Written questions by Timothy.

How many foreign nationals have been excluded from the UK since 2010, broken down by type of grounds for refusal.

The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas in the ‘Immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK’. Data on visa applications are published in table ‘Vis_D01’ whilst data on outcomes of visa applications are published in table ‘Vis_D02’ of the detailed entry clearance visas dataset. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data is from January 2005 up to the end of September 2025. Please note that data on refusals by reason is not available from published statistics.

What evidential basis her Department is using to promote internal SEND units for pupils with specialist needs in mainstream schools.

This government is committed to encouraging schools and local authorities to set up resourced provision and special educational needs (SEN) units to increase capacity in mainstream schools.The department has carried out wide stakeholder engagement and reviewed the existing evidence base, including academic literature, public datasets and third-party reports.We know there are many great examples of mainstream schools delivering specialist provision through resourced provision and SEN units. They have an important role to play in a more inclusive mainstream system, enabling children to achieve and thrive in a mainstream school.We are committed to building the evidence base. For example, the ‘What Works in SEND’ programme is undertaking a research project on SEN units and resourced provision, including a systematic review of existing UK and international literature and research into operational models in primary and secondary schools in England.The department is also working with the Council for Disabled Children and the National Association for Special Educational Needs to develop guidance to help mainstream settings deliver high quality support for children accessing SEN units, resourced provision, and pupil support units.

If she will publish in full the data held by the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) database.

The department does not have plans to publish in full the data held in the Longitudinal Education Outcomes database.The database contains the sensitive personal information of UK citizens. It would be a breach of the public trust and UK General Data Protection Regulations 2018 legislation to publish it in full.However, the department routinely publishes a wide range of statistical information drawn from the data. The department also makes the data available for research in the public interest through the Office for National Statistics Secure Research Service. Further information on how to access the data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-to-access-the-longitudinal-education-outcomes-leo-dataset.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to include experiments inducing sepsis in animals in her strategy on phasing out animal testing.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 1 December 2025 to Question UIN 94115.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Environment Agency's implementation timeline for the waste registration and accreditation system.

The packaging regulations provide the Environment Agency (EA) with a statutory 12-week period to determine applications for reprocessor & exporter registration and accreditation applications. In a small number of cases the determination period is going beyond this 12-week period for applications under the new 2026 packaging regulations. This is due to increased application queries and embedding the new requirements to ensure all applications are consistently assessed. The EA will back date registrations and accreditations to 1 January 2026. The EA does not anticipate that these delays will continue and has a plan to determine all applications as promptly as possible.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the allocation of resources between (a) enforcement activities targeting businesses that are compliant with the law and (b) investigations into fraudulent activities in the packaging waste sector.

The Government has shown its continued support to the Environment Agency (EA) by committing £12 million for the EA to fight waste crime this year. The EA received £3 million for 2025/26 to enforce new duties introduced this year including the new simpler recycling regulations and expanding the Packaging Producer Responsibility requirements. The EA funds its compliance activities on a cost recovery basis. Its compliance work is driven by an intelligence-led and risk-based approach. Where compliance assessments identify non-compliance, then appropriate enforcement actions will follow in line with the EA’s published Enforcement and Sanctions Policy.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has received representations from businesses on the time taken for registrations for the waste registration and accreditation scheme.

Yes. The department has received representations from businesses. Officials are working at pace to resolve outstanding issues as we transition to new registration and accreditation requirements. Impacted businesses are being contacted by the Environment Agency and where necessary arrangements are being put in place on a case-by-case basis to minimise any impacts.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Environment Agency is taking to prevent packaging recovery note fraud.

The Environment Agency (EA) works hard to tackle waste crime and free riders (market operators who circumvent Extended Producer Responsibility, breaking the law, and exploiting the system to avoid fees) in the waste sector, gathering intelligence to identify unregistered producers, helping to detect illegal activity and preventing fraud. A dedicated EA team is focused on identifying and pursuing non-compliant companies and already the EA has brought over 840 suspected non-compliant companies or free riders into full compliance. The EA is intent on using its tougher enforcement powers in pEPR to reduce offending and it will continue to prioritise and investigate free riders to bring them into compliance in the waste sector, applying the 4P enforcement model (prepare, prevent, protect and pursue).

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the level of Packaging Recovery Note fraud in 2025.

The Environment Agency is aware of this challenge and is exploring ways to address the acknowledged issue, including changing the way it measures waste crime. The value of recovery notes varies according to the waste type and market trends. Since 2023 the value of most Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs) and Packaging Export Recovery Notes has decreased.

Pursuant to the oral Answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, whether her Department gave any view about the decision to recommend a ban before the Safety Advisory Group took its position.

Officials were first informed on 2 October 2025 that West Midlands Police were considering a range of options to manage safety and security risks around the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match, including the potential restriction of away fans.During this period, officials maintained contact solely with the United Kingdom Football Policing Unit to monitor developments and keep ministers updated. Neither ministers nor officials were involved in the decision-making process of West Midlands Police, the Safety Advisory Group, or Birmingham City Council, nor did they express any view on the options under consideration.These decisions are operational matters for the police, working with the local Safety Advisory Group and Birmingham City Council, and are taken independently of central government.The Home Office did not receive formal notice of any recommendation before the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans was announced on 16 October.

