Every parliamentary written question tabled by Rupert Lowe this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 321–340 of 843 · Home Office
What discussions she has had with the Ministry of Defence on the use of surplus military infrastructure for temporary detention and processing.
As part of our commitment to close all asylum hotels, we are looking at a range of more appropriate sites including disused accommodation, industrial and ex-military sites so we can reduce the impact on communities.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) undertaking an urgent review of all asylum claims approved in the last ten years and (b) removing protection status for all people who entered the UK illegally.
We are committed to our international obligations under the Refugee Convention when someone claims asylum in the UK, which provide that we must not penalise an individual on account of their illegal entry or presence, if they come directly from a territory where their life or freedom was threatened, present themselves without delay to authorities and show good cause for their illegal entry or presence.The Convention establishes the principle of ‘non-refoulement’, which means that refugees must not be removed to a place where “their life or freedom would be threatened on account of their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion”.Any application for further leave to remain in the UK at the end of a grant of asylum leave is considered on its merits. A review of all asylum grants over the past decade would be disproportionate.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing detention capacity to a level that would facilitate the deportation of between 100,000 and 150,000 people per year.
The Home Office (specifically Immigration Enforcement), is currently expanding detention capacity through an active programme that will deliver an additional 1,000 beds over the coming years at Campsfield (Oxfordshire) and Haslar (Hampshire). This expansion will significantly increase the number of enforced returns once operational.Decisions on the required estate size will be based on several factors, including:The number of individuals eligible for removal;Opportunities to increase throughput within the current system through casework transformation;The need to deliver additional capacity in the most cost-effective way.
What progress her Department has made in establishing the independent commission to oversee the national inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse.
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October.
When she expects the Terms of Reference for the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse to be published.
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October.
What steps she has taken to ensure that (a) police forces and (b) local authorities are preserving all relevant evidence and records that may be required by the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October.
What steps her Department has taken to implement the 12 recommendations that were accepted by the Government of the National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, published in June 2025.
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October.
What interim reporting schedule has been agreed for the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse; and whether the Inquiry will publish local findings before its final report.
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October.
Whether a chair has been appointed to lead the national inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse; and what the (a) selection process, (b) shortlist and (c) timetable was for that appointment.
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October.
How many people evacuated from Gaza under the medical treatment scheme have since applied for or been granted (a) asylum, (b) humanitarian protection and (c) leave to remain in the United Kingdom.
The children medically evacuated to the UK, alongside their immediate family members, have been issued with visas and granted leave to remain for up to two years. These families have the ability to access public funds, including treatment and wraparound support in the UK.Should these individuals wish to remain in the UK beyond the initial two years, they can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules.
What monitoring and reporting arrangements are in place to track the immigration and residency status of those admitted under the Gaza injured children scheme after their treatment concludes.
The children medically evacuated to the UK, alongside their immediate family members, have been issued with visas and granted leave to remain for up to two years. These families have the ability to access public funds, including treatment and wraparound support in the UK.Should these individuals wish to remain in the UK beyond the initial two years, they can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules.
What the budget allocation is for the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in financial year 2025-26; and how much funding has been committed to date for (a) staffing, (b) legal support and (c) survivor engagement.
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October.
Whether the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse will have powers under the Inquiries Act 2005 to compel evidence from serving and former (a) police officers, (b) council staff and (c) elected officials; and whether those powers have been formally granted.
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October.
What the first local areas to be examined by the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse are; and what criteria was used to select them.
I refer the hon. Member to my response to the Urgent Question of 21 October.
Pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025 to Question 74856 on Deportation: Sanctions, what sanctions have been applied under sections 70-74 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 in each year since 2022.
Sections 70-74 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 refer to the power to impose visa penalties on countries who, in the opinion of the Home Secretary, are a) uncooperative on the return of any its nationals or citizens, or b), pose a risk to international peace and security. These provisions have not been used since their introduction in 2022. But we will use all levers available to ensure the removal of those with no right to remain in the UK, including visa penalties where necessary, and will do whatever it takes to secure the UK’s border.
How many detention places are currently available for foreign nationals awaiting deportation.
Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) are used flexibly to detain foreign nationals liable for removal from the UK. This includes time-served foreign national offenders, immigration offenders and those who have arrived in the UK illegally. As of 1 September, the Home Office has the capacity to detain around 2,400 people in IRCs, including time-served foreign national offenders awaiting deportation. The Government takes the protection of the public and escapes from immigration detention extremely seriously. There are robust security measures in all IRCs to prevent residents from escaping. The Home Office releases data on escapes from immigration detention on an annual basis. The latest published statistics are for 2024. These are available at: Immigration system statistics, year ending June 2025 - GOV.UK.
How many detainees have absconded from immigration detention in each year since 2020.
Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) are used flexibly to detain foreign nationals liable for removal from the UK. This includes time-served foreign national offenders, immigration offenders and those who have arrived in the UK illegally. As of 1 September, the Home Office has the capacity to detain around 2,400 people in IRCs, including time-served foreign national offenders awaiting deportation. The Government takes the protection of the public and escapes from immigration detention extremely seriously. There are robust security measures in all IRCs to prevent residents from escaping. The Home Office releases data on escapes from immigration detention on an annual basis. The latest published statistics are for 2024. These are available at: Immigration system statistics, year ending June 2025 - GOV.UK.
How many staff her Department employs to organise deportation flights.
Staff working on deportation flights are often deployed flexibly across broader returns and enforcement workstreams. As such, it is not possible to disaggregate staffing figures to isolate those solely focused on deportation flights and obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office and, therefore, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The Home Office does not hold any central record of the requested information.
What the cost of private security contractors used in deportations has been in each of the last five years.
The Home Office uses its Escorting and Related Services Contract with Mitie Care and Custody to effect Returns of persons with no right to remain within the UK. The costs of this contract are routinely published as part of the Home Office Transparency data, and can be found at Home Office spending - GOV.UK.
What the top five reasons are for deportation flights being cancelled.
The information you have required is not available from published statistics.