Written questions by Naish.

Whether her Department has considered supporting the development of bridging courses for qualified British National (Overseas) visa holders in (a) teaching, (b) social work, (c) healthcare and (d) other professions to help support their entry into regulated professions in the UK; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on labour shortages in those professions.

Through the government’s Plan for Change and the Industrial Strategy, we are taking a strategic approach to addressing current and future skills gaps in our domestic workforce.The government continues to ensure the skills system is responsive to employer needs and offers more flexibility. Through the formation of Skills England, the new Growth and Skills Levy, as well as qualifications reform and the Curriculum and Assessment Review, employers will be better supported to recruit and train the domestic workforce with the skills they need. The department will set out our long term vision for the skills system in a forthcoming post-16 education and skills white paper.British National (Overseas) visa holders are able to take an apprenticeship, so long as they have been resident in the UK for three years and can complete the apprenticeship, including the end-point assessment, within the time remaining on their visa. They can also access training through the Adult Skills Fund, as long as they have been resident in the UK for three years. Eligible, highly qualified teachers who trained to teach in Hong Kong can apply for professional recognition through our digital service.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of her Department's publication entitled Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper, published on 12 May 2025, on the ability to fill vacancies in social care.

We hugely welcome the contribution of overseas care workers, but it is important that long-term plans are drawn up to train homegrown talent into the care sector.   As outlined in the ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System - Technical Annex’, it is estimated there will be an annual reduction of approximately 7,000 main applicants resulting from the removal of Care and Senior Care worker occupations from the Health and Social Care routeTo manage this change, there will be a transitional period until 2028.Many care workers arriving on this route have been widely exploited, with tens of thousands displaced and promised jobs that did not materialise. They will be given the opportunity to do the jobs they were promised, alongside the development of future workforce plans.The White Paper sets out a number of reforms to the immigration system which will be implemented in a phased way. Each measure will be subject to an impact assessment when they are brought into force.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the potential impact of her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025 on social care.

The immigration White Paper, Restoring Control over the Immigration System, was collectively agreed across Government, and is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821f334ced319d02c906103/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-web-optimised.pdfIn the technical annex, published alongside the White Paper, the Home Office has estimated an annual reduction of approximately 7,000 main applicants as a result of ending overseas recruitment for care workers and senior care workers. This is based on their internal management information for entry visas granted covering the period March 2024 to February 2025. This estimate reflects that there was a drop in visa grants of more than 90% compared with the 12 months ending in March 2024, when more than 83,000 entry visas were granted to care workers and senior care workers. The analysis in the technical annex will be refined and included within the relevant impact assessments accompanying the rule changes, as appropriate. The technical annex is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821b49bdb6463b14cd8189c/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-technical-annex.pdfAs set out in the immigration White Paper, visa extensions and in-country switching for those already in the country and with working rights will be permitted for a transition period until 2028. This will be kept under review.DHSC are providing up to £12.5m to regional partnerships in 2025/26 to respond to unethical international recruitment practices in the adult social care sector. This includes supporting international recruits impacted by sponsor licence revocations to find alternative employment.Care workers are essential to those who draw on care and support, helping them to maintain their quality of life, independence, and connection to the things that matter to them. In England, as per the Care Act 2014, it is the responsibility of local government to develop a market that delivers a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, that will be available to their communities. English local authorities have responsibility under the Care Act 2014 to meet social care needs, and statutory guidance directs them to ensure there is sufficient workforce in adult social care.The Department continues to monitor adult social care workforce capacity, bringing together national data sets from Skills for Care’s monthly tracking data, the Capacity Tracker tool, and intelligence from key sector partners.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the white paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, on the provision of a satisfactory standard of social care.

