Written questions by Blake.

What assessment her department has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to indefinite leave to remain for survivors of domestic abuse.

Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.As part of this consultation, we sought views on the potential impact of the proposed changes on vulnerable groups, including how an earned settlement system may be tailored for victims of domestic abuse.We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.  As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic impact assessments and equality impact assessments, which we will make available when the full response to the consultation is published.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed asylum and returns reforms on women.

Equality impacts will be considered for individual policies as they continue to be developed and will be kept under review to ensure there are no unintended impacts.

What alternative accommodation will be provided to women and children asylum seekers once they are removed from hotels.

Home Office officials keep the asylum accommodation estate under continual review. As part of this estate management, operational adjustments are made on an ongoing basis to ensure sufficient and suitable capacity is maintained to meet expected levels of demand.As the department reduces its reliance on hotel accommodation, individuals and families, including women and children, are moved into more appropriate longer term forms of asylum accommodation within the existing estate. This includes dispersal accommodation and, where required, other contingency arrangements that meet the necessary standards for safety and suitability.The Home Office is committed to ensuring that destitute asylum seekers are provided with safe, secure and appropriate accommodation, and that they are treated with dignity throughout the asylum process.In line with the Allocation of Accommodation policy, accommodation is offered on a no choice basis across the United Kingdom. Where an individual has specific, acute needs that require them to be accommodated in a particular area, established processes supported by Migrant Help and asylum support casework teams are in place to consider such circumstances.

With reference to Restoring Control Over the Immigration System: White Paper, whether her Department plans to apply the 5 and 10 year penalties for accessing public funds to those on limited leave to remain who are currently living in the UK and receiving benefits.

Data regarding how many people in the UK are subject to the ‘no recourse to public funds’ condition (NRPF) is currently in development and not ready for release. We will continue to explore what further information on NRPF can be produced. We are unable at this time to provide a specific timeframe for data publication or indeed confirm what will be published.The earned settlement model is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following that consultation.The consultation seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. Consideration will then be given, if appropriate, to how transitional arrangements may be designed to ease the impact of policy change, especially for individuals or groups already afforded permissions by the previous system.The final model will also be subject to equality impact assessment, which the government has committed to publish in due course.Free school meals are not classed as a 'public fund' for immigration purposes. It is the Department for Education who set the eligibility criteria for who can access free school meals.

How many (a) children and (b) adults are subject to the No Recourse to Public Funds condition.

Data regarding how many people in the UK are subject to the ‘no recourse to public funds’ condition (NRPF) is currently in development and not ready for release. We will continue to explore what further information on NRPF can be produced. We are unable at this time to provide a specific timeframe for data publication or indeed confirm what will be published.The earned settlement model is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following that consultation.The consultation seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. Consideration will then be given, if appropriate, to how transitional arrangements may be designed to ease the impact of policy change, especially for individuals or groups already afforded permissions by the previous system.The final model will also be subject to equality impact assessment, which the government has committed to publish in due course.Free school meals are not classed as a 'public fund' for immigration purposes. It is the Department for Education who set the eligibility criteria for who can access free school meals.

Whether data is available on the average length of time people spend living in the UK before acquiring Indefinite Leave to Remain, including (a) all individuals, (b) those on work routes, and (c) those on family routes.

The Home Office publishes data on individuals granted indefinite leave to remain, by initial leave type, and number of years into their journey in the ‘Migrant journey’ annual release. Data are published in table ‘MJ_D01’ of the ‘Migrant journey detailed datasets’. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data is from 2005 to 2024.

With reference to Restoring Control Over the Immigration System: White Paper, whether families accessing Free School Meals under the No Recourse to Public Funds extension could be subject to penalties of 5 or 10 years under the earned settlement scheme.

Data regarding how many people in the UK are subject to the ‘no recourse to public funds’ condition (NRPF) is currently in development and not ready for release. We will continue to explore what further information on NRPF can be produced. We are unable at this time to provide a specific timeframe for data publication or indeed confirm what will be published.The earned settlement model is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following that consultation.The consultation seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. Consideration will then be given, if appropriate, to how transitional arrangements may be designed to ease the impact of policy change, especially for individuals or groups already afforded permissions by the previous system.The final model will also be subject to equality impact assessment, which the government has committed to publish in due course.Free school meals are not classed as a 'public fund' for immigration purposes. It is the Department for Education who set the eligibility criteria for who can access free school meals.

Which government departments and schemes will explicitly include families with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) within their eligibility criteria following the introduction of new guidance; and what steps will be taken to monitor and enforce consistency of support across these schemes.

The new guidance being produced by the Home Office is designed to assist local authorities in supporting families with NRPF, as set out in the Child Poverty Strategy. The guidance will provide clarity around statutory duties and key safeguards for local authorities, ensuring a clear and consistent approach. The guidance does not alter the eligibility criteria for any current schemes or benefits.Children whose families are subject to the ‘no recourse to public funds’ condition (NRPF) can currently access schemes and benefits such as free school meals, 15 hours of free childcare for disadvantaged two-year-olds and15 hours free childcare for three- to four-year-old.The Home Office will continue to work across government where relevant to ensure that migrant children with NRPF are specifically considered when reviewing or deciding on eligibility for schemes and benefits.

Whether (a) asylum seeking families, (b) asylum seeking unaccompanied minors and (c) all types of asylum seekers would be eligible for transfer from asylum hotels to military barracks.

The Home Office is firmly committed to ensuring that destitute asylum seekers are provided with safe, secure, and appropriate accommodation, and that they are treated with dignity throughout the asylum process.Any requests to be accommodated in a particular location are considered under the Home Office Allocation of Asylum Accommodation Policy on a case-by-case basis, balancing the overarching principle that accommodation is offered on a ‘no choice basis’ against the strength of the exceptional circumstances.

With reference to her Department's Statement of 1 September 2025 on Borders and Asylum, Official Report, col 26, what steps she plans to take to tighten the test for asylum accommodation.

We are reviewing our processes, policies and legislation to ensure that only those who need support receive it. We will set out reforms to the asylum system later this year in the Asylum Policy statement.

With reference to her Department's review of the adults at risk in immigration detention policy, whether she has considered the potential merits of including (a) lesbian, (b) bisexual and (c) gay people on the list of indicators of risk.

As part of the review of the adults at risk in immigration detention policy, I can confirm that officials have considered the merits of including lesbian, gay and bisexual people on the list of indicators of risk under the policy. In addition, written comments and representations from a number of organisations that represent lesbian, gay and bisexual people were provided to the Home Office further to external engagement on the review.

With reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain on people seeking to buy property in the UK.

A technical annex has been published alongside the White Paper. It can be found in 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.

With reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, what assessment she has made on the potential impact of changes to the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain on people working (a) part-time and (b) on low wages.

A technical annex has been published alongside the White Paper. It can be found in 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.

With reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed extension of the qualifying period for indefinite leave on levels of poverty in migrant communities.

A technical annex has been published alongside the White Paper. It can be found in 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 will provide details of how the scheme will work at that time.

With reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the qualifying period for indefinite leave on families with British-born children.

We will reform our settlement and citizenship rules by expanding the Points-Based System and increasing the standard qualifying period for settlement to ten years.Individuals will have the opportunity to reduce the qualifying period to settlement and citizenship based on contributions to the UK economy and society.Paragraph 265 of the White Paper states that we will continue to offer a shorter pathway to settlement for non-UK dependants of British citizens of five years, provided they have remained compliant with the requirements of the relevant family route.

Whether data and imagery collected by Anduril Maritime Sentry Towers are used in asylum application decision-making.

The data and imagery collected by Anduril Maritime Sentry Towers are not used in asylum application decision-making.

Whether asylum applicants are made aware of their right to (a) receive and (b) amend their transcript from their substantive interview.

Asylum claimants are advised throughout the interview process that they will receive a copy of their interview transcript, and are invited to make any clarifications that are required.

What the error rate in asylum applications where decisions had an (a) automated and (b) AI-based element was between November 2024 and March 2025.

No automated / AI tools were deployed in Asylum decision making between November 2024 and March 2025.

With reference to her Department's publication entitled Restoring Control Over the Immigration System: White paper, published on 12 May 2025, whether the changes to the qualifying period for settlement from five to 10 years will impact people on the skilled worker route who are already in the UK.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and will provide further details at that stage.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of banning asylum claims from foreign national offenders convicted of sexual offences in their country of origin on LGBTQI+ people from countries where same-sex relationships are criminalised.

The Government has introduced an amendment to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill which will strengthen existing provisions by creating a new presumption that convictions for all sexual offences in Schedule 3 to the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (sex offences which are subject to the notification requirements) are considered particularly serious for the purposes of Article 33(2) of the Refugee Convention. The same provision will only apply to convictions received overseas where we are able to show that an individual has received, from a foreign court, a conviction for a sexual offence that would have resulted in the notification requirements had they committed it in the UK.