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1700841

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Anti-corruption Champion
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 23 February 2023 to Question 126744, when he expects to appoint a new anti-corruption champion.
	tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
	tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
	uin	21605
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2024 answer text <p>A new Anti-Corruption Champion will be appointed in due course.</p><p>Please refer to the recent Question 902335 by the Member for North East Fife, for information on the Anti-Corruption Strategy.</p> answering member constituency Tonbridge and Malling answering member printed Tom Tugendhat question first answered 18/04/2024 10:51:26 answering member 4462 label Biography information for Tom Tugendhat
	tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1701025

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Biometrics: Privacy
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that facial recognition systems are used in a way that maintains the right of the privacy for members of the public.
	tabling member constituency	Stockport
	tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
	uin	21864
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2024 answer text <p>Facial recognition technology is used by the police as an identification tool to search an image of an unknown suspect against the images of people taken on arrest and get results in minutes, or to locate people in an intelligence-led way, by scanning live crowds and comparing them with the images of wanted people on a specific watchlist instantaneously, with very high levels of accuracy.</p><p>The Government supports police use of the technology, which has been helping them to catch criminals, including murderers and rapists, more quickly and accurately. But it is important that the police use it appropriately and there are safeguards in place to ensure this.</p><p>There is a comprehensive legal framework governing its use. This includes the Data Protection Act 2018, Human Rights Act 1998, Equality Act 2010, Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, national guidance, and published police policies. This means that it can only be used for a policing purpose, where necessary, proportionate and fair.</p><p>We have ensured that there is effective oversight in this space. The Information Commissioner’s Office, which is sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is responsible for upholding data privacy rights. It has issued guidance on facial recognition and has enforcement powers. The Equality and Human Rights Commission, which is sponsored by the Cabinet Office, is responsible for upholding equality and human rights and is also active in this space. His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire &amp; Rescue Services is responsible for inspecting, monitoring and reporting on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces. The courts system also provide oversight in this area.</p><p>We supported the College of Policing to publish an Authorised Professional Practice (APP) setting out how police forces should use live facial recognition and minimise interference with data privacy, equalities and human rights. The APP includes details on when the police can use it, the categories of people they can look for, the requirement for immediate deletion of unmatched biometric data, and the need to explain how issues such as privacy and equality are addressed.</p><p>We published a factsheet on police use of facial recognition and explained the different use cases, the safeguards, success stories and legal basis. <a href="https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2023/10/29/police-use-of-facial-recognition-factsheet/" target="_blank">https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2023/10/29/police-use-of-facial-recognition-factsheet/</a></p><p>We also provided funding to the National Physical Laboratory to independently test the algorithms being used by South Wales Police and the Metropolitan Police Service. They found that the algorithms both forces have been using to be highly accurate and fair at the settings they use.</p><p>We are also undertaking more evaluation work to enhance our understanding of the impact of facial recognition and ensure we are able to continue to balance the benefits against the potential intrusion on privacy.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 18/04/2024 14:12:57 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1701076

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Migrant Workers: Pay
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including hospitality roles on the immigration salary list.
	tabling member constituency	Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey
	tabling member printed	Drew Hendry
	uin	21709
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2024 answer text <p>The Government intend to commission the MAC to undertake a full review of the Immigration Salary List. The Government will carefully consider their recommendations once received.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 18/04/2024 09:54:40 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4467 label Biography information for Drew Hendry

1701077

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Visas: Married People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing minimum income thresholds for spouse/partner visas.
	tabling member constituency	Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey
	tabling member printed	Drew Hendry
	uin	21710
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2024 answer text <p>We do not intend to remove the Minimum Income Requirement (MIR) for spouse / partner visas under Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules.</p><p>The purpose of the MIR, implemented in July 2012 along with other reforms of the family Immigration Rules, is to ensure family migrants are supported at a reasonable level so they do not become a burden on the taxpayer and they can participate sufficiently in everyday life to facilitate their integration into British society.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 18/04/2024 12:52:01 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4467 label Biography information for Drew Hendry

1701083

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Passports: Adoption
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the passport application process for adopted people who do not have access to parental birth records.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	21731
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2024 answer text <p>His Majesty’s Passport Office engages with customers on a case-by-case basis where they tell us they are unable to obtain supporting documents, including adopted persons who are unable to access birth records.</p><p>Published HM Passport Office guidance provides advice to customers and passport examiners in considering these cases and what alternative evidence can be accepted when required.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 18/04/2024 12:48:33 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1699947

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Offences against Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2024 to Question 17274 on Offences against Children, on what evidential basis the National Crime Agency has stated that the number of child sex offenders in the UK is between 550,000 and 800,000.
	tabling member constituency	Christchurch
	tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
	uin	20851
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>The National Crime Agency publishes an overview of the Child Sexual Abuse threat annually as part of the National Strategic Assessment. This includes an estimate of the number of UK based adult offenders who pose varying degrees of risk to children. An explanation of the CSA Scale Methodology has been <a href="https://nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/images/campaign/CSA_Scale_Methodology_2023.pdf" target="_blank">published as an Annex</a> to the National Strategic Assessment.</p> answering member constituency Newbury answering member printed Laura Farris question first answered 17/04/2024 14:20:33 answering member 4826 label Biography information for Laura Farris
	tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1700021

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Prisoners: Foreign Nationals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals held in the prison estate have previously been deported.
	tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
	tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
	uin	20835
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>The information requested is not available from published statistics.</p><p>Our Nationality and Borders Act became law in April 2022. A factsheet can be viewed here: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fthe-nationality-and-borders-bill-factsheet%2Fnationality-and-borders-bill-factsheet&amp;data=05%7C01%7CLinda.Tedder%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7C28f7739bc99d43787b6508dabc00c0aa%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C638029008651374997%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=I16GkOIiBa6k8MichG%2FxQasE6clcJsKPuvm%2FBlkUrHI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Nationality and Borders Bill: factsheet - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p>The same act also amended legislation which means a foreign offender who returns to the United Kingdom in breach of a deportation order can be sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. Anyone who enters the UK without leave, or without a visa, also faces a maximum penalty of four years.</p> answering member constituency Mid Dorset and North Poole answering member printed Michael Tomlinson question first answered 17/04/2024 14:13:59 answering member 4497 label Biography information for Michael Tomlinson
	tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

1700023

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Offenders: Foreign Nationals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign national offenders of which nationality were deported in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
	tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
	uin	20837
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>The Home Office does publish statistics on the returns of foreign national offenders by nationality and year. These returns are published in the Returns Detailed Datasets, Year Ending December 2023; which are available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-data-tables#returns" target="_blank">Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p>The term ‘deportations’ refers to a legally defined subset of returns, which are enforced either following a criminal conviction, or when it is judged that a person’s removal from the UK is beneficial to the public good. The published statistics refer to enforced returns which include deportations, as well as cases where a person has breached UK immigration laws, and those removed under other administrative and illegal entry powers that have declined to leave voluntarily. Figures on deportations, which are a subset of enforced returns, are not separately available.</p> answering member constituency Mid Dorset and North Poole answering member printed Michael Tomlinson question first answered 17/04/2024 14:15:29 answering member 4497 label Biography information for Michael Tomlinson
	tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

1700079

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Knives: Sales
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of the enforcement of regulations on the sale of bladed items (a) to and (b) by persons under the age of 18.
	tabling member constituency	Arfon
	tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
	uin	20903
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>Since 2019, the Home Office has provided over £5 million of funding for a Violence Reduction Unit in Wales (known as the Wales Violence Prevention Unit (VPU)) which is providing a multi-agency, preventative response designed to tackle the drivers of serious violence and knife crime. Over the same period, we have invested c.£3.5 million (including c.£535k in 2023/24) in ‘hotspot policing’ to boost the policing response to serious violence in South Wales. In 24/25, we are providing c.£4.4 million of funding to all force areas in Wales under the Hotspot Response fund to deliver high-visibility patrols and problem-solving tactics in the streets and neighbourhoods worst affected by serious violence and Anti Social Behaviour.</p><p>The Wales VPU is tasked with investing in evidence-based approaches designed to steer vulnerable young people away from involvement in violence. As part of this approach, the VPU is funding local interventions including A&amp;E Navigators, delivering advice, support and guidance to patients of any age who have experienced violence with injury, with the aim of engaging with those injured whilst they are in hospital to help break the cycle of violence at the point of crisis. The VPU is also funding youth workers to deliver sessions to young people within both education and community settings covering issues such as knife crime. Additionally, just under £1m was awarded in 2023/24 to support delivery of the Serious Violence Duty across Wales.</p><p>We have also introduced new legislation which, subject to parliamentary approval, will ban zombie-style knives and machetes from 24 September 2024. Through the Criminal Justice Bill 2023, we are providing more powers for police to seize knives held in private that they believe will be used for unlawful violence, increasing the maximum penalty for the offences of selling prohibited weapons and selling knives to under 18s and creating a new offence of possessing an article with blade or point or an offensive weapon with intent to commit unlawful violence.</p><p>It is an offence to sell bladed articles to people under the age of 18 and with measures in the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 we strengthened the requirements for age verification, and made it an offence to send bladed articles to residential addresses after they are bought online, unless the seller has arrangements in place with the delivery company to ensure that the product would not be delivered into the hands of a person under 18. This legislation is enforced by Trading Standards and the police. The Home Office does not hold enforcement data in relation to breaches of this legislation.</p><p>The Online Safety Act 2023 has finished its parliamentary passage and received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023. The Government's intention is to have the regime operational as soon as possible.</p><p>Ofcom published the first draft codes of practice on illegal content for consultation on 9 November 2023. The Government expects these to be finalised in late 2024. These codes of practice will set out the steps companies can take to fulfil the duties for illegal content. In scope services will either need to follow these codes, or show their approach is equally effective. Tech companies will need to remove and limit the spread of illegal content. This means less illegal content online and when it does appear it will be removed quicker.</p><p>Schedule 7 of the Act sets out a series of priority offences which includes the sale of weapons. Companies will need to take particularly robust action to prevent the proliferation of this content online and ensure that their services are not used for offending. This means companies will need to proactively mitigate the risk that their services are used for illegal activity or to share this illegal content, to design their services to mitigate the risk of this occurring and to remove any content that does appear as soon as they are made aware of it.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp grouped question UIN 20904 question first answered 17/04/2024 15:22:25 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1700080

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Knives: Wales
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to help tackle (a) knife crime by and (b) the online sale of bladed weapons to people under the age of 18 in Wales.
	tabling member constituency	Arfon
	tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
	uin	20904
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>Since 2019, the Home Office has provided over £5 million of funding for a Violence Reduction Unit in Wales (known as the Wales Violence Prevention Unit (VPU)) which is providing a multi-agency, preventative response designed to tackle the drivers of serious violence and knife crime. Over the same period, we have invested c.£3.5 million (including c.£535k in 2023/24) in ‘hotspot policing’ to boost the policing response to serious violence in South Wales. In 24/25, we are providing c.£4.4 million of funding to all force areas in Wales under the Hotspot Response fund to deliver high-visibility patrols and problem-solving tactics in the streets and neighbourhoods worst affected by serious violence and Anti Social Behaviour.</p><p>The Wales VPU is tasked with investing in evidence-based approaches designed to steer vulnerable young people away from involvement in violence. As part of this approach, the VPU is funding local interventions including A&amp;E Navigators, delivering advice, support and guidance to patients of any age who have experienced violence with injury, with the aim of engaging with those injured whilst they are in hospital to help break the cycle of violence at the point of crisis. The VPU is also funding youth workers to deliver sessions to young people within both education and community settings covering issues such as knife crime. Additionally, just under £1m was awarded in 2023/24 to support delivery of the Serious Violence Duty across Wales.</p><p>We have also introduced new legislation which, subject to parliamentary approval, will ban zombie-style knives and machetes from 24 September 2024. Through the Criminal Justice Bill 2023, we are providing more powers for police to seize knives held in private that they believe will be used for unlawful violence, increasing the maximum penalty for the offences of selling prohibited weapons and selling knives to under 18s and creating a new offence of possessing an article with blade or point or an offensive weapon with intent to commit unlawful violence.</p><p>It is an offence to sell bladed articles to people under the age of 18 and with measures in the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 we strengthened the requirements for age verification, and made it an offence to send bladed articles to residential addresses after they are bought online, unless the seller has arrangements in place with the delivery company to ensure that the product would not be delivered into the hands of a person under 18. This legislation is enforced by Trading Standards and the police. The Home Office does not hold enforcement data in relation to breaches of this legislation.</p><p>The Online Safety Act 2023 has finished its parliamentary passage and received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023. The Government's intention is to have the regime operational as soon as possible.</p><p>Ofcom published the first draft codes of practice on illegal content for consultation on 9 November 2023. The Government expects these to be finalised in late 2024. These codes of practice will set out the steps companies can take to fulfil the duties for illegal content. In scope services will either need to follow these codes, or show their approach is equally effective. Tech companies will need to remove and limit the spread of illegal content. This means less illegal content online and when it does appear it will be removed quicker.</p><p>Schedule 7 of the Act sets out a series of priority offences which includes the sale of weapons. Companies will need to take particularly robust action to prevent the proliferation of this content online and ensure that their services are not used for offending. This means companies will need to proactively mitigate the risk that their services are used for illegal activity or to share this illegal content, to design their services to mitigate the risk of this occurring and to remove any content that does appear as soon as they are made aware of it.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp grouped question UIN 20903 question first answered 17/04/2024 15:22:25 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1700168

