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1700016
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2024-04-12more like thismore than 2024-04-12
answering body
Home Office more like this
answering dept id 1 more like this
answering dept short name Home Office remove filter
answering dept sort name Home Office more like this
hansard heading Windrush Compensation Scheme more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in (a) England, (b) the North West, (c) Lancashire and (d) Preston have been (i) awarded and (ii) denied compensation from the Windrush Compensation Scheme. more like this
tabling member constituency Preston more like this
tabling member printed
Sir Mark Hendrick more like this
uin 20890 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2024-04-22more like thismore than 2024-04-22
answer text <p>Information on the number of Windrush Compensation Scheme claims that have received a compensation payment and that have received a zero entitlement decision is published as part of the Transparency Data release. The latest published data, covering the period up to the end of February 2024, is available here: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fwindrush-compensation-scheme-data-february-2024&amp;data=05%7C02%7CKaren.Bryant1%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7C0c56333980914d2cee2008dc5a11d402%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C638484279826223857%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=tKQVxiTnfWZbDJENy51h9QekgFeqFNqKvsxxOvPryGM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Windrush Compensation Scheme data: February 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p>The Windrush Compensation Scheme does not publish regional data about compensation awards and zero-entitlement decisions.</p><p>A zero entitlement claim is one where the person making the claim meets the eligibility criteria under the scheme rules, but is not entitled to any compensation as we have not been able to identify any losses or impacts suffered as a result of an inability to demonstrate lawful status.</p>
answering member constituency Corby more like this
answering member printed Tom Pursglove more like this
question first answered
less than 2024-04-22T11:43:30.603Zmore like thismore than 2024-04-22T11:43:30.603Z
answering member
4369
label Biography information for Tom Pursglove more like this
tabling member
473
label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick more like this
1700023
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2024-04-12more like thismore than 2024-04-12
answering body
Home Office more like this
answering dept id 1 more like this
answering dept short name Home Office remove filter
answering dept sort name Home Office more like this
hansard heading Offenders: Foreign Nationals more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
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. more like this
tabling member constituency East Worthing and Shoreham more like this
tabling member printed
Tim Loughton more like this
uin 20837 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2024-04-17more like thismore than 2024-04-17
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 more like this
answering member printed Michael Tomlinson more like this
question first answered
less than 2024-04-17T14:15:29.11Zmore like thismore than 2024-04-17T14:15:29.11Z
answering member
4497
label Biography information for Michael Tomlinson more like this
tabling member
114
label Biography information for Tim Loughton more like this
1700041
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2024-04-12more like thismore than 2024-04-12
answering body
Home Office more like this
answering dept id 1 more like this
answering dept short name Home Office remove filter
answering dept sort name Home Office more like this
hansard heading Drugs: Lancashire more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to reduce levels of drug offences in (a) Preston and (b) Lancashire. more like this
tabling member constituency Preston more like this
tabling member printed
Sir Mark Hendrick more like this
uin 20891 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2024-04-22more like thismore than 2024-04-22
answer text <p>Reducing drug-related crime is a key priority of the Government’s 10-year drugs strategy.</p><p>We are making good progress. Since April 2022 we have closed over 2,500 county lines and delivered over 6,000 major and moderate organised crime group disruptions.</p><p>We are also investing £532m into drug treatment which reduces crime and reoffending. There are now 24,500 more people in treatment across England, including increases in Lancashire.</p><p>We are targeting treatment referrals at offenders. The percentage of prison leavers continuing treatment after release has also risen to a record high of 52% - an increase of 10% in the last 12 months.</p><p>We are working with the National Police Chiefs Council to increase police referrals into drug treatment, as well as expanding Drug Testing on Arrest to identify those who use drugs. This builds on £2.1 million funding to deliver Project ADDER – a co-ordinated approach across policing and treatment to crack down on supply and support people tackle their addiction – in 13 hard hit areas including Lancashire.</p><p>The government has asked every area in England to form a Combating Drugs Partnership (CDP) to work together to reduce drug-related harm and crime. Preston is covered by the Lancashire CDP, and the Government has supported the establishment of the Pan Lancashire Drugs and Alcohol Alliance, to help coordinate work across Lancashire’s three CDPs.</p>
answering member constituency Croydon South more like this
answering member printed Chris Philp more like this
question first answered
less than 2024-04-22T14:37:33.697Zmore like thismore than 2024-04-22T14:37:33.697Z
answering member
