Written questions by Naish.

When she plans to publish further information on long-term steps to help support people using the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme.

The Ukraine Schemes reflect a generous and meaningful commitment to support those displaced by the conflict. Since the full‑scale invasion began, the UK has provided sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their family members.The Government has been clear from the outset that the Ukraine Schemes are temporary humanitarian routes and do not provide a direct pathway to settlement. This reflects the Ukrainian Government’s strong desire for their citizens to be able to return home when it is safe to do so, in order to contribute to Ukraine’s future recovery. Time spent in the UK with permission granted under the Ukraine Schemes cannot be relied upon towards the continuous qualifying period for the purposes of a Long Residence application.On 24 February, the Government confirmed in Parliament that the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme will be extended for a further 24 months. This provides longer-term temporary certainty for Ukrainians in the UK, meaning they may benefit from up to 3.5 years’ permission under UPE, in addition to any time already granted under the Ukraine Schemes. This extension reaffirms the UK’s ongoing commitment to supporting those displaced by the conflict.To support a smoother application process, applicants will also be able to apply for further permission within the final 90 days of their current leave, rather than the previous 28‑day period. This will provide greater flexibility and assurance, allowing applicants to secure their future in the UK with confidence and ease.Ukrainians in the UK under any of the Ukraine Schemes may apply to switch into other immigration routes for which they meet the eligibility and suitability requirements, including work, study, family and private life routes.The Government will update the relevant GOV.UK pages in due course to reflect the 24‑month extension of the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme. The Immigration Rules and caseworker guidance will be updated in line with the changes as they come into effect.The Government recognises the importance of providing long‑term certainty for Ukrainians living in the UK beyond the lifetime of UPE. Work is underway across Government on future arrangements, and a further statement setting out the long‑term position will be issued later this year.The Government continues to keep the Ukraine Schemes and the evolving situation in Ukraine under close and active review.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that there is adequate oversight of individuals arriving in the UK on private jet.

The security of the UK border remains our top priority, and this government is committed to strengthening border security. Border Force conducts robust security checks on those arriving into the UK, including 100% checks on all notified general aviation flights and spot checks at aerodromes to reinforce security. Border Force allocates resources based on assessed risk, applying intelligence and targeting techniques. We have significantly reduced the number of aerodromes authorised to handle international or Common Travel Area flights by 85%, and anyone who fails to submit the required information prior to flying faces civil penalties. Border Force has implemented a range of initiatives to address vulnerabilities. These include:• Substantially reducing the number of aerodromes permitted to handle flights to and from the UK.• Introducing a civil penalties regime for non-compliance with airfield designation requirements.• Person details checked on all notified GA flights• The General Aviation (Persons on Board, Flight Information and Civil Penalties Regulations), which came into force on 6 April 2024, require that specified information about General Aviation flights and persons onboard must be submitted online and in advance of departure to Home Office Systems. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in civil penalty.• Working closely with the National Crime Agency and the police to counter threats such as smuggling, immigration crime and terrorism at UK airfields has resulted in seizures of Class A Drugs at small airfields and identification of undocumented arrivals, leading to multiple criminal convictions and working with partners to identify non-compliant GA flights.• Regular Home Office engagement with the GA community representatives and cross-government partners.

If her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the publication of the numbers of all animals involved in any form of animal research, including those bred but not used.

The Home Office is currently reviewing the potential merits of recording and reporting the number of animals that were bred for, but not used, in scientific procedures.The Home Office publishes Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals

How many 999 call handlers in England and Wales have received specific training on transnational repression since 1 January 2025.

The Home Office does not collect information on the training 999 call handlers have received.

What assessment she has made of the risk posed by foreign-state bounties and wanted notices against UK residents; and what steps are being taken to deter and prosecute any person in the UK seeking to facilitate such schemes.

The first duty of this Government is to keep the country safe. Any attempt by any foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will never be tolerated.The police and intelligence services have mature mechanisms to continually assess potential threats in the UK. They use a wide range of tactics to counter the most acute forms of state-directed threats and protect those individuals identified as at risk.The National Security Act 2023 has provided a comprehensive suite of powers to counter the threat of TNR. In particular, the Foreign Interference Offence and State Threats aggravating factor, have been specifically designed to bear down on harmful state-linked conduct (including state-directed activity such as transnational repression). Foreign Interference in the UK carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.Anyone who believes they are a victim of state‑directed activity should report to the police via 101, 999, or at a local station. Allegations of unlawful activity will be handled sensitively, treated seriously, and swiftly investigated in line with UK law.

What training on transnational repression in the UK by the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) has been offered to territorial police forces; and which forces in England and Wales have (a) completed that training, (b) partially completed that training and (c) not commenced any training.

The first duty of this Government is to keep the country safe. Any attempt by any foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will never be tolerated.As of March 2025, guidance on the National Security Act and foreign interference is available to all police forces in the UK through the College of Policing, and the guidance has been used by each force. Counter Terrorism Police (CTP) continue to encourage forces to increase usage of these products to enhance awareness of the threat from foreign interference and how to respond.Anyone who believes they are a victim of state‑directed activity should report to the police via 101, 999, or at a local station. Allegations of unlawful activity will be handled sensitively, treated seriously, and swiftly investigated in line with UK law.

What role local community safety groups will have in the consultation relating to the From local to national: a new model for policing white paper published on 26 January 2026.

The Police Reform White Paper, published on 26 January 2026, represents the most significant reforms to policing in England and Wales since the service was professionalised nearly 200 years ago. Proposals will focus local forces on local crime, while strengthening our ability to tackle serious and organised crime and threats to national security by creating a new national force, the National Police Service. The White Paper also sets out an ambition to significantly reduce the number of police forces by the end of the next Parliament.Whilst there will be no formal consultation on the proposals in the White Paper, the Home Office continues to engage with Policing and wider stakeholders, including community safety groups, to support the implementation of the reforms.

How many persons who are HKSAR passport holders have claimed asylum in the UK in each of the last five calendar years; and how many were (a) granted refugee status, (b) granted humanitarian protection, (c) granted other leave, (d) refused and (e) withdrawn.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the number of people claiming asylum and initial decisions on asylum claims, by nationality, is published in tables Asy_D01 and Asy_D02 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 for HKSAR passport holders.

Whether she will introduce an exemption from earnings requirement for indefinite leave to remain for persons who were (a) children or (b) enrolled in higher education for all or part of the relevant qualifying period.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. The Immigration White Paper included a commitment to consult on these changes. The changes involve significant reforms to the settlement pathway, and it is right that we consult to assess their impact on affected groups. In the case of children, it is acknowledged that many of the requirements in the earned settlement mode– such as the mandatory earnings requirement or meeting an income threshold – cannot be met by those who may still be children at the point that their parents become eligible for settlement. At the same time, however, the introduction of an earned settlement system with a longer baseline qualifying period does bring into focus whether and how those who turn 18 during their parents’ qualifying period should be brought within earned settlement principles and be expected to qualify for settlement in their own right. The consultation questionnaire therefore includes questions seeking views on how dependants should be accommodated within an earned settlement system, and whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. Details of the final earned settlement scheme will be finalised once the consultation has closed and the responses analysed.The government’s response to the consultation will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of having full transitional arrangements when introducing an earned settlement scheme.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. The Immigration White Paper included a commitment to consult on these changes. The changes involve significant reforms to the settlement pathway, and it is right that we consult to assess their impact on affected groups. In the case of children, it is acknowledged that many of the requirements in the earned settlement mode– such as the mandatory earnings requirement or meeting an income threshold – cannot be met by those who may still be children at the point that their parents become eligible for settlement. At the same time, however, the introduction of an earned settlement system with a longer baseline qualifying period does bring into focus whether and how those who turn 18 during their parents’ qualifying period should be brought within earned settlement principles and be expected to qualify for settlement in their own right. The consultation questionnaire therefore includes questions seeking views on how dependants should be accommodated within an earned settlement system, and whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. Details of the final earned settlement scheme will be finalised once the consultation has closed and the responses analysed.The government’s response to the consultation will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

Whether she will confirm that the current exemption from English language requirements for applicants aged 65 and over will be maintained for those applying for indefinite leave to remain.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. The Immigration White Paper included a commitment to consult on these changes. The changes involve significant reforms to the settlement pathway, and it is right that we consult to assess their impact on affected groups. In the case of children, it is acknowledged that many of the requirements in the earned settlement mode– such as the mandatory earnings requirement or meeting an income threshold – cannot be met by those who may still be children at the point that their parents become eligible for settlement. At the same time, however, the introduction of an earned settlement system with a longer baseline qualifying period does bring into focus whether and how those who turn 18 during their parents’ qualifying period should be brought within earned settlement principles and be expected to qualify for settlement in their own right. The consultation questionnaire therefore includes questions seeking views on how dependants should be accommodated within an earned settlement system, and whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. Details of the final earned settlement scheme will be finalised once the consultation has closed and the responses analysed.The government’s response to the consultation will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

Whether she will expand eligibility for the BN(O) route to include Hongkongers born on or after 1 July 1997; what assessment she has made of the number of people currently excluded for this reason.

The BN(O) route reflects the UK’s historic and moral commitment to those people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status at the point of Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997. To be eligible for the BN(O) route, applicants must have BN(O) status, or be the eligible family member of someone with BN(O) status. Adult children of BN(O) status holders who were born after 1 July 1997 are eligible for the route.The route is focused on those with BN(O) status and is already available to a significant proportion of the Hong Kong population. However, we understand concerns about the current scope of the route and so continue to keep this policy under review.We have not made an assessment of the number of Hong Kongers born on or after 1 July 1997 who are not eligible for the BN(O) route, or of the extent to which ineligibility for the BN(O) route may contribute to asylum claims. Asylum and the BN(O) route serve different purposes and operate independently.

