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 1,041–1,060 of 2,564 · this parliament
Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the annual cost to local authorities of (a) translation and (b) interpretation services.
Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces and compliance with all relevant employment legislation. They are expected to organise their workforce so that it is best placed to meet the needs of their residents.
Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment his Department has made of the levels of English language proficiency of staff working in local authority (a) housing and (b) social services.
Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces and compliance with all relevant employment legislation. They are expected to organise their workforce so that it is best placed to meet the needs of their residents.
If she will make English language proficiency a mandatory condition for (a) police recruits, (b) community support officers and (c) detention custody staff.
This Government is committed to ensuring consistent, high standards for entry into the police, including for police staff. As set out in Regulations, police officers must demonstrate competence in written and spoken English.We are working closely with the College of Policing to ensure that forces continue to make improvements to all entry routes. As part of this work, the College of Policing is currently consulting police leaders to assess and determine the appropriate English language standard required for all policing roles.
What estimate her Department has made of the number of (a) teachers and (b) classroom assistants (i) whose first language is not English and (ii) who have not undertaken a recognised English proficiency test.
The requested information on the first language of teachers and classroom assistants is not collected centrally.Information on the qualifications held by teachers is available in the 'School workforce in England' accredited official statistics publication. This can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2024.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure that immigration (a) caseworkers and (b) interpreters meet English language standards.
The Home Office recruit using standard Civil Service recruitment processes and all our immigration caseworkers must meet minimum Civil Service recruitment standards. The appropriate level of English is assured through the comprehensive recruitment and onboarding process. Interpreters are not Home Office employees and undertake freelance work commissioned by the Home Office through contracts for services. Standards required to apply for an interpreter role are set out in our published ‘Guidance for UKVI freelance interpreters’. This includes a list of accredited qualifications. Quality is maintained through our comprehensive review strategy. Interviewing officers are issued with Interpreter Management Team monitoring forms, which they are asked to complete if they have any comments on the interpreter used in an assignment (because the interpreter performed particularly well or badly, for example). Interviews may also be monitored for training and security purposes. Applications for immigration caseworker roles and interpreter roles include a written application and, if appropriate, an interview. The written application and interview are conducted and assessed in English.
If she will publish a breakdown of her Department's August 2024 individual level analysis of Income Tax brackets by (a) ethnicity and (b) nationality.
HMRC do not publish individual level analysis of Income Tax brackets by (a) ethnicity or (b) nationality.
Whether his Department requires (a) Jobcentre staff and (b) benefits advisers to demonstrate English language proficiency as a condition of employment.
DWP complies with the requirement of the Immigration Act 2016 in requiring all of its employees in public-facing roles to speak English fluently, as outlined in the Government’s code of practice at www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-language-requirement-for-public-sector-workers-code-of-practice. This includes jobcentre staff and benefits advisers.
Whether his Department plans to introduce English language learning as a condition of benefit receipt for foreign nationals.
The Department can require that claimants attend English language courses as a work preparation activity if this will make them more likely to find work, or to increase the hours they work. A sanction - which is a reduction in the amount of Universal Credit paid - is applicable where a claimant fails to meet a work preparation requirement without good reason.
What estimate his Department has made of the number of benefits claimants who require translation support during appointments; and at what cost to the public purse.
The Department does not hold data on the number of individual claimants who require interpreter support.
What guidance his Department provides to NHS trusts on ensuring that (a) reception and (b) administrative staff are proficient in English.
National Health Service trusts are independent bodies and as such have responsibility for their own recruitment policies and for ensuring their appointment procedures are aligned with employment law and good human resources practice.Employers have responsibility for assuring that individuals have the necessary written and verbal linguistic skills in line with the English language requirement for public sector workers: code of practice, in addition to any necessary professional skills and qualifications, when recruiting to NHS roles. The English language requirement for public sector workers: code of practice is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-language-requirement-for-public-sector-workers-code-of-practice
What steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) agency staff, (b) overseas recruits and (c) other NHS staff can communicate effectively in English.
