Written questions by Forster.

What the average waiting time was for a case to be assigned a caseworker at the Independent Case Examiner in the latest period for which data is available.

The average time taken from complaint receipt to allocation to an investigator (based on cases in investigation on 31 January 2026) was 26.62 weeks. Despite increased demand levels, this is a significant improvement compared to January 2024, when the average wait time was 56.08 weeks. Of those cases in investigation on 31 January 2026, the case which had waited the longest took 45.29 weeks to be allocated to an investigator from the date it was received at ICE. The Independent Case Examiner’s office continually seeks to improve further.

What the longest time it has taken was for a case to be assigned a caseworker at the Independent Case Examiner in the latest period for which data is available.

The average time taken from complaint receipt to allocation to an investigator (based on cases in investigation on 31 January 2026) was 26.62 weeks. Despite increased demand levels, this is a significant improvement compared to January 2024, when the average wait time was 56.08 weeks. Of those cases in investigation on 31 January 2026, the case which had waited the longest took 45.29 weeks to be allocated to an investigator from the date it was received at ICE. The Independent Case Examiner’s office continually seeks to improve further.

What the longest wait has been for a tribunal date to be set to appeal decisions made by the Department for Work and Pensions.

The information requested is not held centrally. Waiting times are calculated from receipt of the appeal to the final disposal decision. The final outcome of any appeal is not necessarily achieved at its first listed hearing so we are unable to extract data about waiting times for tribunal hearing dates.

What the average wait is for a tribunal date to be set to appeal decisions made by the Department for Work and Pensions.

The information requested is not held centrally. Waiting times are calculated from receipt of the appeal to the final disposal decision. The final outcome of any appeal is not necessarily achieved at its first listed hearing so we are unable to extract data about waiting times for tribunal hearing dates.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the EU freezing assets, assigning criminal liability and enforcing travel bans on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Any impact of EU sanctions is a matter for the EU.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of its earned settlement proposals on the number of children who will be born in the UK without British citizenship; and the number of such children whose entitlement to British citizenship will require a formal application for their registration.

The public consultation on ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’ ran for 12 weeks and closed on 12 February 2026. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model.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 an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment.

What estimate her Department has made of the number and administrative cost of applications for leave to remain per annum that will result from the earned settlement proposals.

The public consultation on ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’ ran for 12 weeks and closed on 12 February 2026. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model.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 an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment.The Home Office publishes the fees charged and the estimated unit cost of processing immigration and nationality applications on Gov.UK. This can be reviewed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-fees-transparency-data.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her department has made of the adequacy of the Government’s sanctions decisions following United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803.

We keep the impact of all UK sanctions designations under constant review.

If her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of Plan Two Student Loans on people’s ability to afford housing.

The Government is committed to improving the affordability of housing, and making the aspiration of home ownership a reality for as many households as possible. Student loan repayments are taken into account as part of affordability assessments for mortgage applications, but student loans are very different from a mortgage or credit card debt, as repayments are determined by income, not the amount borrowed. For example, a Plan 2 graduate earning £30,000 will repay only around £4 a month in FY2026–27. The most sustainable long-term method to improve housing affordability and help people into homeownership is to increase the supply of housing. This Government has recommitted to delivering 1.5 million homes over this Parliament.

How many times have schools been rejected for Condition Improvement Funding in Surrey in the last 20 years.

The Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) was established in 2015.From 2015/16 to 2025/26, 133 CIF-eligible schools and sixth form colleges in Surrey local authority have submitted 991 CIF applications. Of these, 110 schools secured funding for 378 projects.Further information regarding successful CIF applications, including schools receiving funding, is available for the 2015/16 to 2025/26 rounds and is published on GOV.UK.

Whether her Department has taken steps to review public safety at protests.

The right to peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. The government and the police are committed to upholding the rights to freedom of expression and assembly, and for people to do so in a manner that is safe and in keeping with the law.As part of this commitment, the Home Office continues to keep its public order legislation under constant review and will consider any further changes as may be necessary.In keeping legislation under review, the government has previously reaffirmed the commitment to expedited post‑legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023, which began in May 2025. Separately, in November 2025, the Home Secretary announced an independent review of public order and hate crime legislation, led by Lord Macdonald of River Glaven KC. The Review will assess whether existing police powers remain effective, proportionate and used consistently, including in relation to lawful protest.

Which schools have received Condition Improvement Funding in Surrey in the last 20 years.

The Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) was established in 2015.From 2015/16 to 2025/26, 133 CIF-eligible schools and sixth form colleges in Surrey local authority have submitted 991 CIF applications. Of these, 110 schools secured funding for 378 projects.Further information regarding successful CIF applications, including schools receiving funding, is available for the 2015/16 to 2025/26 rounds and is published on GOV.UK.

Whether he plans to amend the Matrimonial Causes Act.

The Government has no plans to amend the Matrimonial Causes Act at this stage.We are in the process of exploring the issues identified by the Law Commission in its 2024 report on financial remedies, ahead of issuing a consultation by Spring this year.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of derelict school buildings on children’s education.

Responsible bodies, such as local authorities, academy trusts, and voluntary aided bodies, have a vital obligation in ensuring the safety and condition of school buildings. The department supports local authorities, academy trusts and other bodies responsible for keeping school buildings safe and operational by providing condition funding, guidance and advice.Where there is a significant safety issue with a school building, which cannot be managed with local resources, the department provides additional support on a case-by-case basis.With effective maintenance, most buildings continue to perform long after their intended design life and the department produces the ‘Managing Older Buildings’ guidance for settings to support them in relation to their care and management.The Good Estate Management for Schools guidance contains a range of information that can help organisations to manage their school estate. The resource contains a range of information including strategic estate management, maintenance and health and safety compliance.

What assessment has she made of the adequacy of school buildings in Surrey.

The department supports local authorities, academy trusts and other bodies responsible for keeping school buildings safe and operational by providing condition funding, guidance and advice.The Education Estates Strategy sets out our 10-year plan to deliver a decade of renewal to transform schools and colleges, supported by £38 billion investment in education capital to 2029/30 and unprecedented long-term funding, with £3 billion per year by 2034/35 into capital maintenance in addition to almost £20 billion in the School Rebuilding Programme. There are over 500 schools already in the programme, including 6 in Surrey.The department collects consistent data on the condition of the school and college estate, which helps inform capital policy and programmes. The full data from the Condition Data Collection (CDC1) programme from 2017 to 2019 is presented at regional level in the House of Commons library here: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2285521/files.A summary of the data can be accessed in the CDC1 key findings report here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/condition-data-collection-2-cdc2-programme. The successor programme, Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2), will provide an update on the condition of the government funded school buildings.

If he will take steps to review the membership of the Privy Council.

There are no current plans to review membership of the Privy Council. Information regarding membership and the arrangements for appointment to the Council is publicly available on the Privy Council Office website.

How much funding was allocated to each Integrated Care Board in England for long covid services in the 2024-25 financial year.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are allocated funding by the National Health Service based on a statistical formula which takes into account population size and needs, so that funding distribution is fair and objective. Further details on ICB funding allocation can be found at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/allocations/The allocation of funding for specialised services, including long COVID, are at the discretion of local ICBs to best meet the needs of their local population.Commissioning guidance, from December 2023, presents guidelines for the commissioning and oversight of post-COVID services by ICBs in England for adults, and children and young people from April 2024. Since then, in line with the NHS operating framework and the establishment of integrated care systems, the commissioning of post-COVID services has been the responsibility of ICBs. However, according to this guidance, post-COVID services should comprise an integrated pathway of assessment, medical treatment, and multifaceted rehabilitation, including psychology, with direct access to required diagnostics. Referral should be via a single point of access which is managed by clinician-led triage.

Whether future NHS planning guidance will require Integrated Care Boards to provide dedicated long covid pathways.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are allocated funding by the National Health Service based on a statistical formula which takes into account population size and needs, so that funding distribution is fair and objective. Further details on ICB funding allocation can be found at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/allocations/The allocation of funding for specialised services, including long COVID, are at the discretion of local ICBs to best meet the needs of their local population.Commissioning guidance, from December 2023, presents guidelines for the commissioning and oversight of post-COVID services by ICBs in England for adults, and children and young people from April 2024. Since then, in line with the NHS operating framework and the establishment of integrated care systems, the commissioning of post-COVID services has been the responsibility of ICBs. However, according to this guidance, post-COVID services should comprise an integrated pathway of assessment, medical treatment, and multifaceted rehabilitation, including psychology, with direct access to required diagnostics. Referral should be via a single point of access which is managed by clinician-led triage.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of closing DVSA testing centres on driving standards.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is committed to providing an effective and efficient driving test service for its customers and keeps its estate under continual review. DVSA strongly encourages learners to drive on a variety of different roads and not just near to the location where a test centre is based. The driving test is designed to assess a driver’s ability to drive independently without instruction, taking into account the road and traffic situation at the time. Traffic situations change constantly, and road networks and layouts differ, therefore, exposing learner drivers to as many scenarios as possible will provide them with the skills and knowledge they require to drive on their own, and not just for the test. Learner drivers should be taught transferable skills that allow them to identify, plan and safely navigate hazards that they have not had the opportunity to encounter previously.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that patients with long covid receive condition specific care.

Long COVID, or post-COVID, services are commissioned by integrated care boards. These services should comprise of an integrated pathway of assessment, medical treatment, and multifaceted rehabilitation, with direct access to required diagnostics. Referral should be via a single point of access which is managed by clinician-led triage. At all stages in the care pathway, patients should be offered a range of support, treatment, and rehabilitation services, depending on the specific needs of the individual.NHS England has set up specialist post-COVID services nationwide for adults, and children and young people, and is investing in ensuring general practice teams are equipped to support people affected by the condition. The Living with Covid Recovery mobile phone app also supports people recovering from long COVID at home. The app has enabled the National Health Service to monitor and support the recovery of those suffering from long COVID more effectively.While there is no single treatment for long COVID, there are treatments available to help manage some of the symptoms. Specifically, the Government has funded clinical trials to test and compare different treatments such as antihistamines, anticoagulants, and anti-inflammatory medicines, as well as trials such as REGAIN.The Neighbourhood Health Service, delivered by new multidisciplinary teams of professionals, will embody our new preventative principle that care should happen as locally as it can, to support more services being delivered in the community, including for people with long COVID.