At the time of previous responses, the Home Office Social Media Team understood that it held a standard verified government account and did not subscribe to, or pay for, X Premium.

Subsequent checks of the account's billing and subscription history have established that the Home Office does not pay for Premium services, but that the account has been provided with complimentary Premium status by X at no cost to the department because it is a government Department.

The Home Office does not centrally collect data on the number of police forces using polygraph tests, the frequency of their use, or their application in specific investigation types. Police forces are operationally independent of Government, and it is for chief constables, working with locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners, to determine how best to deploy resources and operational tools.

The Home Office has commissioned research to explore the use of credibility assessment tools within offender management settings. This work identified that credibility assessment tools including polygraphs are being used in some policing and offender management contexts for risk management and intelligence-gathering, rather than evidential purposes. The research identified variation in adoption and use, as well as challenges relating to resources, training, validation and governance.

Through a focused law enforcement working group on Credibility Assessment, stakeholders from policing, the Ministry of Justice and the National Crime Agency have also discussed the need for robust validation, governance and standards surrounding the use of credibility assessment tools to ensure any wider adoption is evidence-led and consistent across organisations, helping to improve understanding of the key considerations associated with their use.

The Home Office does not centrally collect data on the number of police forces using polygraph tests, the frequency of their use, or their application in specific investigation types. Police forces are operationally independent of Government, and it is for chief constables, working with locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners, to determine how best to deploy resources and operational tools.

The Home Office has commissioned research to explore the use of credibility assessment tools within offender management settings. This work identified that credibility assessment tools including polygraphs are being used in some policing and offender management contexts for risk management and intelligence-gathering, rather than evidential purposes. The research identified variation in adoption and use, as well as challenges relating to resources, training, validation and governance.

Through a focused law enforcement working group on Credibility Assessment, stakeholders from policing, the Ministry of Justice and the National Crime Agency have also discussed the need for robust validation, governance and standards surrounding the use of credibility assessment tools to ensure any wider adoption is evidence-led and consistent across organisations, helping to improve understanding of the key considerations associated with their use.

The Home Office does not centrally collect data on the number of police forces using polygraph tests, the frequency of their use, or their application in specific investigation types. Police forces are operationally independent of Government, and it is for chief constables, working with locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners, to determine how best to deploy resources and operational tools.

The Home Office has commissioned research to explore the use of credibility assessment tools within offender management settings. This work identified that credibility assessment tools including polygraphs are being used in some policing and offender management contexts for risk management and intelligence-gathering, rather than evidential purposes. The research identified variation in adoption and use, as well as challenges relating to resources, training, validation and governance.

Through a focused law enforcement working group on Credibility Assessment, stakeholders from policing, the Ministry of Justice and the National Crime Agency have also discussed the need for robust validation, governance and standards surrounding the use of credibility assessment tools to ensure any wider adoption is evidence-led and consistent across organisations, helping to improve understanding of the key considerations associated with their use.

The Home Office does not centrally collect data on the number of police forces using polygraph tests, the frequency of their use, or their application in specific investigation types. Police forces are operationally independent of Government, and it is for chief constables, working with locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners, to determine how best to deploy resources and operational tools.

The Home Office has commissioned research to explore the use of credibility assessment tools within offender management settings. This work identified that credibility assessment tools including polygraphs are being used in some policing and offender management contexts for risk management and intelligence-gathering, rather than evidential purposes. The research identified variation in adoption and use, as well as challenges relating to resources, training, validation and governance.

Through a focused law enforcement working group on Credibility Assessment, stakeholders from policing, the Ministry of Justice and the National Crime Agency have also discussed the need for robust validation, governance and standards surrounding the use of credibility assessment tools to ensure any wider adoption is evidence-led and consistent across organisations, helping to improve understanding of the key considerations associated with their use.

Prevent is part of CONTEST, the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy, which aims to reduce the risk from terrorism to the UK, its citizens and interests overseas. CONTEST addresses all forms of terrorism affecting the UK, except Northern Ireland-related terrorism (NIRT) in Northern Ireland, which is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland given the particular security context in Northern Ireland.

The Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 placed Prevent on a statutory footing across Great Britain, and the Government keeps all aspects of counter-terrorism policy under review and continues to work closely with partners across the UK, including in Northern Ireland, to manage the threat from terrorism and support public safety.

