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1257465

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2020
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Apprentices: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	What discussions he has had with (a) the Northern Ireland Executive and (b) Cabinet colleagues on increasing the number of apprenticeships in Northern Ireland.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	909547
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2020 answer text <p>We want Northern Ireland not only to recover, but to prosper, and - to do that - Northern Ireland needs a skilled and productive workforce. This Government recognises, and I know my hon Friend is a champion of the huge benefit of, apprenticeships in helping young people into employment and employers to invest in skills. I have been struck on my visits to Northern Ireland businesses how many already value apprenticeships as a means to recruit and foster new talent.</p><p> </p><p>Apprenticeships are devolved in Northern Ireland and I welcome the steps that the Executive have taken through the Apprenticeship Recovery Package to help the apprenticeship system respond to the impact of the pandemic. I look forward to seeing how they will build on this as they work to maximise the potential of apprenticeships in Northern Ireland.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 02/12/2020 17:11:30 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1137030

	registered interest
	date	04/07/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Fire Prevention
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether fire evacuation guidance issued by his Department includes information on the additional time required to evacuate vulnerable people.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	273380
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to all non-domestic premises, including parts of multi-occupied residential premises that are used in common by occupants of more than one dwelling. The Government makes available a suite of premises-specific guidance to help those with responsibilities under the Fire Safety Order to comply, including the requirement to provide suitable escape routes and emergency exits.</p><p><br>Supplementary guidance, which provides extra information on accessibility and means of escape for disabled people, is also made available on Gov.UK.</p> answering member constituency Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner answering member printed Mr Nick Hurd question first answered 09/07/2019 11:08:34 answering member 1561 label Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1180077

	registered interest
	date	24/02/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Knives: Harlow
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she will take to reduce knife crime in Harlow.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	19822
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2020 answer text <p>This Government is determined to turn the tide on knife crime in all areas, wherever it occurs. Across England and Wales, we are recruiting 20,000 more police officers over the next three years and increasing sentences for violent criminals. We have made it easier for the police to use enhanced stop and search powers and we will introduce a new court order to make it easier for the police to stop and search those who have been convicted of knife crime.</p><p>We will also ensure that anyone charged with knife possession will appear before magistrates within days and we are also making £10 million available to the police to equip more officers with tasers. In addition, we have legislated through the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 to give the police more powers and to ensure knives are less likely to make their way on to the streets and we will also be introducing the Serious Violence Bill to place a duty on the police, councils and health authorities to work together to prevent and tackle serious violence.</p><p>Over the last 12 months, we have increased police funding, by £1 billion this year and announced that the amount of funding available to the policing system in 2020 to 2021 will increase by more than £1.1 billion. We have also announced a targeted £25 million to tackle county lines drug gangs, given the links between drugs, county lines and serious violence and we have provided the £100 million Serious Violence Fund to provide support to the 18 police force areas most affected by serious violence. Of this, Essex Police has been allocated £1.76 million to pay for a surge in police operational activity, such as increased patrols in greater numbers for longer periods of times, as well as new equipment and technology, improved intelligence and targeting, and an enhanced investigative response.</p><p>A further £1.16m from the Fund was invested in developing Essex Police’s Violence Reduction Unit.</p><p>On 29 December 2019 the Home Secretary announced a further £35 million to continue funding Violence Reduction Units. Essex Police have been allocated another £1.16m for 2020/21 to continue to tackle the root causes of serious violence.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 03/03/2020 16:37:05 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1506321

	registered interest
	date	08/09/2022
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Police: Harlow
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she will take to (a) increase policing and (b) reduce crime in Harlow.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	49612
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2022 answer text <p>The Beating Crime Plan sets out the government’s commitment to driving down crime, protecting the public and increasing public confidence in the criminal justice system. This includes the recruitment of 20,000 additional officers through the Police Uplift Programme. We are working with policing partners to deliver this plan. It is for Chief Constables and elected Police and Crime Commissioners to target their resources (including the deployment of additional officers) to tackle local priorities.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of officers recruited as part of the Police Officer Uplift Programme on a quarterly basis. The latest data, covering the situation to 30 June 2022, are available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-officer-uplift-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-officer-uplift-statistics</a>. These data are published at Police Force Area level in the supplementary tables accompanying the bulletin.</p><p> </p><p>Essex police has been allocated a total of 449 additional officers for the three year uplift programme. As at 30 June 2022, Essex police has recruited 345 additional officers.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office collects and publishes data on the size of the police workforce in England and Wales on a biannual basis in the ‘Police workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales" target="_blank">Police workforce England and Wales statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>. These data are collected by Police Force Area only. Data on the number of police officers in Essex Police, on both a full-time equivalent (FTE) and a headcount basis are available in the Open Data Tables that accompany the release:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1005761/open-data-table-police-workforce-280721.ods" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1005761/open-data-table-police-workforce-280721.ods</a></p><p> </p><p>The deployment of officers across a police force area is a decision for operationally independent Chief Constables.</p> answering member constituency Horsham answering member printed Jeremy Quin grouped question UIN 49611 49613 question first answered 22/09/2022 08:42:24 answering member 4507 label Biography information for Sir Jeremy Quin
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1177763

