Written questions by Arthur.

Within the context of her asylum statement on 17 November 2025, if those arriving in the UK via safe and legal routes to seek asylum will have to wait for 20 years for indefinite settled status if they are recognised as refugees.

Our intention is that individuals arriving through reformed Safe and Legal resettlement routes will follow a ten-year path to settlement with the possibility of reducing this period based on contribution, in line with wider settlement reforms. This approach is subject to further consultation.We are introducing transformative changes to Safe and Legal routes that will fundamentally reshape how the UK offers opportunities to refugees. Work is underway at pace to operationalise these new routes, and further details will be provided in due course.

What assessment she has made of the number of children subject to removal under her plans to remove families from the UK.

All families will be offered financial support to enable them to return but, if that support is refused and steps are not taken to comply with the requirement to leave the UK, their return will be enforced. Decisions will continue to be governed by Section 55 duties and the Family Returns Process, with safeguarding and the best interests of the child paramount.The Department has not published a numerical assessment of the number children who might be subject to removal under the plans announced on 17 November, which will continue to be developed over the coming months.

What discussions she has had with her international counterparts on legal frameworks to support legitimate cybersecurity research.

The Government is conducting an ongoing review of the Computer Misuse Act. As part of the review, we are scoping several proposals to update the act, including how we can better support legitimate cybersecurity researchers so they can operate within a clear and supportive legal framework, while maintaining robust safeguards against misuse.We are always interested in learning from the approaches taken in other jurisdictions. We are speaking with international counterparts, including our major allies, to understand how they approach the issue of legislative frameworks for protecting legitimate cyber security researchers.

What steps she is taking in Edinburgh to identify employers recruiting people residing in the city without legal permission or valid immigration status.

The government is committed to taking effective action against employers of illegal workers. The Home Office collaborates closely with labour market enforcement bodies, routinely sharing intelligence and information to understand the threats and to inform the development of tactical action plans. Intensification activity targeting illegal working has been undertaken by operational teams right across the UK including in Edinburgh. Immigration and Compliance Teams conduct compliance and intelligence led enforcement visits and will take robust enforcement action against those individuals applying a range of sanctions.

If she will make an estimate of the number of workers residing in the country without legal permission or valid immigration status employed by food delivery companies.

The Home Office does not hold an estimate of the number of people working illegally in the gig economy. The recent joint work between the Office for National Statistics and the Home Office explains the complexities: Measuring illegal migration: our current view - Office for National Statistics.The government takes illegal working very seriously, and we are determined to clamp down on the employment of individuals with no right to work in the UK.In July 2025, the Home Office announced a new operational partnership with key food delivery companies to tackle illegal working in the gig economy, particularly among food delivery riders.

What steps she is taking to help ensure the biomedical sector has (a) efficient and (b) cost-effective visa routes for attracting world-leading scientists to the UK.

The Home office’s Immigration White paper, published on 12 May, sets our proposed reforms in a wide range of areas including attracting top scientific talent to the UK, further details of which will be set out in due course.

Whether she has made an assessment of which academic fields have benefitted most from the Global Talent visa scheme.

Following its introduction in February 2020, the Home Office commissioned Ipsos to undertake research into the impact of the Global Talent visa. Wave 1 of the research was published in May 2022 and wave 2 was published in March 2024.The Global Talent Visa Evaluation is published at:www.gov.uk/government/publications/global-talent-visa-evaluation/global-talent-visa-evaluation-exploring-experiences-of-the-global-talent-visa-process-wave-1-report.www.gov.uk/government/publications/global-talent-visa-evaluation-wave-2-report/global-talent-visa-evaluation-wave-2-report.

Whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the Global Talent visa scheme.

Following its introduction in February 2020, the Home Office commissioned Ipsos to undertake research into the impact of the Global Talent visa. Wave 1 of the research was published in May 2022 and wave 2 was published in March 2024.The Global Talent Visa Evaluation is published at:www.gov.uk/government/publications/global-talent-visa-evaluation/global-talent-visa-evaluation-exploring-experiences-of-the-global-talent-visa-process-wave-1-report.www.gov.uk/government/publications/global-talent-visa-evaluation-wave-2-report/global-talent-visa-evaluation-wave-2-report.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of age-related pay for people with Skilled Worker visas on opportunities for exploitation by unscrupulous employers.

The Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May, sets out the Home Office’s proposals for reform in a number of areas, including exploitation of individuals on worker visas.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of age-related pay for workers on the Skilled Worker Visa on exploitation in the airline industry.

The Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May, sets out the Home Office’s proposals for reform in a number of areas, including exploitation of individuals on worker visas.

What steps she plans to take to evaluate the effectiveness of her Department's Enough campaign at tackling violence against women and girls.

To evaluate communications activity, including the Enough campaign to help tackle violence against women and girls, the Department follows the steps set out by the Government Communication Service: GCS Evaluation Cycle - UK Government Communications.

Whether she has made an estimate of the potential impact of her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, on the number of student visas issued.

Provisional estimates on the potential impact on future student visa demand are published in the Technical Annex accompanying the Immigration White Paper: restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-technical-annex.pdf

How many and what proportion of people on the Skilled Worker visa have had their employment extended beyond their 26th birthday with pay meeting the standard salary threshold for the most recent year for which data is available.

The information requested is not available from published statistics and the relevant data could only be collated and verified from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of removing age stratification in the Skilled Worker visa minimum salary criteria.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under review, and recently published a white Paper setting out the Government’s plans for reform of salary requirements and a wide range of other areas.

What steps she is taking to help ensure the safety of girls and young women in public places.

Ensuring the safety of women and girls in public spaces is a top priority for this Government. We have set out an unprecedented mission to halve the level of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in a decade. That means working to tackle threats to women’s safety in all areas of their lives, including in public places.Through our Safer Streets Mission, we are driving action across Government to achieve this. We are spearheading a cross-Government approach to preventing and tackling VAWG through the Safer Streets Mission Board, and this includes looking at what action we can take to make public spaces safer for women and girls.We know that public sexual harassment often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women and girls, feeling unsafe on our streets. That is why tackling it is an important part of our mission and will be addressed in the forthcoming cross-government VAWG strategy.

What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the graduate route visa scheme.

We keep all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

What information her Department holds on the proportion of applicants to the Graduate Visa scheme that are fraudulent.

The specific information requested is not held.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the graduate route visa scheme on economic growth.

In May 2024 the Home Office published Analysis of migrants use of the Graduate route - GOV.UK which explores Graduate earnings and employment.This was published alongside The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) rapid review of the Graduate route: Graduate route: rapid review - GOV.UK.The 2023 Changes to the Student route and consequential changes to work routes Impact Assessment provides macroeconomic and labour market impacts of the Student and Graduate routes. 2023 changes to the student route and consequential changes to work routes: impact assessment.

Whether she plans to limit the sale of kitchen knives to those with round tips.

Nothing is off the table when it comes to tackling the scourge of serious violence and saving young lives, and we always keep the law and practice in this area under close review.We are taking action to tackle the illegal sale of knives online which is why last October, the Home Secretary commissioned Commander Stephen Clayman, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for knife crime, to carry out a comprehensive review into the online sale and delivery of knives.We have already announced that the Government intends to strengthen age verification controls and checks for all online sellers of knives at the point of purchase and on delivery, and the Government will set out next steps for strengthening the controls and processes around the online sale and delivery of knives in due course.

Whether she plans to take steps with the Scottish government to help tackle destitution experienced by migrants in Scotland.

Migrants with permission under certain family or private life routes can apply for ‘change of conditions’ support where they are destitute, at risk of imminent destitution or if there are reasons relating to the welfare of a relevant child.For all other immigration routes, if there are particularly compelling circumstances why leaving the UK is not possible, discretion can be used to consider if the circumstances justify provision of public support.Regardless of immigration status, local authorities are able to provide basic safety net support if it is established there is a risk to the wellbeing of a child or there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution.