Written questions by Naish.

What steps she is taking to (a) protect exiled Hong Kong activists from (i) threats and (ii) bounties issued under Hong Kong’s national security law and (b) ensure the right to freedom of expression in the United Kingdom.

The UK will always stand up for the rights of the people of Hong Kong and will not tolerate attempts by any foreign power to intimidate and silence individuals in the UK.While it is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on security and intelligence matters, wherever we identify such threats, we will use any and all measures, including through our world-class intelligence services, to mitigate the risk to individuals.The Hong Kong Police's issuing of arrest warrants and bounties encourages reckless behaviour on UK soil and damages Hong Kong's reputation. In July 2025, the Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary publicly condemned the Hong Kong police's targeting of individuals for exercising their right to freedom of expression and called on Beijing to repeal the National Security Law.

Whether she will publish quarterly breakdowns of eVisa issues by (a) category, (b) access failure, (c) incorrect data, (d) share-code errors and (e) outcomes.

We are committed to ensuring that the transition to eVisas is as smooth as possible for all status holders. The Home Office has a robust support model in place to facilitate this transition. There is no plan to change the UKVI Account Terms & Conditions. We already operate a process of ex gratia payments where the Home Office is found to be at fault, and this will not change with the introduction of eVisas. Our online immigration status services are designed to be highly resilient, with rigorous testing and concurrent services in place to ensure efficiency. We consistently monitor our online services to resolve any issues as quickly as possible. Where technical issues do arise, there are fallback provisions in place to enable status to be confirmed through alternative means such as the Home Office’s dedicated UK Visas and Immigration Resolution Centre which can assist users who are experiencing technical issues and where necessary, enable a person’s status to be verified through alternative means. On sharecode reliability, we have not identified problems with the share code mechanism itself. The system is designed to invalidate codes in the following circumstances:Expiry after 90 days – Share codes are time-limited to prevent indefinite access to personal immigration data.Status updates – If a user’s immigration status changes after a share code is generated, the code is invalidated to ensure that the migrant has had a chance to review and share the most current status.On carrier eVisa verifications, if someone’s carrier, for example, airline, rail company or other transport provider, is unable to check a person’s permission to travel to the UK, the carrier may contact the UK Border Force Carrier Support Hub for advice, 24/7. This service is for carriers only.We do not collect data on how many times people have been refused airline boarding and UK entry as a result of eVisa issues. This data would rely on either a customer or airline notifying the Home Office and therefore could not be classed as a reliable data source Information requested regarding the breakdown of reported eVisa issues is not available from published statistics. The relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.We have carefully considered possible options for offline backup versions of eVisas. Information on a printed document would not allow demonstration of real-time immigration status, and therefore is not a secure method of sharing and proving immigration status in a way that gives confidence to the user and the checker.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the UK Visas and Immigration account terms and conditions in relation to liability for losses arising from inability to access an eVisa.

We are committed to ensuring that the transition to eVisas is as smooth as possible for all status holders. The Home Office has a robust support model in place to facilitate this transition. There is no plan to change the UKVI Account Terms & Conditions. We already operate a process of ex gratia payments where the Home Office is found to be at fault, and this will not change with the introduction of eVisas. Our online immigration status services are designed to be highly resilient, with rigorous testing and concurrent services in place to ensure efficiency. We consistently monitor our online services to resolve any issues as quickly as possible. Where technical issues do arise, there are fallback provisions in place to enable status to be confirmed through alternative means such as the Home Office’s dedicated UK Visas and Immigration Resolution Centre which can assist users who are experiencing technical issues and where necessary, enable a person’s status to be verified through alternative means. On sharecode reliability, we have not identified problems with the share code mechanism itself. The system is designed to invalidate codes in the following circumstances:Expiry after 90 days – Share codes are time-limited to prevent indefinite access to personal immigration data.Status updates – If a user’s immigration status changes after a share code is generated, the code is invalidated to ensure that the migrant has had a chance to review and share the most current status.On carrier eVisa verifications, if someone’s carrier, for example, airline, rail company or other transport provider, is unable to check a person’s permission to travel to the UK, the carrier may contact the UK Border Force Carrier Support Hub for advice, 24/7. This service is for carriers only.We do not collect data on how many times people have been refused airline boarding and UK entry as a result of eVisa issues. This data would rely on either a customer or airline notifying the Home Office and therefore could not be classed as a reliable data source Information requested regarding the breakdown of reported eVisa issues is not available from published statistics. The relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.We have carefully considered possible options for offline backup versions of eVisas. Information on a printed document would not allow demonstration of real-time immigration status, and therefore is not a secure method of sharing and proving immigration status in a way that gives confidence to the user and the checker.

