Written questions by Creasy.

If she will set out the the routes to British citizenship open to people who secure indefinite leave to remain having arrived in the UK by an irregular route after the 10 February 2025; and what estimate she has made of the cost of applying for naturalisation to this process.

An individual can apply for British citizenship if they believe they meet the requirements. Those wishing to naturalise will need to meet the statutory requirements set out in the British Nationality Act 1981, including to be of good character. Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis, but a person who has entered the UK on irregular routes will not normally meet the good character requirement.Details of fees for immigration and nationality applications, including the estimated unit costs, can be reviewed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-fees-transparency-data.

How many NCC1 application forms were (a) received and (b) approved in each month in 2024.

The requested information is not readily available as it is not centrally collated and to provide this would be at disproportionate cost. Depending on the benefit being claimed, the clerical NCC1 forms are either handed into the Jobcentre Plus office, for Universal Credit, or are sent to the relevant postal address for Child Tax Credits and Income Support. The annual statistics about the policy that provides support for a maximum of 2 children in Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit provides a range of statistics including statistics relating to the exceptions to the policy. The latest and previous publications can be found here: Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit claimants: statistics related to the policy to provide support for a maximum of 2 children, April 2024 - GOV.UK

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 July 2024 to Question 66 on Sexual Harassment, what progress she has made on implementation of the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023.

The Government is committed to halving levels of violence against women and girls in a decade. An important part of this ambition is tackling public sexual harassment which often leaves people, disproportionately women, feeling very unsafe. The Protection...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress his Department has made on securing the release of Alaa Abd El-Fattah.

The UK Government remains committed to securing the release of Alaa Abd El-Fattah. We continue to raise Mr El-Fattah's case at the highest levels with the Egyptian Government. The Egyptian Government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah's British nationality a...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government plans to take to respond to the Egyptian Government's refusal to (a) release and (b) recognise the British nationality of Alaa Abd El-Fattah.

The UK Government remains committed to securing the release of Alaa Abd El-Fattah. We continue to raise Mr El-Fattah's case at the highest levels with the Egyptian Government. The Egyptian Government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah's British nationality a...

If he will make a comparative assessment of UK and EU product standard regulations issued since 31 January 2020.

The UK’s product safety and metrology framework is derived from EU law and has developed over the past four decades, while the UK was a Member of the EU. While there have been some product standard developments since 31 January 2020, the regulations in th...

If he will make an estimate of the number of EU product standard regulations that will be issued in the next five years.

No estimate has been made on the number of product standard regulations that will be issued by the EU in the next five years. Some expected changes to EU regulations have been identified, with outdoor noise regulations due to be implemented in May 2025 fo...

How many officials in his Department have worked on product standard regulations in each year since 31 January 2020.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is the UK’s national product regulator within the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). As well as policy responsibility for product safety and standards, OPSS delivers front line product regulation fo...

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2024 to Question 612 on Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, when section 31 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 will come into force.

Appropriate protections for victims of harassment or stalking are vital. We are carefully considering implementation of section 31 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 to ensure data and safeguarding protections are built into the process. As part of thi...

What work the UK- Egypt Subcommittee of the Association Committee on Trade and Investment is undertaking; and when that committee will meet next.

The UK-Egypt Trade and Investment Subcommittee is a forum for promoting further trade and investment between our two countries, and the inaugural meeting was held on 18 July 2023.At this meeting, market access issues, including ongoing regulatory collabor...

How many children for whom no living parent was identified were allocated a legal guardian in each of the last five years.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the number of special guardianship orders, however, information held centrally does not include whether the application was granted due to the child having no living parent. This information may be held on court r...

Communities and Local Government, if she will publish guidance on the responsibilities of freeholders for the external areas of an estate on which leaseholder have secured the right to manage.

Guidance on the responsibilities of freeholders under the right to manage is provided by the Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) and is available on their website: https://www.lease-advice.org/advice-guide/right-manage.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to respond to the letter from the UN Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders under the Aarhus Convention of 12 March 2024.

The UK welcomed the creation of the Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders under the Aarhus Convention. The Government is considering the issues raised in the Special Rapporteur's two recent letters, in the context of the UK's obligations under the Aarhus Convention. We will respond in due course.

If she will make an estimate of the value of national insurance contributions that were exempted under workplace nursery schemes in each financial year between 2018-19 and 2023-24.

HMRC publishes the estimated cost to the Exchequer and number of claimants of various tax reliefs. The estimated value of Income Tax and Class 1A National Insurance Contributions relief for “Employer Supported Childcare including workplace nurseries” can be found in the “Multiple_tax_types” worksheet of Estimated cost of non-structural tax reliefs (December 2023). The figures include three forms of employer-supported childcare (ESC): workplace nurseries, childcare vouchers and directly contracted childcare. Use of these reliefs is not reportable to HMRC and so administrative data on their use is not available, nor is a detailed breakdown between the three forms of ESC. The introduction of Tax-Free Childcare and closure of childcare vouchers and directly contracted childcare to new entrants leads to the continuing reduction in the cost of ESC.

If she will make an estimate of the value of income tax exemption under the workplace nursery scheme in each year from (a) 2018-19 to (b) 2023-24.

HMRC publishes the estimated cost to the Exchequer and number of claimants of various tax reliefs. The estimated value of Income Tax and Class 1A National Insurance Contributions relief for “Employer Supported Childcare including workplace nurseries” can be found in the “Multiple_tax_types” worksheet of Estimated cost of non-structural tax reliefs (December 2023). The figures include three forms of employer-supported childcare (ESC): workplace nurseries, childcare vouchers and directly contracted childcare. Use of these reliefs is not reportable to HMRC and so administrative data on their use is not available, nor is a detailed breakdown between the three forms of ESC. The introduction of Tax-Free Childcare and closure of childcare vouchers and directly contracted childcare to new entrants leads to the continuing reduction in the cost of ESC.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help residents of the Union Island.

Hurricane Beryl passed through the Caribbean at the beginning of July, devastating several islands in the Grenadines, including Union. On 5th July, the Foreign Secretary responded by increasing available UK response funding up to £500,000. This money has allowed us to send emergency shelter kits (capable of supporting up to 4,000 people) and freshwater storage solutions (for over 1,600 families) to affected islands, which included Union Island. The UK also supported the deployment of Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) emergency response teams to assess needs and assist with relief, logistics and telecoms. St Vincent and the Grenadines also received US$1.86 million from the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF), to which the UK was a founder donor.

How many and what proportion of people who were (a) called forward and (b) authorised for evacuation during Operation Pitting but were not able to board flights have subsequently been resettled under pathway one of the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme.

The UK has made an important commitment to resettle Afghans fleeing persecution and those who served the UK. Data on the number of Afghans who were called forward and not able to board flights who have been subsequently resettled under ACRS Pathway 1 is not captured in the immigration statistics. The latest published Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) show that (up to the end of March 2024) around 30,100 people have been brought to safety from Afghanistan and the region.These statistics also show that:So far 9,703 people have been resettled under ACRS Pathway 1.A breakdown of the number of people that have been resettled under this pathway and the other Afghan resettlement routes since the evacuation in August 2021 may be seen in detail in the following table which was published as part of the last immigration statistics release: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables#asylum-and-resettlement.

What her planned timetable is for bringing section 31 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 into force.

Appropriate protections for victims of harassment or stalking are vital. We are carefully considering the measures within the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 and will provide an update on plans for implementation in due course.

What estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of rebuilding Whipps Cross Hospital; and what his expected timetable is for when this funding will be made available to Barts Health NHS Trust.

The Government recognises the immediate issues affecting the National Health Service and is determined to fix them. We also recognise the need for investment in our estate across the country, including at Whipps Cross University Hospital, North East London.My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has asked for an urgent report on the degree to which the New Hospital Programme is funded and a realistic timetable for delivery. He will consider this carefully then report back to patients, clinicians and local communities to confirm revision, if any, to the schedule.

What her planned timetable is for regulating buy now pay later high cost credit providers; and if she will ensure that such regulation ensures consumers are able to access the financial ombudsman for redress for that form of credit.

Regulating Buy Now Pay Later products is crucial to protect people and deliver certainty for the sector. The government will be looking to work closely with all interested stakeholders and will set out its plans shortly.