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2020
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Special Constables: Recruitment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take to increase the number of special constables.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	573
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2020 answer text <p>Special constables bring diverse and valuable skills to police forces that strengthen policing and help forces to develop important links with communities. Recruitment and eligibility criteria of special constables are set locally at the discretion of Chief Officers.</p><p>The Home Office Employer Supported Policing (ESP) scheme is a partnership between employers and the police service aimed at encouraging employers to enable their staff to volunteer as special constables in the communities they serve. The Home Office will continue to work closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Citizens in Policing Programme and the College of Policing to support the development of a national approach to the attraction and training of special constables.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse grouped question UIN 575 577 586 question first answered 19/02/2020 17:28:48 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1365424

	registered interest
	date	02/11/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Anti-social Behaviour
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle anti-social behaviour.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	68221
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2021 answer text <p>The Government is absolutely committed to tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour (ASB). We know the serious impact that ASB has on both individuals and communities.</p><p>We provided the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of tools and powers that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to all forms of ASB through the <em>Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014</em>. These powers are deliberately local in nature, and it is for local agencies to determine whether their use is appropriate in the specific circumstances of each individual case.</p><p>In January of this year, the Home Office updated <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/956143/ASB_Statutory_Guidance.pdf" target="_blank">statutory guidance</a> to support local agencies to make effective use of these powers and in July the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1015382/Crime-plan-v10.pdf" target="_blank">Beating Crime Plan</a> laid out the Government’s plan for tackling crime and ASB. This included a commitment to working with local agencies and partners to drive down ASB using the full range of powers and tools in the ‘2014 Act’.</p><p>In addition, the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund has allocated over £70m to support areas that are disproportionately affected by acquisitive crime. Many of the crime prevention measures supported by the fund, such as improved streetlighting and CCTV, are helping to tackle ASB.</p> answering member constituency Redditch answering member printed Rachel Maclean question first answered 09/11/2021 17:15:06 answering member 4668 label Biography information for Rachel Maclean
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1304809

	registered interest
	date	22/03/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Knives: Crime
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to prevent knife crime.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	172977
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2021 answer text <p>This Government is determined to turn the tide on knife crime in all areas, wherever it occurs.</p><p> </p><p>On 4 February 2021, the Government published a total police funding settlement of up to £15.8 billion in 2021/22, an increase of up to £636 million compared to 2020/21. Across England and Wales, we are also recruiting 20,000 additional police officers by the end of March 2023.</p><p>From 2019 to 2022, this government will have provided over £242 million, through the Serious Violence Fund (SVF), to address the drivers of serious violence at the local level and significantly bolster the police response in 18 Police Force areas most affected by serious violence across England and Wales.</p><p>We have also invested £200 million through the 10-Year Youth Endowment Fund to ensure those most at risk are given the opportunity to turn away from violence and lead positive lives.</p><p>We have also made it easier for the police to use enhanced stop and search powers and we have introduced Serious Violence Reduction Orders (SVROs) in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill which will give the police powers to make it easier to stop and search those already convicted of knife and offensive weapon offences.</p><p> </p><p>Through the PCSC bill, we have also introduced legislation which will place new duties on a range of specified agencies across different sectors, such as local government, youth offending, and health and probation, to work collaboratively, share data and information, and put in place plans to prevent and reduce serious violence.</p><p> </p><p>The Offensive Weapons Act 2019 includes specific measures for knife offences, in particular making it an offence to possess certain offensive weapons in private, and stopping knives being sent 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. The measures on knives in the Act also include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>changing the legal definition for threatening with an offensive weapon to make prosecutions more straightforward;</li><li>banning the possession of a knife on a further education premises;</li><li>updating the definition of a flick knife to reflect changing weapon designs;</li><li>introducing Knife Crime Prevention Orders (KCPOs) to help the police target those most at risk of being drawn into serious violence, to set them on a more positive path.</li></ul> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 25/03/2021 09:09:58 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1305138

