The number of procedures conducted each year at each severity level is reported in the annual statistics on scientific procedures. The 2026 data will be collected in early 2027 and published as national statistics that year. The latest published statistics show that 17,593 experimental scientific procedures involving living animals were assessed as having an actual severity of severe in Great Britain in 2025. This is in the context of a total of 1.3 million experimental procedures.

Project licences granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in 2026, to date, have authorised the use of a maximum of approximately 321,200 animals in protocols with a maximum severity classification of severe. This represents less than 8% of the maximum number of animals authorised across all severity classifications.

This figure represents the maximum numbers authorised across project licences and does not necessarily reflect the numbers that will actually be used. In project licence applications, applicants are required to specify the highest severity that an animal could experience under each protocol and estimate the proportion of animals likely to experience that level of severity. Consequently, the number of animals authorised for use in protocols with a maximum severity classification of severe is not equivalent to the number expected to experience severe effects.

This figure also does not account for the continued use or re-use of animals across a project. Taken together, these factors mean that it is likely to overestimate the number of individual animals expected to be used under a licence.

The Home Office publishes the number of asylum claims raised by nationality, and the number of people claiming asylum by prior route, by nationality in the Asy_D01 and Asy_D01a tables available here: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK

Asylum seekers arrive in the UK through a range of routes before claiming asylum. In the year ending June 2026, 41% had previously entered on a visa or other leave, 40% arrived by small boat, 12% arrived via other illegal entry routes, and 8% entered via other routes or could not be matched to a route of entry.

Information on countries asylum seekers travelled from before reaching the UK this information is not published. It is held as “free text” on individual case files and can only be extracted manually at disproportionate cost.

The number of people claiming asylum in the previous three years, and to date in the current year is shown below:

Source: Asy_D01 Asylum claims raised, by nationality, age, sex, UASC, applicant type, and location of claim.

The Government has no plan to withdraw the document.

The Disclosure & Barring Service publishes its performance against all levels of check on a quarterly basis at DBS dataset 1: DBS checks, the DBS Update Service, and disputes - GOV.UK.

For the most recently reported quarter, the average turnaround time for Basic checks is reported as 0.8 days.

The Government continues to have a policy of non-engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain.

The Government committed in Protecting What Matters to reviewing and refreshing the Life in the UK Test so that it better reflects modern life in the UK and supports integration objectives.

This work is underway. The Home Office is considering how the test can best reflect contemporary British society, values, institutions and civic participation, while remaining accessible and appropriate for those seeking settlement or citizenship.

Details will be announced in due course.

Nationals of Caribbean countries remain able to apply for permission to come to the UK to study at our higher education institutions, including through the Student route. The change referred to has no direct impact on the ability of any national to apply for the Student route.

The UK works closely with the French Government and French law enforcement partners to prevent dangerous small boat crossings and tackle the criminal gangs that facilitate them.

Since the election, joint work with France has prevented more than 48,000 attempted crossings and resulted in the seizure of over 1,100 boats and engines. Operational decisions in French territorial waters remain a matter for the French authorities but reports of them assisting migrant journeys is a mischaracterisation of their activity.

Through the Home Secretary's latest deal we have strengthened this cooperation through increased French law enforcement deployments, specialist policing units, enhanced surveillance and intelligence sharing. France has also reviewed its maritime approach and authorised new interventions at sea to intercept taxi boats and prevent dangerous crossings.

Decisions about the procurement and use of software, cloud services and other technology are matters for individual police forces, which are operationally independent from Government.

The Home Office supports policing to adopt technology that improves effectiveness and value for money and expects forces to comply with relevant procurement, commercial, security and data protection requirements when selecting and deploying technology solutions.

The decision to implement a visa brake on the student route for nationals of Cameroon does not reflect the UK’s bilateral relationship with Cameroon which we value immensely.

The decision to introduce the visa brake is solely based upon the high number and proportion of visa-linked asylum claims in the student route, in order to protect the UK’s immigration system and border security.

The brake will be kept under regular review. The visa brake is not intended to be permanent, but it will only be released once the government considers it appropriate to do so.

Applications for visas on the affected routes from the affected nationalities are now being refused. The Impact Assessment published during implementation of the visa brake sets out the forecasted impacts on Student visa applications for the affected nationalities. The latest public immigration statistics show that visa applications for the affected routes and nationalities in Q2 2026 have on average fallen by over 90% compared to Q4 2025.

We value the contribution of the higher education sector and continue to engage regularly with it, including Universities UK and the Russell Group, on the challenges the system faces. The visa brake is a temporary, evidence led measure, but will only be lifted when the Government judges it appropriate to do so.

I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 11 September to Question HL3403.

“In the Restoring Order and Control statement, the Home Secretary announced the development of new safe and legal routes to enable communities, universities and employers to identify refugees to sponsor.These routes offer an alternative to dangerous journeys for refugees genuinely fleeing war and persecution.

As announced on 27 June, the refugee study and named sponsorship routes will open to applications from prospective lead sponsors in the autumn, with arrivals expected from autumn 2027 onwards. The refugee work route is expected to open next year.

Work is underway to deliver the new routes, and the Government will set out further details in due course."

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that facial recognition technology is used with appropriate safeguards. There is an established legal framework governing the use of the technology, including compliance with data protection, equality and human rights legislation.

Local authorities considering the use of the technology must ensure that its use is lawful, necessary and proportionate, and complies with applicable legal requirements.

Local authorities must also have regard to the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice, which sets out guiding principles for the appropriate, transparent and effective use of surveillance camera systems. The Code, which is overseen by the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner, promotes accountability, transparency, effective governance and public confidence.

More broadly, the Government has consulted on a new framework for law enforcement use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies. The Police Reform Bill will include clearer rules and safeguards, and a single expert body to provide independent advice and oversight.

Police have a broad suite of powers available to manage protests, respond to disorder and address criminality where the relevant legal thresholds are met.

The use of these powers is a matter for operationally independent forces who will take decisions on a case-by-case basis, to ensure that enforcement is proportionate and effective in protecting communities from harm.

Where the Home Office identifies that a person may have been granted EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status in error, they are given an opportunity to provide evidence to show that they meet the requirements for that status. Their existing status under the EUSS is not cancelled as a result of that process. Where the person holds pre-settled status, it remains valid until its expiry date but will not be extended beyond that point. The person is informed they do not meet the requirements to sponsor applications to the EUSS from family members.

A person informed by the Home Office that they have been granted pre-settled status in error can re-apply to the EUSS if they disagree and, if refused, they can appeal to the independent First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). Where such an application to the EUSS is made before the expiry of their pre-settled status, they will continue to hold that status while the application, and any appeal against refusal, remains outstanding.

The Home Office considers that the existing arrangements are consistent with the UK's obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement. The approach taken is the Home Office’s usual approach when limited leave to enter or remain is granted in error. It allows the person to continue to enjoy a basis of stay in the UK, and the right to work here, for the remaining period of that leave, during which they can apply for leave to remain in the UK under any immigration route available to them.

Local management information indicates that from the introduction of the EUSS in 2018 to 30 June 2026, 1,473 individuals have been notified that their pre-settled status was granted in error. These figures are derived from manual records and may be subject to revision. Information on how many of these individuals’ pre-settled status has expired, or is at risk of expiry, is not held in a reportable format.

Where the Home Office identifies that a person may have been granted EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status in error, they are given an opportunity to provide evidence to show that they meet the requirements for that status. Their existing status under the EUSS is not cancelled as a result of that process. Where the person holds pre-settled status, it remains valid until its expiry date but will not be extended beyond that point. The person is informed they do not meet the requirements to sponsor applications to the EUSS from family members.

