Written questions by Wilkinson.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the report by Kalaayan’s entitled 12 Years of Modern Slavery, published on 14 June 2024.

The Home Office keeps all policies and immigration routes under review. Ministers regularly meet with internal and external stakeholders, including Kalaayan, to discuss a wide range of issues, including the Overseas Domestic Worker route.The Overseas Domestic Worker visa only grants permission for up to six months and cannot be extended. The Home Office publishes statistics relating to individuals who extend their stay here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables. The number of people extending their stay on the Domestic Worker in a Private Household visa is available from Table Exe_D01 of the Extension data tables (listed as “Overseas Domestic Worker”).

What meetings she has had with expert stakeholders on reviewing the Overseas Domestic Worker visa.

The Home Office keeps all policies and immigration routes under review. Ministers regularly meet with internal and external stakeholders, to discuss a wide range of issues, including the Overseas Domestic Worker route.The Overseas Domestic Worker visa only grants permission for up to six months and cannot be extended. The Home Office publishes statistics relating to individuals who extend their stay here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables. The number of people extending their stay on the Domestic Worker in a Private Household visa is available from Table Exe_D01 of the Extension data tables (listed as “Overseas Domestic Worker”).

Whether future police force boundaries will be aligned with regional mayoral boundaries.

The Government has committed in its English Devolution White Paper to transfer policing functions to Mayors of Strategic Authorities wherever boundaries of the mayoral and policing areas align, by default, subject to Royal Assent to provisions in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.This Government will abolish PCCs across England and Wales at the end of their term in 2028 and police governance functions will be transferred to mayors wherever possible, or to elected council leaders where it is not.The Home Secretary has an ambitious police reform agenda, which will include measures to drive down waste and cut bureaucracy so that the police can focus on issues that matter to the public and cut crime in our communities. Further detail will be set out in the Police Reform White Paper, which is due to be published in early 2026.

What assessment her Department has made of the police's ability to meet current levels of demand from crime.

The Government is committed to giving the police the resources it needs to tackle crime. In 2025-26, the police funding settlement provided £19.6bn of funding for the policing system, an increase of £1.2bn compared to 24-25. At the spending review the chancellor announced a real terms increase in police funding.In addition, a Police Reform White Paper is being developed in partnership with policing. This is a comprehensive package of reform to policing in England and Wales that will strip out duplication and waste and ensure policing can keep up with the fast-changing nature of crime. This will be published early 2026.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure the number of serving police officers taking their own lives is recorded.

The Home Office does not currently collect information centrally on the number of police officer suicides. The Office for National Statistics publishes data on the number of suicides registered in England and Wales by occupation. The latest available data can be found here: Suicide by occupation in England and Wales: 2023 and 2024, provisional - Office for National StatisticsThis Government has been clear that the health and wellbeing of our police workforce is a priority, and we are committed to making improvements in wellbeing support for officers and staff. This includes exploring options to improve the current monitoring and data recording processes for police officer suicides.The National Police Wellbeing Service has created a national suicide action plan which aims to educate and support the workforce, reduce stress and improve data recording. In addition, the Service has put in place a 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Support Line to provide urgent support for our police when they need it the most.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of migration of British nationals from the UK on the economy.

Estimates of net migration patterns of British Citizens are made by ONS. The impact on the economy will depend on characteristics of those leaving. Further information on those leaving can be found: Long-term international immigration, emigration and net migration flows, provisional - Office for National Statistics.In their November 2025 release, ONS used a new method for estimating British nationals migration, affecting data from the year ending June 2021 onwards. This involved moving away from the International Passenger Survey (IPS) to a new method based on the Department for Work and Pension's (DWP's) Registration and Population Interaction Database (RAPID). This means the most recent data is not comparable with estimated before June 2021. Further information can be found in the ONS report: Improving long-term international migration statistics, updating our methods and estimates - Office for National Statistics.

What assessment her Department has made of the reasons for the negative net migration of British nationals from the UK in recent years.

Estimates of net migration patterns of British Citizens are made by ONS. The impact on the economy will depend on characteristics of those leaving. Further information on those leaving can be found: Long-term international immigration, emigration and net migration flows, provisional - Office for National Statistics.In their November 2025 release, ONS used a new method for estimating British nationals migration, affecting data from the year ending June 2021 onwards. This involved moving away from the International Passenger Survey (IPS) to a new method based on the Department for Work and Pension's (DWP's) Registration and Population Interaction Database (RAPID). This means the most recent data is not comparable with estimated before June 2021. Further information can be found in the ONS report: Improving long-term international migration statistics, updating our methods and estimates - Office for National Statistics.

With reference to her department’s policy paper entitled Restoring order and control: a statement on the Government’s asylum and returns policy, published on 17 November 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed legislation on the duty for public bodies to prioritise vulnerable children, as set out in the Children Act 1989.

In developing our policies, we will take full account of the specific needs and vulnerabilities of children and ensure these considerations inform policy development and relevant impact assessments. This will include consideration of our duties under Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act and how this relates to local authorities duties under the Children Act 1989.

With reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring order and control: a statement on the Government’s asylum and returns policy, published on 17 November 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed legislation on the legal duty for the Home Office to safeguard and promote the welfare of vulnerable children, as set out in the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009.

In developing our policies, we will take full account of the specific needs and vulnerabilities of children and ensure these considerations inform policy development and relevant impact assessments. This will include consideration of our duties under Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act and how this relates to local authorities duties under the Children Act 1989.

What safeguards her department are considering against instances where AI systems used to determine age produce incorrect results.

This government has commissioned work to further test and trial Facial Age Estimation technology with a view to integrating it into the age assessment system subject to the results of this testing and assurance.Assessing age is a complex task and no method or combination of methods can definitively determine age. The need to protect against incorrect results will form a key part of our testing and assurance, and subsequent policy development.The technology will not be used in isolation but is intended to provide additional information to the decision maker.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of supporting work asylum seekers who do not qualify for benefits on local authority spending.

Asylum seekers are not eligible for mainstream benefits (such as universal credit) which are available to British citizens and other permanent residents. However, if they would otherwise be destitute, the Home Office currently has a legal duty to offer support, which generally consist of providing accommodation and a cash allowance to cover their essential living needs.We will be revoking that duty, restoring a discretionary power for the Home Office to offer support, as previously provided under UK law.We will deny support to those who are able to support themselves, or have deliberately made themselves destitute. We will remove support from those who fail to comply with UK law or conditions of support.Details of how eligibility considerations will apply will be set out in published guidance in due course.

What criteria her Department will use to designate a country as safe.

The asylum and returns policy statement sets out the intention to deal swiftly with unmeritorious protection claims that are made by nationals of manifestly safe countries in an attempt to frustrate their removal. In this context, an unmeritorious claim is one which is so lacking in merit that it can be appropriately considered following a single interview.This policy does not relate to any designation of a specific country as manifestly safe, but rather a holistic assessment of whether there is a basis on which a prolonged assessment of a claim is required, for example through an additional interview. This is distinct from existing legislative provisions (under s94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002) which allow all or part of a country to be designated as safe, for the purposes of assessing whether a claim should be certified as clearly unfounded.

What estimate her Department has made of the costs of deporting migrants through return hubs.

The Prime Minister has been clear since entering government that we need to have innovative and bold solutions to reduce the burden of migration on UK taxpayers. It would not be appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of ongoing negotiations and further details will be released in due course. Our guiding principle will always be something that is workable and meets international obligations.

With reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, updated on 20 November 2025, what are the criteria for refugees to become eligible for the work and study route.

The earned settlement consultation launched on 20 November 2025.

With reference to her department's policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, updated on 20 November 2025, what assessment has her department made of the risks to asylum seekers with no state support from exploitation by organised crime.

Asylum seekers are not eligible for mainstream benefits (such as universal credit) which are available to British citizens and other permanent residents. However, if they would otherwise be destitute, the Home Office currently has a legal duty to offer support, which generally consist of providing accommodation and a cash allowance to cover their essential living needs.We will be revoking that duty, restoring a discretionary power for the Home Office to offer support, as previously provided under UK law.We will deny support to those who are able to support themselves, or have deliberately made themselves destitute. We will remove support from those who fail to comply with UK law or conditions of support.Details of how eligibility considerations will apply will be set out in published guidance in due course.

What payment package her Department is considering as part of assisted voluntary return.

All criteria for accessing support to return is set out on the Voluntary Returns Service webpage at Get help to return home if you’re a migrant in the UK: Who can get help - GOV.UKWe are planning to pilot an increased financial package for a limited time for those willing to return home voluntarily, saving the taxpayer money on costly asylum accommodation. We have not yet alighted on the full sums involved or eligibility criteria.Voluntary removals save the UK taxpayer money on expensive asylum accommodation and costs of detention, appeals, and other legal challenges are also significantly reduced.

With reference to her department's policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, updated on 20 November 2025, who will hold the discretionary power to decide if asylum seekers can receive benefits.

Asylum seekers are not eligible for mainstream benefits (such as universal credit) which are available to British citizens and other permanent residents. However, if they would otherwise be destitute, the Home Office currently has a legal duty to offer support, which generally consist of providing accommodation and a cash allowance to cover their essential living needs.We will be revoking that duty, restoring a discretionary power for the Home Office to offer support, as previously provided under UK law.We will deny support to those who are able to support themselves, or have deliberately made themselves destitute. We will remove support from those who fail to comply with UK law or conditions of support.Details of how eligibility considerations will apply will be set out in published guidance in due course.

With reference to her department's policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, updated on 20 November 2025, what process will her department use to define "vulnerable groups".

The earned settlement consultation launched on 20 November 2025.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Digital ID checks for the right to work on the ability of asylum seekers to compete against British nationals in the job market.

Asylum seekers who have been granted permission to work are expected to be able to obtain a digital ID for right-to-work checks once the scheme is fully implemented. As announced by the Prime Minister on 26 September, digital checks of an individual’s digital ID to establish right to work will become mandatory by the end of the Parliament.The digital ID system will build on existing digital right-to-work checks for foreign nationals, where eVisa share codes are currently used, making the process more streamlined. It will standardise verification across all individuals, including British nationals, but will not change the underlying eligibility rules for asylum seekers.Asylum seekers are generally not allowed to work while their claim is being considered and receive support to meet essential living needs if they would otherwise be destitute. They may apply for permission to work only if their claim has been outstanding for 12 months or more through no fault of their own.

What assessment her Department has made with the Ministry of Justice of the capacity of the legal system to offer early legal advice to asylum seekers.

Reforms to the appeals system, including the development of a new independent appeals body will help asylum seekers have access to justice, overcome delays and restore public confidence. Early legal advice will be embedded as a core part of these reforms.We will work closely with the Ministry of Justice to understand and manage the justice impacts of all proposals, including ensuring there is sufficient capacity to deliver early legal advice.Further details on these reforms will be set out in due course.