Written questions by Lowe.

How many refugees were in receipt of Personal Independence Payment in each of the last five years; and what the cost to the public purse was.

The Department does not hold the requested information on refugees in receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Decision-makers check that an individual has leave to remain in the UK with recourse to public funds and meets all other eligibility requirements. Once this is established, the claim is processed like any other claim. Refugee claims are not flagged or marked on PIP administrative systems separately that would allow us to provide the information requested.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of an increased police presence around schools that have reported loitering by irregular migrants.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 November to Question UIN 13616.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a curfew for irregular migrants housed by local authorities close to schools that have reported incidents of loitering by irregular migrants.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 November to Question UIN 13616.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a restriction on irregular migrants housed in (a) hotels and (b) other government-funded accommodation within walking distance of schools during the (i) drop off to and (ii) pick up from school of children.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 November to Question UIN 13616.

If she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of civil service pensions for the next 50 years.

The Treasury’s central affordability measure for public service pensions is the projected pension benefit payments as a percentage of estimated GDP. This reflects the fact that most public service pension schemes are unfunded and financed through taxation, and tax revenues are closely related to GDP. The OBR forecast in September 2024 that spending on public service pensions will fall from 1.9 per cent of GDP at present to 1.4 per cent over the long term (50 years).

If she will make an assessment of the value for money of rehabilitation of foreign national offenders.

We provide rehabilitation services to offenders given community sentences and those sent to prison. All Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) given custodial sentences are referred to the Home Office to consider deportation.HMPPS manages the risks and rehabilitation of FNOs, including any subject to deportation orders, to reduce risk and keep the public safe. During this time, practitioners will have access to a full range of risk management interventions until the FNO is deported and no longer under HMPPS’ jurisdiction or statutory oversight.As per the approach of the previous Government, we conduct evaluations and assessments of the effectiveness of rehabilitative services, but we have not made any specific assessment of the value for money in relation to FNOs.

Whether her Department has produced modelling on the number of irregular migrants it expects will be eligible for settled status in the next ten years.

No. The Government’s Plan for Change makes clear our commitments to reduce both irregular migration and overall net migration.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 January to Question 24556 on Asylum: Interviews, what proportion of asylum interviews were conducted remotely in each of the last five years.

Most asylum interviews are now conducted remotely using video conference facilities outside of Home Office locations.The number of substantive asylum interviews is published online in tab ASY_05(M) in the Immigration and protection data: Q3 2024 - GOV.UK however this does not provide a breakdown of the number of asylum interviews conducted remotely. This information could only be obtained for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost. Further information regarding asylum interviews is available on gov.uk at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/conducting-the-asylum-interview-process.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 23577 on Deportations, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of recording this information centrally.

I refer the Honourable Member to the letter I sent him on 11 December 2024 regarding the collection of official statistics.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 23575 on Deportation, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of recording this information centrally.

I refer the Honourable Member to the letter I sent him on 11 December 2024 regarding the collection of official statistics.

What evidence is required to determine homosexuality as basis for claiming asylum.

All asylum and human rights claims are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. The Substantive asylum interview is the claimant’s main opportunity to provide detailed evidence that relates specifically to their individual protection needs.Our guidance for considering asylum claims is available on GOV.UK at: Assessing credibility and refugee status: caseworker guidance - GOV.UKAsylum claims made after 28 June 2022 have been considered to the higher standard of proof established in the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.

How many and what proportion of asylum claims have been withdrawn due to non-attendance in each of the last five years.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’.Data on asylum claims certified under Section 94 is published in table Asy_D08 of the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datasets’.Data on initial decisions and outcomes on asylum claims, including implicit withdrawals (which can result from non-attendance at a reporting event or interview), is published in table Asy_D02 of the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datasets’.Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbooks.

How many people with refugee status became UK citizens in each of the last ten years.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave him on 28 January to the same question asked in a slightly different form (UIN 25043).

Communities and Local Government, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that people entering the UK illegally can never vote in elections.

Only those foreign nationals who are eligible to vote and who have leave to enter or remain, or who do not require such leave, are entitled to register and vote in elections over which the UK Government and Parliament have responsibility.

What evidence is required to determine Christianity as basis for claiming asylum.

All asylum and human rights claims are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. The Substantive asylum interview is the claimant’s main opportunity to provide detailed evidence that relates specifically to their individual protection needs.Our guidance for considering asylum claims is available on GOV.UK at: Assessing credibility and refugee status: caseworker guidance - GOV.UKAsylum claims made after 28 June 2022 have been considered to the higher standard of proof established in the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.

How many and what proportion of asylum claims were rejected under section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 in each of the last five years.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’.Data on asylum claims certified under Section 94 is published in table Asy_D08 of the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datasets’.Data on initial decisions and outcomes on asylum claims, including implicit withdrawals (which can result from non-attendance at a reporting event or interview), is published in table Asy_D02 of the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datasets’.Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbooks.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring that people entering the UK illegally can never apply for (a) settled status and (b) citizenship.

The Government keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of an urgent review of successful claims of refugee status by migrants who arrived by small boat including (a) face-to-face interviews and (b) enhanced verification of the basis for the claim.

All asylum and human rights claims are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. The Substantive asylum interview is the claimant’s main opportunity to provide detailed evidence that relates specifically to their individual protection needs.Our guidance for considering asylum claims is available on GOV.UK at: Assessing credibility and refugee status: caseworker guidance - GOV.UKAsylum claims made after 28 June 2022 have been considered to the higher standard of proof established in the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.

What evidence is required to determine gender identity as basis for claiming asylum.

All asylum and human rights claims are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. The Substantive asylum interview is the claimant’s main opportunity to provide detailed evidence that relates specifically to their individual protection needs.Our guidance for considering asylum claims is available on GOV.UK at: Assessing credibility and refugee status: caseworker guidance - GOV.UKAsylum claims made after 28 June 2022 have been considered to the higher standard of proof established in the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.

What the cost to the public purse has been of interpretation for asylum interviews in each of the last five years.

Cost information on Asylum-specific and interpretation costs is not readily available from our financial systems and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.