Written questions by Sobel.

What steps she is taking to improve the quality of initial decision-making in asylum cases.

We have adopted a plan to improve the quality of asylum casework, this includes improved training for decision makers and feedback loops to ensure we are learning from appeals to get decisions right first time.Asylum decisions are subject to stringent quality checks to ensure that claims are properly considered, decisions are sound, and protection is granted to those who genuinely need it.Each quality assessment will rate the impact of any casework or process errors against the agreed marking standards. Asylum decision quality data is published in the ADQ_01A table found in Migration transparency data - GOV.UK of the Immigration and Protection data.Quality assessments must adhere to Home Office interview and decision standards. These standards are shared with Decision Makers to improve understanding of quality scores when receiving feedback.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Home Ownership for people with a long-term disability scheme will receive funding for the 2026/2027 financial year.

The Home Ownership for People with Long-term Disabilities scheme is a specialist form of shared ownership and we have confirmed that it will continue to be funded under the new Social and Affordable Homes Programme where proposals meet programme requirements and deliver value for money.To support housing association participation, my Department is working with Homes England to publish further guidance on eligibility and delivery, including for specialist shared ownership models such as the Home Ownership for People with Long‑term Disabilities scheme.

Communities and Local Government, what steps were taken to encourage housing associations to partake in the Home Ownership for people with Long-term Disabilities scheme.

The Home Ownership for People with Long-term Disabilities scheme is a specialist form of shared ownership and we have confirmed that it will continue to be funded under the new Social and Affordable Homes Programme where proposals meet programme requirements and deliver value for money.To support housing association participation, my Department is working with Homes England to publish further guidance on eligibility and delivery, including for specialist shared ownership models such as the Home Ownership for People with Long‑term Disabilities scheme.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of raising the minimum income threshold for student maintenance loans in line with inflation.

This government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to attend higher education. We are future proofing our maintenance loan offer by increasing maintenance loans in line with forecast inflation every academic year from 2026/27 onwards, and making all care leavers automatically eligible for the maximum maintenance loan regardless of their income from 2026/27.We are also introducing new targeted maintenance grants from the 2028/29 academic year, which will provide disadvantaged students with up to £1,000 extra per year, on top of existing maintenance loans, increasing cash in student’s pockets, without increasing their debt.We need to ensure that student funding system is financially sustainable. Around £20.7 billion of student loans administered by the Student Loans Company were issued in the 2024/25 financial year, of which £9.1 billion of maintenance loans were issued to undergraduate students.The current system targets the highest levels of support at students with household incomes of £25,000 or less, who need it most.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed £50,270 threshold for eligibility for five year Indefinite Leave to Remain on Skilled Worker visa holders employed in lower wage regions.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, will raise the standard qualifying period for settlement from five years to ten years.We are proposing a series of tests that will measure a person’s contribution to this country and either reduce or increase the amount of time to settlement. This will include work undertaken by the individual. This earned settlement model and the tests which measure contribution are currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.The consultation also seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement.Details of the earned settlement scheme, including any transitional arrangements for those already in the UK, will be finalised following that consultation.The final model will also be subject to equality and economic impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

With reference to the White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published on 12 May 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed Indefinite Leave to Remain reforms on existing labour and skills shortages in key sectors of the UK economy.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, will raise the standard qualifying period for settlement from five years to ten years.We are proposing a series of tests that will measure a person’s contribution to this country and either reduce or increase the amount of time to settlement. This will include work undertaken by the individual. This earned settlement model and the tests which measure contribution are currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.The consultation also seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement.Details of the earned settlement scheme, including any transitional arrangements for those already in the UK, will be finalised following that consultation.The final model will also be subject to equality and economic impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to build more social and affordable homes in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July 2025 (HCWS771) and the answer given to Question UIN 101017 on 6 January 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on the mental and physical health impacts of placing households in temporary accommodation outside of their local area.

