Written questions by Anderson.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of early parole release decisions on (a) victim wellbeing and (b) public confidence in the criminal justice system.

We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release. Most prisoners, even those who have committed serious offences, will become eligible for release once they have served the minimum term of their sentence set by the court. We know that Parole Board decisions can be difficult for victims but we are committed to ensuring victims understand release decisions, can contribute to the process and are supported through it. This support is provided to eligible victims through the Victim Contact Scheme which includes Victim Liaison Officers who offer tailored guidance, keep victims informed, and help them navigate the parole process.A number of changes have been made to the parole process in recent years including the introduction of decision summaries which can be provided by the Parole Board, the Reconsideration Mechanism (which allows parties to a case to ask for Parole Board decisions to be looked at again), public parole hearings and the ability for victims to apply to observe private hearings. We support these and other measures to improve transparency, victim involvement and public confidence in the system.

How many asylum seekers who have had their claim refused have been deported in the last 3 years.

Asylum related returns are set out at table Asy_00a of the Asylum summary tables, published at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tablesCaseworker guidance on arranging returns is published on gov.uk at Returns preparation: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK

Whether his Department has assessed the potential merits of excluding people convicted of violent offences from early parole eligibility.

We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release. Eligibility for release at the discretion of the Parole Board is determined by the type of sentence a prisoner is serving. All prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence – life or imprisonment for public protection (IPP) – must serve the minimum term in prison set by the judge before they become eligible to be considered for parole. Prisoners serving an extended determinate sentence (EDS) or sentence for offenders of particular concern (SOPC) must serve two-thirds of their custodial term in prison before being referred to the Parole Board to consider release. By their nature, sentences which involve release by the Parole Board are imposed on the most serious and dangerous offenders, including those convicted of violent offences. In all cases, the Parole Board may only direct release if they are satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the offender remain confined.The recent Independent Sentencing Review recommended that EDS prisoners should be subject to a new ‘progression model’ but the Government rejected that proposal because we do not think it would be right to allow for prisoners who have been deemed dangerous by the courts to have their parole eligibility date brought forward.

What steps her Department is taking with the Parole Board to ensure that (a) victims and (b) their families have a key role in the decision-making process in early parole release hearings.

We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release. The Ministry of Justice and the Parole Board are committed to ensuring victims, and their families in the case of deceased victims, can participate in and are supported through the parole decision-making process. As part of this commitment, a national policy was rolled out earlier this year to enable victims to apply to observe parole hearings remotely, supported by trained staff from the Victim Contact Scheme. Victims also have the right to submit a Victim Personal Statement, which may be read aloud during the hearing and eligible victims can make representations about licence conditions imposed on offenders when they are released. There is also a process by which victims can make representations to the Secretary of State if they think there are grounds for the Secretary of State to apply for a release decision to be reconsidered by the Parole Board. These measures aim to improve transparency, support victim engagement, and ensure their voices are heard throughout the parole process.

Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions her Department has had with representatives from YouTube on tackling inappropriate advertising on its platform.

The Online Safety Act is being implemented by this government and introduced measures to tackle illegal content online and harmful content for children.The child safety duties in the Act are clear on protecting children from harmful content – including dangerous substances and stunts.Ofcom, who are responsible for enforcing the Act, engage regularly with companies as YouTube. Ministers and officials regularly engage with stakeholders, including Ofcom and social media companies, to strengthen online safety for children and adults.We are committed to the Act and will not hesitate to go further to protect people, particularly children, where we need to.

If she will make it her policy to refuse (a) asylum and (b) humanitarian leave to remain to anyone who does not speak English to a proficient level.

It is not possible to impose language requirements as a prerequisite for being granted protection in the UK.Every asylum claim admitted to the UK asylum system is carefully considered on its individual merits. Protection is normally granted where a claimant has a well-founded fear of persecution under the Refugee Convention, or a claimant faces a real risk of serious harm. Those found not to need protection are refused.English language proficiency is a requirement across a range of other immigration routes.The Government published an Immigration White Paper on 12 May setting out reforms to legal migration, so that we can restore order, control and fairness to the system, bring down net migration and promote economic growth.  Part of these reforms will focus on introducing new English language requirements across a range of immigration routes, for both main applicants and their dependants. Further information is available on GOV.UK at: Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper - GOV.UKWe will separately set out new reforms to the asylum system and to border security in response to irregular and illegal migration, to bring the asylum system back under control and end the use of asylum hotels later this year.