A person informed by the Home Office that they have been granted pre-settled status in error can re-apply to the EUSS if they disagree and, if refused, they can appeal to the independent First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). Where such an application to the EUSS is made before the expiry of their pre-settled status, they will continue to hold that status while the application, and any appeal against refusal, remains outstanding.

The Home Office considers that the existing arrangements are consistent with the UK's obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement. The approach taken is the Home Office’s usual approach when limited leave to enter or remain is granted in error. It allows the person to continue to enjoy a basis of stay in the UK, and the right to work here, for the remaining period of that leave, during which they can apply for leave to remain in the UK under any immigration route available to them.

Local management information indicates that from the introduction of the EUSS in 2018 to 30 June 2026, 1,473 individuals have been notified that their pre-settled status was granted in error. These figures are derived from manual records and may be subject to revision. Information on how many of these individuals’ pre-settled status has expired, or is at risk of expiry, is not held in a reportable format.

Where the Home Office identifies that a person may have been granted EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status in error, they are given an opportunity to provide evidence to show that they meet the requirements for that status. Their existing status under the EUSS is not cancelled as a result of that process. Where the person holds pre-settled status, it remains valid until its expiry date but will not be extended beyond that point. The person is informed they do not meet the requirements to sponsor applications to the EUSS from family members.

A person informed by the Home Office that they have been granted pre-settled status in error can re-apply to the EUSS if they disagree and, if refused, they can appeal to the independent First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). Where such an application to the EUSS is made before the expiry of their pre-settled status, they will continue to hold that status while the application, and any appeal against refusal, remains outstanding.

The Home Office considers that the existing arrangements are consistent with the UK's obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement. The approach taken is the Home Office’s usual approach when limited leave to enter or remain is granted in error. It allows the person to continue to enjoy a basis of stay in the UK, and the right to work here, for the remaining period of that leave, during which they can apply for leave to remain in the UK under any immigration route available to them.

Local management information indicates that from the introduction of the EUSS in 2018 to 30 June 2026, 1,473 individuals have been notified that their pre-settled status was granted in error. These figures are derived from manual records and may be subject to revision. Information on how many of these individuals’ pre-settled status has expired, or is at risk of expiry, is not held in a reportable format.

Where the Home Office identifies that a person may have been granted EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status in error, they are given an opportunity to provide evidence to show that they meet the requirements for that status. Their existing status under the EUSS is not cancelled as a result of that process. Where the person holds pre-settled status, it remains valid until its expiry date but will not be extended beyond that point. The person is informed they do not meet the requirements to sponsor applications to the EUSS from family members.

A person informed by the Home Office that they have been granted pre-settled status in error can re-apply to the EUSS if they disagree and, if refused, they can appeal to the independent First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). Where such an application to the EUSS is made before the expiry of their pre-settled status, they will continue to hold that status while the application, and any appeal against refusal, remains outstanding.

The Home Office considers that the existing arrangements are consistent with the UK's obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement. The approach taken is the Home Office’s usual approach when limited leave to enter or remain is granted in error. It allows the person to continue to enjoy a basis of stay in the UK, and the right to work here, for the remaining period of that leave, during which they can apply for leave to remain in the UK under any immigration route available to them.

Local management information indicates that from the introduction of the EUSS in 2018 to 30 June 2026, 1,473 individuals have been notified that their pre-settled status was granted in error. These figures are derived from manual records and may be subject to revision. Information on how many of these individuals’ pre-settled status has expired, or is at risk of expiry, is not held in a reportable format.

In the Restoring Order and Control statement, the Home Secretary announced the development of new safe and legal routes to enable communities, universities and employers to identify refugees to sponsor. These routes offer an alternative to dangerous journeys for refugees genuinely fleeing war and persecution.

As announced on 27 June, the refugee study and named sponsorship routes will open to applications from prospective lead sponsors in the autumn, with arrivals expected from autumn 2027 onwards. The refugee work route is expected to open next year.

Work is underway to deliver the new routes, and the Government will set out further details in due course.