Written questions by Hussain.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the expiry of temporary Covid-era provisions that allowed for more flexible and timely death registration on bereaved families.

No assessment has been made. Since the repeal of the Coronavirus Act easements, Death Certification Reform provisions came into force on 9 September 2024 which introduced more effective processes for death certification and registration, alongside a strengthened system of medical scrutiny for all deaths.The Home Office is also committed to delivering the Civil Registration Service Transformation Programme which will provide the bereaved with greater flexibility and choice on how deaths are registered.

If the Government will consider introducing cross-departmental guidance on compassionate death registration to ensure consistency across local authorities.

There are currently no plans to introduce cross-departmental guidance on compassionate death registration. Medical professionals, registrars and others involved in the certification and registration processes all have guidance and training in place in accordance with their statutory functions.

Whether her Department has had recent discussions with West Yorkshire Police on tackling the use of ghost number plates in Bradford and the surrounding area.

Cloned and misrepresented plates are a serious problem which cause distress to innocent people and provide cover for criminals.The Home Office and the Department for Transport are working closely with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Trading Standards and local authorities to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime.

What discussions she has had with (a) local authorities and (b) police forces in West Yorkshire on the prevalence of illegal or ghost number plates used to evade enforcement cameras.

Cloned and misrepresented plates are a serious problem which cause distress to innocent people and provide cover for criminals.The Home Office and the Department for Transport are working closely with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Trading Standards and local authorities to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime.

Whether she plans to review the penalties for driving with a non-compliant or ghost number plate.

Cloned and misrepresented plates are a serious problem which cause distress to innocent people and provide cover for criminals.The Home Office and the Department for Transport are working closely with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), Trading Standards and local authorities to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of providing funding to the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service to support the expansion of its operations in areas with high levels of vehicle crime.

The National Vehicle Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) is a national policing unit funded by industry, including finance and leasing companies, insurers and hauliers, to provide dedicated specialist intelligence and enforcement. NAVICS undertakes enforcement action at ports which are intelligence-led operations to tackle vehicle crime.Whilst the Government does not fund NaVCIS, we provided £250,000 last year to other law enforcement partners to help support enforcement at the ports to prevent stolen vehicles and vehicle parts being shipped abroad, including additional staff and specialist equipment.This Government is determined to drive down vehicle crime. We are working with the automotive industry and police, including the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead on the issue, to ensure the strongest response possible. The former Policing Minister recently met the previous NPCC vehicle crime lead, ACC Jenny Sims, as well as other law enforcement representatives and representatives from industry, to discuss how we work together to tackle these damaging crimes.Via the recently established National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership and the police-led National Vehicle Crime Working Group, we are focusing on prevention and deterrence of theft of and from vehicles. This includes training police officers on the methods used to steal vehicles, encouraging vehicle owners to secure their vehicles, and working with industry to address vulnerabilities in vehicles.In the Crime and Policing Bill we have banned electronic devices used to steal vehicles, empowering the police and courts to target the criminals using, manufacturing, importing and supplying them.

What steps her Department is taking to support community-based knife crime prevention programmes in Bradford.

Halving knife crime over the next decade is a key part of the Government’s Safer Streets Mission. Driving down youth-related violence across the UK, including in Bradford, will play a key role in meeting this ambition.Through the Young Futures Programme, the Government will introduce Prevention Partnerships across the country, including in West Yorkshire, to intervene earlier and ensure that children and young people vulnerable to being drawn into crime are identified and offered support in a more systematic way.As we design the Young Futures Programme, we will ensure that it learns from and builds on the work of the Violence Reduction Units (VRUs). VRUs bring together partners, including from the voluntary and community sector, to understand and tackle the drivers of serious violence in their area.In 2025/26 the Home Office is investing over £4.3m in grant funding to the West Yorkshire VRU, alongside £169k to continue the implementation of the Serious Violence Duty. This funding will support delivery of a range of early intervention and prevention programmes.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a visa scheme to enable displaced Palestinians living in (a) Gaza, (b) Egypt and (c) other countries to be reunited with family members in the UK.

The Government is determined to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and rapidly increase aid, ensuring humanitarian support is reaching people there. The government is keeping existing visa pathways under review in response to events. Palestinian nationals who wish to come to the UK can do so via the existing range of visa routes available. Our embassy staff are ready to provide support as appropriate. They continue to support British nationals and other eligible persons who have exited Gaza to access the necessary medical, consular and administrative support. Any application for a UK visa will be assessed against the requirements of the Immigration Rules. Immediate family members of British citizens and those settled in the UK who wish to come and live in the UK can apply under one of the existing family visa routes. There are also routes available for dependants of those who are in the UK on most work routes and certain postgraduate student routes. Individuals with protection status or settlement on a protection route maysponsor their partner or child (under 18), to join or stay with them in the UK,providing they formed part of the pre-flight family unit before the sponsor fledtheir country to seek protection. Where a relevant application is made, consideration will be given to compelling compassionate factors that are raised.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a legal pathway for Palestinian children in Gaza to travel to the UK to receive medical treatment.

The Government is determined to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and rapidly increase aid, ensuring humanitarian support is reaching people there. We have been assisting British nationals and other eligible people to leave Gaza, liaising closely with the Israeli and Egyptian authorities. There are provisions that allow Palestinians to come to the UK for Private Medical Treatment under the Immigration Rules. Where a relevant application is made consideration will be given to exceptional circumstances or where there are compelling or compassionate grounds. The government is keeping all existing visa pathways under review in response to events in Gaza. Israel should engage with its partners to urgently establish sustained, safe and timely passage for patients who need medical or surgical interventions not available in Gaza. The UK is supporting the provision of essential healthcare to civilians in Gaza, including support to UK-Med for operating their field hospitals. On 16 October, Minister Falconer announced £1m for WHO Egypt to help Egypt’s Ministry of Health support medically evacuated civilians from Gaza who are receiving care in Egypt. It should be noted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) position is that people who are medically evacuated should stay as close to home as possible, so that they remain amongst those who are more likely to understand their language and culture, and so that their return home, when ready, is easier.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the resources available to process family visa applications from British-Palestinians.

The Government is assisting British nationals to leave Gaza. The FCDO is also providing consular assistance to those with British nationality, or dual nationality including British, who are in Gaza or who have left Gaza to a third country. Dual national British-Palestinians are not required to make a visa application as they have the right of abode in the UK. Our embassy staff are ready to provide support as appropriate. They continue to support British nationals and other eligible persons who have exited Gaza to access the necessary medical, consular and administrative support.Immediate family members of British nationals and those settled in the UK who wish to come and live in the UK can apply under one of the existing family visa routes.