The Government is continuing to keep this policy, and its impacts, under review.

There are currently two UK Visa Application Centres operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in Ramallah and Jerusalem. The centres in Ramallah and Jerusalem are open twice per week and once every two weeks respectively for biometrics enrolment. The UK Visa Application Centre in Gaza has been closed since 7 October 2023 due to the conflict in the region and to ensure the safety of staff and customers. UKVI will continue to monitor the situation and work closely with the supplier, VFS, to re-open this centre when it becomes safe to do so. There are also Visa Application Centres in neighbouring countries, such as Egypt and Jordan, which are open daily if customers are able to travel to these locations.

The Department does not intend to make a specific assessment of the impact of the eligibility criteria on the ability of social care employers to recruit staff. The Government will continue to monitor workforce capacity in the sector closely, including the role of international recruitment.

We recognise the scale of reforms needed to make the adult social care sector attractive, to support sustainable workforce growth, and reduce the reliance on international recruitment. We want it to be regarded as a profession, and for the people who work in care to be respected as professionals.

Currently, those seeking to come to the UK for private medical treatment, along with their family members, can apply for a visitor visa and consideration will be given to compelling, compassionate and exceptional circumstances.

The Word Heath Organisation (WHO) position is that people who are medically evacuated should stay as close to home as possible, so that they are likely amongst those who understand their language and culture, and so that their return home, when ready, is easier.

The Government will be reviewing the current arrangements as quickly as possible to ensure that, where it is appropriate for children to travel, this route is effective.

The Government is determined to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, rapidly increase aid, and the return of all hostages. The government is keeping all existing pathways under review in response to events.

The current position is that Palestinians who wish to join family members in the UK can do so via the existing range of routes available to work, study or settle/join family in the UK.

Any application for a UK visa will be assessed against the requirements of the Immigration Rules. Immediate family members of British citizens and those settled in the UK who wish to come and live in the UK can apply under one of the existing family visa routes.

Students from Gaza seeking to bring dependants to the UK may do so where they meet the relevant requirements of Appendix Student of the immigration rules.

I refer the honourable Member to the answer given on 12 March to Question 16815, which can be found on the Q&A webpages: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-03-04/16815.

Palestinians who wish to join family members in the UK must do so via the existing range of routes available.

I have not discussed the specific issue of visa controls at the planned temporary pier with my US counterpart. The UK Government is in regular contact with partners, including Cyprus, the US, UAE and others, about a range of operational matters with regard to the proposed maritime corridor, including planning efforts to establish the temporary pier.

The Foreign Secretary meets regularly with the Home Secretary to discuss relevant policy matters between the two departments. Visa applications can be started online at any time. Applicants are required to enrol their biometrics in a Visa Application Centre (VAC) as part of the visa application process to support identity assurance and suitability checks on foreign nationals who are subject to immigration control. Foreign national dependents of British citizens who are travelling from Gaza to Egypt and require visas to come to the UK can apply online and then visit the Visa Application Centre in Cairo or Alexandria to provide their biometric information. Further advice on travelling to Egypt from Gaza is available at: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel. The FCDO Consular Contact Centre can be contacted on 020 7008 5000.

There are no plans to authorise entry clearance without biometrics for visa applications from Palestinian civilians in Gaza and or other people living in war zones. Palestinians in Gaza who want to apply for a UK visa but are not a dependent of a British National are not currently eligible for FCDO assistance.

The Government recognises that some people impacted by the conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories may wish to join family in the UK.

The Government currently has no plans to introduce bespoke arrangements for people arriving from the region who do not hold permission to come to the UK. Palestinians who wish to join family members in the UK must do so via the existing range of routes available.

The Government allows individuals with protection status in the UK to sponsor their partner or children to join them in the UK through our refugee family reunion policy, provided they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country of origin to seek protection.

There are additional safe and legal routes for people to come to the UK should they wish to join family members here, work or study. They would need to meet the requirements of the relevant Immigration Rule under which they were applying to qualify for a visa.

The Home Office has not considered establishing a separate resettlement route for Palestinians to come to the UK. Since 2015, over half a million people have been offered safe and legal routes into the UK.