4503
label Biography information for Chris Philp more like this
tabling member
473
label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick more like this
1700042
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2024-04-12more like thismore than 2024-04-12
answering body
Home Office more like this
answering dept id 1 more like this
answering dept short name Home Office remove filter
answering dept sort name Home Office more like this
hansard heading Crime: Preston more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to tackle violence and sexual offences in Preston. more like this
tabling member constituency Preston more like this
tabling member printed
Sir Mark Hendrick more like this
uin 20892 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2024-04-22more like thismore than 2024-04-22
answer text <p>As part of steps taken through our Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy and Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan, we are tackling perpetrators and supporting victims.</p><p>We have provided funding to the Lancashire PCC to roll out the Drive Project, which focuses on the most serious domestic abuse offenders to prevent them from abusing again, and funded Preston based Saraha to provide bilingual, comprehensive, face-to-face support service for women from black and minority ethnic backgrounds who are victims of domestic abuse.</p><p>Nationally, we have invested £9.4 million to develop a New Operation Model for the investigation of rape through Operation Soteria. This ensures investigations are suspect based. All police forces in England and Wales are now implementing this new approach to rape investigations and we have provided £8.5m in 2023/24 to continue to support policing to improve their response to rape.</p><p>Through the Safer Streets and Safety of Women at Night Funds, we have invested over £150 million to deliver interventions to tackle violence against women, anti-social behaviour and neighbourhood crime.</p><p>This includes just over £3.4m for Lancashire, of which £146,568 has been awarded to Preston City Council to fund interventions such as the installation of CCTV, the deployment of taxi stewards and night-time economy sector training, along with improvements to accommodation for services assisting women at risk and recovery services for victims of sexual violence.</p><p>Since 2019, the Home Office has provided over £8m for a Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) in Lancashire. VRUs bring together local partners to understand and tackle the drivers of serious violence in their area, including sexual abuse and domestic abuse.</p>
answering member constituency Newbury more like this
answering member printed Laura Farris more like this
question first answered
less than 2024-04-22T16:52:52.997Zmore like thismore than 2024-04-22T16:52:52.997Z
answering member
4826
label Biography information for Laura Farris more like this
tabling member
473
label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick more like this
1700043
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2024-04-12more like thismore than 2024-04-12
answering body
Home Office more like this
answering dept id 1 more like this
answering dept short name Home Office remove filter
answering dept sort name Home Office more like this
hansard heading Crime: Lancashire more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will (a) make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of crime levels in (i) Preston and (ii) Lancashire and (b) take steps to develop a plan to reduce bicycle theft in those areas. more like this
tabling member constituency Preston more like this
tabling member printed
Sir Mark Hendrick more like this
uin 20893 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2024-04-22more like thismore than 2024-04-22
answer text <p>This Government recognises the impact acquisitive crime can have on individuals and communities. The 2021 Beating Crime Plan, sets out the Government’s strategy for cutting crime, protecting the law-abiding majority and making neighbourhoods safe. The plan can be found here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1015382/Crime-plan-v10.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1015382/Crime-plan-v10.pdf</a>.</p><p>Since 2010, overall crime excluding fraud and computer misuse is down by 55%, and we welcome the latest Crime Survey for England and Wales data, which shows that bicycle theft is also down 55% when comparing findings from the year ending September 2023 with the year ending March 2010.</p><p>A key part of making acquisitive crime less attractive to criminals is making stolen goods harder to sell on. That is why we are working closely with policing and academic leads to examine what more can be done to tackle the disposal markets for stolen goods and reduce the profit from acquisitive crime.</p><p>This Government also established the Safer Streets Fund. Since its inception in 2020, we have invested over £150 million to deliver interventions across England and Wales helping to tackle and prevent violence against women and girls, anti-social behaviour and neighbourhood crime. This includes investing just over £3.4 million in Lancashire, funding a range of initiatives such as CCTV and street lighting, improvements to home security measures and youth engagement and educational programmes.</p><p>The Home Office is working closely with the British Transport Police (BTP), the national lead for cycle theft, to tackle the theft of bicycles. The BTP has launched the ‘double lock it’ campaign with police forces and organisations, providing advice to owners on how to protect their bicycles: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.btp.police.uk%2Fpolice-forces%2Fbritish-transport-police%2Fareas%2Fcampaigns%2Fdouble-lock-it%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7CKhadijah.Ishaq%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7C1ccecdb003ac4b99f13408da6a427512%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C637939130897619209%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=AJnmVh0mAoSustcSga%2Fo4B42WRZDoPpL%2B5gyHecq5fA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.btp.police.uk/police-forces/british-transport-police/areas/campaigns/double-lock-it/</a>.