Written questions by Bailey.

With reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, whether it is her policy to maintain the original terms of the British National (Overseas) visa route.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in due course.We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.

With reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, whether the reforms will apply retrospectively to current visa holders; and whether (a) transitional arrangements and (b) specific exemptions will be considered for people currently on the five-year residency pathway.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at that time.

With reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, whether the proposals will apply to British National (Overseas) visa holders; and whether provisions will be introduced to allow access for British National (Overseas) visa holders to local university tuition fee rates before settlement is achieved.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in the normal way in due course, and where necessary, will be subject to consultation.

With reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, which visa schemes the points-based system would apply to; and whether it would apply retrospectively to existing visa holders.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at that time.

Whether (a) an Equality Impact Assessment and (b) a Human Rights Impact Assessment have been made of the impact of changes made on 10 February 2025 to “Good Character” guidance in relation to UK citizenship applications on long-term UK residents and their UK-based family members.

The requested data is not held by the Home Office.

With reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system published on 12 May 2025, in relation to which visa routes she is considering an increase in the standard qualifying period for settlement from 5 to 10 years.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at the time.

What recent assessment has been made of the (a) Equality Impact and (b) Human Rights Impact of the No Recourse to Public Funds condition on people following the 10-year settlement route.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

With reference to the changes to “Good Character” guidance for UK citizenship applications made on 10 February 2025, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) parents and (b) guardians of UK-born children will have citizenship entitlements different from their (i) children and (ii) wards.

The requested data is not held by the Home Office.

With reference to her Department's white paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, how her Department defines a contribution for the purpose of considering a persons contribution to society and the economy; how this will be measured; and whether the measurements will be conducted in house by her Department.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at the time.

With reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, whether the proposals will apply retrospectively to people already on five or 10 year routes to settlement.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at the time.

With reference to her Department's white paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system published 12 May 2025, in relation to which visa routes she is considering increasing the level of English language required from B1 to B2 under the Common European Framework for Reference for Languages.

The White Paper states our intention to increase language requirements for Skilled Workers and workers where a language requirement already applies from B1 to B2 levels.

Whether (a) an Equality Impact Assessment and (b) a Human Rights Impact Assessment have recently been made in relation to the 10-year immigration pathway to settlement.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at the time.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 21609 on Migrant Workers: Civil Servants, how many civil servants are working on graduate visas; how many (a) current and (b) former civil service staff initially employed on graduate visas would not meet the salary threshold requirements for applying for Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the salary threshold changes for Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship on civil service staff retention (i) since April 2024 and (ii) in the next three years.

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship salary threshold requirements introduced in April 2024 on retention of civil service staff initially employed on graduate visas.

The graduate route is designed to allow UK graduates time to work, or look for work, for a 2 or 3 year period after completing their studies. After this time, they must be able to meet the requirements of another immigration route to stay in the UK. These rules apply equally to the Civil Service as to all other UK workplaces.

What her Department's criteria are for implementation of an emergency visa scheme for refugees fleeing war zones.

As the Home Secretary said in her statement to the House of Commons on the 22 July 2024, the UK will always work, along with other states, to help those fleeing war and persecution.Our global resettlement scheme, the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) is designed in way that allows us to respond in any emergency. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) can refer cases to the UK under their standard resettlement submission categories, based on people’s needs and vulnerabilities. The UNHCR is expertly placed to help the UK authorities to identify and process vulnerable refugees who would benefit from resettlement in the UK and as such, HMG does not intervene in who the UNHCR refer for resettlement to the UK.

If her Department will take steps to review the cost of (a) visa and (b) citizenship application fees.

Immigration fees are set taking account of the charging powers provided by Section 68(9) of the Immigration Act 2014, which include the ability to set fees based on: the cost of processing the relevant application, the benefits and entitlements provided by a successful application and the wider costs of the Migration and Borders system. Full details can be reviewed via the following link: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/22/section/68.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating an emergency family reunion visa scheme for people affected by the conflict in Israel and Palestine.

Currently, those affected by the conflict in Israel and Palestine who wish to join family members in the UK can do so via the existing range of routes available.Any application for a UK visa will be assessed against the requirements of the Immigration Rules. Immediate family members of British citizens and those settled in the UK who wish to come and live in the UK can apply under one of the existing family visa routes. There are also routes available for dependants of those who are in the UK on a work or student route. Individuals with protection status or settlement on a protection route may sponsor their partner or child (under 18), to join or stay with them in the UK, providing they formed part of the pre-flight family unit before the sponsor fled their country to seek protection. When the visa application has been received consideration will be given to compelling, compassionate and exceptional circumstances.