn.This approach maintains the distinction between in country and overseas routes, ensuring consistency with section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 (which can extend a person’s right to remain in the UK whilst their current visa has expired but they have an outstanding valid application under consideration) and aligns appeal rights with the appropriate procedural framework.Applicants have the ability to apply for priority services if they know travel is likely to be imminent, alternatively if a person has an urgent need to travel outside the UK and do not wish their application to be treated as withdrawn, they can contact the UK Visas and Immigration hotline and we will consider whether expedition of the decision can be made on a case-by-case basis.

Pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 122166, whether she has had discussions with Five Eyes counterparts on maintaining high standards of security and integrity in English Language Testing arrangements.

The security and integrity of English Language Testing arrangements is a matter the Government takes very seriously and robust standards in this area are essential to maintaining the integrity of the immigration system.We work closely with our Five Eyes counterparts across all service areas, including language testing, and value the insight provided by these interactions.As there is a live procurement exercise currently under way, it would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment further on the specific arrangements or any discussions that may inform them at this time.

Pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 122166, which groups her Department engaged to understand what capability is available to maintain high standards of security and integrity.

Externally, prior to live procurement, the Home Office English Language Testing (HOELT) Programme conducted five rounds of market engagement. This included industry experts and market leaders.The programme has also engaged with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) Commercial Innovation Hub, including the Government Digital Service in addition to Home Office Digital (HOD) who are fully embedded in the programme, supported by specialist managed services covering technical architecture, service design, cyber security, testing, and AI assurance.

Pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 122166, if she will publish the security schedule and solution requirements relating to English Language Testing Requirements.

The security schedule and solution requirements form part of the live procurement documentation for this contract. As the procurement process is live and ongoing, it would not be appropriate to publish these documents at this time, as doing so could prejudice the integrity of the competitive tendering process

Whether the Home Office English Language Test will be regulated by Ofqual.

The Home Office English Language Testing Programme remains in live procurement. We anticipate that the successful bidder will hold, or secure, Ofqual recognition. They must then continue to meet the rigorous bar required to comply with Ofqual's regulatory requirements. We are committed to working with Ofqual through to mobilisation to protect the integrity of these high-stakes tests.

What her Department's proposed timetable is for responding to the A Fairer Pathway to Settlement consultation.

The consultation for the earned settlement model, as proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, was open to the public between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. Working at pace, the contributions will now be analysed, and the findings will support the development of the final model. The public will be informed when a response is produced.Economic and equality impact assessments will be conducted on the final model and published in due course.

Whether pensions income that is not eligible for taxation in the UK due to the UK and Hong Kong Tax Treaty will count towards the proposed £12,570 personal income threshold for British National (Overseas) visa holders wanting to acquire permanent residence.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ’A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.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.The consultation seeks views from Hong Kongers on the proposals, including whether there should be exemptions from the mandatory economic contribution.Details of mandatory requirements, including those relating to personal income threshold, 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.

Whether it is her policy that only one person per household can respond to her open consultation on earned settlement.

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 is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.The consultation is open to anyone including multiple members of the same household. Each response must be submitted separately. People can request alternative formats of the consultation or report technical issues by contacting EarnedSettlementConsultationQueries@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Whether pensions income that is not eligible for taxation in the UK due to the UK and Hong Kong Tax Treaty will count towards the proposed £12,570 personal income threshold for British National (Overseas) visa holders wanting to acquire permanent residence.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ’A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.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.The consultation seeks views from Hong Kongers on the proposals, including whether there should be exemptions from the mandatory economic contribution.Details of mandatory requirements, including those relating to personal income threshold, 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.

Whether her Department consulted with British National (Overseas) visa holders on the drafting of the White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025.

The Immigration White Paper set out the principle that settlement should be earned through contribution to the UK economy and society. The publication, ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, built on this principle and laid out proposals for the earned settlement model. It stated that we will raise the standard qualifying period for settlement from five years to ten years and everyone who wishes to settle in this country will need to meet mandatory requirements, including a clean criminal record and strong English language skills.The consultation on the earned settlement model was launched on 20 November 2025 and will close on 12 February 2026.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.The consultation seeks views from Hong Kongers on the proposals, including whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement.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.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2025 to Question 94005 on Immigration: Hong Kong, what plans her Department has to conduct face-to-face meetings with those people potentially affected and relevant campaign groups during the development of the impact assessment for the proposed earned settlement model.