What assessment she has made of the extent to which exclusions from the BN(O) visa route for Hong Kong born-persons born after 1 Just 1997 and without BN(O) status, contribute to HKSAR passport holders claiming asylum in the United Kingdom.

The BN(O) route reflects the UK’s historic and moral commitment to those people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status at the point of Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997. To be eligible for the BN(O) route, applicants must have BN(O) status, or be the eligible family member of someone with BN(O) status. Adult children of BN(O) status holders who were born after 1 July 1997 are eligible for the route.The route is focused on those with BN(O) status and is already available to a significant proportion of the Hong Kong population. However, we understand concerns about the current scope of the route and so continue to keep this policy under review.We have not made an assessment of the number of Hong Kongers born on or after 1 July 1997 who are not eligible for the BN(O) route, or of the extent to which ineligibility for the BN(O) route may contribute to asylum claims. Asylum and the BN(O) route serve different purposes and operate independently.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that Hong Kong SAR passport holders in the asylum system have access to appropriate mental health support.

The Home Office takes safeguarding issues extremely seriously. Protecting vulnerable people is a key departmental priority. We recognise that that all asylum seekers are potentially vulnerable. During the asylum decision making process we aim to ensure that particularly vulnerable claimants are identified and that they are given help in accessing appropriate services. All asylum seekers and refugees in the UK, including those who are Hong Kong SAR passport holders, can access the NHS for both physical and mental health needs.

What steps her Department is taking to improve mental health support and PTSD treatment services for serving and former police officers who have experienced trauma during their careers.

This Government is committed to supporting the mental and physical wellbeing of current and former police officers, and we are working closely with police leaders to ensure this.On 26 January 2026 we set out a comprehensive wellbeing package as part of our White Paper, “From Local to National: A New Model for Policing”. As that sets out, we will mandate overarching national wellbeing standards to ensure that every member of the workforce receives consistent support. We will also strengthen trauma prevention and early intervention, including ensuring protected time for trauma and suicide prevention training, rolling out tools to identify exposure to traumatic incidents, and developing new evidence-based trauma interventions. And we will expand the roll out of the dedicated Mental Health Crisis Line so all officers and staff, former and current, can access mental health support and have committed to its funding long term.We are continuing to provide funding to the National Police Wellbeing Service. The Service  provides evidence-based guidance, advice, tools and resources for forces, which helps Chief Constables in their duty to ensure the wellbeing of their workforce.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that the Passport Office issues clear instructions for applying for a passport for an adopted foreign national.

All His Majesty’s Passport Office customer guidance is published on GOV.UK. The published guidance includes clear instructions on applying for a passport for an adopted foreign national at the following page: Getting a passport for your child: adopted or fosteredA customer would in the first instance, read Get a passport for your child: Apply for a first child passport, which provides wider instructions on applying for a passport for a child.HM Passport Office guidance is under continuous review in order to ensure it aligns with legislation and reflects the most up to date information.

Whether her Department has made any assessment of the potential merits of lowering the costs of settlement visas for spouses of British citizens.

The Home Office keeps fees for immigration and nationality applications under regular review. Fees are set in accordance with the powers in Section 68 of the Immigration Act 2014, which allow the Department to take account of a range of factors, including the cost of processing applications, the benefits and entitlements associated with a successful application, and the wider costs of operating the migration and borders system.The Home Office does not make a profit from these fees; income generated above the estimated unit cost contributes to the operation of the migration and borders system, helping to reduce the burden on UK taxpayers.The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. The consultation seeks views on the impact proposed changes might have on different groups. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation.The final model will also be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

What steps her Department is taking to increase training and funding for police firearm licensing authorities.

The College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs Council have developed national training on firearms licensing. The Statutory Guidance on firearms licensing for Chief Officers of Police, most recently revised and strengthened on 5 August 2025, makes it clear that the training is mandatory for all police forces in England and Wales.The Government has taken action to increase the fees for firearms and shotgun licensing applications that are charged by police forces. On 5 February 2025, increased fees came into effect to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications processed by police forces. The extra income from fees will help police forces to better resource and train their firearms licensing teams. This was the first increase in fees for 10 years since 2015 and we intend to conduct more regular reviews of fees in the future.

Whether her Department has considered reclassifying date rape drugs such as flunitrazepam and gamma-hydroxybutyrate as weapons.

Gamma-Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB) and Flunitrazepam are controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. GHB, and the related substances Gamma-Butyrolactone (GBL) and 1,4-Butanediol (1,4-BD), were reclassified from Class C to Class B in 2022, in line with advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (‘ACMD’). Flunitrazepam is controlled as a Class C drug in common with other benzodiazepines. Ministers are obliged to consider advice from the ACMD before making to changes to the classification of drugs. The Government has no current plans to reclassify these drugs.

Whether her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of new immigration rules on people who arrived under the Syrian Vulnerable Person Resettlement Programme.

In line with our Public Sector Equality Duty, Equality Impact Assessments are undertaken for new policies to ensure that there are no unintended or disproportionate impacts on people with protected characteristics. This includes consideration of nationalities.