The immigration White Paper, Restoring Control over the Immigration System, was collectively agreed across Government, and is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821f334ced319d02c906103/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-web-optimised.pdfIn the technical annex, published alongside the White Paper, the Home Office has estimated an annual reduction of approximately 7,000 main applicants as a result of ending overseas recruitment for care workers and senior care workers. This is based on their internal management information for entry visas granted covering the period March 2024 to February 2025. This estimate reflects that there was a drop in visa grants of more than 90% compared with the 12 months ending in March 2024, when more than 83,000 entry visas were granted to care workers and senior care workers. The analysis in the technical annex will be refined and included within the relevant impact assessments accompanying the rule changes, as appropriate. The technical annex is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821b49bdb6463b14cd8189c/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-technical-annex.pdfAs set out in the immigration White Paper, visa extensions and in-country switching for those already in the country and with working rights will be permitted for a transition period until 2028. This will be kept under review.DHSC are providing up to £12.5m to regional partnerships in 2025/26 to respond to unethical international recruitment practices in the adult social care sector. This includes supporting international recruits impacted by sponsor licence revocations to find alternative employment.Care workers are essential to those who draw on care and support, helping them to maintain their quality of life, independence, and connection to the things that matter to them. In England, as per the Care Act 2014, it is the responsibility of local government to develop a market that delivers a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, that will be available to their communities. English local authorities have responsibility under the Care Act 2014 to meet social care needs, and statutory guidance directs them to ensure there is sufficient workforce in adult social care.The Department continues to monitor adult social care workforce capacity, bringing together national data sets from Skills for Care’s monthly tracking data, the Capacity Tracker tool, and intelligence from key sector partners.

With reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published on 12 May 2025, whether changes to English language requirements from B1 to B2 level will apply to holders of pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme intending to apply for (a) settled status and (b) British citizenship.

Further details of all the measures announced in the White Paper will be set out in due course, and where necessary, subject to consultation.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of directly providing a proportion of SEN funding to schools.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.Overall schools funding is increasing by £3.2 billion in the 2025/26 financial year and will total over £64.8 billion, compared to almost £61.6 billion in the 2024/25 financial year.Local authorities are required by regulations to identify for each of their mainstream schools an amount, sometimes referred to as a notional budget, within their overall budget, which helps the school understand what might be required to meet the additional cost of supporting pupils with special educational needs, up to £6,000 per pupil per annum. Local authorities, working with their schools, calculate this amount using proportions of their local formula factor values in accordance with regulations. Most authorities use a combination of funding from the basic entitlement factor, the deprivation factors, and the low prior attainment factors in their local formula.Local authorities also support schools with SEND support costs in excess of that £6,000 threshold, by allocating funds directly from their high needs budgets.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to English language and family migration requirements on the ability of (a) BN(O) visa holders and (b) people hold full British citizenship to bring dependents to live with them in the UK.

The Home Office will publish all relevant assessments relating to measures announced in the Immigration White Paper when further details of those measures are set out in due course.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of her Department's publication entitled Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper, published on 12 May 2025, on the Government's commitment to supporting Ukrainian refugees to resettle in the UK.

Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UK has offered sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families, thanks to the generosity of the British public. We have always been clear that the Ukraine Schemes are temporary and do not lead to settlement in the UK. Similarly, 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. We keep the Ukraine schemes under continuous review in line with the ongoing conflict and the Ukrainian government’s desire for the future return of its citizens to Ukraine. Ukrainians in the UK under one of the Ukraine Schemes can apply to extend their permission by up to an additional 18 months through the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025. The scheme provides the same rights and entitlements to access work, benefits, healthcare and education as the current Ukraine schemes. There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements.

If she will publish her Department's plans for an open finance regulatory framework.

As set out in the National Payments Vision, the government’s ambition is for the UK to be a world leader in Open Finance – the next generation of financial data sharing. The benefits are potentially transformative for businesses and customers, enabling choice, innovation and a greater ability to engage with financial services. The government is prioritising the development of a long-term regulatory framework for Open Banking, which will lay the foundations for Open Finance.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the absence of a (a) compensation and (b) redress scheme on the (i) long-term planning and (ii) care provision for families impacted by in utero exposure to sodium valproate.

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.

What steps her Department is taking to support the families of children unable to return to (a) mainstream and (b) special school.

The department recognises that some pupils find it harder than others to attend school. It is therefore very important that schools and partners work closely with pupils and parents to remove any barriers to attendance by building strong and trusting relationships and working together to put the right support in place.If a child of compulsory school age is still unable to access a mainstream or special school place, the local authority, under section 19 of the Children's Act 1996, has a duty to arrange alternative suitable and, typically, full-time education for the child.Placements into alternative provision (AP) should focus on enabling the child to overcome any barriers to learning they may have and to assist them back into mainstream education. All placements should be reviewed regularly to ensure they are meeting these objectives.Departmental guidance states that a child’s family should always be consulted before AP is arranged. This is because we know that families have an important role to play throughout the planning and commissioning of a child’s placement, as they can provide necessary information about the child and their needs. This guidance, last updated in January 2025, is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alternative-provision.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of geothermal energy on the UK’s (a) ability to reach net zero and (b) energy security objectives.

In 2023, the Department co-funded a study with the Northeast Local Enterprise Partnership on the UK’s deep geothermal potential. Based on its recommendations, the British Geological Survey was commissioned to develop the UK Geothermal Platform—an open-access, web-based tool launching in summer 2025 to help developers and investors identify geothermal opportunities and conduct pre-feasibility assessments. Further research on the levelised costs of geothermal heat and power will also be published in summer 2025. The UK government continues to engage with the geothermal sector, academia, and international partners to improve understanding of geothermal energy’s role in achieving net zero.

What plans his Department has to develop risk mitigation schemes for early-stage deep geothermal heat and power projects in line with international best practice.

The Government recognises that risk mitigation schemes have helped develop the geothermal industry in some parts of Europe. It is considered premature to introduce a dedicated risk mitigation scheme at this time, given the current stage of development in the UK, associated costs, and funding priorities. This conclusion was informed by discussions on the role that these mechanisms fulfil in encouraging deep geothermal investment. Experts, including those from France and the International Energy Agency were consulted. We continue to monitor and engage with the market and experts.

When he plans to provide a timeline for responding to the recommendations of the Valproate Redress Campaign.

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.

Whether his Department plans to increase its support for integrated heat, power and mineral co-production projects.

The Government supports geothermal energy through multiple schemes and integrated projects can receive funding from more than one at a time. For example, United Downs in Cornwall will produce heat and was awarded a contract for difference to produce electricity. Automotive Transformation Fund has provided funding to support R&D into UK Lithium extraction and refining including in Cornwall. The Green Heat Network Fund can also support geothermal heat. Cornwall Council secured £22 Million for Langarth District Geothermal Heat Network. There are no plans to integrate schemes as there are few operational or planned commercial projects combining heat, power, and mineral production.

Whether he plans to include geothermal energy within the strategic remit of GB Energy.

Geothermal energy is a clean energy source and therefore falls within the group of technologies that are included within Great British Energy’s (GBE) remit, as set out in the GBE Bill. The Secretary of State will prepare a Statement of Strategic Priorities (SSP) for GBE within six months of the date the Bill comes into force. The SSP will steer GBE on its approach to future investments.

With reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published on 12 May 2025, whether these changes will apply to British National (Overseas) visa holders.

Settlement in the UK is a prerequisite for becoming a British citizen and brings lifelong benefits. Settlement is also an important step in integrating and contributing to local communities and the wider country. We will therefore reform the current rules around settlement so that individuals must earn their right to privileged immigration status in the UK through the long-term contribution they bring to our country. We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and will provide details of how the scheme will work after that, including which immigration routes it will apply to.

With reference to the White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, what plans her Department has to consult with BN(O) visa holders on the potential impact of the proposed immigration reforms on their communities.

Settlement in the UK is a prerequisite for becoming a British citizen and brings lifelong benefits. Settlement is also an important step in integrating and contributing to local communities and the wider country. We will therefore reform the current rules around settlement so that individuals must earn their right to privileged immigration status in the UK through the long-term contribution they bring to our country. We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and will provide details of how the scheme will work after that, including which immigration routes it will apply to.

With reference to the White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published on 12 May 2025, if she will make it her policy to maintain the current route to settlement for BN(O) visa holders.

Settlement in the UK is a prerequisite for becoming a British citizen and brings lifelong benefits. Settlement is also an important step in integrating and contributing to local communities and the wider country. We will therefore reform the current rules around settlement so that individuals must earn their right to privileged immigration status in the UK through the long-term contribution they bring to our country. We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and will provide details of how the scheme will work after that, including which immigration routes it will apply to.

Whether her proposed extension of the settlement qualification period from five to ten years will apply to BN(O) visa holders who are already on the pathway to indefinite leave to remain.

Settlement in the UK is a prerequisite for becoming a British citizen and brings lifelong benefits. Settlement is also an important step in integrating and contributing to local communities and the wider country. We will therefore reform the current rules around settlement so that individuals must earn their right to privileged immigration status in the UK through the long-term contribution they bring to our country. We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and will provide details of how the scheme will work after that, including which immigration routes it will apply to.