The Immigration White Paper set out the principle that settlement should be earned through contribution to the UK economy and society. The publication, ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, built on this principle and laid out proposals for the earned settlement model. It stated that we will raise the standard qualifying period for settlement from five years to ten years and everyone who wishes to settle in this country will need to meet mandatory requirements, including a clean criminal record and strong English language skills.The consultation on the earned settlement model was launched on 20 November 2025 and will close on 12 February 2026.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.The consultation seeks views from Hong Kongers on the proposals, including whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement.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 her Department has made of the risks to the safety of Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders travelling through Hong Kong or mainland China of the transition from physical Biometric Residence Permits to the digital eVisa system.

An eVisa is a digital record of a person's identity and their immigration permission in the UK, and any conditions which apply. As with biometric residence permits (BRPs), it is issued to enable a person to prove their status when travelling to the UK, including via third countries, and when living in the UK. The transition from physical BRPs to eVisas does not create a risk for those travelling through mainland China or Hong Kong. Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders do not need to present their eVisa for this travel, since they do not require a UK immigration status for this purpose.

Whether interest generated on savings will count towards the proposed £12,570 personal income threshold for acquiring permanent residence.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ’A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. Details of mandatory requirements, including those relating to the personal income threshold, will be finalised following that consultation. The final model will also be subject to economic and equality impact assessment, which we have committed to publish in due course.

When part 2 of the Independent Review of Fraud Offences will be published.

The Government has recently received the second and final report from Jonathan Fisher KC, Chair of the Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences.We are now carefully considering the Review’s findings and recommendations and will respond in due course.

What steps her Department is taking to help reduce identity theft by ghost brokers selling fake car insurance policies.

The Home Office works closely with law enforcement and industry partners to reduce fraud, including in the insurance sector. In October 2024, the Home Office also launched the Insurance Fraud Charter with major insurers to strengthen action against illegal intermediaries.Operationally, the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department investigates referrals from insurers and runs targeted operations, alongside public awareness campaigns delivered with the Insurance Fraud Bureau and the Association of British Insurers. The Insurance Fraud Breau also launched its, Avoid Ghost Brokers, campaign in May 2025 to warn the public about fake car insurance deals.The Motor Insurance Taskforce, has also set out measures to tackle fraud and ghost broking in their report published in December 2025. The report is available online at: Motor Insurance Taskforce: Final Report and Actions.

What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues ahead of the publication of the Immigration White Paper.

The Home Secretary is in regular dialogue with colleagues about all aspects of her responsibilities within the Government’s Plan for Change.

How many people were detained in health-based places of safety under the Mental Health Act 1983 in each year between 2017 and 2023; and what section of that Act they were held under.

The Home Office annually collects and publishes data on detentions under section 136 and section 135 of the Mental Health Act 1983 as part of the Police Powers and Procedures publication series.The most recent data can be found in the Detentions under the Mental Health Act data tables which can be downloaded from here: Stop and search, arrests and mental health detentions, March 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The information provided includes the type of place of safety the person was taken to.Data for detentions under section 136, for the years ending March 2017 to the year ending March 2024, is available in table MHA.08.Data for detentions under section 135, for the year ending March 2024, is available in table MHA.105a. Data for previous years is not available.The data provided covers only detentions carried out by the police and does not include people taken to a health-based place of safety by other agencies.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the introduction of Secure English Language Test on (a) international students, (b) research students and (c) skilled workers.

Secure English Language testing is already in place via commercial arrangements that underpin the policy requirements. The commercial arrangements, and those being considered for the future, will not negatively impact our customers but continue to support the visa application process. As part of both our business-as-usual management of services and any future arrangements, global test centre coverage is a key consideration and we will continue to ensure that test centres have good availability for our customers.