Where legally required, healthcare professionals must be registered with the appropriate United Kingdom healthcare regulator to be able to practise. Professionals who qualified outside of the UK must demonstrate that they have the necessary knowledge of English. This process varies according to regulator, the healthcare role, and the circumstances of applicants The healthcare regulators are independent of the Government, and it is for regulators to determine the required processes and thresholds in relation to English language competence for registrants. General practitioners, dentists, and opticians delivering NHS primary care must also be on the relevant NHS performers list. Applicants’ ability to communicate effectively and safely with patients and colleagues is assessed as part of the performers list application process. For the performers lists in England, it is NHS England policy that the required level of English language competence for admission to the list is the same as that required by the relevant healthcare regulator. If there are concerns about an applicant’s English language competence, they will be required to demonstrate competence by further assessment. This may be an oral exam with an NHS England assessor or with satisfactory completion of the International English Language Test System or the Occupational English Test.In regard to care workers, since February 2022, the main route for care workers wishing to come to the UK has been through the Health and Care visa. To qualify for this visa, individuals must demonstrate that they meet the B1 standard of English language. On 14 October 2025, the Home Office laid rules changes to increase the English Language requirement to Level B2. These changes will come into effect from 8 January 2026.
How many and what proportion of NHS staff have not met minimum English language proficiency standards in the last five years.
Where legally required, healthcare professionals must be registered with the appropriate United Kingdom healthcare regulator to be able to practise. Professionals who qualified outside of the UK must demonstrate that they have the necessary knowledge of English as part of the regulator’s assessment of their healthcare qualifications, knowledge, and skills. The process and accepted evidence for demonstrating English language proficiency varies according to regulator.The healthcare regulators are independent of the Government, and it is for regulators to determine the required processes and thresholds in relation to English language competence for registrants. There may also be tests undertaken as part of the process of visa applications where these are applicable to staff. The Department does not hold information on the rate of success or failure of any of these tests.Roles undertaken in the National Health Service by staff who are not required to be registered healthcare professionals may have language and communications skills defined and assessed locally as part of recruitment processes.
Whether his Department plans to introduce annual English language reassessments for NHS staff trained overseas.
Where legally required, healthcare professionals must be registered with the appropriate United Kingdom healthcare regulator to be able to practise. Professionals who qualified outside of the UK must demonstrate that they have the necessary knowledge of English. This process varies according to regulator, the healthcare role, and the circumstances of applicants The healthcare regulators are independent of the Government, and it is for regulators to determine the required processes and thresholds in relation to English language competence for registrants. General practitioners, dentists, and opticians delivering NHS primary care must also be on the relevant NHS performers list. Applicants’ ability to communicate effectively and safely with patients and colleagues is assessed as part of the performers list application process. For the performers lists in England, it is NHS England policy that the required level of English language competence for admission to the list is the same as that required by the relevant healthcare regulator. If there are concerns about an applicant’s English language competence, they will be required to demonstrate competence by further assessment. This may be an oral exam with an NHS England assessor or with satisfactory completion of the International English Language Test System or the Occupational English Test.In regard to care workers, since February 2022, the main route for care workers wishing to come to the UK has been through the Health and Care visa. To qualify for this visa, individuals must demonstrate that they meet the B1 standard of English language. On 14 October 2025, the Home Office laid rules changes to increase the English Language requirement to Level B2. These changes will come into effect from 8 January 2026.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department plans to take to protect properties at risk from coastal erosion in Hemsby before winter 2025-26.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) are the responsible risk management authority for the coast at Hemsby and have been working on erosion management issues at Hemsby for many years.GYBC is a principal partner of the Resilient Coasts project, delivered and funded as part of the Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme. Through this project, £1.6 million has been allocated to develop plans to help people living in homes most threatened by erosion to relocate away from areas most at risk via the transfer of planning rights. The innovative approach provides some funding towards relocation for those most affected by coastal erosion.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the condition of coastal defences at Hemsby in Norfolk.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) are the responsible risk management authority for the coast at Hemsby and have been working on erosion management issues at Hemsby for many years. Earlier this year an independent report commissioned by GYBC detailed how a temporary rock berm, which was installed in 2023, and other materials on the beach are now ineffective at preventing or slowing down erosion and, in some cases, are exacerbating it. GYBC have highlighted there is a risk to public safety from some of the materials on the beach and the Hemsby Stakeholder Group has agreed to look at how some of the assets might be re-purposed and re-used more effectively for the benefit of the community. GYBC have confirmed nothing will be moved until next autumn, to allow time for community input and further stakeholder group meetings.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether the new funding formula for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management will include a specific category for rapidly eroding coastlines.
On 14 October, following consultation, the Government announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy. Under the new rules, projects will be prioritised by their benefit-to-cost ratios to drive value for money, with partnership contributions boosting a project’s prioritisation. Benefits include those of protecting coastal communities. The new funding policy will optimise funding between building new flood and coastal erosion projects and maintaining existing defences and will ensure that deprived communities continue to receive vital investment. We will use Government funding to unlock investment from public, private and charitable sources, making every £1 of Government investment go further. We will also invest at least £300 million in natural flood management over ten years – the highest figure to date for the floods programme. On coastal erosion, working with the Environment Agency, we will explore how we can take forward the current Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme. We will build on lessons learned, also recognising the growing source of risk in this area from the latest NCERM data.
Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to publish its final response to the consultation on the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management funding formula.
On 14 October, following consultation, the Government announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy. Under the new rules, projects will be prioritised by their benefit-to-cost ratios to drive value for money, with partnership contributions boosting a project’s prioritisation. Benefits include those of protecting coastal communities. The new funding policy will optimise funding between building new flood and coastal erosion projects and maintaining existing defences and will ensure that deprived communities continue to receive vital investment. We will use Government funding to unlock investment from public, private and charitable sources, making every £1 of Government investment go further. We will also invest at least £300 million in natural flood management over ten years – the highest figure to date for the floods programme. On coastal erosion, working with the Environment Agency, we will explore how we can take forward the current Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme. We will build on lessons learned, also recognising the growing source of risk in this area from the latest NCERM data.
What information her Department holds on the (a) financial arrangements, (b) lease durations and (c) landlord incentives offered by (i) Serco and (ii) other contractors under the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts since 2020; and whether her Department has undertaken any risk assessments of the use of private rented accommodation for asylum seekers.
Since 2022, the Home Office has implemented a Full Dispersal model, which aims to distribute asylum accommodation more fairly and equitably across the UK. The Home Office, via our accommodation providers, has worked within the Private Rented Sector for many years to source accommodation that offers better value for money for the taxpayer. Accommodation providers are responsible for sourcing and securing suitable properties, as well as consulting with local authorities on every dispersed bedspace before it is procured to ensure the impacts on local areas are considered. The details of the contracts are commercially sensitive.
If she will hold discussions with her French counterpart on (a) distributing leaflets and (b) creating information campaigns for potential irregular migrants to the UK on the consequences of illegal migration to the UK.
The Home Secretary regularly meets with her French counterparts to discuss our joint efforts to prevent dangerous small boat crossings. She remains committed to our joint mission and will continue this close working with the new Minister of Interior, Laurent Nuñez, who was appointed on 12 October.The UK and French Governments have been running joint information campaigns in France since August about the consequences of illegal migration to the UK, including distributing leaflets to potential irregular migrants.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of repealing the Human Rights Act 1998 on the efficiency of deportations.
The Human Rights Act is an important part of our constitutional arrangements and fundamental to human rights protections in the UK. It will remain part of our law.As set out in our Immigration White Paper, we will legislate to reform our approach to the application of Article 8 ECHR in the immigration system, and we are also reviewing the application of Article 3 in immigration and extradition cases. This will ensure the correct balance is struck between individual rights and the wider public interest in controlling migration.