What procedures her Department has to deport failed asylum seekers.

Asylum related returns are set out at table Asy_00a of the Asylum summary tables, published at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tablesCaseworker guidance on arranging returns is published on gov.uk at Returns preparation: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK

What recent discussions she has had with the university sector on the mental health of students.

This government is committed to ensuring students in higher education (HE) have access to effective mental health support. This is why my noble Friend, the Minister for Skills has recently appointed a new HE Student Support Champion to lead a reconvened HE Mental Health Implementation Taskforce. Full details of the new champion will be announced shortly.The Minister for Skills, met with the new champion earlier this month to set out her strategic priorities for mental health in HE, and on 10 October the champion reconvened the HE Mental Health Implementation Taskforce. The taskforce will be a key vehicle for discussions with the university sector around driving forward improvements.Updates on the work of the taskforce will be published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/higher-education-mental-health-implementation-taskforce.

Communities and Local Government, how he plans to determine which proposed sites for new towns will go ahead.

On 28 September 2025, the government published the independent New Towns Taskforce report as well as its initial response to that report. Both can be found on gov.uk here.As set out in the initial government response, we warmly welcome all 12 of the locations it has recommend. Prima facie, each has the clear potential to deliver on the government’s objectives, with Tempsford, Crews Hill and Leeds South Bank looking particularly promising as sites that might make significant contributions to unlocking economic growth and accelerating housing delivery.On 28 September 2025 we commenced a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to understand the environmental implications of new towns development. This will support final decisions on precisely which locations we take forward. No final decisions on locations will be made until that SEA concludes and preferred locations could change as a result of the process.Ministers and officials will now begin work with local partners to develop detailed proposals and enhance our understanding of how different locations might meet the government’s expectations of what a future New Towns Programme can deliver, with all promising sites and reasonable alternatives assessed and considered through the SEA process. Appropriate assessment under the Habitats Regulations will also be undertaken when required.We are determined to get spades in the ground on at least three new towns in this Parliament and the government is prepared to progress work on a far larger range of locations if it proves possible.The post-war new towns programme was the most ambitious town-building effort ever undertaken in the UK. The next generation of new towns must match that post-war vision. The government will be looking for assurance that any location can be effectively and efficiently delivered in partnership with local communities, has a clear economic purpose, and will support national economic growth. We will also seek to test different delivery vehicles to learn lessons for how future large settlements are delivered and to contribute to a wider transformation of housing supply.The government will publish the draft proposals and final SEA for consultation early next year, before confirming the locations that will be progressed as new towns later in the Spring alongside a full response to the New Towns Taskforce’s report.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what criteria her Department uses to decide which projects to fund through UK foreign aid.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) uses the Programme Operating Framework (PrOF), which is publicly available at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fcdo-programme-operating-framework

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of (a) the number of housing estates that are currently unadopted and (b) the length of time they have been unadopted.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80700 on 20 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions his Department has had with housing developers on the long term impacts of unadopted estates on (a) existing residents, (b) the maintenance of infrastructure and (c) levels of public confidence in new developments.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80700 on 20 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that new housing estates are adopted by local authorities in a timely manner.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80700 on 20 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, if he make it his policy to issue guidance to local planning authorities on potential enforcement action when housing developers fail to complete infrastructure projects.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80700 on 20 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has considered introducing a statutory timeframe within which housing developers must (a) complete and (b) handover infrastructure to local authorities for adoption.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80700 on 20 October 2025.

What steps he is taking to improve the quality of (a) care and (b) support for deaf people in care homes.