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if his Department will issue guidance on the exceptional circumstances that would permit an asylum or human rights claim made by a national of a country listed under section 80AA of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 to be declared admissible.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow Central
	tabling member printed	Alison Thewliss
	uin	21107
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>Section 80A(5) of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 and section 6(5) of the Illegal Migration Act 2023 set out some examples of what may constitute exceptional circumstances, relevant to the substantive consideration of asylum claims and to removal under the Illegal Migration Act to s.80AA(1) listed states (respectively). These examples are neither exhaustive nor relevant to all cases, and do not purport to be.</p><p>Exceptional circumstances are not defined or limited in legislation, but will be considered and applied on a case-by-case basis where it is appropriate.</p><p>When we commence and implement the wider measures as set out in section 59 of the Illegal Migration Act 2023, we will provide updated guidance to assist caseworkers in their consideration of exceptional circumstances, and the wider provisions.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 17/04/2024 14:26:26 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4430 label Biography information for Alison Thewliss

1700179

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Deportation: Palestinians
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is his Department’s policy that Palestinian citizens of Israel have a well-founded fear of persecution if returned to Israel.
	tabling member constituency	St Ives
	tabling member printed	Derek Thomas
	uin	21173
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>All asylum and human rights claims are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Each individual assessment is made by considering any relevant extant caselaw and the latest available country of origin information.</p><p>Our position for different groups is set out in the respective country policy and information note(s), which are published on the gov.uk website.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 17/04/2024 14:25:01 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4532 label Biography information for Derek Thomas

1700270

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Migrant Workers: Tourism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the potential economic impact on the tourism industry of delays in the processing of Tier 2 visa licences.
	tabling member constituency	Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey
	tabling member printed	Drew Hendry
	uin	21126
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>There are currently no delays in the processing of sponsor licence applications.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 17/04/2024 14:22:54 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4467 label Biography information for Drew Hendry

1700271

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Visas: Skilled Workers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of a regional system for issuing of Tier 2 Skilled Worker visas.
	tabling member constituency	Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey
	tabling member printed	Drew Hendry
	uin	21127
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>The UK has a single immigration system which works for the whole of the UK. Adding different rules for different locations would introduce further complexity into the system and create frictions where workers move from one location to another.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 17/04/2024 14:21:32 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4467 label Biography information for Drew Hendry

1700359

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Refugees: Ukraine
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that separated displaced Ukrainian families will be able to reunite with their relatives in the UK on the (a) Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship scheme and (b) Ukraine Permission Extension scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Hallam
	tabling member printed	Olivia Blake
	uin	21246
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>The UK’s Ukraine schemes are not family reunification pathways. The schemes are designed to provide temporary sanctuary in the UK for Ukrainian’s fleeing the war.</p><p>The Homes for Ukraine scheme remains open for new applications from those wishing to come to the UK. Ukrainian nationals who would have qualified under the Ukraine Family Scheme will still be able to apply under Homes for Ukraine. Family members wishing to join a relative who is already in the UK may make an application to the Homes for Ukraine scheme provided they have a sponsor who meets the eligibility requirements for sponsorship. Ukrainians may also apply through standard visa or family routes, if they are eligible.</p><p>From early 2025, the new Ukraine Permission Extension scheme is due to open to those who fled Ukraine because of Russia’s invasion and were granted a Ukraine scheme visa as well as those granted Leave Outside the Rules for the same reason.</p><p>We keep all of our Ukraine schemes under consistent review in line with developments in the ongoing war.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 21247 question first answered 17/04/2024 14:18:03 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4864 label Biography information for Olivia Blake

1700360

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Refugees: Ukraine
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on family reunion pathways for separated displaced Ukrainian families of (a) closure of the Ukraine Family Scheme and (b) changes in sponsor eligibility criteria on the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Hallam
	tabling member printed	Olivia Blake
	uin	21247
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>The UK’s Ukraine schemes are not family reunification pathways. The schemes are designed to provide temporary sanctuary in the UK for Ukrainian’s fleeing the war.</p><p>The Homes for Ukraine scheme remains open for new applications from those wishing to come to the UK. Ukrainian nationals who would have qualified under the Ukraine Family Scheme will still be able to apply under Homes for Ukraine. Family members wishing to join a relative who is already in the UK may make an application to the Homes for Ukraine scheme provided they have a sponsor who meets the eligibility requirements for sponsorship. Ukrainians may also apply through standard visa or family routes, if they are eligible.</p><p>From early 2025, the new Ukraine Permission Extension scheme is due to open to those who fled Ukraine because of Russia’s invasion and were granted a Ukraine scheme visa as well as those granted Leave Outside the Rules for the same reason.</p><p>We keep all of our Ukraine schemes under consistent review in line with developments in the ongoing war.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove grouped question UIN 21246 question first answered 17/04/2024 14:18:03 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4864 label Biography information for Olivia Blake

1700531

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Refugees: Afghanistan
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an estimate with Cabinet colleagues of the number of Afghans in Pakistan who are eligible for reunification with family members resident in the UK under the (a) Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and (b) Afghan citizens resettlement scheme.
	tabling member constituency	North East Fife
	tabling member printed	Wendy Chamberlain
	uin	21418
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2024 answer text <p>The Government remains committed to providing protection for vulnerable and at-risk people fleeing Afghanistan. This includes eligible immediate family members of those being resettled under both the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).</p><p> </p><p>Public data on the number of Afghans in Pakistan who are eligible to join family members already resettled under both the ARAP and ACRS is unavailable. However; the latest published statistics, summarised at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghan-resettlement-programme-operational-data/afghan-resettlement-programme-operational-data" target="_blank">Afghan Resettlement Programme: operational data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>, show that, at the end of December 2023, 14,423 people have been relocated to the UK under the ARAP so far, and a further 10,520 have been relocated under ACRS.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 18/04/2024 12:53:27 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4765 label Biography information for Wendy Chamberlain

1700554

	registered interest
	date	12/04/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Higher Education: Overseas Students
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) the UK visa system and (b) Government discourse on migration encourage international students to choose (i) Scotland and (ii) the UK as their study destination.
	tabling member constituency	Stirling
	tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
	uin	21439
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2024 answer text <p>Our offer to international students is extremely competitive, attracting the brightest and best talent the world has to offer, and welcoming people who will contribute to the UK’s excellent academic reputation and help keep our universities competitive on the world stage. The Government appreciates the significant academic, economic and cultural contribution international students make to the UK’s society as a whole.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 18/04/2024 09:38:49 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1699287

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Edward Heath
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 26 March (HL3210), when they anticipate that officials will complete their work and that a decision will be taken by ministers.
	tabling member printed	Lord Lexden
	uin	HL3683
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2024 answer text <p>As per my response on 26<sup>th</sup> March, I will return to the House in due course after receiving advice from officials on the considerations of whether the type of review of Operation Conifer the noble Lord and colleagues call for is necessary.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom question first answered 11/04/2024 12:40:02 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom
	tabling member	4202 label Biography information for Lord Lexden

1699296

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Georgia
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the government of Georgia introducing a bill that would curtail LGBT+ rights on the UK government’s declaration that Georgia is a safe country for immigration purposes.
	tabling member printed	Lord Scriven
	uin	HL3693
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2024 answer text <p>In line with 80AA of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, we work closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to regularly monitor and review the situation in countries where migrants originate from, including how any new legislation is applied in practice.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom question first answered 11/04/2024 12:53:02 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom
	tabling member	4333 label Biography information for Lord Scriven

1699297

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Georgia and India
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they have examined, and from which organisations, to determine that (1) Georgia, and (2) India, are safe countries.
	tabling member printed	Lord Scriven
	uin	HL3694
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>As with all our country assessments to inform asylum and immigration decision making, we have drawn on evidence taken from a wide range of reliable sources, including reputable media outlets; local, national and international organisations, including human rights organisations; and information from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom question first answered 12/04/2024 09:31:45 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom
	tabling member	4333 label Biography information for Lord Scriven

1699298

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Rwanda
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they have considered, and from which organisations, which has led them to the conclusion that Rwanda is a safe country.
	tabling member printed	Lord Scriven
	uin	HL3695
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2024 answer text <p>The list of sources used are listed in the extensive country information notes, and the annexes that accompany them. This – alongside the additional assurances agreed with the Government of Rwanda under the terms of the UK-Rwanda Treaty: Provision of an Asylum Partnership – allow us to conclude that Rwanda is safe.</p><p>Detail of these is available via the ‘Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill: policy statement and evidence pack’ page on the GOV.UK website.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom question first answered 11/04/2024 12:37:31 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom
	tabling member	4333 label Biography information for Lord Scriven

1699299

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Rwanda
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what conditions exist in Rwanda that have led them to conclude that appropriate and professional age assessments will be capable of being carried out on people sent there for immigration purposes where special requirements apply in respect of an uncertainty over an individual’s age.
	tabling member printed	Lord Scriven
	uin	HL3696
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2024 answer text <p>Our age assessment policies for immigration purposes seek to protect genuine children and identify those who are adults.</p><p>The UK-Rwanda Treaty makes clear at Article 3 that the agreement reached between the governments of Rwanda and the UK does not cover unaccompanied children and that the UK Government shall not seek to relocate unaccompanied children under the age of 18. It is therefore only those individuals who are confirmed to be, or have been assessed to be, adults who will be removed to Rwanda.</p><p><br> We have already strengthened the age assessment process through measures introduced in the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom question first answered 11/04/2024 14:49:41 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom
	tabling member	4333 label Biography information for Lord Scriven

1699311

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Police: Pay
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many times the pay of (1) Police and Crime Commissioners, and (2) Chief Officers of Police in England and Wales, has been increased since November 2012; and when these increases took place.
	tabling member printed	Lord Wasserman
	uin	HL3708
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2024 answer text <p>The independent Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) makes recommendations to the Government on the pay of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). PCCs are currently placed into five salary groups aligned to the 12 force weightings used to govern chief constables’ pay. The current PCC pay bands range from £68,200 to £101,900.</p><p> </p><p>PCC pay has increased twice since 2012, with uplifts taking effect from 1 May 2018 and 1 May 2022. SSRB reviews in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 pay rounds recommended that the rates of pay should remain unchanged in those years.</p><p> </p><p>PCC pay has increased by 2% to 5% since November 2012. Chief police officer pay has increased by 22% to 27%. PCC pay remains above that for chief inspectors, which ranges from £64,449 to £67,017.</p><p> </p><p>In its last review, the SRRB recommended adjustments to PCC remuneration, including reducing the current five groups to three. The recommendations were not accepted by the Government at that time, who concluded the issue should be considered when the future structure of chief police officer pay is settled. The next review of PCC pay is scheduled to take place in the 2025/26 pay round.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom grouped question UIN HL3709 HL3710 question first answered 11/04/2024 12:39:08 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom
	tabling member	4207 label Biography information for Lord Wasserman

1699312

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Police: Pay
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government by what percentage the pay of (1) Police and Crime Commissioners, and (2) Chief Officers of Police in England and Wales, has been increased between November 2012 and 15 March 2024.
	tabling member printed	Lord Wasserman
	uin	HL3709
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2024 answer text <p>The independent Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) makes recommendations to the Government on the pay of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). PCCs are currently placed into five salary groups aligned to the 12 force weightings used to govern chief constables’ pay. The current PCC pay bands range from £68,200 to £101,900.</p><p> </p><p>PCC pay has increased twice since 2012, with uplifts taking effect from 1 May 2018 and 1 May 2022. SSRB reviews in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 pay rounds recommended that the rates of pay should remain unchanged in those years.</p><p> </p><p>PCC pay has increased by 2% to 5% since November 2012. Chief police officer pay has increased by 22% to 27%. PCC pay remains above that for chief inspectors, which ranges from £64,449 to £67,017.</p><p> </p><p>In its last review, the SRRB recommended adjustments to PCC remuneration, including reducing the current five groups to three. The recommendations were not accepted by the Government at that time, who concluded the issue should be considered when the future structure of chief police officer pay is settled. The next review of PCC pay is scheduled to take place in the 2025/26 pay round.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom grouped question UIN HL3708 HL3710 question first answered 11/04/2024 12:39:08 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom
	tabling member	4207 label Biography information for Lord Wasserman

1699313

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Police and Crime Commissioners: Pay
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government why the pay of Police and Crime Commissioners, which was initially roughly equivalent to that of Assistant Chief Constables, is now roughly equivalent to that of Chief Inspector.
	tabling member printed	Lord Wasserman
	uin	HL3710
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2024 answer text <p>The independent Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) makes recommendations to the Government on the pay of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). PCCs are currently placed into five salary groups aligned to the 12 force weightings used to govern chief constables’ pay. The current PCC pay bands range from £68,200 to £101,900.</p><p> </p><p>PCC pay has increased twice since 2012, with uplifts taking effect from 1 May 2018 and 1 May 2022. SSRB reviews in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 pay rounds recommended that the rates of pay should remain unchanged in those years.</p><p> </p><p>PCC pay has increased by 2% to 5% since November 2012. Chief police officer pay has increased by 22% to 27%. PCC pay remains above that for chief inspectors, which ranges from £64,449 to £67,017.</p><p> </p><p>In its last review, the SRRB recommended adjustments to PCC remuneration, including reducing the current five groups to three. The recommendations were not accepted by the Government at that time, who concluded the issue should be considered when the future structure of chief police officer pay is settled. The next review of PCC pay is scheduled to take place in the 2025/26 pay round.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom grouped question UIN HL3708 HL3709 question first answered 11/04/2024 12:39:08 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom
	tabling member	4207 label Biography information for Lord Wasserman

1698891

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Community Security Trust: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the terms and conditions of the next round of the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant will be announced; and if he will take steps to ensure that there is no gap in the provision of funding from that grant.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	20588
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>The safety and security of the Jewish community is of the utmost importance to the Government. In light of the Israel/Hamas conflict and its impact on domestic hate crime, the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement confirmed that protective security funding for the Jewish community will be maintained at £18 million in 2024/25. In February 2024, in response to reports of increased incidents of antisemitism in the UK, the Prime Minister announced that CST will receive the same level of funding each year to 2027/28 (totalling £54 million for 2025-2028).</p><p>The Community Security Trust will continue to manage the grant on behalf of the Home Office, providing protective security measures (such as guarding, CCTV and alarm systems) at Jewish schools, colleges, nurseries, and other Jewish community sites, as well as a number of synagogues.</p> answering member constituency Tonbridge and Malling answering member printed Tom Tugendhat question first answered 17/04/2024 15:06:34 answering member 4462 label Biography information for Tom Tugendhat
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1698938

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	National Crime Agency: Pay
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the median salary for an officer of the National Crime Agency was in the 2023-24 financial year.
	tabling member constituency	Barking
	tabling member printed	Dame Margaret Hodge
	uin	20501
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>The median salary for an officer of the NCA as of March 2024 is £41,347.</p> answering member constituency Tonbridge and Malling answering member printed Tom Tugendhat question first answered 17/04/2024 12:48:06 answering member 4462 label Biography information for Tom Tugendhat
	tabling member	140 label Biography information for Dame Margaret Hodge

1699007

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Demonstrations: Loughborough
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) safe and (b) peaceful protests can take place outside the Envigo laboratory in Loughborough.
	tabling member constituency	North West Leicestershire
	tabling member printed	Andrew Bridgen
	uin	20632
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>It is a long-standing tradition in this country that people are free to gather together and to demonstrate their views, provided that they do so within the law. This government supports these rights, including the right of individuals to engage in peaceful protest. However, a balance must be struck between the rights of protesters and the rights of others to go about their lives without serious disruption or intimidation.</p><p>The management of protests is an operational matter for the police. The government expects the police to act where necessary to maintain public safety. In certain circumstances, the police will have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect those who want to exercise their rights peacefully.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 16/04/2024 15:29:59 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	4133 label Biography information for Andrew Bridgen

1699011

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Migrant Workers: Care Workers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the time taken for care providers to receive Certificates of Sponsorship for (a) overseas and (b) senior care workers.
	tabling member constituency	Denton and Reddish
	tabling member printed	Andrew Gwynne
	uin	20561
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>The Defined Certificate of Sponsorship process for carers and senior carers from overseas is the same and frequently requires an assessment to establish whether or not the sponsor is able to offer a genuine vacancy. This usually requires the sponsor to submit additional documentation, while the timeframes involved are adequate for the purposes of preventing the exploitation of proposed migrant workers.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 15/04/2024 08:54:59 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	1506 label Biography information for Andrew Gwynne

1699030

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: LGBT+ People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the (a) needs and (b) vulnerabilities of LGBTQI+ people as part of Operation Maximise.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow Central
	tabling member printed	Alison Thewliss
	uin	20674
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>The safety and wellbeing of asylum seekers in our care is of paramount importance to the Home Office. We expect high standards from all of our providers, and we have a robust governance framework in place to manage service delivery of the Asylum Accommodation Support Contracts (AASC). Further details can be found at: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdata.parliament.uk%2FDepositedPapers%2FFiles%2FDEP2018-1112%2FAASC_-_Schedule_2_-_Statement_of_Requirements.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7CASRA-briefingcorrespondence%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7Cb0515ff8dbca4511cc1008dc4e48c0da%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C638471321571131596%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=%2FGmoMa2oHASh8CyVjbzNUXRIhsBeV4pvkpYMrZMqsFQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">AASC_-_Schedule_2_-_Statement_of_Requirements.pdf</a>.</p><p>Section G.2 of the AASC provides examples of factors which accommodation providers should consider as part of their case-by-case assessment of an individual’s needs in room sharing, including whether they identify as LGBT. This aligns with the allocation of accommodation policy which sets out that the circumstances of every person in asylum accommodation should be assessed individually. Where an individual need or safeguarding concern exists, accommodation may be provided to meet such need.</p><p>Additionally, the Home Office has published the Asylum Support Contracts Safeguarding Framework at: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fasylum-support-contracts-safeguarding-framework&amp;data=05%7C02%7CASRA-briefingcorrespondence%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7Cb0515ff8dbca4511cc1008dc4e48c0da%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C638471321571141722%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=e%2FyzVn0Wkbenx4uVYkjTsA2r%2FtZfH%2BifV2KYSwdjqmw%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-support-contracts-safeguarding-framework</a>. This framework sets out a joint, overarching approach, as well as the key controls and reporting mechanisms in place, across the AASC contracts, for safeguarding arrangements.   All asylum seekers have access to a 24/7 AIRE (Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility) service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help where they can raise any concerns regarding accommodation or support services and they can get information about how to obtain further support.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 15/04/2024 16:47:28 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4430 label Biography information for Alison Thewliss

1699139

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Members: Correspondence
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department plans to respond to the letter of 21 February 2024 from the Hon. Member for Hull West and Hessle on behalf of a constituent regarding protocol for notifiable associations.
	tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle
	tabling member printed	Emma Hardy
	uin	20754
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2024 answer text <p>The Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire responded on 16 April 2024.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 18/04/2024 10:56:56 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	4645 label Biography information for Emma Hardy

1699205

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Fire Brigades Union
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department has had discussions with representatives of the Fire Brigades Union on the Firefighters’ Manifesto published on 1 November 2023.
	tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
	tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
	uin	20719
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>The Home Office has not met with the FBU regarding the specific document, but continues to work with our partners, including all fire unions, to push for meaningful change for the benefit of both the sector and the public.</p><p>Minister Chris Philp has had a number of meetings with Matt Wrack and the Department meets the FBU regularly to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern.</p><p>The Government is committed to reform in the fire sector and published the response to the Fire Reform White Paper on 12 December setting out plans.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 17/04/2024 12:53:50 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1699207

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	East London Mosque: Security
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure the safety and security of East London Mosque.
	tabling member constituency	Poplar and Limehouse
	tabling member printed	Apsana Begum
	uin	20805
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2024 answer text <p>This Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion at their chosen place of worship, and to making our streets and communities safer.</p><p>The rise in anti-Muslim hatred across the country since last year has been a cause for concern, and subsequently, the Home Office is providing up to £50.9 million in 2023/24 to protect faith communities. This includes £29.4 million through the new Protective Security for Mosques Scheme, and the Government has confirmed that this level of funding will now be maintained annually through to 2027/28.</p><p>Mosques and Muslim faith community centres can register for protective security measures through the Home Office’s Protective Security for Mosques Scheme on GOV.UK. The scheme provides physical protective security measures, such as CCTV, intruder alarms and secure perimeter fencing. Due diligence checks are carried out by the Home Office; for example, to confirm that applicants are eligible registered charities. Following approval, applicants receive a site survey to assess the most suitable security measures for their site, which are funded by the Home Office and installed by the Department’s delivery partner.</p><p>We do not provide information about the funding on specific sites</p> answering member constituency Tonbridge and Malling answering member printed Tom Tugendhat question first answered 17/04/2024 12:51:53 answering member 4462 label Biography information for Tom Tugendhat
	tabling member	4790 label Biography information for Apsana Begum

1699242

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: Religion
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what meetings have taken place between the Home Office and faith communities regarding those claiming asylum in the UK due to genuine faith-based persecution; and what steps are being taken to ensure that they receive appropriate and compassionate support.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
	uin	HL3632
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2024 answer text <p>On 22 February, the Home Secretary held an initial meeting with ten Christian faith leaders to discuss the role of religious conversions in asylum applications. Following the meeting, the Home Secretary commissioned the establishment of a working group.</p><p>The aim of this group is for Home Office representations and Christian faith leaders to discuss ways in which each party can better scrutinise asylum claims based on religious persecution and ensure those in genuine need of protection by the UK asylum system are supported.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom question first answered 11/04/2024 12:33:26 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom
	tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

1700644

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Detection Rates
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to help reduce the number of unsolved crimes.
	tabling member constituency	Twickenham
	tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
	uin	902331
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>We are committed to ensuring all partners across the Criminal Justice System (CJS) work better together to increase the number of cases being charged and prosecuted and improve case progression.</p><p>We welcome the commitment from police forces across England and Wales to pursue all leads where there is a reasonable chance it could result in catching a perpetrator and solving a crime.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 15/04/2024 14:51:37 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1700645

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Police: Labour Turnover and Recruitment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps he has taken to help recruit and retain police officers.
	tabling member constituency	Maldon
	tabling member printed	Sir John Whittingdale
	uin	902332
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>We delivered our commitment to recruit 20,000 additional police officers. There are now over 149,000 officers in England and Wales, higher than the previous peak in 2010. Forces have been fully funded to maintain this uplift.</p><p>Retention is a key priority. Voluntary resignation rates, at around 3%, are low compared to other sectors and 72% of new recruits say they intend to stay until retirement.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 15/04/2024 14:52:57 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale

1700646

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Corruption
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish an updated anti-corruption strategy.
	tabling member constituency	North East Fife
	tabling member printed	Wendy Chamberlain
	uin	902335
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>Development of a new Anti-Corruption Strategy is well underway with publication expected shortly.</p><p>The new Strategy will build on progress made in the 2017 Strategy and set out how the Government will go further to counter corruption.</p><p>The Strategy will outline steps to prevent institutions from being corrupted, bring corrupt actors to justice, address the harms caused and combat corruption internationally.</p> answering member constituency Tonbridge and Malling answering member printed Tom Tugendhat question first answered 15/04/2024 14:54:18 answering member 4462 label Biography information for Tom Tugendhat
	tabling member	4765 label Biography information for Wendy Chamberlain

1700647

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Police: Havering
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to improve police recruitment and retention in the London Borough of Havering.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	902337
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>We delivered our commitment to recruit 20,000 additional police officers. There are now over 149,000 officers in England and Wales, higher than the previous peak in 2010. Forces have been fully funded to maintain this uplift.</p><p>Retention is a key priority. Voluntary resignation rates, at around 3%, are low compared to other sectors and 72% of new recruits say they intend to stay until retirement.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 15/04/2024 14:55:16 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1700648

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Police: Neurodiversity
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will hold discussions with the National Police Chiefs' Council on increasing awareness of neurodiverse conditions in recruitment processes.
	tabling member constituency	West Suffolk
	tabling member printed	Matt Hancock
	uin	902338
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>Our Police Uplift Programme supported forces with a variety of attraction and recruitment strategies, whilst delivering a campaign that was designed to reach diverse audiences.</p><p>We continue to work with The College of Policing and NPCC to support efforts to recruit a diverse workforce, and to ensure policing is a career where recruits can thrive.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 15/04/2024 14:56:31 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock

1700649

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Firearms: Licensing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of fees for firearms licences.
	tabling member constituency	Rugby
	tabling member printed	Mark Pawsey
	uin	902339
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>Fees for firearms licences were last increased in 2015 and the Government is currently considering proposals for new firearms licensing fees.</p><p>I hope to make an announcement about fees shortly.</p><p>Income received from firearms licensing fees should be invested into ensuring forces’ licensing teams are adequately resourced, trained and equipped.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 15/04/2024 14:57:41 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	4052 label Biography information for Mark Pawsey

1698270

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Stone: Theft
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to combat the theft of stone from historic sites.
	tabling member printed	The Earl of Clancarty
	uin	HL3574
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2024 answer text <p>The Crime Survey for England and Wales shows neighbourhood crime is down 48% compared to findings from the year ending March 2010; however, this Government recognises the significant impact crimes affecting heritage sites can have.</p><p>The Home Office is working closely with Historic England to prevent and tackle theft from historic buildings, monuments and sites, and through the established, expert Stolen Goods Working Group, is collaborating with policing and other partners, to deliver a programme of work that will make it harder for criminals to profit financially from acquisitive crime, including heritage crime.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office has encouraged the police, as part of their neighbourhood policing commitment, to work with communities to develop an understanding of the scale and extent of these crimes, whilst welcoming their commitment made last year to pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry so more perpetrators can be bought to justice.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, crime prevention advice is published by Secured By Design, the police security initiative, including advice on how to improve the security of buildings and their surroundings, here: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.securedbydesign.com%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7CKhadijah.Ishaq%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7Cafe660417d7e49f90d6e08dbeff1f043%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C638367594608060003%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=SCoVxRj8NCU7GMwQbc5IYvsNrDV%2BbA9K3PCjFPZ6yxE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Secured by Design - Secured by Design</a>.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom grouped question UIN HL3575 question first answered 10/04/2024 15:38:25 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom
	tabling member	3391 label Biography information for The Earl of Clancarty

1698271

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Cultural Heritage: Crime
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to improve crime reporting in relation to national heritage, including through the development of a heritage crime marker to highlight protected sites and other cultural property in police call handling.
	tabling member printed	The Earl of Clancarty
	uin	HL3575
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2024 answer text <p>The Crime Survey for England and Wales shows neighbourhood crime is down 48% compared to findings from the year ending March 2010; however, this Government recognises the significant impact crimes affecting heritage sites can have.</p><p>The Home Office is working closely with Historic England to prevent and tackle theft from historic buildings, monuments and sites, and through the established, expert Stolen Goods Working Group, is collaborating with policing and other partners, to deliver a programme of work that will make it harder for criminals to profit financially from acquisitive crime, including heritage crime.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office has encouraged the police, as part of their neighbourhood policing commitment, to work with communities to develop an understanding of the scale and extent of these crimes, whilst welcoming their commitment made last year to pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry so more perpetrators can be bought to justice.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, crime prevention advice is published by Secured By Design, the police security initiative, including advice on how to improve the security of buildings and their surroundings, here: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.securedbydesign.com%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7CKhadijah.Ishaq%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7Cafe660417d7e49f90d6e08dbeff1f043%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C638367594608060003%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=SCoVxRj8NCU7GMwQbc5IYvsNrDV%2BbA9K3PCjFPZ6yxE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Secured by Design - Secured by Design</a>.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom grouped question UIN HL3574 question first answered 10/04/2024 15:38:25 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom
	tabling member	3391 label Biography information for The Earl of Clancarty

1698273

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	UK Border Force: Complaints
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many complaints to Border Force are not answered within the service standard of 20 days.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
	uin	HL3577
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2024 answer text <p>The latest transparency data showing performance against service standards in relation to replies to customer complaints for UKVI, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force is available at the following: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/customer-service-operations-data-q3-2023" target="_blank">Customer service operations data: Q3 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom question first answered 10/04/2024 15:37:30 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom attachment 1 file name PQ Customer Service Standards attachment HL3577 (2).xlsx title Customer service operations data: Q3 2023
	tabling member	4159 label Biography information for Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town

1698274

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Immigration Controls
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government why no reason is given to inward travellers for being held for 6 hours; why they are offered no food or drink during such detention; and why no apology is offered when nothing untoward has been found in their travel to the UK.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
	uin	HL3578
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2024 answer text <p>A passenger remains liable to examination on arrival in the United Kingdom until all necessary enquiries have been concluded and a decision is made on their application for permission to enter or admission.</p><p>Anyone detained beyond two hours is detained in compliance with the relevant guidance and legislation (notably The Short Term Holding Facility Rules 2018). The detained person is informed of their bail rights and reasons for their detention, and this is explained in a language that they understand.</p><p>Temperature controlled food was temporarily withdrawn from BF managed facilities during 2023 whilst we implemented a new training and governance procedure to ensure we were complaint with current food standards. Throughout this period, we followed Government guidance, continuing to serve water, hot drinks and snacks.</p><p>We always look to minimise detention as far as possible; however, the power to detain must be retained in the interests of maintaining effective immigration control.</p><p>It would not be appropriate for Border Force to apologise for conducting legitimate border security checks.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom question first answered 10/04/2024 15:38:37 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom
	tabling member	4159 label Biography information for Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town

1698275

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	UK Border Force: Complaints
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what procedures Border Force has in place to learn lessons from incidents of unnecessary detention or of the loss of paper-work such that a complaint takes 11 months to process.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
	uin	HL3579
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2024 answer text <p>A Transformation Programme of work is currently underway to reduce the time taken to process incoming complaints within service level agreement. Part of the programme includes identifying and sharing lessons learned to improve the overall service at the border and monitor detention related complaints.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom question first answered 10/04/2024 15:38:32 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom
	tabling member	4159 label Biography information for Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town

1698290

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Undocumented Migrants: Tunisia
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, have they made of the number of illegal migrants who have reached the UK from or via Tunisia in each of the last 3 years.
	tabling member printed	Lord Patten
	uin	HL3594
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2024 answer text <p>The Home Office publishes statistics on detected irregular arrivals to the UK in the ‘Irregular migration to the UK statistics’ release published on gov.uk. Data on detected irregular arrivals by nationality is published in table Irr_D01 of the ‘<a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65d63f15188d77001603886b/irregular-migration-to-the-UK-detailed-dataset-year-ending-dec-2023.xlsx" target="_blank">Irregular migration to the UK detailed datasets</a>’ with the latest data up to the end of December 2023.</p><p>Please note these statistics do not include details of countries of transit, and nationality may differ from country of origin.</p> answering member printed Lord Sharpe of Epsom question first answered 10/04/2024 15:38:12 answering member 4888 label Biography information for Lord Sharpe of Epsom attachment 1 file name irregular-migration-to-the-UK-detailed-dataset-year-ending-dec-2023 (5).xlsx title Irregular migration to the UK detailed datasets
	tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

1698370

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Shoplifting: Rural Areas
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has had recent discussions with the police on taking steps to help tackle shoplifting in rural areas.
	tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
	tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
	uin	20151
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p /><p /><p /><p /><p /><p /><p /><ul><li></li><li></li><li></li><li></li><li></li></ul><p /><p /><p> </p><p>The Government recognises the significant impact shoplifting has on businesses, communities, and consumers. The Crime Survey for England and Wales shows neighbourhood crime is down 48% compared to findings from the year ending March 2010.</p><p>However, Police Recorded Crime figures show shoplifting offences increased by 32% in the 12 months to September 2023. Statistics also show the number of people charged with shoplifting offences has risen by 34% in the year ending September 2023, showing that police are taking action.</p><p>We have recently taken significant steps to improve the police response to retail crime, including shoplifting.</p><p>In October 2023, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) published the <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.npcc.police.uk%2Fresources%2Fe6e5n-gfsgg-qru39-qjnkc-dbait&amp;data=05%7C02%7CRebecca.Khosla2%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7C2866bb4a3f554fdf3e4208dc014e95e9%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C638386684221640764%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=k3DpuJZSdEOv4zGEcy3P7WC8Cajku%2F9%2BKH6vpSTM2Y4%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Retail Crime Action Plan</a>. Through this Plan, all forces across England and Wales have committed to prioritise police attendance at the scene where violence has been used towards shop staff, where an offender has been detained by store security, and where evidence needs to be secured and can only be done by police personnel. Additionally, where CCTV or other digital images are secured, police will run this through the Police National Database to aid efforts to identify prolific offenders or potentially dangerous individuals.</p><p>This builds on the NPCC commitment that police forces across England and Wales will follow up all crimes where there is actionable evidence and the chance of identifying an offender, including shoplifting.</p><p>October also saw the launch of Pegasus, a unique private-public partnership, which involves retailers providing data, intelligence and evidence to Opal, the national police intelligence unit on organised acquisitive crime, to develop a better strategic picture and help forces crack down on serious offenders.</p><p>The Government’s plan – <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fighting-retail-crime-more-action" target="_blank">&quot;Fighting retail crime: more action&quot;</a> was launched on 10 April, which highlights five areas of work this Government will drive forward to tackle retail crime:</p><ul><li>Introducing a standalone offence for assaults on retail workers;</li><li>Additional electronic monitoring for prolific shoplifters;</li><li>Working with police and businesses to roll out the latest facial recognition to catch these perpetrators;</li><li>Championing good practice to design out crime; and</li><li>Making it easier for retailers to report crime.</li></ul><p>This builds on the police-led Retail Crime Action Plan.</p><p>We are continuing to work closely with retail businesses, security representatives, trade associations and policing through the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG), which meets on a quarterly basis, to ensure the response to retail crime, including shoplifting, is as robust as it can be.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 16/04/2024 15:24:12 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1698428

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Immigration Controls: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were charged with criminal offences as a result of Operation Gull in Northern Ireland in 2023.
	tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
	tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
	uin	20204
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>In 2023, Home Office Criminal and Financial Investigation teams (CFI) charged 39 individuals with criminal offences as part of Operation Gull.</p> answering member constituency Mid Dorset and North Poole answering member printed Michael Tomlinson question first answered 15/04/2024 13:03:17 answering member 4497 label Biography information for Michael Tomlinson
	tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1698507

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Sleeping Rough: Young People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many 16 to 25 year olds have been arrested for rough sleeping under the Vagrancy Act.
	tabling member constituency	Chatham and Aylesford
	tabling member printed	Tracey Crouch
	uin	20265
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>The government does not collect figures on police usage of the Vagrancy Act where this does not result in prosecution. Policing is operationally independent of the Home Office, and we cannot comment on operational decisions.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 16/04/2024 15:31:02 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	3950 label Biography information for Dame Tracey Crouch