Written questions by Eastwood.

What steps her Department is taking to enable (a) private coaches, (b) education tutors and (c) other self-employed people to apply for an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service certificate with the relevant barred list check, in line with Recommendation 4 of the Bailey Review.

On 9 April 2025, the Government published an update on its work to tackle child sexual abuse, available on GOV.UK: Tackling Child Sexual Abuse. As part of this, by the end of 2025, we will introduce secondary legislation to create the ability for self-employed individuals, working in sensitive roles with children and vulnerable adults, to access higher-level Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. This change will apply in England and Wales.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the barriers to employment faced by people with temporary immigration status under the Ukraine schemes.

I refer the Honourable Member to my answer given on 8 May 2025 to PQ UIN 49746.

What (a) mandatory and (b) voluntary registration processes are in place for businesses seeking to operate within the private security sector.

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is a Home Office arm’s length body established by the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA) as the regulator of the private security industry. The SIA sets standards and licenses individuals seeking to perform certain licensable roles in private security. Licensing ensures individuals are appropriately trained, qualified, and vetted to ensure that they are ‘fit and proper’ to hold a licence.Businesses seeking to supply private security operatives under a contract for services must ensure all their partners, directors, managers and supervisors are licensed by the SIA, as well as any frontline staff who perform certain security roles specified in the Act (for example door supervisors and security guards).It is a criminal offence under s.3 of the PSIA for a person to engage in licensable conduct without a licence, and an offence under s.5 of that Act for a business to supply unlicensed security operatives to perform licensable activities.Businesses can also choose to sign up to the SIA’s voluntary quality assurance scheme, the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS).

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policy of pausing indefinite Leave to Remain applications for Syrian families in the UK recent reports of sectarian and revenge violence in Syria.

Following the fall of the Assad regime, the Home Office withdrew the Country Policy Information Notes and guidance relating to Syria and has temporarily paused all asylum interviews and decisions. However, we continue to register new claims from Syrians in the UK who wish to claim asylum.The Country Policy and Information Team (CPIT) are continuing to monitor and review the situation in Syria. CPIT are gathering evidence from a wide range of reliable sources, including reputable media outlets; local, national and international organisations, including human rights organisations; and information from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.The pause is being kept under constant review and when there is a clear basis upon which to make decisions, we will resume the processing of them.

If she will take steps to create a visa scheme for Palestinians that is similar to the Ukraine Family Scheme.

Immediate family members of British citizens, and those settled in the UK, who wish to come and live in the UK and do not have a current UK visa can apply under one of the existing family visa routes. There are no plans to create a bespoke family reunion scheme at this stage.Further details are available here: https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa.We will accept applications, which would normally have to be made in the country where the person is living, at any of the UK’s Visa Application Centres.Visa Application Centres are open and operating in Egypt, in both Cairo and Alexandria, and Amman in Jordan.The FCDO is also providing consular assistance to those with British nationality, or dual nationality including British, who are in Gaza or who have left Gaza to a third country. Dual national British-Palestinians are not required to make a visa application as they have the right of abode in the UK. Our embassy staff are ready to provide support as appropriate.

What the average length of time asylum seeker families are spending in contingency accommodation is in (a) the UK and (b) Northern Ireland.

The Home Office does not publish information regarding the length of time spent in contingency accommodation by asylum seekers. This period of time is determined by a number of factors including overall demand and availability of dispersal accommodation as well as individual circumstances.The Government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly. This includes identifying a range of options to reduce the use of hotels over time and ensuring efficiency and value for money across all accommodation arrangements.