This government inherited a homelessness crisis with record numbers in temporary accommodation. Our National Plan to End Homelessness sets out how we will get back on track to ending homelessness by tackling its root causes. We are building 1.5 million homes, including a generational increase in new social and affordable homes. We have set out a new 10-year Social and Affordable Homes Programme backed by a £39 billion investment. We will also increase the supply of good quality temporary accommodation and support resettlement through the £950 million Local Authority Housing Fund.Legislation and statutory guidance are clear that local authorities should, wherever possible, place homeless households within their own area. Authorities receiving out-of-area placements must be notified in accordance with the law: this is not a tick-box exercise but should involve engagement with the receiving authority where necessary to minimise disruption and promote the welfare of any children. The former Deputy Prime Minister wrote to councils in November 2024 to remind them of this duty and made clear that failures to notify are unacceptable, as they put additional pressure on services and risk the safety of those placed.In October 2025, we provided £10.9 million funding for 61 local authorities to support families and children in temporary accommodation, including those placed out of area, making a tangible impact on their quality of life whilst they remain in need. This will fund a range of interventions to support families to access basic facilities, including Wi-Fi, laundry services, travel passes for school, improved communal spaces for homework and recreation and assistance with paying for food and leisure facilities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of implementing a service standard for decisions on Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate applications.

Most Academic Technology Approval Scheme applications are straightforward and 98 per cent of applications during the past year were processed within 30 working days. No new service standard is therefore considered necessary at this time.

What assessment has been made of the potential impact of withdrawing funding for Level 7 apprenticeships for most learners aged 22 and over who are unable to self-fund postgraduate study on social mobility.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57823.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the rates of New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance in relation to living costs for a single adult.

The Secretary of State is required by law to undertake an annual review of benefit rates. In a statement made on 26 November 2025, the Secretary of State announced that from April 2026, Jobseeker’s Allowance will be increased by 3.8% in line with the increase in the Consumer Prices Index in the year to September 2025, subject to parliamentary approval.

What steps he is taking to ensure the Road Safety Strategy will (a) improve drivers’ understanding of cyclists’ rights and (b) promote safer interactions between drivers and cyclists on the roads.

On 7 January 2026, the Government published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035. This target will focus the efforts of road safety partners across Britain, with measures to protect vulnerable road users, update vehicle safety technologies and review motoring offences. The Strategy also set 17 safety performance indicators (SPIs) which will be monitored to provide an understanding of performance against the commitments made in the strategy. One of these SPIs will monitor the rate of cyclists/pedestrians killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions per billion miles walked/cycled.Advances in vehicle safety technology also offer a significant opportunity to prevent collisions, reduce casualties and protect the most vulnerable road users. As part of the Road Safety Strategy, we are currently consulting on proposals to mandate a range of vehicle technologies including Emergency Braking for cyclists. This technology is designed to warn the driver and automatically activate the vehicle brakes when a frontal collision with a cyclist is imminent. The Government's THINK! road safety campaign currently runs two year-round radio adverts encouraging safer behaviours among drivers to protect cyclists. These promote use of the Dutch Reach for opening car doors and raise awareness of safe passing speeds and distances for motorists when overtaking cyclists. We will continue to encourage safer road user behaviours, including to improve safety for those cycling via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that UK companies operating in West Papua respect the rights of Indigenous peoples and prevent adverse environmental or human rights impacts, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

The UK Government takes seriously any concerns about environmental and human rights impacts linked to British businesses operating abroad. We regularly engage with both the Government of Indonesia and UK companies to promote responsible business conduct and uphold international standards.The UK is a signatory to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, which promote responsible business conduct globally. Our National Contact Point allows individuals and organisations to raise concerns about UK-linked corporate behaviour overseas.

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) medical support for and (b) access to medical support for people with colitis in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency.

It is the responsibility of the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) to meet the needs of patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, in the Leeds Central and Headingly constituency, supported by national improvement programmes such as Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) and NHS RightCare. These programmes provide evidence-based tools and guidance to reduce unwarranted variation and improve patient outcomes.In November 2025, GIRFT published a new handbook, Optimising care for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, in addition to an updated IBD pathway. This handbook provides practical advice, key actions, and examples of innovative practices to improve the care of National Health Service patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.Gastroenterology is a top priority for reform in the Elective Reform Plan. Specific action in gastroenterology includes developing an integrated pathway across primary, community, and secondary care for common gastroenterology conditions. We will also drive rapid adoption of remote monitoring in appropriate gastroenterology pathways.We are also introducing an ‘online hospital’ through NHS Online. This will give people on certain pathways the choice of getting the specialist care they need from their home, providing additional appointments to cut waiting times. IBD is amongst nine initial conditions for online referrals from 2027.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Indonesian government on upholding free, prior and informed consent for Indigenous communities affected by National Strategic Projects.

The UK Government is aware of the ongoing implementation of National Strategic Projects across Indonesia. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office senior officials have raised the importance of free, prior and informed consent (FPCI) for Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLCs) with senior Indonesian parliamentarians and Government of Indonesia officials, most recently in August 2025.

If she will make an assessment of the reliability of Northern Train’s services on the Airedale Line from Skipton to Leeds.

In November the Airedale line had cancellations of 1.68 per cent (below Northern’s average of 2.96 per cent). Northern Trains and the department, through the Rail North Partnership, would be keen to discuss any proposals for improving train services with the Hon Member and any interested stakeholders.

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) medical support for and (b) access to medical support for people with Crohn's disease in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency.

It is the responsibility of the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) to meet the needs of patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, in the Leeds Central and Headingly constituency, supported by national improvement programmes such as Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) and NHS RightCare. These programmes provide evidence-based tools and guidance to reduce unwarranted variation and improve patient outcomes.In November 2025, GIRFT published a new handbook, Optimising care for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, in addition to an updated IBD pathway. This handbook provides practical advice, key actions, and examples of innovative practices to improve the care of National Health Service patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.Gastroenterology is a top priority for reform in the Elective Reform Plan. Specific action in gastroenterology includes developing an integrated pathway across primary, community, and secondary care for common gastroenterology conditions. We will also drive rapid adoption of remote monitoring in appropriate gastroenterology pathways.We are also introducing an ‘online hospital’ through NHS Online. This will give people on certain pathways the choice of getting the specialist care they need from their home, providing additional appointments to cut waiting times. IBD is amongst nine initial conditions for online referrals from 2027.

How much UK public funding has been provided to the French Government under agreements relating to Channel operations since 2020; and for what specific purposes this funding has been used.

France is a key partner in tackling OIC and joint work is seeing French personnel being deployed, supported by cutting-edge surveillance technologies and equipment; and more work is being done to disrupt organised criminal gangs through improved intelligence sharing.Details of UK funding to France and its purpose are publicly available here: 28 November 2020, the UK pledged €31.4 million 20 July 2021, the UK pledged €62.7 million. 14 November 2022, the UK pledged €72.2 million. 10 March 2023, UK pledged €141m for 2023/24 and €191m for 2024/25. The Government ensures that UK funded activities to prevent small boat crossings comply with human rights obligations through regular engagement with French counterparts, robust governance arrangements within the agreements, and ongoing monitoring and review processes to identify and address any potential risks promptly. These measures collectively safeguard against any breach of human rights while supporting the objectives of the agreements.

What monitoring mechanisms exist to ensure that UK-funded activities in France, whether involving public authorities or private contractors, do not contribute to human rights violations against people on the move.

France is a key partner in tackling OIC and joint work is seeing French personnel being deployed, supported by cutting-edge surveillance technologies and equipment; and more work is being done to disrupt organised criminal gangs through improved intelligence sharing.Details of UK funding to France and its purpose are publicly available here: 28 November 2020, the UK pledged €31.4 million 20 July 2021, the UK pledged €62.7 million. 14 November 2022, the UK pledged €72.2 million. 10 March 2023, UK pledged €141m for 2023/24 and €191m for 2024/25. The Government ensures that UK funded activities to prevent small boat crossings comply with human rights obligations through regular engagement with French counterparts, robust governance arrangements within the agreements, and ongoing monitoring and review processes to identify and address any potential risks promptly. These measures collectively safeguard against any breach of human rights while supporting the objectives of the agreements.

Whether her department has assessed the potential impact of beach-based police interventions in northern France on recent trends in levels of deaths in the Channel; and what measures she is implementing to help minimise potential risks from such interventions.

Our ongoing partnership with French law enforcement prevented over 22,000 crossing attempts during 2025. We are working closely with the French to reduce the risk to life from these crossings and with partners across Europe to bring the smuggling gangs to justice. We will continue our work with the French Government to explore every avenue to understand what further can be done in the Channel to disrupt and deter small boat crossings.