Written questions by Anderson.

What steps his Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support people with disabilities to meet the cost of (a) energy bills and (b) transport (i) to medical appointments and (ii) in general.

I have regular meetings with colleagues across Government on ways to support disabled people meet the additional costs that can arise from a long-term health condition or disability. My department provides support with the additional generality of costs that can arise through provision of the extra costs disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment. This is supported by provision from other departments: the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero who provide support with energy bills through the Warm Home Discount Scheme; the Department for Transport who provide guidance on concessionary fares and free parking spaces; and the Department for Health and Social Care who provide for the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme for travel costs associated with medical appointments.

Whether he has any plans to review (a) policies on the transfer of prisoners to open prisons and (b) the eligibility criteria for prisoners to be moved to open prisons.

There are no current plans to revise the policy on transfer of prisoners to open prisons, or the eligibility criteria. As with all prison categories, this matter is kept under continuous review. Changes may be made, as necessary, to adapt the capacity of the prison estate to changes in the composition of the custodial population.

What the total cost to the public purse was for the translation of immigration and asylum (a) letters and (b) documentation into foreign languages in each of the last 3 years.

The Home Office does not provide a document translation service for immigration and asylum letters and documentation. Where documentary evidence is submitted in evidence, it must be translated into English in order for the contents to be taken into account by the decision maker. The translation should be dated and set out who has translated the document with any relevant qualifications.All asylum seekers are entitled to legal representation to support them. This includes translation. Legal aid can help pay for legal advice, if eligible.Asylum claimants may also seek support from family, friends, Non-Government Organisations and other support networks to help them respond to any additional information requests. Some charities like Refugee Action, Asylum Aid or the British Red Cross, and other NGOs may offer informal translation help. Charities are listed on section four of the published guidance: Information booklet about your asylum application - GOV.UK

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of early parole release decisions on (a) victim wellbeing and (b) public confidence in the criminal justice system.

We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release. Most prisoners, even those who have committed serious offences, will become eligible for release once they have served the minimum term of their sentence set by the court. We know that Parole Board decisions can be difficult for victims but we are committed to ensuring victims understand release decisions, can contribute to the process and are supported through it. This support is provided to eligible victims through the Victim Contact Scheme which includes Victim Liaison Officers who offer tailored guidance, keep victims informed, and help them navigate the parole process.A number of changes have been made to the parole process in recent years including the introduction of decision summaries which can be provided by the Parole Board, the Reconsideration Mechanism (which allows parties to a case to ask for Parole Board decisions to be looked at again), public parole hearings and the ability for victims to apply to observe private hearings. We support these and other measures to improve transparency, victim involvement and public confidence in the system.

What recent discussions he has had with the Parole Board on the involvement of victims in early parole release decisions.

We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release.It is important in the parole process that victims’ voices are heard and that they receive information and support to understand how the Parole Board reaches its decisions. We work closely with the Board on victims’ involvement and how to ensure their rights under the Victims’ Code and Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 are being met. This includes the right for victims to submit a Victim Personal Statement to the Parole Board explaining how the crime has affected them and their families. Eligible victims may also make representations about licence conditions imposed on offenders when released and, since 1 April 2025, we have worked with the Parole Board on measures to support victims to apply to observe parole hearings. Throughout the process victims are kept updated and given support by their Victim Liaison Officer, where they have signed up to the Victim Contact Scheme operated by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.

How many prisoners have been granted early parole in each of the last five years; and how many prisoners granted early parole subsequently committed (a) violent and (b) sexual offences in each of the last five years.

We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release.The information on how many prisoners have been granted parole can be found at: The Parole Board for England & Wales Annual Report 2024/25 - GOV.UK.We have interpreted ‘subsequently committed (a) violent and (b) sexual offence’ as those qualifying offences under the Probation Serious Further Offence (SFO) Procedures as set out in Annex A of the SFO Policy Framework: Probation Service Serious Further Offence procedures Policy Framework - GOV.UK.The table below sets out the total number of convictions for a) violent offence or b) a sexual offence, where the offender was released by the Parole Board (either from an indeterminate sentence, an extended sentence or following a recall to custody) and where cases were notified to HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2023.YearViolent offencesSexual offences2018-20191692019-202017112020-20211052021-202218122022-2023117Figures are based on conviction data that was produced on 30 September 2024.Data are based on the year the notification of the SFO was received by HMPPS and not the date of conviction.Violent and sexual offences are defined by the Serious Further Offences Policy Framework and do not include all violent or sexual offences. The list can be accessed at annex A via the following link Serious_Further_Offences_2024.odsThe number of SFO cases released by the Parole Board include those released from indeterminate sentences, extended sentences for public protection and those released following a recall to custody.SFO cases don’t necessarily come from the general Parole Board releases. If the Parole Board released people in 2022/23, it does not mean the 2022/23 SFO cases came from those Parole Board releases.Provisional figures are subject to change as outstanding cases are concluded at court.Data Sources and Quality. We have drawn these figures from administrative IT systems which, as with some large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Figures are published based on the date of SFO notification (ie, when the offender was charged with an SFO) as received by the National SFO Team in HMPPS. The lag between the date of publication and the conviction figures is to allow time for most cases to complete the criminal justice process. Conviction Figures for 2023/2024 will be published on 30 October 2025.SFOs are incredibly rare, with fewer than 0.5% of offenders supervised by the Probation Service going on to commit serious further offences but each one is investigated fully so we can take action where necessary.

Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions her Department has had with representatives from (a) YouTube and (b) other social media platforms on tackling dangerous (i) DIY, (ii) lifestyle and (iii) recipe content on their platforms.

The Online Safety Act is being implemented by this government and introduced measures to tackle illegal content online and harmful content for children.The child safety duties in the Act are clear on protecting children from harmful content – including dangerous substances and stunts.Ofcom, who are responsible for enforcing the Act, engage regularly with companies as YouTube. Ministers and officials regularly engage with stakeholders, including Ofcom and social media companies, to strengthen online safety for children and adults.We are committed to the Act and will not hesitate to go further to protect people, particularly children, where we need to.

How many asylum seekers who have had their claim refused have been deported in the last 3 years.

Asylum related returns are set out at table Asy_00a of the Asylum summary tables, published at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tablesCaseworker guidance on arranging returns is published on gov.uk at Returns preparation: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK

How many dependents of people granted humanitarian leave to remain have come to the UK in each of the last three years.

The information you have requested is published in the Immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK Data on grants of humanitarian protection following an asylum claim is published in table Asy_D02 of the asylum detailed datasets. Data on grants of entry clearance visa applications, by visa type, is published in table Vis_D02 of the entry clearance visas detailed datasets. Data on refugees resettled is published in table Res_D02 of the resettlement detailed datasets. The latest data is available up to the end of June 2025. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the 'Notes' page of the workbook.

Whether his Department has assessed the potential merits of excluding people convicted of violent offences from early parole eligibility.

We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release. Eligibility for release at the discretion of the Parole Board is determined by the type of sentence a prisoner is serving. All prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence – life or imprisonment for public protection (IPP) – must serve the minimum term in prison set by the judge before they become eligible to be considered for parole. Prisoners serving an extended determinate sentence (EDS) or sentence for offenders of particular concern (SOPC) must serve two-thirds of their custodial term in prison before being referred to the Parole Board to consider release. By their nature, sentences which involve release by the Parole Board are imposed on the most serious and dangerous offenders, including those convicted of violent offences. In all cases, the Parole Board may only direct release if they are satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the offender remain confined.The recent Independent Sentencing Review recommended that EDS prisoners should be subject to a new ‘progression model’ but the Government rejected that proposal because we do not think it would be right to allow for prisoners who have been deemed dangerous by the courts to have their parole eligibility date brought forward.

What steps her Department is taking with the Parole Board to ensure that (a) victims and (b) their families have a key role in the decision-making process in early parole release hearings.

We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release. The Ministry of Justice and the Parole Board are committed to ensuring victims, and their families in the case of deceased victims, can participate in and are supported through the parole decision-making process. As part of this commitment, a national policy was rolled out earlier this year to enable victims to apply to observe parole hearings remotely, supported by trained staff from the Victim Contact Scheme. Victims also have the right to submit a Victim Personal Statement, which may be read aloud during the hearing and eligible victims can make representations about licence conditions imposed on offenders when they are released. There is also a process by which victims can make representations to the Secretary of State if they think there are grounds for the Secretary of State to apply for a release decision to be reconsidered by the Parole Board. These measures aim to improve transparency, support victim engagement, and ensure their voices are heard throughout the parole process.

If she will make it her policy to refuse (a) asylum and (b) humanitarian leave to remain to anyone who does not speak English to a proficient level.