	registered interest
	date	23/03/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Police: Harlow
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to increase the number of police officers in Harlow.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	174094
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2021 answer text <p>The Government is committed to increasing the number of police officers in England and Wales by 20,000 by the end of March 2023.</p><p> </p><p>Essex Police was allocated 135 additional officers in the first year of the police uplift which covers the period to the end of March 2021. In 2020/21 the force received funding of £320.2m. As at 31 December 2020, Essex Police had recruited 101 additional officers.</p><p> </p><p>As announced in the Police Settlement 2021/22, Essex Police has been allocated 132 additional officers for year two of the Police Uplift Programme. Essex Police will receive funding of up to £339m in 2021/22, an increase of up to £18.8m since 2020/21.</p><p> </p><p>The deployment of these officers is an operational decision for the Chief Constable of Essex Police.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 31/03/2021 09:41:54 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1290008

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Telephone Services: Fraud
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department plans to take to strengthen measures to prevent fraudulent calling.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	158911
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2021 answer text <p>Fraudulent calls can be particularly stressful and damaging for the most vulnerable in society. Nuisance calls and cold calling can be a gateway to scams, with opportunistic criminals targeting potential victims.</p><p>The Government has taken a range of actions to reduce the number of these calls - it has banned cold calls from personal injury firms and pensions providers unless the consumer has explicitly agreed to be contacted. It has introduced director liability for nuisance calls and has supported the National Trading Standards Scams Team to roll out call blocking devices to vulnerable people. DCMS have provided over £1 million in the last 3 years to National Trading Standards for distribution of call blocking devices to vulnerable people. This funding has helped protect some of the most vulnerable in society from nuisance calls and scams, including those originating from overseas.</p><p>However, the Government recognises there is more to do and is working closely with industry, regulators and consumer groups to consider further legislative and non-legislative solutions.</p><p>The Government is also aware that criminals are exploiting the pandemic to commit opportunistic crimes such as fraud. Although Covid-19 related fraud represents a small proportion of overall fraud reporting, we understand the devastating impact it can have on individuals. Along with partners, we have been implementing measures to ensure the public has the protection and advice needed to shield themselves from these crimes.</p><p>We have published guidance for the public to spot potential frauds and the steps they can take to avoid them. This advice can currently be accessed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-fraud-and-cyber-crime" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-fraud-and-cyber-crime</a></p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 158910 158912 question first answered 02/03/2021 17:06:52 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon

1290007

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2021
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Telephone Services: Fraud
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle fraudulent calling.
	tabling member constituency	Harlow
	tabling member printed	Robert Halfon
	uin	158910
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2021 answer text <p>Fraudulent calls can be particularly stressful and damaging for the most vulnerable in society. Nuisance calls and cold calling can be a gateway to scams, with opportunistic criminals targeting potential victims.</p><p>The Government has taken a range of actions to reduce the number of these calls - it has banned cold calls from personal injury firms and pensions providers unless the consumer has explicitly agreed to be contacted. It has introduced director liability for nuisance calls and has supported the National Trading Standards Scams Team to roll out call blocking devices to vulnerable people. DCMS have provided over £1 million in the last 3 years to National Trading Standards for distribution of call blocking devices to vulnerable people. This funding has helped protect some of the most vulnerable in society from nuisance calls and scams, including those originating from overseas.</p><p>However, the Government recognises there is more to do and is working closely with industry, regulators and consumer groups to consider further legislative and non-legislative solutions.</p><p>The Government is also aware that criminals are exploiting the pandemic to commit opportunistic crimes such as fraud. Although Covid-19 related fraud represents a small proportion of overall fraud reporting, we understand the devastating impact it can have on individuals. Along with partners, we have been implementing measures to ensure the public has the protection and advice needed to shield themselves from these crimes.</p><p>We have published guidance for the public to spot potential frauds and the steps they can take to avoid them. This advice can currently be accessed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-fraud-and-cyber-crime" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-fraud-and-cyber-crime</a></p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 158911 158912 question first answered 02/03/2021 17:06:52 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon