Visas: Political Parties
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the policy of the Home Office on (a) awarding and (b) extending visas to foreign citizens who have been elected in the United Kingdom as an elected representative to a local authority or devol
The Home Office does not operate a specific immigration route or policy for foreign nationals elected to public office in the United Kingdom.Individuals must qualify for permission to enter or remain under the Immigration Rules in their own right, and the...
Q Manivannan
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the immigration status of Q Manivannan MSP, and what type of visa does Q Manivannan currently hold.
The Home Office does not routinely comment on individual cases or disclose personal immigration details.
Immigration: Applications
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made any assessment of the financial impact on students and families that experienced delays in the processing of initial BN(O) Visa applications, and/or delays in processing indefinit
There is a published service standard of 12 weeks for straightforward applications under the Hong Kong BN(O) Visa and Leave to Remain routes. For applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain the service standard for straightforward applications is 6 months...
Passports: Dual Nationality
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps are being taken to ensure that, following the changes to dual-nationality, processing times and document requirements for passport applications remain consistent.
There have been no changes to the customer guidance for when to expect to receive a passport, or any additional evidence required in support of a passport application, following the enforcement of Electronic Travel Authorisation in February 2026.
Visas: Skilled Workers
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for skilled worker visa applications and renewals.
All straightforward skilled worker visa applications are being processed within our advertised service standard. If customers wish to receive a quicker response, they have the option of selecting a priority service on which there is no cap.With regards to...
Visas: Skilled Workers
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 14 April 2026 to Question 124428 on Visas: Skilled Workers, what steps she is taking to review the oversubscription of priority services for changes of visa sponsorship
All straightforward skilled worker visa applications are being processed within our advertised service standard. If customers wish to receive a quicker response, they have the option of selecting a priority service on which there is no cap.With regards to...
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has considered extending the Lancaster House Treaties to include a formal mechanism for Franco-British cooperation on Arctic and High North security.
NATO provides the formal mechanism for Franco-British cooperation on Arctic and High North security. The UK and France work closely together on NATO's Arctic Sentry mission which is a critical and proportionate step to bolster security in the Arctic and H...
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has considered inviting French forces to participate in Arctic cold-weather training at Camp Viking in Norway under the framework of the Lancaster House Treaties.
The UK, France and other Allies already engage in cold weather training together in Norway through exercise COLD RESPONSE.
Military Bases
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether missions supported from UK bases are approved on a case-by-case basis.
Permissions to utilise UK military bases are considered on a case-by-case basis and the decision to grant permission is dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity. This includes consideration of the applicable legal and policy frameworks.
Military Bases
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Government authorisation is required for refuelling, staging, maintenance, intelligence support and overflight, in addition to aircraft launching from UK territory.
Permissions to utilise UK military bases are considered on a case-by-case basis and the decision to grant permission is dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity. This includes consideration of the applicable legal and policy frameworks.
USA: Military Bases
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he reviews target-level information before approving United States missions supported from UK bases.
As announced by the Prime Minister on 1 March 2026, the Government agreed to a US request to use UK bases for specific and limited defensive purposes against facilities in Iran which are involved in launching strikes at regional allies. All UK support to ...
USA: Military Bases
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what UK locations, including civilian airports, have been used to support United States aircraft transiting to operations in the Middle East since the start of the Iran conflict in February 2026.
For operational security reasons, we will not comment further on foreign nations’ military aircraft movements.
USA: Airspace and Military Bases
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what legal basis under international law underpins the Government’s definition of “defensive operations” in relation to support for United States military activity.
As stated by the Prime Minister on 2 March 2026, our action is rooted in the principle of collective self‑defence of regional partners and in the protection of British lives. We have published a summary of our legal position, which sets this out clearly. ...
Reserve Forces
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether former reservists subject to recall under the Armed Forces Bill will apply retrospectively to Reservists who served before the bill passed.
Former reservists who left before the Armed Forces Bill 2026 was passed will not be subject to recall retrospectively. However, those who have left service may choose to opt in to recall liability if they wish. Those personnel who are currently serving wi...
Ports: Planning
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the 51st Report of the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee (HL Paper 263, Session 2024–26), published on 12 February, what progress they have made in bringing forward regulations under the Planning and Infr
MMO and DfT are currently progressing a draft consultation and associated documents to consult with the sector in the summer 2026. In parallel stakeholder engagement will be undertaken and work will be completed to draft the appropriate regulation with a ...
M25: Road Traffic
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimation she has made of the percentage of traffic on the M25 that is related to Heathrow Airport.
The Department does not have robust observed estimates for the proportion of traffic on the M25 that is related to Heathrow Airport, as it is difficult to disaggregate this from available data. For example, passenger data does not translate to an estimate...
Transport: Innovation
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for which projects her Department has adapted its business case approvals process for innovative activity.
The Department for Transport follows the principles set out in HM Treasury’s Green Book and associated guidance when considering business case approvals. These frameworks allow for a proportionate and flexible approach, enabling approval processes to be t...
Department for Transport: Procurement
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to transition from short-term innovation grant funding to longer-term commercial and procurement support for suppliers; and what strategy she has implemented to apply the Pro
A recent report published by NAO noted that the department has developed guidance to help officials consider the full range of levers available to drive innovation into adoption, rather than defaulting to grant funding alone.The department continues to en...
Meningitis: Vaccination
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of rolling out the meningitis B vaccination to all children born before 2015.
As my Rt. Hon. Friend, the former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, told the House on 17 March in the context of the meningococcal disease outbreak in Kent, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has been asked to re-exami...
Academic Freedom: Subversion
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New powers to protect vital free speech at universities, published on 20 April 2026, whether she has had discussions with the security services on ident
Academic Freedom: Complaints
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled New powers to protect vital free speech at universities, published on 20 April 2026, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that students, staff
Artificial Intelligence: Intellectual Property
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the provisions enabling AI Sandboxes in the Regulating for Growth Bill will include protections for UK Intellectual Property to ensure that it cannot be suspended to allow experimentation in re
The AI Growth Lab, enabled through the Regulating for Growth Bill, will support the safe testing of AI-enabled products and services by allowing, in limited and controlled circumstances, temporary modifications to certain regulatory requirements that may ...
Members: Security
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Member for Ashton-under-Lyne receives Government funded security.
The Home Office, Parliamentary Security Department (PSD) and the police work closely to ensure the safety and security of MPs in Westminster and in their constituencies.PSD is responsible for providing security measures for Members of Parliament (MPs). Th...
Members: Transport
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Member for Ashton-under-Lyne receives Government funded transport.
The Home Office, Parliamentary Security Department (PSD) and the police work closely to ensure the safety and security of MPs in Westminster and in their constituencies. PSD is responsible for providing a range of security measures for Members of Parliame...
Political Parties: Cryptocurrencies
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the National Crime Agency has received any Suspicious Activity Reports relating to (a) cryptocurrency donations to UK politicians or (b) donations to UK politicians from individuals with crypt
For confidentiality and operational security reasons, the National Crime Agency does not comment on individual Suspicious Activity Reports.On 25 March the Government published the Rycroft Review into countering foreign financial influence and interference...