Written questions by Timothy.

What estimate his Department has made of the increase in the average price of domestic heating oil since the start of the conflict with Iran; and what assessment he has made of the impact of those increases on households that rely on heating oil.

The Government is aware that off-grid households have seen a sharp increase in heating oil prices due to volatility in international markets. Suppliers often have limited storage, buying daily on the spot market. These changes are then reflected immediately in the price consumers pay. Following discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority, we welcome the CMA's launch of a comprehensive examination into the heating oil industry. We will work closely with the CMA to understand their findings and develop options to increase consumer protections, including how regulation can increase stability. While this work is ongoing, the Chancellor has announced £53m for low-income households that heat their homes with oil. In England, funding will be distributed by local authorities via the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), which comes into effect from 1 April. The additional funding has targeted areas with higher proportions of oil heating.

What steps his Department is taking to support households that rely on heating oil for domestic heating following recent increases in heating oil prices linked to the conflict with Iran.

The Government is aware that off-grid households have seen a sharp increase in heating oil prices due to volatility in international markets. Suppliers often have limited storage, buying daily on the spot market. These changes are then reflected immediately in the price consumers pay. Following discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority, we welcome the CMA's launch of a comprehensive examination into the heating oil industry. We will work closely with the CMA to understand their findings and develop options to increase consumer protections, including how regulation can increase stability. While this work is ongoing, the Chancellor has announced £53m for low-income households that heat their homes with oil. In England, funding will be distributed by local authorities via the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), which comes into effect from 1 April. The additional funding has targeted areas with higher proportions of oil heating.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what alternatives to air travel she is considering for British nationals in Middle Eastern countries unable to travel home due to the closure of airspace.

The safety and security of British nationals is our top priority. On 3 March, the Foreign Secretary spoke to the House about the consular support available to individuals in the Middle East, and assisted departures have now taken place from both Oman and Dubai. We will provide further updates on a regular basis, including details of our ongoing evacuation flights, as well as our efforts to secure an end to Iran's attacks on countries in the region, and the full resumption of normal commercial flights.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support and assistance her Department is giving to British nationals in Middle Eastern countries unable to travel home due to the closure of airspace.

The safety and security of British nationals is our top priority. On 3 March, the Foreign Secretary spoke to the House about the consular support available to individuals in the Middle East, and assisted departures have now taken place from both Oman and Dubai. We will provide further updates on a regular basis, including details of our ongoing evacuation flights, as well as our efforts to secure an end to Iran's attacks on countries in the region, and the full resumption of normal commercial flights.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans she has for British nationals in Qatar unable to travel home due to the closure of airspace.

The safety and security of British nationals is our top priority. On 3 March, the Foreign Secretary spoke to the House about the consular support available to individuals in the Middle East, and assisted departures have now taken place from both Oman and Dubai. We will provide further updates on a regular basis, including details of our ongoing evacuation flights, as well as our efforts to secure an end to Iran's attacks on countries in the region, and the full resumption of normal commercial flights.

What offences will have the right to elect restricted by the Courts and Tribunals Bill.

The Bill removes a defendants’ right to elect Crown Court trial for all triable either-way offences. The venue will be determined by the magistrates’ courts, which will send cases they consider outside of their jurisdiction to the Crown Court.

What offences will be eligible for trial without jury by the Crown Court Bench Division proposal in the Courts and Tribunals Bill.

The Courts and Tribunals Bill introduces judge-only trials for triable either-way offences where the courts assess that the likely custodial sentence, applying the relevant sentencing guidelines to the alleged facts and any appropriate representations, is three years imprisonment or less. Indictable-only offences are excluded and will not be eligible for this mode of trial, described as the Crown Court Bench Division.

What offences will be reclassified by the Courts and Tribunals Bill.

The Courts and Tribunals Bill does not reclassify offences - it changes allocation and mode of trial arrangements within the existing classification framework.

If she will introduce (a) a grace period and (b) transitional arrangements for British nationals impacted by changes to passport rules regarding dual nationals.

We have been clear on the requirement for dual British citizens to travel with a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement. This requirement applies equally to all British citizens.We recognise the enforcement of ETAs by carriers is a significant change, and so we have provided additional temporary guidance to carriers on possible alternative documentation and have put in place around the clock support for carriers to prepare for these changes.

If she will publish any application for Crown Development relating to the use of Crowborough Training Camp as Asylum Accommodation.

Crown Development applications and Special Development Orders once published can be found here:All Crown Development applications – Find a Crown Development Application and Special Development Orders: Decisions - GOV.UK

How many asylum seekers accommodated at Crowborough Training Camp her Department has lost contact with since 22 January 2026.

Asylum seekers at the site are not detained, however the site is self-contained as essential services are provided on site to reduce the impact on local services through reducing the need for asylum seekers to leave the site. The Home Office does not give a live commentary on the number of asylum seekers accommodated at accommodation sites.

