Every parliamentary written question tabled by Neil Duncan-Jordan this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 72 · Home Office
What guidance her Department has provided to (a) local police forces (b) local authorities and (c) residents in areas where vigilante groups have been set up purporting to patrol the streets.
With regard to vigilantism, the Government does not support anybody taking the law into their own hands.Any person who has information about a crime, suspected crime, or an alleged offender should contact the police so that it can be investigated through the established process.
Whether Contract Research Organisations have used beagles from MBR Acres in pre-clinical work on potential pandemic vaccines.
Regulatory testing to assure the efficacy and safety of human medicines, including vaccines, may require the use of animals where non animal alternatives are not available. This sometimes includes the use of beagles, for which MBR acres is the only UK facility with this capability.The government is actively funding research through the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) to develop computational and mathematical models that would be a virtual second species and thereby ultimately replace the use of beagles in drug development. More information is available at: www.nc3rs.org.uk/crackit/virtual-second-speciesThe Home Office does not collect specific data on how many beagles from MBR Acres have been used in Great Britain in the development of Covid-19 or pandemic vaccines, or whether Contract Research Organisations have used beagles from MBR Acres in pre-clinical work on potential pandemic vaccines.
How many beagles from MBR Acres were used in the UK in the development of a covid-19 vaccine.
Regulatory testing to assure the efficacy and safety of human medicines, including vaccines, may require the use of animals where non animal alternatives are not available. This sometimes includes the use of beagles, for which MBR acres is the only UK facility with this capability.The government is actively funding research through the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) to develop computational and mathematical models that would be a virtual second species and thereby ultimately replace the use of beagles in drug development. More information is available at: www.nc3rs.org.uk/crackit/virtual-second-speciesThe Home Office does not collect specific data on how many beagles from MBR Acres have been used in Great Britain in the development of Covid-19 or pandemic vaccines, or whether Contract Research Organisations have used beagles from MBR Acres in pre-clinical work on potential pandemic vaccines.
How many beagles from MBR Acres were used in the UK in the development of pandemic vaccines in the last 10 years.
Regulatory testing to assure the efficacy and safety of human medicines, including vaccines, may require the use of animals where non animal alternatives are not available. This sometimes includes the use of beagles, for which MBR acres is the only UK facility with this capability.The government is actively funding research through the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) to develop computational and mathematical models that would be a virtual second species and thereby ultimately replace the use of beagles in drug development. More information is available at: www.nc3rs.org.uk/crackit/virtual-second-speciesThe Home Office does not collect specific data on how many beagles from MBR Acres have been used in Great Britain in the development of Covid-19 or pandemic vaccines, or whether Contract Research Organisations have used beagles from MBR Acres in pre-clinical work on potential pandemic vaccines.
What administrative steps her Department takes in relation to an overseas care worker whose sponsorship visa has (a) expired or (b) been terminated.
There are no unique arrangements for care workers whose leave has expired and have been unable to find a suitable full-time vacancy in the sector prior to the expiration of their leave.Individuals would be expected to regularise their stay or make arrangements to leave the UK.Where employment has been terminated due to a sponsor being revoked or suspended, the worker is signposted to the relevant Regional Partnership for support.
How many overseas care workers are working on sponsorship visas from their employers.
The Home Office publishes data on sponsored work visas by occupation in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on grants of visas for ‘Caring Personal Services’ occupations, by quarter, are published in table ‘Occ_D02’ of the sponsored work visas by occupation and industry dataset. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. Data is from January 2021 up to the end of June 2025. Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.
How many overseas care workers hold sponsorship visas which will expire within the next 12 months.
The Home Office publishes data on sponsored work visas by occupation in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on grants of visas for ‘Caring Personal Services’ occupations, by quarter, are published in table ‘Occ_D02’ of the sponsored work visas by occupation and industry dataset. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. Data is from January 2021 up to the end of June 2025. Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.
What current restrictions are placed upon tourist visitors from China.
