Blake Stephenson MP: written questions
1633 published records · newest first.
Written questions
AsylumHome OfficeTabled 8 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 28117More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department checks whether letters of support provided for multiple asylum seekers come from the same individual.
Answer: This information is not published and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.All asylum claims are considered on their individual merits, and decision makers assess the credibility and reli...
Answered 17 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAsylumHome OfficeTabled 8 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 28116More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the average time spent on responding to an asylum claim which is (a) rejected and (b) accepted.
Answer: The information requested is not held in a reportable format and could only be obtained through examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.However, the Home Office does publish data on the number of asylum claims awaiting an initial d...
Answered 17 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAsylumHome OfficeTabled 8 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 28115More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time is between initial screening interviews and substantive interviews in the asylum system.
Answer: The information requested is not held in a reportable format and could only be obtained through examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.However, the Home Office does publish data on the number of asylum claims awaiting an initial d...
Answered 17 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAsylumHome OfficeTabled 8 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 28114More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many substantive interviews in the asylum system have been delayed as a result of applicant illness in each of the last three years.
Answer: The information requested is not held in a reportable format and could only be obtained through examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.
Answered 17 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant WorkersHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27654More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether additional compliance measures apply to the Religious Worker and Charity Worker routes compared with other temporary work routes.
Answer: Each Sponsor’s allocation of Certificates of Sponsorship is subject to an ‘eligible role’ assessment, which includes a consideration of the need and credibility of a particular role against the organisation’s profile. Genuineness checks are also undertake...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant WorkersHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27653More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential compliance risks associated with the Religious Worker and Charity Worker routes.
Answer: Each Sponsor’s allocation of Certificates of Sponsorship is subject to an ‘eligible role’ assessment, which includes a consideration of the need and credibility of a particular role against the organisation’s profile. Genuineness checks are also undertake...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordVisas: Overseas StudentsHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27652More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that educational institutions have a high threshold for English language ability when sponsoring student visas.
Answer: All applicants seeking permission under the Student route must meet the English language requirements set out in the Immigration Rules. Applicants studying at degree level or above must demonstrate English language ability at level B2 of the Common Europe...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordVisas: Overseas StudentsHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27651More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department conducts a regular audit of the a) number and b) proportion of students attending educational institutions on student visas.
Answer: All applicants seeking permission under the Student route must meet the English language requirements set out in the Immigration Rules. Applicants studying at degree level or above must demonstrate English language ability at level B2 of the Common Europe...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordVisas: Overseas StudentsHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27650More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department gives consideration to the educational outcomes of the institution sponsoring a student visa, prior to issuing visas.
Answer: All applicants seeking permission under the Student route must meet the English language requirements set out in the Immigration Rules. Applicants studying at degree level or above must demonstrate English language ability at level B2 of the Common Europe...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordVisas: Overseas StudentsHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27649More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Student Visa holders leave the UK when they no longer qualify for leave under the student route.
Answer: All applicants seeking permission under the Student route must meet the English language requirements set out in the Immigration Rules. Applicants studying at degree level or above must demonstrate English language ability at level B2 of the Common Europe...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordVisas: Overseas StudentsHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27648More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department takes when a Student Visa holder ceases to attend the course for which leave was granted.
Answer: All applicants seeking permission under the Student route must meet the English language requirements set out in the Immigration Rules. Applicants studying at degree level or above must demonstrate English language ability at level B2 of the Common Europe...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordVisas: Overseas StudentsHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27647More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what compliance activity is undertaken in relation to Student Visa holders after their arrival in the UK.
Answer: All applicants seeking permission under the Student route must meet the English language requirements set out in the Immigration Rules. Applicants studying at degree level or above must demonstrate English language ability at level B2 of the Common Europe...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordVisas: Overseas StudentsHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27646More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment is made before granting a Student Visa of whether the applicant is a genuine student whose primary purpose is study.
Answer: All applicants seeking permission under the Student route must meet the English language requirements set out in the Immigration Rules. Applicants studying at degree level or above must demonstrate English language ability at level B2 of the Common Europe...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant Workers: Care WorkersHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27645More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department conducts targeted compliance operations in sectors with large numbers of Health and Care Worker Visa holders.