It is not possible to impose language requirements as a prerequisite for being granted protection in the UK.Every asylum claim admitted to the UK asylum system is carefully considered on its individual merits. Protection is normally granted where a claimant has a well-founded fear of persecution under the Refugee Convention, or a claimant faces a real risk of serious harm. Those found not to need protection are refused.English language proficiency is a requirement across a range of other immigration routes.The Government published an Immigration White Paper on 12 May setting out reforms to legal migration, so that we can restore order, control and fairness to the system, bring down net migration and promote economic growth.  Part of these reforms will focus on introducing new English language requirements across a range of immigration routes, for both main applicants and their dependants. Further information is available on GOV.UK at: Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper - GOV.UKWe will separately set out new reforms to the asylum system and to border security in response to irregular and illegal migration, to bring the asylum system back under control and end the use of asylum hotels later this year.

Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions her Department has had with representatives from YouTube on tackling inappropriate advertising on its platform.

The Online Safety Act is being implemented by this government and introduced measures to tackle illegal content online and harmful content for children.The child safety duties in the Act are clear on protecting children from harmful content – including dangerous substances and stunts.Ofcom, who are responsible for enforcing the Act, engage regularly with companies as YouTube. Ministers and officials regularly engage with stakeholders, including Ofcom and social media companies, to strengthen online safety for children and adults.We are committed to the Act and will not hesitate to go further to protect people, particularly children, where we need to.

What recent discussions she has had with the university sector on the mental health of students.

This government is committed to ensuring students in higher education (HE) have access to effective mental health support. This is why my noble Friend, the Minister for Skills has recently appointed a new HE Student Support Champion to lead a reconvened HE Mental Health Implementation Taskforce. Full details of the new champion will be announced shortly.The Minister for Skills, met with the new champion earlier this month to set out her strategic priorities for mental health in HE, and on 10 October the champion reconvened the HE Mental Health Implementation Taskforce. The taskforce will be a key vehicle for discussions with the university sector around driving forward improvements.Updates on the work of the taskforce will be published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/higher-education-mental-health-implementation-taskforce.

What procedures her Department has to deport failed asylum seekers.

Asylum related returns are set out at table Asy_00a of the Asylum summary tables, published at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tablesCaseworker guidance on arranging returns is published on gov.uk at Returns preparation: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what criteria her Department uses to decide which projects to fund through UK foreign aid.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) uses the Programme Operating Framework (PrOF), which is publicly available at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fcdo-programme-operating-framework

Communities and Local Government, how he plans to determine which proposed sites for new towns will go ahead.

On 28 September 2025, the government published the independent New Towns Taskforce report as well as its initial response to that report. Both can be found on gov.uk here.As set out in the initial government response, we warmly welcome all 12 of the locations it has recommend. Prima facie, each has the clear potential to deliver on the government’s objectives, with Tempsford, Crews Hill and Leeds South Bank looking particularly promising as sites that might make significant contributions to unlocking economic growth and accelerating housing delivery.On 28 September 2025 we commenced a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to understand the environmental implications of new towns development. This will support final decisions on precisely which locations we take forward. No final decisions on locations will be made until that SEA concludes and preferred locations could change as a result of the process.Ministers and officials will now begin work with local partners to develop detailed proposals and enhance our understanding of how different locations might meet the government’s expectations of what a future New Towns Programme can deliver, with all promising sites and reasonable alternatives assessed and considered through the SEA process. Appropriate assessment under the Habitats Regulations will also be undertaken when required.We are determined to get spades in the ground on at least three new towns in this Parliament and the government is prepared to progress work on a far larger range of locations if it proves possible.The post-war new towns programme was the most ambitious town-building effort ever undertaken in the UK. The next generation of new towns must match that post-war vision. The government will be looking for assurance that any location can be effectively and efficiently delivered in partnership with local communities, has a clear economic purpose, and will support national economic growth. We will also seek to test different delivery vehicles to learn lessons for how future large settlements are delivered and to contribute to a wider transformation of housing supply.The government will publish the draft proposals and final SEA for consultation early next year, before confirming the locations that will be progressed as new towns later in the Spring alongside a full response to the New Towns Taskforce’s report.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of (a) the number of housing estates that are currently unadopted and (b) the length of time they have been unadopted.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80700 on 20 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that new housing estates are adopted by local authorities in a timely manner.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80700 on 20 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has considered introducing a statutory timeframe within which housing developers must (a) complete and (b) handover infrastructure to local authorities for adoption.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80700 on 20 October 2025.