Rupert Lowe MP: written questions 2025
1378 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Social Security Benefits: English LanguageDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82834More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to introduce English language learning as a condition of benefit receipt for foreign nationals.
Answer: 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 Cred...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: Translation ServicesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82833More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, 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.
Answer: The Department does not hold data on the number of individual claimants who require interpreter support.
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordJobcentres: English LanguageDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82832More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department requires (a) Jobcentre staff and (b) benefits advisers to demonstrate English language proficiency as a condition of employment.
Answer: 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-requi...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordClassroom Assistants and Teachers: English LanguageDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82831More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, 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.
Answer: 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...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSecurity Guards: English LanguageHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82830More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department will extend English language testing requirements to foreign nationals working in (a) private security or (b) enforcement roles contracted by the Department.
Answer: The Private Security Industry Act (PSIA) 2001 created the Security Industry Authority (SIA) as the regulator of the private security industry.The SIA sets minimum training standards and issues licenses to applicants who have acquired the correct licence-l...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigration: English LanguageHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82829More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that immigration (a) caseworkers and (b) interpreters meet English language standards.
Answer: 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 onb...
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPolice: English LanguageHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82828More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make English language proficiency a mandatory condition for (a) police recruits, (b) community support officers and (c) detention custody staff.
Answer: 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...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS Trusts: English LanguageDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82827More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides to NHS trusts on ensuring that (a) reception and (b) administrative staff are proficient in English.
Answer: 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 respons...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: English LanguageDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82826More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to introduce annual English language reassessments for NHS staff trained overseas.
Answer: 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 E...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: English LanguageDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82825More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) agency staff, (b) overseas recruits and (c) other NHS staff can communicate effectively in English.
Answer: 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 E...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: English LanguageDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82824More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of NHS staff have not met minimum English language proficiency standards in the last five years.
Answer: 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 E...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCoastal Erosion and Flood Control: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82479More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, 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.
Answer: 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 con...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCoastal Erosion: HemsbyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82478More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, 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.
Answer: 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 ...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordFlood Control: HemsbyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82477More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the condition of coastal defences at Hemsby in Norfolk.
Answer: 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...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordFlood Control: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82476More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, 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.
Answer: 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 con...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Private Rented HousingHome OfficeTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82475More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, 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
Answer: 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 ma...
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigration Enforcement: StandardsHome OfficeTabled 14 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82122More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has considered publishing annual performance metrics for local Immigration Compliance and Enforcement teams in the public domain.
Answer: Since this government came into office we have delivered results: we promised to deliver the highest rate of returns since 2018 and that has been achieved. We will continue to maximise the return of people, at the earliest opportunity, with no right to be...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordUndocumented MigrantsHome OfficeTabled 14 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82121More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to allow Immigration Enforcement to issue immediate civil fines for non-compliance with Right to Work or Right to Rent requirements.
Answer: In some areas where access to work, services or benefits is regulated, the measures require a third party to take action such as checking an individual’s eligibility to access work or rent a property. Sanctions exist where these requirements are not compl...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordUndocumented MigrantsHome OfficeTabled 14 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82120More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to require proof of legal immigration status when registering with a GP or dentist.
Answer: In-country controls, introduced over many decades, regulate a migrant's access to public services and deny access to those in the UK with no lawful status. These policies and checks form part of the UK's domestic compliance and enforcement arrangements, a...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordUndocumented MigrantsHome OfficeTabled 14 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82119More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of using data-sharing agreements between (a) the NHS, (b) HMRC and (c) Immigration Enforcement to help identify people living in the UK illegally.
Answer: Data sharing agreements are already in place between Immigration Enforcement and HMRC to increase immigration compliance, including the identification of illegal working. Migrants in the UK without lawful immigration status, are subject to NHS charges for...
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordUndocumented MigrantsHome OfficeTabled 14 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82118More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on the potential merits of increasing the range of (a) financial penalties and (b) custodial sentences available to courts for (i)
Answer: In some areas where access to work, services or benefits is regulated, the measures require a third party to take action such as checking an individual’s eligibility to access work or rent a property. Sanctions exist where these requirements are not compl...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordUndocumented MigrantsHome OfficeTabled 14 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82117More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing a hostile environment policy for people without a legal immigration status in relation to access to public services.
Answer: In-country controls, introduced over many decades, regulate a migrant's access to public services and deny access to those in the UK with no lawful status. These policies and checks form part of the UK's domestic compliance and enforcement arrangements, a...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordUndocumented MigrantsHome OfficeTabled 14 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82116More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, 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 m
Answer: 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, Laur...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordUndocumented MigrantsHome OfficeTabled 14 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82115More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing (a) a national online reporting portal for members of the public to submit intelligence on suspected irregular migrants and (b) an
Answer: The Home Office has several routes for members of the public to use when reporting information regarding immigration related crime and/or abuse. These routes include digital, telephone and paper options to ensure that reporting routes are easily accessibl...
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylumHome OfficeTabled 14 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82114More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) undertaking an urgent review of all asylum claims approved in the last ten years and (b) removing protection status for all people who ent
Answer: We are committed to our international obligations under the Refugee Convention when someone claims asylum in the UK, which provide that we must not penalise an individual on account of their illegal entry or presence, if they come directly from a territor...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament record
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