Pursuant to the oral Answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, what actions did (a) ministers, and (b) officials take after they were informed of the options under consideration on 2 October 2025.

Officials were first informed on 2 October 2025 that West Midlands Police were considering a range of options to manage safety and security risks around the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match, including the potential restriction of away fans.During this period, officials maintained contact solely with the United Kingdom Football Policing Unit to monitor developments and keep ministers updated. Neither ministers nor officials were involved in the decision-making process of West Midlands Police, the Safety Advisory Group, or Birmingham City Council, nor did they express any view on the options under consideration.These decisions are operational matters for the police, working with the local Safety Advisory Group and Birmingham City Council, and are taken independently of central government.The Home Office did not receive formal notice of any recommendation before the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans was announced on 16 October.

Pursuant to the oral Answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, Column 1331, on West Midlands Police: Maccabi Tel Aviv Fans, whether West Midlands Police sent notice of the decision to recommend a ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters to her Department before it went to the Safety Advisory Group.

Officials were first informed on 2 October 2025 that West Midlands Police were considering a range of options to manage safety and security risks around the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv match, including the potential restriction of away fans.During this period, officials maintained contact solely with the United Kingdom Football Policing Unit to monitor developments and keep ministers updated. Neither ministers nor officials were involved in the decision-making process of West Midlands Police, the Safety Advisory Group, or Birmingham City Council, nor did they express any view on the options under consideration.These decisions are operational matters for the police, working with the local Safety Advisory Group and Birmingham City Council, and are taken independently of central government.The Home Office did not receive formal notice of any recommendation before the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans was announced on 16 October.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of importing renewable technologies from China on energy security.

The Government takes the security and resilience of UK energy infrastructure very seriously. The department works closely with other government departments, agencies and industry partners to understand, assess and mitigate threats to energy infrastructure. The department is committed to working closely across Government and industry stakeholders to take forward the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, innovative and secure. We take a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing relations with China and will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Clean Power 2030 on national security.

At its core, the Clean Power 2030 mission aims to deliver a sustainable, secure and resilient energy system for the UK. The government has worked closely with Ofgem, NESO, businesses, trade unions, and others to accelerate towards our goal of Clean Power by 2030. The department is committed to working closely across Government and industry stakeholders to take forward the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, innovative and secure.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of importing solar panels from China on security.

The Government takes the security and resilience of UK energy infrastructure very seriously. The department works closely with other government departments, agencies and industry partners to understand, assess and mitigate threats to energy infrastructure. The department is committed to working closely across Government and industry stakeholders to take forward the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, innovative and secure. We take a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing relations with China and will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of government guidance regarding the statutory time limit of six months for summary offences.

Proceedings for summary-only offences must be commenced within six months of the date of the offence. The Government is satisfied that that this time limit, as set out in Section 127 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980, is an important safeguard which ensures that less serious offences are dealt with promptly. The limit applies to both criminal and civil proceedings, supporting the efficient operation of the courts and maintaining fairness for all parties.Reviews are done for specific offences and exceptions have been carved out in statute where appropriate, for example for the common assault offence in domestic abuse cases. Where there is a clear need for flexibility, the Government has acted and will continue to act to introduce targeted exceptions, such as recent amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, which extend the time limit for intimate image abuse. These changes recognise the particular challenges victims face in reporting such offences and ensure that perpetrators can still be brought to justice.The Government’s Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, published on 18 December 2025, includes a commitment to exploring options to improve access to justice for victims of domestic abuse, including reviewing the time limits for charging domestic abuse-related summary offences.The Government is confident that the existing legislation clearly outlines when these limits apply. As a result, the Government does not intend to introduce further guidance at this time.

How many overseas investors have been involved in the additional needs sector in each year since 2020.

Based on publicly available information, we understand that, of the fifteen private equity funds who own independent special schools (ISS), five are based outside the UK (Jersey, Guernsey, USA, Qatar and Abu Dhabi), together owning 170 units (19%) with nine thousand pupils (27%). We cannot say how many individual investors these five funds represent, nor can we say how many overseas investors have invested in the remaining ten UK-based private equity funds who own ISS units.

What has been the market share of (a) private equity firms, and (b) sovereign wealth funds in the additional needs sector in each year since 2020.

Based on publicly available information, we understand that approximately 300 independent special schools (34% of the sector), educating around 14,000 pupils, are owned by fifteen private equity funds, including sovereign wealth funds (SWF). Within these 300 schools, two sovereign wealth funds, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, own 42 schools (5% of the total market). The Qatar Investment Authority acquired Senad Group in 2008, while Mubadala Capital (part of the Abu Dhabi SWF) acquired Witherslack Group from a UK private equity firm in 2021. SWF owned six independent special schools in 2020, increasing to the current level in 2021.

By what criteria are the career experiences of British nationals and foreign nationals compared when NHS providers are considering (a) nursing and (b) midwife applications.

Decisions on recruitment are the responsibility of individual National Health Service employers, who are required to assure themselves of a person’s suitability for the role.

What information her Department holds on the level of fee increases for (a) independent and (b) non-maintained special schools in each year since 2020.

The department does not monitor increases to private school fees. This is a matter for individual schools.