Answer: The employment and remuneration of those on Health and Care worker visas is routinely checked throughout their visa journey and an assessment is also made when they come to renew their visa.If we identify that a worker is not employed or receiving the cor...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant Workers: Care WorkersHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27644More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Health and Care Worker Visas holders do not breach their visa conditions after leaving sponsored employment.
Answer: The employment and remuneration of those on Health and Care worker visas is routinely checked throughout their visa journey and an assessment is also made when they come to renew their visa.If we identify that a worker is not employed or receiving the cor...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant Workers: Care WorkersHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27643More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action is taken by her Department when a Health and Care Worker Visa holder ceases employment with their sponsoring employer.
Answer: The employment and remuneration of those on Health and Care worker visas is routinely checked throughout their visa journey and an assessment is also made when they come to renew their visa.If we identify that a worker is not employed or receiving the cor...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant Workers: Care WorkersHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27642More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what processes are in place to verify that holders of Health and Care Worker Visas continue to work in the occupation for which their visas were granted.
Answer: The employment and remuneration of those on Health and Care worker visas is routinely checked throughout their visa journey and an assessment is also made when they come to renew their visa.If we identify that a worker is not employed or receiving the cor...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant WorkersHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27641More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the suitability of a sponsor licence holder that has previously had a licence revoked to sponsor workers in the future.
Answer: The assessment of the suitability of a sponsor licence holder that has previously had a licence revoked to sponsor workers in the future is set out in Workers and Temporary Workers - guidance for sponsors part 1: apply for a licence - GOV.UKThe circumstan...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant WorkersHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27640More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what circumstances would normally lead to the revocation of a sponsor licence.
Answer: The assessment of the suitability of a sponsor licence holder that has previously had a licence revoked to sponsor workers in the future is set out in Workers and Temporary Workers - guidance for sponsors part 1: apply for a licence - GOV.UKThe circumstan...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant WorkersHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27639More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what circumstances would normally lead to the suspension of a sponsor licence.
Answer: The assessment of the suitability of a sponsor licence holder that has previously had a licence revoked to sponsor workers in the future is set out in Workers and Temporary Workers - guidance for sponsors part 1: apply for a licence - GOV.UKThe circumstan...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant WorkersHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27638More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria are used by UK Visas and Immigration to determine whether a sponsor licence holder should be subject to a compliance inspection.
Answer: Compliance evaluations take multiple forms, either through the checking of individual’s salary and employment status, digital audits or field audits. The catalyst for any one of these strands are numerous, either from external intelligence being passed to...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant WorkersHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27637More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department applies any operational threshold for the proportion of sponsored workers employed by a sponsor when assessing compliance risk.
Answer: Each Sponsor’s allocation of Certificates of Sponsorship is subject to an ‘eligible role’ assessment, which includes a consideration of the need and credibility of a particular role against the organisation’s profile. Genuineness checks are also undertake...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant WorkersHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27636More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what circumstances would trigger compliance action where a high proportion of a sponsor's workforce consists of sponsored workers.
Answer: The assessment of the suitability of a sponsor licence holder that has previously had a licence revoked to sponsor workers in the future is set out in Workers and Temporary Workers - guidance for sponsors part 1: apply for a licence - GOV.UKThe circumstan...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant WorkersHome OfficeTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27635More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department are taking to ensure that organisations holding sponsor licences are recruiting from overseas in response to genuine labour shortages rather than as a primary business model.
Answer: The assessment of the suitability of a sponsor licence holder that has previously had a licence revoked to sponsor workers in the future is set out in Workers and Temporary Workers - guidance for sponsors part 1: apply for a licence - GOV.UKThe circumstan...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Work and Pensions: CorrespondenceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23510More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made a recent assessment of waiting times for responses to Ministerial correspondence.
Answer: The Department continues to respond to correspondence from Members of Parliament, although increased volumes and the need for detailed investigation in some cases can affect response times. To address this, the Department has deployed additional resources...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →