Every parliamentary written question tabled by John McDonnell this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 26 · Home Office
What estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of mental health absences in the Work, Study, Family and Ukraine visa unit within the Visas and Passports directorate, in each of the past three years.
Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office and, therefore, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
What the mental health absence rate is in (a) the Work, Study, Family and Ukraine visa unit within the Visas and Passports directorate, and (b) the Home Office.
Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office and, therefore, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
What steps her Department takes before issuing visas to former Pakistani military officers.
UK Visas and Immigration undertake a range of checks as part of the visa application process. These checks can include verifying the information provided by the applicant, assessing their eligibility against the relevant Immigration Rules, verifying supporting information and conducting interviews where required to assess an applicant’s credibility and carrying out checks on biographic and biometric information using a variety of different sources.
If she will take steps to stop British citizens from travelling to France to participate in far right activities.
This government is bearing down on small boat crossings. We have stopped 40,000 crossing attempts since this Government came into office through our joint work with the French. We have detained and removed almost 50,000 people who were here illegally. Our pilot deal with the French means those who arrive on small boats are now being sent back.The entry and exit of citizens into/from the UK is the responsibility of border control/passenger Policy.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of the introduction of buffer zones around asylum accommodation.
The Home Office keeps the security of asylum accommodation sites under continual review, and the safety of asylum seekers and the local communities in which accommodation is located will always be our priority.While the Home Office recognises the merit in measures that help ensure safe access to accommodation, there are no clear powers within existing legislation that would enable the Secretary of State to create buffer zones around asylum accommodation. Local authorities may impose Public Spaces Protection Orders under section 59 of the Anti‑social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, and the police have powers under section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, but these powers do not extend to the Secretary of State.The Home Office continues to work closely with police, security teams, local authorities and other partners to ensure all accommodation sites are managed safely and securely. These stakeholders regularly attend Multi‑Agency Forums to provide updates and address concerns, including issues relating to protests or public order.
What qualifications and professional experience will be required when proposed Immigration Adjudicators are recruited to replace First-tier Tribunal Judges in asylum cases in the Immigration and Asylum Chamber.
Further detail will be set out in due course, including the eligibility criteria and regulation of adjudicators.
What professional regulatory body will be responsible for proposed Immigration Adjudicators.
Further detail will be set out in due course, including the eligibility criteria and regulation of adjudicators.
Pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 83227 on Visas: Skilled Workers, what assessment she has made of the number of workers working under the skilled worker visa route who will find themselves ineligible to (a) extend their employment, (b) change employment and (c) apply for settled status in (i) 2026, (ii) 2027 and (iii) 2028, in the context of increases in income thresholds which came into effect on 22 July 2025.
Updates to the salary requirements on the route reflect the latest available UK pay data and do not contain any policy changes. We expect sponsored workers’ pay to progress similarly to other UK workers. Transitional arrangements exempt workers who are already in the Skilled Worker route from the increase to the skills threshold, however they will not be in place indefinitely and will be reviewed in due course. It is our intention to publish an Impact Assessment at the earliest opportunity. A technical annex (www.gov.uk/government/publications/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-white-paper/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-technical-annex) was published alongside the Immigration White Paper setting out the impact of some of the key policy changes.
What estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of the changes to income thresholds in the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, HC 997, published on 1 July 2025, on the number of people employed on Skilled Worker Visas who no longer have leave to remain.
On 12 May, we published our Immigration White Paper, outlining our future approach to legal migration routes. We made Immigration Rules changes bringing the first of these reforms into effect. The 22 July changes included raising the skills threshold to RQF 6 and a routine uplift of salary going rates.The salary uplift is based on changes in UK workers’ earnings, as recorded in the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings conducted by the Office of National Statistics. This ensures that migrant workers are not used to undercut UK workers and are not exploited by being underpaid, which would create downward pressure on wages.Recent salary changes only affect those already in the Skilled Worker route when they next make an application to change employment, extend their stay, or settle. Sponsors are not required to increase salary in line with the new salary requirements for the duration of a worker’s existing permission. The changes only apply when they next make an application to change employment or extend their stay. This is in line with normal practice.Those who have been in the route since before 4 April 2024 continue to be subject to lower overall salary requirements.On 2 July we asked the Migration Advisory Committee to advise on future salary requirements for Skilled Worker visas and the Temporary Shortage List.
What estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of the changes to income thresholds in the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, HC 997, published on 1 July 2025, on the number of people employed on Skilled Worker Visas who no longer have leave to remain.
On 12 May, we published our Immigration White Paper, outlining our future approach to legal migration routes. We made Immigration Rules changes bringing the first of these reforms into effect. The 22 July changes included raising the skills threshold to RQF 6 and a routine uplift of salary going rates.The salary uplift is based on changes in UK workers’ earnings, as recorded in the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings conducted by the Office of National Statistics. This ensures that migrant workers are not used to undercut UK workers and are not exploited by being underpaid, which would create downward pressure on wages.Recent salary changes only affect those already in the Skilled Worker route when they next make an application to change employment, extend their stay, or settle. Sponsors are not required to increase salary in line with the new salary requirements for the duration of a worker’s existing permission. The changes only apply when they next make an application to change employment or extend their stay. This is in line with normal practice.Those who have been in the route since before 4 April 2024 continue to be subject to lower overall salary requirements.On 2 July we asked the Migration Advisory Committee to advise on future salary requirements for Skilled Worker visas and the Temporary Shortage List.
With reference to her policy paper entitled Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules: HC 1333, published on 14 October 2025, whether she has made an estimate of the number of workers currently employed on a Skilled Worker visa who will no longer have leave to remain.
The changes to the Immigration Rules in respect of English language requirements set out in HC1333 come into force on 8 January 2026 and do not affect the position of those given leave to remain as a Skilled Worker before that date. The changes to the Rules specify that a Skilled Worder previously given leave to remain on the basis of having met the previous requirement at B1 level will be able to extend their stay without needing to meet the new requirement.
Whether her Department has taken steps to implement the recommendations of the report by Dr Frances Rawle entitled The role of review and regulatory approvals processes for animal research in supporting implementation of the 3Rs, published on 27 February 2023.
The Rawle report identified opportunities to strengthen regulation and review processes supporting the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) in animal research, some of which are led by the Home Office. The Home Office has taken substantive steps to implement the recommendations, including:Licensing reform: The National Centre for the 3Rs are undertaking a review of the project licence application form to ensure robust and targeted assessment of 3Rs compliance at the application stage. The NC3Rs will provide recommendations to the Home Office.Audit enhancements: The Regulator has reviewed its approach to auditing licensed scientific establishments. When launched, audits will include a greater focus on assessing the effectiveness of Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Bodies (AWERBs).Named persons and AWERBs: A commission has been issued to the Animals in Science Committee to seek advice on strengthening the roles of AWERBs and Named Information Officers, and to include a request for guidance on promoting the 3Rs beyond licence review.Increased 3Rs training and resources: the training package for inspectors has been enhanced with a greater emphasis on replacement methodologies.
What discussions she has had with the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police on the development of policing best practice in responding to the needs of neurodiverse people.
The College of Policing is responsible for setting the relevant professional standards, guidance and training on operational policing matters. 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 NPCC have established a National Neurodiversity Working Group whose work includes supporting police forces to design and deliver an effective service for neurodivergent victims, witnesses, suspects, and residents.Police powers of entry under PACE must be exercised proportionally, meaning the level of intrusion should be necessary and justified in the circumstances, and where there are vulnerable people, the powers must be balanced to ensure public safety and the rights of individuals. Police forces, including the Met use a Vulnerability Assessment Framework (VAF) to identify vulnerability and ensure an appropriate response.
Whether she has provided guidance to police forces on the entry of police into supportive environments for neurodiverse people.
The College of Policing is responsible for setting the relevant professional standards, guidance and training on operational policing matters. 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 NPCC have established a National Neurodiversity Working Group whose work includes supporting police forces to design and deliver an effective service for neurodivergent victims, witnesses, suspects, and residents.Police powers of entry under PACE must be exercised proportionally, meaning the level of intrusion should be necessary and justified in the circumstances, and where there are vulnerable people, the powers must be balanced to ensure public safety and the rights of individuals. Police forces, including the Met use a Vulnerability Assessment Framework (VAF) to identify vulnerability and ensure an appropriate response.
What training is provided by police forces for interacting with neurodiverse people; and whether she has considered the potential merits of issuing guidance on this matter.
The College of Policing is responsible for setting the relevant professional standards, guidance and training on operational policing matters. 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 NPCC have established a National Neurodiversity Working Group whose work includes supporting police forces to design and deliver an effective service for neurodivergent victims, witnesses, suspects, and residents.Police powers of entry under PACE must be exercised proportionally, meaning the level of intrusion should be necessary and justified in the circumstances, and where there are vulnerable people, the powers must be balanced to ensure public safety and the rights of individuals. Police forces, including the Met use a Vulnerability Assessment Framework (VAF) to identify vulnerability and ensure an appropriate response.
What guidance her Department has issued to police forces on supporting neurodiverse people.
The College of Policing is responsible for setting the relevant professional standards, guidance and training on operational policing matters. 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 NPCC have established a National Neurodiversity Working Group whose work includes supporting police forces to design and deliver an effective service for neurodivergent victims, witnesses, suspects, and residents.Police powers of entry under PACE must be exercised proportionally, meaning the level of intrusion should be necessary and justified in the circumstances, and where there are vulnerable people, the powers must be balanced to ensure public safety and the rights of individuals. Police forces, including the Met use a Vulnerability Assessment Framework (VAF) to identify vulnerability and ensure an appropriate response.
If she will make it her policy to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Public Order Act 2024 to safeguard liberty of conscience and freedom of assembly.
The right to peacefully protest is a fundamental part of our democratic society.We have committed to carry out post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 beginning in May 2025.
What steps she is taking to ensure (a) safe, (b) healthy and (c) adequate living conditions for people seeking asylum in (i) initial and (ii) dispersed accommodation; and if she will end the use of hotel accommodation for unaccompanied children.
The Home Office remains committed to ensuring the wellbeing and safety of those receiving asylum support. There are mechanisms in place, managed by Migrant Help, to allow asylum seekers to request assistance, provide feedback and/or report issues. This support is available 24/7 by telephone, webchat or email.The Home Office has not accommodated unaccompanied children in UASC emergency hotels since 31 January 2024.
If she will hold discussions with the Metropolitan Police on taking steps to ensure that its enforcement of Public Order Act 2023 accords with the (a) rule of law and (b) Human Rights Act 1998.
The police are operationally independent of the government. The police make decisions about how to respond to specific incidents based on their professional judgement, the circumstances at hand, and all applicable laws, and the Home Office does not direct them on how to make those operational decisions.
With reference to her Department's Good character: caseworker guidance, updated on 13 February 2025, what definition her Department uses of exceptional, compelling, and mitigating circumstances.
An exceptional case is one where on the facts of the case, the application would normally be refused but there are mitigating circumstances which mean it would be appropriate to grant. The policy guidance contains a non-exhaustive list of examples of where applications may be granted