Written questions by Kirkham.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed increase to the standard qualifying period for settlement on trends in the level of NHS staffing levels.

A technical annex has been published alongside the White Paper. It can be found at the following link: Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper - GOV.UKWe will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at that time. An impact assessment will be developed alongside any finalised policy.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed increase to the standard qualifying period for settlement on (a) higher education and (b) research.

A technical annex has been published alongside the White Paper. It can be found at the following link: Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper - GOV.UK.We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at that time. An impact assessment will be developed alongside any finalised policy.

What assessment she made made of the potential impact of the Crime and Policing Bill on levels of protections for (a) bank, (b) building society and (c) banking hubs workers.

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.Our definition of a ‘retail worker’ is intentionally narrow given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker, and the assault took place in the course of their work. The Government does not plan to include bank, building society or banking hub workers within the new offence.Assaults against workers in these sectors are already an offence (common assault) under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and are covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.Section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 creates a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing cases of assault against public facing workers. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public, including public-facing roles in banks and building societies.

What steps her Department is taking to assist applicants who cannot apply online to access temporary visas.

Where a customer cannot apply online themselves for a visa, they may ask a family member or other appointed representative to assist in completing the application on their behalf. The visa application includes various authorities and declarations, and the customer will be bound by those when using a proxy. To complete the application process customers must provide their biometric data at their chosen Visa Application Centre. Customers who are unable to attend a Visa Application Centre should refer to published guidance for alternative options: Unable to travel to a Visa Application Centre to enrol biometrics (overseas applications) (accessible) - GOV.UK.