Chinese nationals travelling to the UK as tourists are able to use the Standard Visitor route to come to the UK for up to six months, though they will need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa prior to travel. This requirement applies to all visa national countries designated under the UK’s Immigration Rules.The UK welcomes genuine visitors from across the world and the visitor conditions in the Immigration Rules apply to all visitors irrespective of nationality.The Immigration Rules Appendix V: Visitor sets out the requirements for visitors coming to the UK. Visitors must leave the UK at the end of their visit and must not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK their own home. A visitor must also intend to undertake one or more of the permitted visitor activities, such as visiting friends and family or coming to the UK for a holiday, and they must not intend to work or study except where this is specifically permitted.www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-v-visitor
With reference to the White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, if she will make it her policy to include consideration of the social contribution of social care workers when determining points-based contributions to reducing the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
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.
If she will seek legal advice on the potential impact of her Department’s proposal to remove the right to return to the UK from existing social care workers who fail to find an alternative sponsor after 60 days on the Human Rights Act 1998.
When a sponsored worker loses their job, they are expected to either secure new sponsorship, switch into a different immigration route or leave the UK. Home Office and the Department for Health and Social Care officials are working hard to ensure care workers seeking alternative employment due to exploitation by their employer or licence revocation have access to support. Information about the Regional Partnerships can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-offer-to-international-asc-workers-whose-employers-sponsor-licence-has-been-revoked/support-offer-to-international-asc-workers-whose-employers-sponsor-licence-has-been-revoked.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of rules requiring social care workers who fail to find alternative sponsorship arrangements to leave the UK on their dependents.
The White Paper, published on May 12 2025, set out that the Government intend to end access to the Health and Care visa for carers due to worker exploitation in the route. There will be a transition period until 2028, we will permit visa extensions and in-country switching for those already in the country with working rights, but this will be kept under review.On 9 April the Home Office previously restricted access to overseas recruitment unless employers have first tried to recruit international care workers in the UK. Sponsors are also required to access the redeployment pool before sponsoring switching applications in-country so although we are considering whether this requirement will be needed longer term, we are not in a position to confirm at this stage.
What mechanisms are in place to remove social care workers who fail to secure alternative sponsorship arrangements within the specified 60-day period.
The White Paper, published on May 12 2025, set out that the Government intend to end access to the Health and Care visa for carers due to worker exploitation in the route. There will be a transition period until 2028, we will permit visa extensions and in-country switching for those already in the country with working rights, but this will be kept under review.On 9 April the Home Office previously restricted access to overseas recruitment unless employers have first tried to recruit international care workers in the UK. Sponsors are also required to access the redeployment pool before sponsoring switching applications in-country so although we are considering whether this requirement will be needed longer term, we are not in a position to confirm at this stage.
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a certificate of common sponsorship for future social care workers from overseas.
The White Paper, published on May 12 2025, set out that the Government intend to end access to the Health and Care visa for carers due to worker exploitation in the route. There will be a transition period until 2028, we will permit visa extensions and in-country switching for those already in the country with working rights, but this will be kept under review.On 9 April the Home Office previously restricted access to overseas recruitment unless employers have first tried to recruit international care workers in the UK. Sponsors are also required to access the redeployment pool before sponsoring switching applications in-country so although we are considering whether this requirement will be needed longer term, we are not in a position to confirm at this stage.
Whether she plans to publish a consultation on the proposal to remove the right of existing social care workers to return to the UK following the loss of their sponsorship arrangements set out in the White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025.
The White Paper, published on May 12 2025, set out that the Government intend to end access to the Health and Care visa for carers due to worker exploitation in the route. There will be a transition period until 2028, we will permit visa extensions and in-country switching for those already in the country with working rights, but this will be kept under review.On 9 April the Home Office previously restricted access to overseas recruitment unless employers have first tried to recruit international care workers in the UK. Sponsors are also required to access the redeployment pool before sponsoring switching applications in-country so although we are considering whether this requirement will be needed longer term, we are not in a position to confirm at this stage.
What are the rights of entry for emergency service personnel when accessing blocks of flats with secure entry systems.
Police forces in England and Wales have a range of powers of entry, including to protect life and investigate offences. These powers derive both from statute (primarily the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984) and common law.Fire and Rescue Services have powers of entry under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004, including to protect life or property in case of fire or other emergencies.Ambulance services do not have general powers of entry but may request police or fire and rescue service support if entry is needed in order to reach a patient in an emergency.
What steps she is taking to ensure that survivors of domestic abuse with no recourse to public funds (a) are aware of their entitlements and (b) can access welfare.
This government understands the specific challenges that migrant victims of domestic abuse hold, particularly for those who have no recourse to public funds. The Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse Concession (MVDAC) provides partners here under the family, work or study Immigration Rules, who are victims of domestic abuse (and their dependants), with 3 months permission to stay in the UK without a no recourse to public funds (NRPF) condition. The concession enables victims and their dependants to access relevant support, arrange to leave the UK or apply to remain in a different immigration capacity.There are also immediate settlement provisions for migrant victims of domestic abuse, under the Immigration Rules (Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse (Appendix VDA)). The government has recently uplifted the Support for Migrant Victims scheme, which helps migrant victims of domestic abuse with No Recourse to Public Funds, bringing the total investment to £2.4 million for 2025/26. The scheme, delivered by Southall Black Sisters, provides vital support, including accommodation, subsistence, counselling and legal advice. Further information on support for victims of domestic abuse can be found on the Domestic abuse: how to get help page on GOV.UK.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing plant protection product testing to remove the need to use dogs for testing.
GB pesticides regulations contain rules that require sharing of tests and studies involving vertebrate animals between pesticide companies to ensure that such testing is minimised. The assimilated regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 requires that testing on vertebrate animals shall be undertaken only where no other methods are available and that duplication of tests and studies on vertebrates undertaken for the purposes of pesticides regulation must be avoided.It is an offence to carry out animal tests in contravention of the regulations. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) implement and enforce these requirements as the competent authority for these regulations, acting on behalf of the UK and Devolved Governments in Scotland and Wales.The Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulations state that approved pesticide active substances are to be regarded as fully registered and therefore there is no occasion for additional testing of pesticides for the purposes of REACH registration.
Whether her Department will undertake a review of the necessity of using dogs in regulatory testing across all sectors.
The Government is committed to supporting the uptake and development of alternative methods to the use of animals in science. The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal.The Home Office assures that, in every research proposal, animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible, the number of animals are reduced to the minimum necessary to achieve the result sought, and that, for those animals which must be used, procedures are refined as much as possible to minimise their suffering.Dogs are a specially protected species under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The Home Office will only grant a project licence for a programme of work using dogs where the purpose of the programme of work specified in the licence can only be achieved by their use, or where it is not practicable to obtain other suitable animals.
With reference to the Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain: 2023, published on 11 September 2024, and to the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, for what reason there was an increase in ‘other dogs’ uses between 2022 and 2023.
The 2023 Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain, provides details of the uses of the animals. The purposes of use of the 205 ‘other dogs’ in experimental procedures are in Table 3.2. The purposes, and numbers of dogs used, are: Basic Research (55 for Immune System, 32 Multisystemic and 47 Ethology, Animal Behaviour and Animal Biology Work), and 71 in Translational/Applied Research: Animal Diseases and Disorders. The baseline numbers of animals used will be dependent on a range of extraneous factors.In all licensed work, the Home Office assures that the minimum number of animals are used, each of which experience the minimum level of harm in achieving the scientific outcome sought.
To ask the Secretary of State for Home Affairs, what discussions she has had with fire and rescue services on the (a) adequacy of the Settlement Funding Assessment for 2024-25 and (b) potential impact of the size of the workforce of those services on their ability to meet demand.
Overall, fire and rescue authorities will receive around £2.87 billion in 2024/25. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed to meet their core functions are a matter for each fire and rescue authority based on its analysis of risk and local circumstances.The Home Office will continue to work closely with stakeholders across the sector to ensure fire and rescue services have the resources they need to protect communities.