Pete Wishart MP: written questions
45 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Visa: GraduatesHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 19854More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of international graduates who have remained in the UK via the Graduate Route visa since its introduction; and what assessment she has made with Cab
Answer: The Home Office publishes data on extensions of stay as part of the Immigration System Statistics quarterly release. Data on the number of grants issued under the Graduate route since its introduction are published in table Exe_D01 of the Extensions detai...
Answered 2 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordOverseas Students: Student NumbersDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 19853More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions officials in her Department have had with a) the Scottish Government and b) representatives of Scottish universities regarding the fall in overseas student numbers since Brexit.
Answer: Education is a devolved matter. As such, the Scottish Government is responsible for higher education (HE) policy in ScotlandThe independent regulator of the English HE sector, the Office for Students (OfS), is responsible for monitoring the sector’s finan...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordOverseas Students: Student NumbersDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 19852More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the number of overseas university students enrolling in UK higher education institutions since the UK’s departure from the European Union.
Answer: Education is a devolved matter. As such, the Scottish Government is responsible for higher education (HE) policy in ScotlandThe independent regulator of the English HE sector, the Office for Students (OfS), is responsible for monitoring the sector’s finan...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordHigher Education: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 19851More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reduced numbers of EU students on the financial stability of higher education institutions across the UK.
Answer: Education is a devolved matter. As such, the Scottish Government is responsible for higher education (HE) policy in ScotlandThe independent regulator of the English HE sector, the Office for Students (OfS), is responsible for monitoring the sector’s finan...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordHigher Education: ScotlandDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 19850More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reduced numbers of EU students on the financial stability of higher education institutions in Scotland.
Answer: Education is a devolved matter. As such, the Scottish Government is responsible for higher education (HE) policy in ScotlandThe independent regulator of the English HE sector, the Office for Students (OfS), is responsible for monitoring the sector’s finan...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAsylum: ApplicationsHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 19849More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of UK asylum processing backlogs on Scottish local authority public services.
Answer: We have restored order to what was a huge backlog of cases, with a streamlined and stable caseload that can be processed quickly and efficiently, ensuring people spend less time awaiting an initial asylum decision.At the end of June 2026 there were 40,168...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration: ScotlandHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 19848More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has been made of international examples of regional migration schemes, including those operating in Canada and Australia, and their applicability to Scotland.
Answer: Regional migration schemes would create internal borders within the UK, which operates on a much smaller geographic scale to Canada or Australia and has fewer barriers to people relocating within it. The Migration Advisory Committee has looked at this iss...
Answered 2 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant Workers: ScotlandHome OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 19847More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has been made of whether the current immigration system meets Scotland’s projected workforce needs over the next ten years.
Answer: Regional migration schemes would create internal borders within the UK, which operates on a much smaller geographic scale to Canada or Australia and has fewer barriers to people relocating within it. The Migration Advisory Committee has looked at this iss...
Answered 2 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAsylum: FinanceHome OfficeTabled 15 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18978More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to clause 23(5) of the Immigration and Asylum Bill, whether her Department intends to carry out individual destitution tests on all refugees or whether a minimum income threshold will b
Answer: The Immigration and Asylum Bill introduces the principle that, where a person has received taxpayer-funded asylum support and later becomes financially able to contribute towards those costs, it is right and fair that they should do so.The detailed design...
Answered 7 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAge Assurance: Artificial IntelligenceHome OfficeTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 900283More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the use of AI facial age estimation technology by Border Force and police on vulnerable children.
Answer: Robust age assessments are essential for both border security and safeguarding. Facial Age Estimation is not yet in use and will continue to be tested before its expected implementation in 2027.It will support trained staff, who will always make the final...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordInfected Blood Compensation SchemeCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124056More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what considerations have been given to extending the cut-off date for eligibility for the Unethical Research Award in the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme beyond 1984, given the evidence in the Infected Blood
Answer: The Inquiry, in its Additional Report, made a set of recommendations about the Unethical Research awards. The Government has consulted on these recommendations, including on a proposal to expand eligibility for Unethical Research awards to all infected pe...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordInfected Blood Compensation SchemeCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124055More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what justification is being applied to changes to the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme, where individuals who suffered long-term health harms of interferon treatment are to receive an uplift in compensation fr
Answer: The Inquiry recommended changes to the infection severity bands to give greater recognition for the suffering caused by interferon treatment. The Government agrees that changes are needed and we have consulted on our proposal to introduce a new infection ...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordInfected Blood Compensation Scheme: HepatitisCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124054More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what consideration is being given to altering the Hepatitis C Financial Loss Award to reflect people who received older and more harmful treatments; and if he will make a statement.
Answer: In its Additional Report, the Infected Blood Inquiry recommended changes to the infection severity bands to give greater recognition for the suffering caused particularly by interferon treatment. The Government agrees that changes are needed and has consu...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordInfected Blood Compensation Scheme: HepatitisCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124053More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the grounds of justification for the reduction in hepatitis C Financial Loss Awards from 2017 due to the introduction of new effective treatments; and if he will make a statement.
Answer: The compensation scheme assumes that the introduction of effective treatments in 2016 improved most infected people’s ability to effectively manage their infection. This assumption is applied when calculating financial loss for living infected people.The ...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordVisas: UkraineHome OfficeTabled 25 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115795More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance will be issued to local authorities, employers, universities and support organisations on the 24 month extension of the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme.
Answer: The Government will update the relevant GOV.UK pages to reflect the 24‑month extension of the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme once the necessary changes to the Immigration Rules are in force. GOV.UK will remain the single authoritative source of...
Answered 4 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration: UkraineHome OfficeTabled 25 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115794More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what transitional arrangements will be available for Ukrainian families with children approaching the age threshold for private life applications.
Answer: Ukrainian families with children who are in the United Kingdom under any of the Ukraine schemes can apply to switch onto another immigration route within the Immigration Rules, including the Private Life route.Applicants must ensure that they meet the req...
Answered 4 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration: UkraineHome OfficeTabled 25 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115793More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to establish a pathway to (a) settled status and (b) Indefinite Leave to Remain for Ukrainians who wish to remain in the UK.
Answer: The Ukraine Permission Extension scheme (UPE) reflects a generous and meaningful commitment to support those displaced by the conflict.On 24 February, the Government confirmed in Parliament that the UPE scheme would be extended for an additional 24 months...
Answered 4 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Military BasesHome OfficeTabled 25 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115792More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress she has made on her Department’s plans to move asylum seekers into military barracks in Scotland; and what discussions she has had with the Scottish Government on that subject.
Answer: The Home Office has engaged with Scottish Government, as well as other local stakeholders including Highland Council, the Police, NHS, Scottish Fire & Rescue Service and others since plans were announced in October 2025. The department will continue t...
Answered 2 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrants: FamiliesHome OfficeTabled 14 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105674More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department has consulted local authorities on forthcoming guidance on No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) families; and whether the guidance will include measures to monitor and report how
Answer: The new guidance being produced by the Home Office is designed to assist local authorities in supporting families with NRPF, as set out in the Child Poverty Strategy. Local authorities will be consulted prior to publication. The guidance will provide clar...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrants: ScotlandHome OfficeTabled 14 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105673More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether forthcoming guidance on local authority duties towards No Recourse to Public Funds families will include advice relevant to Scottish legislation; and whether she has had discussions with (a) t
Answer: The new guidance being produced by the Home Office is designed to assist local authorities in supporting families with NRPF, as set out in the Child Poverty Strategy. Local authorities will be consulted prior to publication. The guidance will provide clar...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrants: FamiliesHome OfficeTabled 14 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105672More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many families and children are directly restricted by No Recourse to Public Funds.
Answer: The No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition applies to the vast majority of adult temporary migrants in the UK and those without legal status, many of whom may not be in touch with the Home Office.Data on the children within migrant families is not r...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordProtective Security for Mosques Scheme: FinanceHome OfficeTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89389More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the additional £10 million announced on 23 October 2025 to protect Mosques and Muslim faith centres is a permanent increase in annual funding or a one-off increase for 2025-26.
Answer: In 2025/26, up to £70.9 million is available to protect faith communities. This includes £29.4 million through the Protective Security for Mosques scheme and for security at Muslim faith schools. In addition, up to £10 million of emergency funding has bee...
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordProtective Security for Mosques SchemeHome OfficeTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89388More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the current estimated waiting time is for an application for security under the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme; and what steps are being taken to reduce the waiting time.
Answer: This Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion at their chosen place of worship, and to making our streets and communities safer.Global and domestic events have heightened security concerns within Mus...
Answered 1 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDrugs: DeathCabinet OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78015More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government was first advised by the Office for National Statistics that the information provided by coroners on death registrations relating to drug deaths could lack detail on the specific drugs involv
Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 10th October is attached.
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSovereignty: ScotlandScotland OfficeTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75220More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether the Government plans to respond to the publication entitled Your Right to Decide, published by the Scottish Government on 4 September 2025.
Answer: The UK Government’s priority is delivering for people in Scotland. The Scottish Government should be focussed on working collaboratively with us on our Plan for Change - to grow the economy, improve our public services, and put more money in people’s pock...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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