The Government is taking steps to improve the quality of adult social care, which will include deaf people in care homes. This includes improvements to better support the vital care workforce through a Fair Pay Agreement backed by £500 million, expanded career pathways, and £12 million invested in training and qualifications.We have also launched an independent commission, chaired by Baroness Casey, to help shape the future of adult social care and ensure it meets the needs of older people and working-age disabled adults. The commission will explore how to improve accountability and drive up quality across the system.Under section 18 of the Care Act 2014, local authorities are required to meet the needs of adults in their area who meet the eligibility criteria, which would include deaf people that have eligible needs. In addition, under the Equality Act 2010, local authorities must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) are assessing how well local authorities in England are performing against their duties under part one of the Care Act 2014, including their duties relating to the access and provision of care and support for deaf people. Support for deaf people forms part of the CQC’s overall assessment of local authorities’ delivery of adult social care. In that context, the CQC will report on access and provision of care and support for deaf people when there is something important to highlight, such as something being done well, innovative practice or an area for improvement.The CQC monitors, inspects and regulates adult social care services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. For deaf individuals, this includes providing care that is responsive to their communication needs.

How many asylum seekers who have had their claims rejected were in receipt of Home Office accommodation support on 10 October 2025.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the number of asylum seekers in receipt of support, by support type, is published in table Asy_D11 of the ‘Asylum support detailed datasets’.Individuals receiving Section 4 support have had their asylum claim refused but they are destitute and there are reasons that temporarily prevent them from leaving the UK. Please note that Section 95 support data includes some failed asylum seekers who had children in their household when their appeal rights were exhausted.The latest data relates to as at 30 June 2025. Data for as at 30 September 2025 will be published on 27 November 2025. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbooks.

What steps his Department is taking with (a) local authorities and (b) voluntary organisations to assist disabled people with transportation to medical appointments.

As set out in the Plan for Change, we will ensure that 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015. The Government is clear that reforming elective care must be done equitably and inclusively for all adults, children, and young people. We know there is also geographical variation in waiting times. It is important that patients, including disabled patients, do not miss or cancel hospital appointments due to a lack of affordable and/or accessible transport options in their area. This is why the Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, committed to reviewing, developing and increasing the uptake of existing national health inequalities improvement initiatives. Specifically, the plan committed to reviewing local patient transport services and improving the signposting to, and the accessibility of, them for patients, to make it easier for vulnerable groups to travel to and access appointments. NHS England are funding and co-ordinating a range of patient transport projects to explore more effective approaches to supporting patients with their NHS travel needs.NHS England work with individual NHS organisations, local authorities, transport providers and other stakeholders to continually pilot, review, refine and propagate approaches to improving the choice, affordability, and accessibility of transport options for NHS patients. A non-emergency patient transport service (NEPTS) provides funded transport where a medical condition means a patient cannot safely travel to receive their treatment independently. Transport may be provided by the ambulance service, independent providers, the voluntary sector and volunteers.

What recent discussions she has had with companies in the gig economy on tackling illegal working.

The Government is working closely with food delivery platforms in the gig economy to ensure they understand their responsibilities in preventing illegal working. As a result, Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat are undertaking right to work checks on all of their workers and recently introduced enhanced checks on registered substitutes following a ministerial roundtable in June.In September, the Home Office commenced data sharing with these food delivery firms. The Department is committed to work alongside delivery firms to deepen cooperation and this measure is another important step to tackle illegal working hotspots and root out this criminality from within communities. By sharing this data, it means the firms will have more information to track down and suspend accounts of delivery riders working illegally.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that deaf people can receive appropriate care at home.

Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their populations, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all people, including ensuring that deaf people receive appropriate care at home.Additionally, the Government is taking steps to ensure that people, including deaf people, can receive high-quality, personalised care at home. This is part of the Government’s wider improvements to adult social care as we progress towards a National Care Service. These steps include:- investing £12 million in workforce training through the Learning and Development Support Scheme, helping care workers to develop the skills needed to support people with sensory disabilities, including deaf individuals;- rolling out the Care Workforce Pathway, which sets out the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to deliver high-quality care across eight role categories, including personal assistants and enhanced care workers;- supporting unpaid carers, who play a vital role in home-based care – from March 2026, millions of unpaid carers will be able to manage care plans, appointments and prescriptions via the NHS App;- raising the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit to £196 per week and reviewing the case for paid carer’s leave;- expanding care options to support independent living, with an additional £172 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant over two years, enabling around 15,600 extra home adaptations; and- introducing care technology standards to help people choose the right support at home.