My Lords, antisemitism is a crisis for all of us and the Government are absolutely clear that it is unacceptable and has no place in our communities. It manifests across society—in schools, synagogues, workplaces and beyond—and that is why it requires a whole-of-society response. We are acting across education, communities and institutions, tackling antisemitism in schools, strengthening guidance for public bodies and supporting local responses as set out in Protecting What Matters. We are strengthening policing and investing in record protective security funding to keep our Jewish communities safe.

My Lords, this was a sobering report setting out the circumstances that led to the tragic loss of over 30 lives. Our sympathies remain with all those affected. Significant improvements have been made since 2021, including more people and assets, new technologies and strengthened departmental oversight. However, we must learn from the inquiry and do everything we can to prevent anything like it happening again. We are carefully considering the report and plan an interim response by the end of May.

Shamima Begum had her British citizenship removed, as upheld by the UK courts. It is inappropriate for me to comment further while there are further ongoing legal proceedings. We are working closely with partners to understand the current situation in the detention facilities and camps, and to mitigate any shared national security risks.

My Lords, Shamima Begum has had her British citizenship removed, and that has been upheld by the courts in the United Kingdom. It would be inappropriate to comment further, as there are ongoing legal proceedings. However, consular support is not available from within Syria, making direct assistance to British nationals there extremely difficult. The Government consider all requests for consular assistance on a case-by-case basis, but our priority overall in such cases remains maintaining the safety and security of the United Kingdom.

Freedom of speech is a vital democratic right, but it is not without its limits. Elon Musk’s remarks, particularly those which appeared to suggest that the public resort to violence, were wholly inappropriate. We will always defend free expression but never tolerate language that incites disorder.

UK Government Ministers remain strongly committed to supporting the work of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly and were keen to attend the Plenary session in Weybridge. Unfortunately, on this occasion urgent parliamentary business meant that a Minister was unable to attend. We look forward to future Plenaries and will aim to ensure that there is Ministerial representation from His Majesty’s Government.

We are deeply concerned by the latest incident of two British MPs being denied entry to the State of Palestine by Israel. The Minister for the Middle East and officials were in contact with the MPs affected throughout. The Government has been clear with the Israeli authorities that this is no way to treat British parliamentarians.

My Lords, we continue to reiterate our position to the Israeli Government. Palestinian territory must not be reduced in the conduct of this war, and the forced displacement of people risks breaching international humanitarian law. The planned displacement of so many Gazans is morally unjustifiable, wholly disproportionate and utterly counterproductive. On 29 July, the Prime Minister announced the UK’s intention for a Palestinian state to be recognised by UNGA if Israel did not take substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza and commit to long-term peace.

My Lords, we recognise the opportunity and potential that the UK’s soft power presents. The Soft Power Council is advising government on how best to shape a new strategy on soft power. The British Council reaches around 600 million people globally, promoting UK values and interests. The BBC is the world’s most trusted global broadcaster. The United Kingdom is the top destination for study and research, with four universities in the world’s top 10 and 17 in the top 100.

The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas by year and visa type in the 'Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release'. Data on visa applications are published in 'Vis_D01' whilst data on the outcomes of visas are published in table 'Vis_D02' of the detailed entry clearance dataset. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the 'Notes' page of the workbook. Data is from January 2005 up to the end of March 2025.

For 2023 and 2024 the applications issued and refused are as follows:

If any student is impacted by events outside of their control at the time of exams and assessments, schools and colleges can apply for special consideration. It may be possible for a student to be awarded a grade if they have unavoidably missed an exam or assessment, as long as they have completed at least one other exam or assessment for that qualification. More information about special consideration and the eligibility criteria is attached and can be found at: https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JCQ-A-guide-to-the-special-consideration-process-24-25_FINAL_accessible.pdf.

In February 2025, applications opened for the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme. This scheme is for individuals who have been given permission to be in the UK under one of the Ukraine Schemes to apply to remain in the UK for a further 18 months.

My Lords, we are in regular contact with European Union partners and the US. The Foreign Secretary most recently raised the situation in Gaza with EU High Representative Kallas on 19 May, and last spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on 11 May. The new EU-UK Security and Defence Partnership will enable stronger dialogue and co-operation on a range of issues, including the Middle East.

Stop and search is a fundamental tool for tackling knife crime, but it must be used fairly and effectively. Getting that balance right as part of a basket of measures is critical to this Government’s objective of halving knife crime in 10 years and restoring public trust in the police.

My Lords, as set out on 15 January by my noble friend Lady Taylor of Stevenage, the Government committed in our manifest to protect democracy by strengthening the rules around donations to political parties. Foreign money has no place in our elections and the rules already provide clear safeguards against foreign interference. We are considering changes that will help further protect our system from such risks. Details of these proposals will be brought forward in due course.

My Lords, the BBC World Service provides impartial, accurate news and journalism in 42 languages to 320 million people globally. It remains the world’s most trusted international news broadcaster. The Government recognise the World Service’s value as a soft power asset and its contribution to countering disinformation and ensuring access to free and impartial news. We value the emergency response services stood up recently in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan to provide vital safety and security information.

My Lords, the Online Safety Act will be our key tool in combating online misinformation and disinformation. It sets out a regulatory framework to tackle misinformation and disinformation where they constitute illegal content or harmful content to children. In addition, we are educating and empowering users through our work on media literacy, to increase society’s resilience to misinformation and disinformation. Officials are also regularly engaged with major platforms about disinformation activity, emerging risks and platform responses.

BIOT is not a suitable long-term location for the migrants which is why we are working to find a lasting solution.

The BIOT Administration has taken careful note of the UNHCR's recommendations on the safeguarding and welfare of the migrants. The welfare and safety of migrants on BIOT is the Administration's top priority. They are provided with food, telecoms, education and recreational facilities, and 24-hours-a-day medical support., to the extent to which this is possible in Diego Garcia.

The BIOT Administration has worked to put appropriate safeguarding and social care systems in place for the migrants. All allegations of criminality are fully investigated, with criminal charges brought where appropriate.

There are currently 56 Tamil migrants in Diego Garcia, and a further 8 in Rwanda for medical treatment that could not be provided in Diego Garcia.

The FCDO provides funding to the BIOT Administration to help support the good governance of the Territory. This funding includes all costs associated with temporarily supporting the migrants on BIOT and supporting their departure from the territory. In FY 23/24, the FCDO provided £29.3million of funding. BIOT is constitutionally distinct and separate from the UK and is administered by the BIOT Administration. The FCDO does not hold a record of a detailed expenditure breakdown. However, the Administration has confirmed that the majority of funding was spent on supporting migrants.

The BIOT Administration has prioritised the welfare and safety of migrants on BIOT at all times. They receive dedicated 24-hour-a day medical care from a medical team formed of doctors, paramedics, registered nurses and mental health practitioners as well as food, accommodation, education, telecoms and recreational facilities.

The migrant camp is situated within the UK-US military facility in Diego Garcia. The facility is vital for regional and global security; both countries work to ensure its secure and effective operation.

The FCDO continues to work with the BIOT Administration and the U.S. Government to enable the BIOT Supreme Court hearing to go ahead in a manner that respects the unique context on Diego Garcia.

My Lords, in any humanitarian situation, the UK must consider its resettlement approach in the round, rather than on a crisis-by-crisis basis. We use existing pathways in response to events to support British nationals, those settled here and their family members. At present, there are no plans to create a new immigration route for those affected by the security situation.