What steps she is taking to improve the reliability of eVisa share codes.

We are committed to ensuring that the transition to eVisas is as smooth as possible for all status holders. The Home Office has a robust support model in place to facilitate this transition. There is no plan to change the UKVI Account Terms & Conditions. We already operate a process of ex gratia payments where the Home Office is found to be at fault, and this will not change with the introduction of eVisas. Our online immigration status services are designed to be highly resilient, with rigorous testing and concurrent services in place to ensure efficiency. We consistently monitor our online services to resolve any issues as quickly as possible. Where technical issues do arise, there are fallback provisions in place to enable status to be confirmed through alternative means such as the Home Office’s dedicated UK Visas and Immigration Resolution Centre which can assist users who are experiencing technical issues and where necessary, enable a person’s status to be verified through alternative means. On sharecode reliability, we have not identified problems with the share code mechanism itself. The system is designed to invalidate codes in the following circumstances:Expiry after 90 days – Share codes are time-limited to prevent indefinite access to personal immigration data.Status updates – If a user’s immigration status changes after a share code is generated, the code is invalidated to ensure that the migrant has had a chance to review and share the most current status.On carrier eVisa verifications, if someone’s carrier, for example, airline, rail company or other transport provider, is unable to check a person’s permission to travel to the UK, the carrier may contact the UK Border Force Carrier Support Hub for advice, 24/7. This service is for carriers only.We do not collect data on how many times people have been refused airline boarding and UK entry as a result of eVisa issues. This data would rely on either a customer or airline notifying the Home Office and therefore could not be classed as a reliable data source Information requested regarding the breakdown of reported eVisa issues is not available from published statistics. The relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.We have carefully considered possible options for offline backup versions of eVisas. Information on a printed document would not allow demonstration of real-time immigration status, and therefore is not a secure method of sharing and proving immigration status in a way that gives confidence to the user and the checker.

Whether she has considered the merits of introducing an offline backup for e-visas.

We are committed to ensuring that the transition to eVisas is as smooth as possible for all status holders. The Home Office has a robust support model in place to facilitate this transition. There is no plan to change the UKVI Account Terms & Conditions. We already operate a process of ex gratia payments where the Home Office is found to be at fault, and this will not change with the introduction of eVisas. Our online immigration status services are designed to be highly resilient, with rigorous testing and concurrent services in place to ensure efficiency. We consistently monitor our online services to resolve any issues as quickly as possible. Where technical issues do arise, there are fallback provisions in place to enable status to be confirmed through alternative means such as the Home Office’s dedicated UK Visas and Immigration Resolution Centre which can assist users who are experiencing technical issues and where necessary, enable a person’s status to be verified through alternative means. On sharecode reliability, we have not identified problems with the share code mechanism itself. The system is designed to invalidate codes in the following circumstances:Expiry after 90 days – Share codes are time-limited to prevent indefinite access to personal immigration data.Status updates – If a user’s immigration status changes after a share code is generated, the code is invalidated to ensure that the migrant has had a chance to review and share the most current status.On carrier eVisa verifications, if someone’s carrier, for example, airline, rail company or other transport provider, is unable to check a person’s permission to travel to the UK, the carrier may contact the UK Border Force Carrier Support Hub for advice, 24/7. This service is for carriers only.We do not collect data on how many times people have been refused airline boarding and UK entry as a result of eVisa issues. This data would rely on either a customer or airline notifying the Home Office and therefore could not be classed as a reliable data source Information requested regarding the breakdown of reported eVisa issues is not available from published statistics. The relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.We have carefully considered possible options for offline backup versions of eVisas. Information on a printed document would not allow demonstration of real-time immigration status, and therefore is not a secure method of sharing and proving immigration status in a way that gives confidence to the user and the checker.

Whether she will (a) set and (b) publish service standards for responding to eVisa error reports.