Whether her Department applied for planning permission to use Crowborough Training Camp as Asylum Accommodation.

The site has been assessed as safe, legal and compliant – including with relevant planning regulations - for use as asylum accommodation.

Whether she plans to develop further MOD sites to house Asylum Seekers.

Yes - as part of our commitment to close all asylum hotels, we are looking at a range of more appropriate sites including ex-military sites, so we can reduce the impact on communities. Decisions on the use of alternative asylum accommodation sites are made on a site-by-site basis.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will freeze the assets of individuals with connections to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

It has been the long-standing policy under successive governments not to comment on whether specific types of enforcement action are being considered against particular individuals or groups, as to do so would risk reducing the impact of any such action.On the wider issue of our response to the Iranian regime, I refer the Hon Member to the Urgent Question debates on 19 January and 3 February, and to the announcement on sanctions made on 2 February: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-announces-sanctions-against-perpetrators-of-human-rights-violations-in-iran.

If she will publish her Department's Community Impact Assessment in relation to the use of Crowborough Training Camp as Asylum Accommodation.

The Home Office undertakes the necessary assessments, including consideration of impacts on the local community, when bringing any site into use for asylum accommodation. Public safety and the needs of both residents and the local community were key considerations when developing plans for Crowborough Training Camp. We will consider which assessments may be appropriate to publish in line with normal processes.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if her Department will remove persons with connections to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from the UK.

It has been the long-standing policy under successive governments not to comment on whether specific types of enforcement action are being considered against particular individuals or groups, as to do so would risk reducing the impact of any such action.On the wider issue of our response to the Iranian regime, I refer the Hon Member to the Urgent Question debates on 19 January and 3 February, and to the announcement on sanctions made on 2 February: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-announces-sanctions-against-perpetrators-of-human-rights-violations-in-iran.

How many cases exceeded the statutory time limit of six months for summary offences in each year since 2020, broken down by (a) offence, and (b) police force.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the number of cases that exceeded the statutory time limit of six months for summary offences. We are unable to exclude cases from our timeliness data that are exempt from the time limit and cases that have been reopened.Timeliness estimates from offence to charge for defendants dealt with in summary only cases at the magistrates’ courts are available in Table T3 of the published Criminal Courts Statistics release available at the following link: Criminal court statistics - GOV.UK.

How many cases exceeded the statutory time limit of six months for summary offences because of misclassification in each year since 2020.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the number of cases that exceeded the statutory time limit of six months for summary offences. This is because we are unable to identify all cases that exceed six months that would be exempt from the statutory time limits in our caseload data.Timeliness estimates from offence to charge for defendants dealt with in summary only cases at the magistrates’ courts are available in Table T3 of the published Criminal Courts Statistics release available at the following link:  Criminal court statistics - GOV.UK.

Communities and Local Government, what meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers, (c) special advisers and (d) officials in his Department have had with the organisers of the Forest City 1 campaign.

My Department has received proposals for a large-scale new community, Forest City 1, located to the east of Cambridge.Officials will review this proposal in the usual way, including through a meeting with the promoters.Details of meetings that special advisers have with external organisations are published on gov.uk in line with requirements set out in the relevant guidance which can be found here.

What information his Department holds on the number of people that have been prosecuted for facilitating forced marriages in each year since 2010 and broken down by local authority area.

Offences relating to forced marriages are created by s121 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which came into force in June 2014. Section 121 was further amended in February 2023 when s121(3A) was inserted making it an offence to force a child under the age of 18 into a marriage.The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) holds management information from 2015 which shows the number of offences charged by way of s121 (forced marriage) in which a prosecution commenced. Table 1 below shows the number of these offences from 1st April 2015 to 30th September 2025. The figures relate to the number of offences and not the number of individual defendants. It can be the case that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence against the same complainant. No data are held showing the final outcome or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at finalisation. In addition to the offence-based data, management information is held showing the number of defendants flagged with the forced marriage monitoring flag who were prosecuted from 1st April 2010 to 30th September 2025. Table 2 shows the number of flagged defendants prosecuted during this period. The CPS forced marriage monitoring flag applies to any person who commits an offence under the law of England and Wales if he or she (a) uses violence, threats, or any other form of coercion for the purpose of causing another person to enter into a marriage, and (b) believes, or ought reasonably to believe, that the conduct may cause the other person to enter into the marriage without free and full consent.Table 1 - Offences charged and reaching a magistrates' courts hearing2015-20162016-20172017-20182018-20192019-20202020-20212021-20222022-20232023-20242024-2025Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 { 121(1) and (9) }51321040710Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 { 121(3A) and (9) }0000000010Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 { 121(3) and (9) }0022000000Data Source: CPS Case Management Information SystemTable 2 - Completed defendant prosecutions - forced marriage monitoring flag appliedFinancial YearFinalised2010-2011412011-2012422012-2013412013-2014452014-2015462015-2016532016-2017442017-2018502018-2019122019-202082020-202182021-2022332022-2023202023-2024272024-202530Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System