Most recently, Youth Diversion Orders (YDOs), introduced in the Crime & Policing Bill, will offer a new counter-terrorism tool for police to manage the risks posed by young people involved in terrorism-related activity, including online. The new legislation will apply across the whole of the UK. Furthermore, alongside the Online Safety Act, the Home Office works to influence industry partners to increase action to tackle online content used to radicalise, recruit and incite terrorism by providing threat assessment, insight and support.

The UK and EU agreed that we will work towards the establishment of a balanced Youth Experience Scheme.

We have agreed that any scheme will be capped, subject to a visa requirement and time-limited, but the exact parameters are subject to ongoing discussions.

We are working towards concluding negotiations on the Youth Experience Scheme by the time of the next EU-UK summit.

The Home Office publishes the data you have requested in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on sponsored study outcomes are published in table Vis_D02 of the entry clearance visa applications and outcomes detailed datasets’. The latest data goes up to the year ending March 2026. Please find below a table on sponsored study visas issued and refused for each year between the year ending March 2024, to the year ending March 2026.

Sponsored study (‘Student’ and ‘Child Student’) entry clearance visas issued and refused between the YE March 2024 to the YE March 2026

Notes: The figures include both main applicants and dependant family members.

Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) can impose positive requirements on perpetrators, where appropriate, to address the underlying causes of abusive behaviour and better protect victims. These requirements may include attendance on behaviour change programmes which are funded locally or by the Home Office, substance misuse or mental health interventions which are funded by DHSC.

DAPOs are currently being piloted in selected areas of England and Wales. There is an ongoing independent evaluation of the pilot, which will aim to assess the process, impact and value for money. This includes consideration of how positive requirements are being used in practice. The independent evaluation is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

We recognise that provision of perpetrator interventions varies across England and Wales and that access to services is not currently consistent in every area. As set out in the VAWG Strategy, the Government has committed to work to establish a more consistent and comprehensive offer of perpetrator interventions across England and Wales. To support this ambition, the Home Office has launched a £74.5 million Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Intervention Fund, providing funding until 31 March 2029.

I meet regularly with the Chair of the Inquiry to monitor progress.The final Terms of Reference were published for the Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs on 31 March and the Inquiry was formally established on 13 April 2026, under the Inquiries Act 2005. The Inquiry is time-limited for 3 years and a budget of £65 million. It has powers to compel witnesses and will run a series of local investigations, examining failings in historic and current practices at both local and national levels.

On 24 June 2026, the Inquiry published its Victims and Survivors Charter, setting out how it will engage with victims and survivors throughout its work, alongside its local area selection criteria, which explain how areas are chosen for investigation. It also confirmed Bradford and Keighley, and London as the first areas for local investigation, alongside Oldham, announced in December 2025. The Inquiry publishes updates on its website: www.grooming-gangs.independent-inquiry.uk.

The Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy sets out a ten-year vision to halve VAWG in a decade.

We are ensuring effective delivery of this through a rigorous cross-government governance structure. Ministers from across government departments meet on a bi-monthly basis to review progress, provide updates on delivery of their commitments as outlined in the action plan and unblock barriers to delivery.

We are measuring our progress through the performance framework, which is outlined in the VAWG Strategy. This includes a package of cross-government metrics that will monitor progress against the overall strategy.

In respect of offenders sentenced to less than four years, the current Article 8 regime allows a deportation decision to be made with consideration to only the impact on the criminal or their family. Clause 20 changes this so that account must be taken of the wider public interest in deportation. The actual test in relation to unduly harsh will reflect current case law requiring the need to demonstrate a significant interference with family life.

However, the new s117C framework will thereafter allow a person’s criminal and immigration history to be considered before a person’s deportation can be deemed disproportionate.

This Government is deeply concerned by the devastating impact online fraud can have on victims, both financially and emotionally, including that which is artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled.

That is why, under the Online Safety Act (OSA), the Government has taken action to ensure online platforms and services are required to implement robust preventative measures to stop fraudulent content from reaching potential victims. AI content is treated no differently to other types of content under the OSA – if it is fraudulent in nature, platforms are required to prevent it from reaching users and take swift action if it does appear.

From mid-2027 the largest in-scope companies will also be required to take greater steps to prevent fraudulent adverts from appearing, including those that are AI-enabled.

This government remains firmly committed to tackling all forms of child sexual abuse. The new mandatory reporting duty we are working to implement will be a vital step in safeguarding children more effectively across a range of institutions and settings.

The duty will apply to those working or volunteering with children in faith settings, and there will be no exceptions based on religious practices.

Ministers and officials from the Home Office have had discussions on mandatory reporting with representatives of various Church denominations over recent months as this new duty progressed through the Crime and Policing Act. We will continue to engage across government and with stakeholders to help manage the implementation of the new duty to ensure readiness and compliance for when the duty comes into effect in 2027.

In 2024, eight project licence applications and, in 2025, six project licence applications were withdrawn by the applicant. The Regulator does not hold information on the reasons why those applications were withdrawn so cannot comment on whether they were withdrawn in response to regulatory feedback.

Amendments to project licence applications are a routine part of the assessment process, are based on discussions between the Regulator and the applicant and could be about any aspect of the licence. There is no limit to the number of revisions and resubmissions that can be made.

All applications are subject to multiple stages of review prior to submission to the Home Office, including the scrutiny by an establishment’s Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body and sign off by the establishment licence holder. A licence may only be granted where the application satisfies all relevant requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

We recognise that achieving a sustainable improvement in quality requires a cultural shift towards a shared, collective responsibility across all those working within the asylum system. We have introduced a refreshed governance structure and have appointed an SCS Quality lead for asylum, supported by thematic leads to bridge operational and assurance functions.

Alongside this, a refreshed quality framework has been introduced, with technical staff being upskilled on the tools. Improved collaborative working with appeals colleagues will provide feedback for decision making staff and provide data to drive quality improvements.

There are a number of initiatives and working groups for colleagues to be involved in which will ensure that staff at all levels are engaged, supported, and empowered to contribute to consistently higher quality decision making.

The 30-month review period for those granted protection reflects the Government’s view that protection should be provided for as long as it is needed. As conditions in countries of origin can change over time, it is appropriate to review whether an individual continues to require international protection before further permission is granted.

Individuals with an ongoing protection need will have their status renewed, while those who no longer require protection will be expected to leave the UK unless they qualify for leave on another basis. Safe return reviews have long been a feature of the UK's protection system. Protection needs can change over time, and it is therefore right that an individual's circumstances are reviewed before further leave or settlement is granted. The Government remains committed to providing protection to those who need it, in line with the UK's international obligations.

Settlement for those granted protection has never been automatic. Individuals have always needed to meet the requirements in place at the point they become eligible to apply, including demonstrating that they continue to require protection where relevant. The principle that protection should be provided for as long as it is needed, and reviewed where circumstances change, is a longstanding feature of the UK's protection system.

In addition, in future those on core protection will be able to switch to the protection work and study route, which will provide greater certainty about their future in the UK. This will also allow them to earn down the time it takes to obtain settlement and open up refugee family reunion rights. Individuals who switch to this route will no longer be subject to safe return reviews, recognising their contribution through work or study.

When asylum and human rights applications are decided, it is necessary to consider the health of applicants, both physical and mental.

Over time, we have seen an expansion in the way human rights arguments are relied upon in some asylum and immigration cases, including those involving mental health issues. This can create barriers to the removal of individuals with no right to remain in the United Kingdom.

Through the Immigration and Asylum Bill, and in line with the Chişinău Political Declaration adopted by the Council of Europe, the Government is ensuring that human rights protections are applied as intended, with appropriate thresholds and proper weight given to the public interest.

The government’s proposals for settlement reform were set out in the Command Paper ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’ (CP1448) and were the subject of a public consultation between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. The Command Paper proposed there would no longer be a separate long residence route.

We received over 200,000 responses from the public and organisations and are now considering all responses received.  This will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome, including any transitional measures publicly.  This will also include both economic and equality impact assessments.

The Home Office will assess all applications to ensure that only those who meet the eligibility requirements can access the named sponsorship route. Refugee status will be determined in partnership with the UNHCR, and all applicants will be subject to appropriate security, identity, and background checks before arrival in the UK.