The Westminster lensArchive · Written questions · 64 tabled · 61 answered

Written questions by Vaz.

Every parliamentary written question tabled by Valerie Vaz this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.

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Department:All (64)Department for Education (27)Home Office (9)Department for Business and Trade (5)Department of Health and Social Care (5)Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (4)Attorney General (3)Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (2)Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (2)Department for Culture, Media and Sport (2)Treasury (2)Cabinet Office (1)Ministry of Defence (1)

Showing 1–9 of 9 · Home Office

3 Feb 2026·Home Office·Answered

Asked

How many visitors from (a) India, (b) Pakistan, (c) Bangladesh and (d) Nepal were refused visas in 2024.

The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas by visa route, including Visitor visas, and nationality in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on visa applications refused are published in table ‘Vis_D02’ of the detailed entry clearance visas dataset. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data is from January 2005 up to the end of September 2025.Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.

3 Feb 2026·Home Office·Answered

Asked

How many students have claimed asylum (a) while studying in the UK and (b) after completing their studies in each of the last three years.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the number of people claiming asylum after holding a study visa as their most recent category of leave prior to claiming asylum is published in table Asy_D01a of the ‘Asylum claims and decisions detailed datasets’. The latest data relates to the year ending September 2025. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook.There is no published breakdown available on whether an individual claimed asylum before or after their visa expired.

3 Feb 2026·Home Office·Answered

Asked

How many complaints she has received on the new electronic visa system.

The Home Office has received 1888 complaints about the electronic visa system from 1 July 2024 when it first categorised this issue to 31 January 2026.This comprises 1785 Stage 1 and 103 Stage 2 complaints.

22 Apr 2025·Home Office·Answered

Asked

What her policy is on police (a) widows, (b) widowers and (c) surviving partners losing deceased spouse pensions if they (i) remarry and (ii) cohabit.

The 2015 police pension scheme is the scheme currently open to serving police officers. This scheme provides life-long survivor benefits for spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners, including those who remarry or cohabit after losing a spouse. The introduction of the 2006 police pension scheme meant that all eligible police officers were able to join a pension scheme with such survivor benefits.Prior to 2006, the 1987 police pension scheme provides a pension for the widow, widower or civil partner of a police officer who dies. In common with most other public service pension schemes of that time, these benefits cease to be payable where the widow, widower or civil partner remarries or cohabits with another partner. From 1 April 2015, the 1987 Police Pension Scheme was amended to allow widows, widowers and civil partners of police officers who have died as a result of an injury on duty to receive their survivor benefits for life regardless of remarriage, civil partnership or cohabitation.