The Government’s points-based immigration offer enables talented scientists, researchers and innovators and their families to come to the UK via tailored and fast-track visa routes. These include the Global Talent visa for talented individuals in science and technology, the Scale-up visa for individuals recruited by UK-based high-growth companies and the Skilled Worker visa for individuals with a job offer in certain sectors. The Government’s GREAT Talent campaign and website provides accessible information on visa routes for top international talent.

We have been facilitating British citizens and their foreign national dependents (spouse, unmarried/civil partner, child under 18) to come to the UK, provided they have valid travel documents and hold a minimum of 6 months right to remain on their UK visa or are non-visa nationals. We have helped 315 British nationals, their dependants and relevant visa holders to leave Gaza so far. We are working with the Israeli and Egyptian authorities to support any remaining eligible people still in Gaza. Individuals who do not meet these criteria should apply for a visa to enable them to enter the UK in the normal way.

The Government's priority is to support healthcare provision within Gaza, where medical needs are greatest. We are focussed on practical solutions that save lives. On 21 February the UK and Jordan delivered 4 tonnes of aid by air to Tal Al-Hawa Hospital in northern Gaza.

The UK is also providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance to support partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the World Health organisation, the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation and Egyptian Red Crescent Society to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza.

We have regular conversations with vice-chancellors and the Home Office on this issue. However, as I say, our target has been more than 600,000 students and we have well surpassed that, and 36% of university researchers come from outside the UK. We have a proud record on international students and that will continue.

The government has been successful in delivering the ambition in its International Education Strategy of hosting at least 600,000 students per year, by 2030, for two years running. The department expects that universities will adapt to reduced dependant numbers following the restrictions the government has introduced to control net migration.

The department’s offer to international students remains very competitive and the department is committed to ensuring the UK remains a destination of choice for international students from across the globe. International students make a significant economic and cultural contribution to the UK’s higher education (HE) sector, which is good for our universities and delivers growth at home. Those affected by these changes will predominantly be dependants of international students. Students coming to the UK to undertake postgraduate research courses will not be affected by the new restriction on dependents.

The Office for Students (OfS), as the regulator for HE in England, has responsibility for monitoring the financial sustainability of registered providers. The department works closely with the OfS to understand the ongoing impacts and changing landscape of financial sustainability in the sector.

The government believes in a fair and robust migration policy, while maintaining the UK’s place as a top destination for the best and brightest students from around the world. The department remains committed to the ambitions set out in the government’s International Education Strategy to host 600,000 international students per year and to increase the value of our education exports to £35 billion per year, both by 2030.

The changes announced on 4 December 2023 strike the right balance between acting decisively on migration while protecting the UK’s position as a world-leader in higher education (HE).

The department expects the UK to remain a highly attractive study destination. The UK has four universities in the top ten, and 17 in the top 100. The UK has a highly sought after HE experience, which is respected by students across the globe. The department is hugely proud to have met its international student recruitment ambition two years running.

The department continues to work closely with the Home Office, Department for Business and Trade, and other government departments to assess the impact of these changes on HE providers.

The Government engages regularly with business sectors, including through a number of its advisory groups, when developing its policies and which will continue to strike the balance between reducing overall net migration and ensuring that businesses have the skills they need to support economic growth.

The Government’s measure to further restrict the right for international students to bring dependants to the UK, came into effect for courses starting from 1 January 2024.

The UK is home to some of the world’s top universities, who benefit from strong international ties, so much so that 55 current and recent world leaders have received their education from the UK. Four out of the top ten universities globally are in the UK.

The government recognises the significant economic and cultural contribution that international students make to the UK’s higher education (HE) sector and their positive impact on our society as a whole.

The government has been successful in delivering the International Education Strategy ambition of hosting at least 600,000 students per year by 2030 for the last two years.

The changes to student visas announced on 23 May 2023 strike the right balance between acting decisively on migration while protecting the UK’s position as a world-leader in HE. The offer to international students remains very competitive and the department is committed to ensuring the UK remains a destination of choice for international students from across the globe.

Ministers and officials regularly engage with the HE sector on a range of issues, including on international students.

There are no plans to change the rules around medical treatment for visitors.

Since Hamas’ terrorist attack against Israel on 7 October the UK has committed £30 million in additional aid. The aid will respond to critical food, water, healthcare, shelter and protection needs for those affected by this crisis.