Written questions by Perteghella.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of access to the Certificate of Sponsorship priority service on (a) recruitment, (b) workforce capacity and (c) service provision in the care sector.

The number of daily priority slots available has recently been increased to 120 requests per day, alongside a reduction in the service level agreement timescales for standard requests. In addition to this, organisations operating within the care sector can have their Certificate of Sponsorship requests prioritised without the associated fees via the support of a letter from a Director of Adult Social Services (DASS) submitted to UKVI to a dedicated mailbox established for this process.Priority change of circumstances for sponsors - GOV.UKUK visa sponsorship for employers: Certificates of sponsorship - GOV.UKYou can apply for extra undefined certificates through the sponsorship management system.You can also pay to get a decision within 5 working days.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a reduced-cost pathway to British citizenship for children who (a) were born in the UK, (b) have resided in the UK for 10 years or more and (c) are in full-time education.

No recent assessment has been made of potential cost reductions for specific cohorts of children applying to register as British citizens.Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review. From 08 April 2026, the fee for an application to register as a British citizen for individuals under the age of 18 was reduced from £1,214 to £1,000. The reduction aligns with the Government’s commitment to consider measures to reduce the financial barriers to young adults, who have lived here through their childhood, from accessing British nationality.Children seeking to register as a British citizen will have the fee waived if they are able to credibly demonstrate that they cannot afford the fee. In addition, where an application has been made by or on behalf of a child who is looked after by a Local Authority, no fee is payable and it is not necessary for the child’s financial circumstances to be evidenced.Information on eligibility for under-18 Fee Waiver applications can be found on GOV.UK at the link below:Get a citizenship application fee waiver if you’re under 18 - GOV.UK.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of (a) introducing a fee waiver for applications for British citizenship for children and (b) reducing the level of fees for such applications.

Where changes to fee legislation are made, Impact Assessments are produced which identify potential impacts resulting from the changes. The most recent Equality Impact Assessment which includes considerations in respect of citizenship fees for children is published here:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2026/44/pdfs/ukia_20260044_en.pdf.Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review. From 08 April 2026, the fee for an application to register as a British citizen for individuals under the age of 18 was reduced from £1,214 to £1,000. The reduction aligns with the Government’s commitment to lower financial barriers for children and young adults who are rooted in the UK and who may otherwise face challenges in accessing British nationality.Children seeking to register as a British citizen will have the fee waived if they are able to credibly demonstrate that they cannot afford the fee. In addition, where an application has been made by or on behalf of a child who is looked after by a Local Authority, no fee is payable and it is not necessary for the child’s financial circumstances to be evidenced.Information on eligibility for under-18 Fee Waiver applications can be found on GOV.UK at the link below:Get a citizenship application fee waiver if you’re under 18 - GOV.UK.

What recent assessment she has made of the effect of the current level of fees for child citizenship registration on access to British citizenship for children (a) born in the UK and (b) raised in the UK to parents with EU settled status.

Where changes to fee legislation are made, Impact Assessments are produced which identify potential impacts resulting from the changes. The most recent Equality Impact Assessment which includes considerations in respect of citizenship fees for children is published here:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2026/44/pdfs/ukia_20260044_en.pdf.Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review. From 08 April 2026, the fee for an application to register as a British citizen for individuals under the age of 18 was reduced from £1,214 to £1,000. The reduction aligns with the Government’s commitment to lower financial barriers for children and young adults who are rooted in the UK and who may otherwise face challenges in accessing British nationality.Children seeking to register as a British citizen will have the fee waived if they are able to credibly demonstrate that they cannot afford the fee. In addition, where an application has been made by or on behalf of a child who is looked after by a Local Authority, no fee is payable and it is not necessary for the child’s financial circumstances to be evidenced.Information on eligibility for under-18 Fee Waiver applications can be found on GOV.UK at the link below:Get a citizenship application fee waiver if you’re under 18 - GOV.UK.

Whether she has made an assessment of the impact of the level of fees for child citizenship registration on access to British citizenship for children (a) born in the UK and (b) raised in the UK to parents with EU settled status.

Where changes to fee legislation are made, Impact Assessments are produced which identify potential impacts resulting from the changes. The most recent Equality Impact Assessment which includes considerations in respect of citizenship fees for children is published here:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2026/44/pdfs/ukia_20260044_en.pdf.Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review. From 08 April 2026, the fee for an application to register as a British citizen for individuals under the age of 18 was reduced from £1,214 to £1,000. The reduction aligns with the Government’s commitment to lower financial barriers for children and young adults who are rooted in the UK and who may otherwise face challenges in accessing British nationality.Children seeking to register as a British citizen will have the fee waived if they are able to credibly demonstrate that they cannot afford the fee. In addition, where an application has been made by or on behalf of a child who is looked after by a Local Authority, no fee is payable and it is not necessary for the child’s financial circumstances to be evidenced.Information on eligibility for under-18 Fee Waiver applications can be found on GOV.UK at the link below:Get a citizenship application fee waiver if you’re under 18 - GOV.UK.

Whether her Department has considered (a) introducing a fee waiver for applications for British citizenship for children and (b) reducing the level of fees for such applications.

Where changes to fee legislation are made, Impact Assessments are produced which identify potential impacts resulting from the changes. The most recent Equality Impact Assessment which includes considerations in respect of citizenship fees for children is published here:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2026/44/pdfs/ukia_20260044_en.pdf.Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review. From 08 April 2026, the fee for an application to register as a British citizen for individuals under the age of 18 was reduced from £1,214 to £1,000. The reduction aligns with the Government’s commitment to lower financial barriers for children and young adults who are rooted in the UK and who may otherwise face challenges in accessing British nationality.Children seeking to register as a British citizen will have the fee waived if they are able to credibly demonstrate that they cannot afford the fee. In addition, where an application has been made by or on behalf of a child who is looked after by a Local Authority, no fee is payable and it is not necessary for the child’s financial circumstances to be evidenced.Information on eligibility for under-18 Fee Waiver applications can be found on GOV.UK at the link below:Get a citizenship application fee waiver if you’re under 18 - GOV.UK.

Whether she has made an assessment of the impact of the level of fees for child citizenship registration on access to British citizenship for children (a) born in the UK and (b) raised in the UK to parents with EU settled status.

Where changes to fee legislation are made, Impact Assessments are produced which identify potential impacts resulting from the changes. The most recent Equality Impact Assessment which includes considerations in respect of citizenship fees for children is published here:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2026/44/pdfs/ukia_20260044_en.pdf.Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review. From 08 April 2026, the fee for an application to register as a British citizen for individuals under the age of 18 was reduced from £1,214 to £1,000. The reduction aligns with the Government’s commitment to lower financial barriers for children and young adults who are rooted in the UK and who may otherwise face challenges in accessing British nationality.Children seeking to register as a British citizen will have the fee waived if they are able to credibly demonstrate that they cannot afford the fee. In addition, where an application has been made by or on behalf of a child who is looked after by a Local Authority, no fee is payable and it is not necessary for the child’s financial circumstances to be evidenced.Information on eligibility for under-18 Fee Waiver applications can be found on GOV.UK at the link below:Get a citizenship application fee waiver if you’re under 18 - GOV.UK.

What assessment she has made of whether the current arrangements for the Certificate of Sponsorship priority service, including (a) the number of available slots and (b) the allocation process, are sufficient to ensure that requests are processed in a timely and equitable manner.

The number of daily priority slots available has recently been increased to 120 requests per day, alongside a reduction in the service level agreement timescales for standard requests. In addition to this, organisations operating within the care sector can have their Certificate of Sponsorship requests prioritised without the associated fees via the support of a letter from a Director of Adult Social Services (DASS) submitted to UKVI to a dedicated mailbox established for this process.Priority change of circumstances for sponsors - GOV.UKUK visa sponsorship for employers: Certificates of sponsorship - GOV.UKYou can apply for extra undefined certificates through the sponsorship management system.You can also pay to get a decision within 5 working days.

Whether she plans to publish data on the number of animals bred for use in laboratories that were not used in scientific procedures in 2024.

The Home Office is reviewing the collection and publication of additional statistics on animals that were bred but not used in scientific procedures.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of importing cynomolgus monkeys born in (a) Africa and (b) Asia for use in scientific procedures on the welfare of those animals.

The Home Office is committed to maintaining the highest standards of animal welfare regarding the use of non-human primates in scientific procedures. The use of cynomolgus monkeys in the United Kingdom is strictly regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA).The Home Office commissioned a comprehensive assessment from the expert Animals in Science Committee on the welfare implications associated with the use of non-human primates bred and imported for use in scientific procedures. You can find the report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nonhuman-primates-bred-for-use-in-scientific-purposes.Following recommendations from the Committee, the Home Office has introduced a time-limited transitional period relating to the sourcing of non-human primates. During this period, the use of first-generation cynomolgus macaques will only be permitted where there is a scientific need, where there is an inability to reasonably source self-sustaining animals, where there is a robust plan to transition to a sustainable supply, and where their use will prevent culling, thereby reducing harm. You can read the Government’s response to the report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-human-primates-bred-for-use-in-scientific-purposes-response-from-lord-hanson.

When the Government plans to publish the findings and response to the consultation on the National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism, which closed on 11 June 2025.

This Government is committed to supporting victims and survivors of terrorism and understands that recognition is an important part of their recovery.That is why, from 19 March 2025 to 11 June, the Government held a public consultation on a National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism to explore how the country could honour those whose lives have been lost or forever changed by terrorism.The consultation has considered the ways a National Day could be implemented and any consequences that may result from the proposals.We are now reviewing all responses and will publicly update on the consultation’s outcomes and our next steps in due course.

When she plans to make a decision on the establishment and format of a National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism; and if she will commit to establishing the National Day in line with recommendations from victims’ groups.

This Government is committed to supporting victims and survivors of terrorism and understands that recognition is an important part of their recovery.That is why, from 19 March 2025 to 11 June, the Government held a public consultation on a National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism to explore how the country could honour those whose lives have been lost or forever changed by terrorism.The consultation has considered the ways a National Day could be implemented and any consequences that may result from the proposals.We are now reviewing all responses and will publicly update on the consultation’s outcomes and our next steps in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the responses received to the National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism consultation.

This Government is committed to supporting victims and survivors of terrorism and understands that recognition is an important part of their recovery.That is why, from 19 March 2025 to 11 June, the Government held a public consultation on a National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism to explore how the country could honour those whose lives have been lost or forever changed by terrorism.The consultation has considered the ways a National Day could be implemented and any consequences that may result from the proposals.We are now reviewing all responses and will publicly update on the consultation’s outcomes and our next steps in due course.

Whether she plans to use (a) secondary and (b) primary legislation to establish a National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism.

This Government is committed to supporting victims and survivors of terrorism and understands that recognition is an important part of their recovery.That is why, from 19 March 2025 to 11 June, the Government held a public consultation on a National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism to explore how the country could honour those whose lives have been lost or forever changed by terrorism.The consultation has considered the ways a National Day could be implemented and any consequences that may result from the proposals.We are now reviewing all responses and will publicly update on the consultation’s outcomes and our next steps in due course.

What discussions she has had with (a) police forces and (b) local authorities on improving the enforcement of the Highway Code requirement that dogs must be kept on a short lead when on pavements, roads or shared paths.

Under Section 27 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, and reflected in Rule 56 of the Highway Code, dogs should not be on the road without a responsible person present. Further advice is to keep it on a short lead when walking on the pavement, road or path shared with cyclists or horse riders.Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police who will decide on the evidence of each individual case, whether an offence has been committed and the appropriate action to take.

Whether she plans to publish guidance on restrictions on the use of national ID cards by holders of EU Settlement Scheme settled status for entry to the UK.

The current position for EUSS holders, as set out in the Withdrawal Agreement, is that EU citizens and UK nationals, and their respective family members, will continue to have the right to enter and leave their host state with a valid national identity card for five years after the end of the transition period (which will be 31 December 2025). Any decisions on arrangements after that date will be set out in the normal way in due course.

How many EU citizens with pre-settled status were considered for automatic upgrading to settled status between January and March 2025.

It is not possible to extract information from Home Office systems on how many EU citizens were considered for an automatic upgrade to Settled Status between January and March 2025. However, the latest published statistics relating to the EU Settlement Scheme noted that, between these dates, 6,287 automated grants of Settled Status were issued.

How many EU citizens had been granted pre-settled status on 30 April 2025.

The Home Office publishes data on the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) in ‘Immigration System Statistics’.The published statistics can be found in the EU Settlement Scheme data tables. Data on grants of pre-settled status can be found in tables EUSS_03 and EUSS_RA_01 in the summary tables.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Public Order Act 2023 on (a) freedom of assembly and (b) peaceful protest.

We have committed to carry out post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 beginning in May 2025. This process will review how the legislation has operated since it came into force.

What information her Department holds on the number of current gross misconduct hearings for Warwickshire Police; and what the average length of time taken to conclude gross misconduct hearings for Warwickshire Police was over the past five years.

The Home Office does not hold information on the number of current gross misconduct hearings for police forces, including Warwickshire Police. Nor does it publish information on the average length of time taken to conclude gross misconduct hearings.The Home Office does however collect and publish data on the number of police complaints, conduct matters, and misconduct proceedings (including cases and allegations) on an annual basis in the ‘Police misconduct, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-misconduct-statistics.The latest information covers cases finalised in year ending 31 March 2024. The data tables accompanying these statistics contain information on individuals referred to proceedings by proceeding type and Police Force Area (table MP1), and the subsequent misconduct finding level (table MP3).Tables CM7a and RC7a contain information on the total time to finalise conduct and recordable conduct matter cases, by Police Force Area. These statistics include all finalised cases, including those not referred to misconduct proceedings or where no action was deemed necessary.These statistics are designated Official Statistics in Development to acknowledge that they should be interpreted with caution, particularly when comparing between years. Please see the user guide for further details https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/user-guide-to-police-misconduct-statistics/user-guide-to-police-misconduct-statistics.