4 February 2026 - The work of the Home Office - Oral evidence

Questioning will focus on the Government’s planned reforms to rules governing routes to settlement. To support its aim of reducing net migration, the Government has proposed extending the length of time it takes to be granted settled status, with discounts based on employment and proficiency in English. The session will also examine the current state of the asylum system and attempts to reduce irregular migration.

The session will also explore the aims and likely impact of planned reforms to policing. The Government set out a range of reforms to modernise policing in a White Paper published in January. The reforms would see the number of police forces reduced significantly, with new regional police forces and Local Police Areas within each force. A National Police Service would be established to provide strategic leadership and set national standards and officers would be required to hold a Licence to Practice.