Sorcha Eastwood MP: written questions 2025
154 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Childcare and Pre-school Education: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82819More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Skilled Worker visas have been granted for (a) childcare and (b) early years posts since their inclusion on the eligible occupations list.
Answer: The Home Office publishes data on sponsored work visas by visa type and occupation in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on grants of visas are published in table ‘Occ_D02’ of the sponsored work visas by occupation and industry da...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82818More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the proposed extension of the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain under the Skilled Worker route will apply to people already residing in the UK under that route.
Answer: We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year. Details of how this initiative will work will be provided around that consultation.
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82817More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to provide clarity to Skilled Worker visa holders in the UK impacted by proposed changes to the Indefinite Leave to Remain qualifying period.
Answer: We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year. Details of how this initiative will work will be provided around that consultation.
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services and Social Services: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82816More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of extending the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain under the Skilled Worker visa route on the health and social care workforce.
Answer: We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year. Details of how this initiative will work will be provided around that consultation.
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMigrant Workers: Northern IrelandHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82815More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of extending the Indefinite Leave to Remain qualifying period on the recruitment and retention of overseas workers in Northern Ireland’s health and
Answer: We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year. Details of how this initiative will work will be provided around that consultation.
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces CovenantCabinet OfficeTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82472More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the Armed Forces Covenant Duty on the work of his Department.
Answer: The extension of the Armed Forces Covenant Legal Duty will require the Cabinet Office to have due regard to the principles of the Covenant across a wide range of new policy areas. A full assessment of the impact of the extension on the Cabinet Office will...
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordDigital Technology: ChildrenDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77809More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will meet the Chief Medical Officer to discuss the potential merits of raising the digital age of consent.
Answer: In December 2024 DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research to understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children. The report will be published in due course.The government keeps all legislation under review and engages regularly w...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordData Protection: Age of ConsentDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77808More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the digital age of consent.
Answer: In December 2024 DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research to understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children. The report will be published in due course.The government keeps all legislation under review and engages regularly w...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordData Protection: Age of ConsentDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77807More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to hold a public consultation on her Department's proposed changes to the digital age of consent.
Answer: In December 2024 DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research to understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children. The report will be published in due course.The government keeps all legislation under review and engages regularly w...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMobile Phones and Social Media: ChildrenDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77806More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when her Department plans to complete the feasibility study on the potential impact of (a) smartphone and (b) social media use on children’s wellbeing.
Answer: In December 2024 DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research to understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children. The report will be published in due course.The government keeps all legislation under review and engages regularly w...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHomelessness: Young PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77805More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will hold discussions with Centrepoint on taking steps to help tackle youth homelessness.
Answer: Ending all forms of homelessness is a priority for this Government, and we are committed to tackling youth homelessness. My department plays a key role and works closely with homelessness stakeholders including Centrepoint, who provide invaluable support ...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSupported Housing: Young PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77804More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the potential savings to the public purse of enabling young people in supported accommodation to increase their working hours without losing access to affordable ho
Answer: We acknowledge there is a challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit, particularly for young people living in supported and temporary accommodation, including the different income tapers used by each benefit. Curre...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSupported Housing: Young PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77803More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential fiscal impact of (a) increasing the Housing Benefit earnings disregard from £5 to £57 and (b) reducing the taper rate from 65 per cent to 5
Answer: We acknowledge there is a challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit, particularly for young people living in supported and temporary accommodation, including the different income tapers used by each benefit. Curre...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSupported Housing: Young PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77802More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on supporting young people in supported accommodation as part of preparations for the Autumn Budget.
Answer: We acknowledge there is a challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit, particularly for young people living in supported and temporary accommodation, including the different income tapers used by each benefit. Curre...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing Benefit: Supported HousingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77801More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing the Housing Benefit taper rate from 65 per cent to 55 per cent on young people living in supported accommodation.
Answer: We acknowledge there is a challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit, particularly for young people living in supported and temporary accommodation, including the different income tapers used by each benefit. Curre...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing Benefit: Supported HousingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77800More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of increasing the Housing Benefit earnings disregard from £5 to £57 for young people living in supported accommodation on youth employment.
Answer: We acknowledge there is a challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit, particularly for young people living in supported and temporary accommodation, including the different income tapers used by each benefit. Curre...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing Benefit and Universal Credit: Supported HousingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77799More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential financial impact of the Housing Benefit and Universal Credit interaction on young people in supported accommodation who move into work.
Answer: We acknowledge there is a challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit, particularly for young people living in supported and temporary accommodation, including the different income tapers used by each benefit. Curre...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing Benefit and Universal Credit: Supported HousingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77798More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the interaction between Housing Benefit and Universal Credit on the ability of young people living in supported accommodation to increase their wo
Answer: We acknowledge there is a challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit, particularly for young people living in supported and temporary accommodation, including the different income tapers used by each benefit. Curre...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMotor Insurance TaskforceDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77797More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many meetings of the Motor Insurance Taskforce have taken place; and when the next meeting will take place.
Answer: The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce met for the first time on 16 October 2024. It met again on 28 April 2025 and most recently met on 21 July 2025. The taskforce is expected to publish its final report in the autumn.
Answered 14 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: IrelandHome OfficeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77796More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking discussions with her Irish counterpart on establishing an all-island work visa for the island of Ireland.
Answer: The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative working relationship on a range of issues, including migration and border security which is underpinned by our joint commitment to protecting the Common Travel Area (CTA) from abuse while preserving the ri...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: IrelandHome OfficeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77795More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with his Irish counterpart on the potential merits of creating an all-island working visa.
Answer: The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative working relationship on a range of issues, including migration and border security which is underpinned by our joint commitment to protecting the Common Travel Area (CTA) from abuse while preserving the ri...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: IrelandHome OfficeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77794More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an all-island working visa for the island of Ireland.
Answer: The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative working relationship on a range of issues, including migration and border security which is underpinned by our joint commitment to protecting the Common Travel Area (CTA) from abuse while preserving the ri...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordJournalism: Northern IrelandHome OfficeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77793More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will commission a judge-led public inquiry into the surveillance of journalists in Northern Ireland by MI5.
Answer: MI5’s use of covert investigatory powers is subject to strong safeguards under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, and their related statutory Codes of Practice.Robust independent oversight of these powers i...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: Genocide ConventionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77792More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she plans to take in response to the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory's report entitled Legal analysis of t
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 September to question 72500.
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: Genocide ConventionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77791More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory's
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 September to question 72500.
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament record
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