We are committed to ensuring that the transition to eVisas is as smooth as possible for all status holders. The Home Office has a robust support model in place to facilitate this transition. There is no plan to change the UKVI Account Terms & Conditions. We already operate a process of ex gratia payments where the Home Office is found to be at fault, and this will not change with the introduction of eVisas. Our online immigration status services are designed to be highly resilient, with rigorous testing and concurrent services in place to ensure efficiency. We consistently monitor our online services to resolve any issues as quickly as possible. Where technical issues do arise, there are fallback provisions in place to enable status to be confirmed through alternative means such as the Home Office’s dedicated UK Visas and Immigration Resolution Centre which can assist users who are experiencing technical issues and where necessary, enable a person’s status to be verified through alternative means. On sharecode reliability, we have not identified problems with the share code mechanism itself. The system is designed to invalidate codes in the following circumstances:Expiry after 90 days – Share codes are time-limited to prevent indefinite access to personal immigration data.Status updates – If a user’s immigration status changes after a share code is generated, the code is invalidated to ensure that the migrant has had a chance to review and share the most current status.On carrier eVisa verifications, if someone’s carrier, for example, airline, rail company or other transport provider, is unable to check a person’s permission to travel to the UK, the carrier may contact the UK Border Force Carrier Support Hub for advice, 24/7. This service is for carriers only.We do not collect data on how many times people have been refused airline boarding and UK entry as a result of eVisa issues. This data would rely on either a customer or airline notifying the Home Office and therefore could not be classed as a reliable data source Information requested regarding the breakdown of reported eVisa issues is not available from published statistics. The relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.We have carefully considered possible options for offline backup versions of eVisas. Information on a printed document would not allow demonstration of real-time immigration status, and therefore is not a secure method of sharing and proving immigration status in a way that gives confidence to the user and the checker.

How many times people have been refused (a) airline boarding and UK entry as a result of eVisa verification problems since 1 January 2025.

We are committed to ensuring that the transition to eVisas is as smooth as possible for all status holders. The Home Office has a robust support model in place to facilitate this transition. There is no plan to change the UKVI Account Terms & Conditions. We already operate a process of ex gratia payments where the Home Office is found to be at fault, and this will not change with the introduction of eVisas. Our online immigration status services are designed to be highly resilient, with rigorous testing and concurrent services in place to ensure efficiency. We consistently monitor our online services to resolve any issues as quickly as possible. Where technical issues do arise, there are fallback provisions in place to enable status to be confirmed through alternative means such as the Home Office’s dedicated UK Visas and Immigration Resolution Centre which can assist users who are experiencing technical issues and where necessary, enable a person’s status to be verified through alternative means. On sharecode reliability, we have not identified problems with the share code mechanism itself. The system is designed to invalidate codes in the following circumstances:Expiry after 90 days – Share codes are time-limited to prevent indefinite access to personal immigration data.Status updates – If a user’s immigration status changes after a share code is generated, the code is invalidated to ensure that the migrant has had a chance to review and share the most current status.On carrier eVisa verifications, if someone’s carrier, for example, airline, rail company or other transport provider, is unable to check a person’s permission to travel to the UK, the carrier may contact the UK Border Force Carrier Support Hub for advice, 24/7. This service is for carriers only.We do not collect data on how many times people have been refused airline boarding and UK entry as a result of eVisa issues. This data would rely on either a customer or airline notifying the Home Office and therefore could not be classed as a reliable data source Information requested regarding the breakdown of reported eVisa issues is not available from published statistics. The relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.We have carefully considered possible options for offline backup versions of eVisas. Information on a printed document would not allow demonstration of real-time immigration status, and therefore is not a secure method of sharing and proving immigration status in a way that gives confidence to the user and the checker.

With reference to project 12 of her Department's publication entitled Non-technical summaries for project licences granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act between January – March 2025, what the title is of the regulations for medical device testing that do not allow safety decisions to be made on non-animal systems alone.

The legislation relating to placing a Medical Device on the market is The Medical Devices (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1478/contents/made).We are working with regulators to see how advances in technology can and will reduce use and phase out use in some areas.Although much research can be done without using animals, there are still purposes where use of live animals is essential, as the complexity of whole biological systems cannot be reliably replicated using alternative methodologies. Animal testing is therefore often required by all global medicines regulators, including the UK’s Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).Applications for animal research must conform with all legal requirements set out in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. This includes, applying the principles of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement); the replacement of animals with alternatives, the reduction of the number of animals used to the minimum possible and the refinement of any techniques to reduce the harm suffered by the animals to the minimum.

With reference to to project 12 of her Department's publication entitled Non-technical summaries for project licences granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act between January – March 2025, what the title is of the guidelines which specify the numbers of animals used in each study.

The legislation relating to placing a Medical Device on the market is The Medical Devices (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1478/contents/made).We are working with regulators to see how advances in technology can and will reduce use and phase out use in some areas.Although much research can be done without using animals, there are still purposes where use of live animals is essential, as the complexity of whole biological systems cannot be reliably replicated using alternative methodologies. Animal testing is therefore often required by all global medicines regulators, including the UK’s Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).Applications for animal research must conform with all legal requirements set out in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. This includes, applying the principles of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement); the replacement of animals with alternatives, the reduction of the number of animals used to the minimum possible and the refinement of any techniques to reduce the harm suffered by the animals to the minimum.

Whether she has considered granting British National (Overseas) visa holders parity with EU nationals who retain a five-year route to settled status under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in due course.We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.

Whether she plans to allocate rural crime teams in each police force.

This financial year the Home Office will be providing the first funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) as well as continuing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU). The funding boost of over £800,000 will help the units tackle those crimes that predominantly affect our rural communities.The Government is committed to strong neighbourhood policing for everyone in England and Wales, wherever they live – including those in our rural communities. The Neighbourhood Policing Programme has been given £200m for 2025/2026. Individual forces will decide how best to spend their allocation of this funding to recruit a workforce mix tailored to suit their local context and operational needs, informed by a force-level understanding of these priorities and objectives.

Whether she plans to bring forward secondary legislation to mandate (a) GPS and (b) ATV security measures on farm equipment under the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023.

We are committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, which aims to prevent the theft and re-sale of high-value equipment, particularly for use in an agricultural setting.The Act will help prevent equipment being stolen, make it harder for criminals to sell on stolen quad bikes and All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), and assist the police with identifying owners of stolen equipment. I know that thefts of removable GPS units are increasing, and these systems are vital for farming, which is why there is scope for these devices to be included in this legislation.The Act requires secondary legislation before it can come into effect. I am carefully considering the views of those who may be affected by the legislation and its regulations, to understand the potential implications and determine the scope of the legislation. The Government response to the Call for Evidence on the scope of the legislation will be published in due course.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending British National (Overseas) nationality status to BN(O) visa holders' dependents residing in the United Kingdom.

Registration for British National (Overseas) status closed on 1 July 1997 and no new applications can now be made. BN(O) visa holders’ dependants who are on the BN(O) route in the UK may apply for British citizenship after 5 years’ qualifying residence, and being free from immigration time restrictions for a further year.

With reference to para. 266 of the White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, what her Department's timetable is for the consultation on changes to the (a) points-based system and (b) qualifying period for visas.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at that time.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2025 to Question 36235 on Oppression: China, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the redevelopment of a Chinese embassy in London on the ability of Hong Kong nationals in the UK to exercise their right to (a) free speech and (b) peaceful protest since 6 March 2025.

The management and safety of demonstrations is an operational matter for the police, and the Metropolitan Police Service have provided their assessment of the potential management of protests outside Royal Mint Court in their submission to the Planning Inquiry.

What recent discussions her Department has had with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on barriers to (a) eligibility and (b) meeting settlement requirements under the BN(O) visa scheme.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in the normal way in due course, and where necessary, will be subject to consultation.We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.

If she will relax the 90-day absence rule for British National (Overseas) visa holders for exceptional circumstances for visa holders from Hong Kong.

British Nationals (Overseas) who wish to become British citizens can apply for registration under section 4(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981. There is some discretion over the requirement not to have been outside the UK for more than 90 days in the final year of the residential qualifying period. Published guidance sets out when that discretion would normally be exercised.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that individuals prosecuted under the Hong Kong National Security Law are not unfairly excluded from access to the British Nationals (Overseas) visa scheme.

The Home Office considers all applications for UK visas on their individual merits. Suitability requirements apply to all routes and must be met in addition to validity and eligibility requirements. The Immigration Rules part 9: grounds for refusal (Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules part 9: grounds for refusal - Guidance - GOV.UK) has further detail as to when an application for entry clearance, permission to enter or permission to stay must be refused on criminality grounds. In addition, further information on how overseas convictions and offences not recognised in the UK are considered for applications submitted specifically under the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route can be found in the published casework guidance - Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route. Guidance for caseworkers provides flexibility to ensure that overseas convictions and offences not recognised in the UK do not result in the automatic refusal of a HK BN(O) route application.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of use of diplomatic premises in the UK to (a) monitor and (b) intimidate members of diaspora communities; and what safeguards are in place to prevent such activity.

Diplomatic activity in the UK is governed through the principles of the Vienna Conventions which allows for legitimate diplomatic activity. Where we find evidence of any activity that goes beyond what is accredited for, this could invalidate the accreditation, and the UK would take appropriate action.While it is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on security and intelligence matters, where we identify such threats, we are front footed in deploying protective measures as appropriate.If individuals think they are a victim of state directed activity, they should report this to police via the established mechanisms 101, 999, or at a local police station.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increasing the qualifying period for settlement under the BNO visa scheme from five years to ten years on those visa holders, in the context of concerns raised by Hong Kong Watch in their letter to the Secretary of State for the Home Department of 12 May 2025.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in the normal way in due course, and where necessary, will be subject to consultation.We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.