</p><p>The Department for Transport’s (DfT) Cycling and Walking Plan for England, also sets out initiatives to combat cycle theft, including encouraging retailers to number the bicycles they sell and offer customers the opportunity to register their bicycle on a database at the point of sale. The Plan is available here: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fcycling-and-walking-plan-for-england&amp;data=05%7C01%7CKhadijah.Ishaq%40homeoffice.gov.uk%7C1ccecdb003ac4b99f13408da6a427512%7Cf24d93ecb2914192a08af182245945c2%7C0%7C0%7C637939130897619209%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=gfeelBYDwqb9gRWXC3kYh%2Fdle%2BGk48CB5C3gqfvqR2o%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycling-and-walking-plan-for-england</a>.</p><p>The BTP-led National Cycle Crime Group, working with DfT, have set up Cycle Crime Reduction Partnerships across the country to coordinate regional enforcement activity to disrupt organised cycle theft.</p>
answering member constituency Croydon South more like this
answering member printed Chris Philp more like this
question first answered
less than 2024-04-22T14:41:04.043Zmore like thismore than 2024-04-22T14:41:04.043Z
answering member
4503
label Biography information for Chris Philp more like this
tabling member
473
label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick more like this
1700044
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2024-04-12more like thismore than 2024-04-12
answering body
Home Office more like this
answering dept id 1 more like this
answering dept short name Home Office remove filter
answering dept sort name Home Office more like this
hansard heading Anti-social Behaviour: Lancashire more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to help ensure that anti-social behaviour is investigated in (a) Preston and (b) Lancashire. more like this
tabling member constituency Preston more like this
tabling member printed
Sir Mark Hendrick more like this
uin 20894 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2024-04-22more like thismore than 2024-04-22
answer text <p>The investigation of anti-social behaviour in Lancashire is a matter for the Chief Constable of Lancashire Constabulary and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire.</p><p>Last year the Government launched the Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/anti-social-behaviour-action-plan" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/anti-social-behaviour-action-plan</a>) ensuring the police, local authorities and other relevant agencies have the tools they need to tackle anti-social behaviour.</p><p>The Plan is backed by £160m of funding. This includes funding an increased police and other uniformed presence to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, targeting hotspots. Initially we worked with 10 police force areas, including Lancashire Constabulary which received £1,050,000. From April this has been extended to every police force in England and Wales and Lancashire will receive £ 1,713,512 for the hotspot programme tackling areas of high incidents of both ASB and serious violence.</p>
answering member constituency Croydon South more like this
answering member printed Chris Philp more like this
question first answered
less than 2024-04-22T14:31:34.947Zmore like thismore than 2024-04-22T14:31:34.947Z
answering member
4503
label Biography information for Chris Philp more like this
tabling member
473
label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick more like this
1700058
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2024-04-12more like thismore than 2024-04-12
answering body
Home Office more like this
answering dept id 1 more like this
answering dept short name Home Office remove filter
answering dept sort name Home Office more like this
hansard heading Wildlife: Crime more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department plans to incorporate wildlife crime into the Policing Education Qualification Framework. more like this
tabling member constituency Romford more like this
tabling member printed
Andrew Rosindell more like this
uin 20922 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2024-04-22more like thismore than 2024-04-22
answer text <p>This Government recognises the importance of tackling wildlife crime, which is why, along with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Home Office directly funds the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) to help tackle these crimes.</p><p>The NWCU provides intelligence, analysis and investigative assistance to the police and other law enforcement agencies across the UK to support them in investigating wildlife crime. This includes supporting cases referred by Border Force to the National Crime Agency or to individual forces. The NWCU is also the UK policing focal point for EUROPOL and INTERPOL wildlife crime activity.</p><p>In addition, the National Police Chiefs’ Council Wildlife and Rural Crime Strategy 2022-2025 provides a framework through which policing, and its partners, can work together to tackle the most prevalent threats and emerging issues which predominantly affect rural communities.</p><p>Training standards and the national policing curriculum (covering initial training for all officers) are set by the College of Policing to ensure all officers benefit from the same high standard of initial training, regardless of which force they join. Officers undertake further training and development in the course of their career, which may be tailored to their specific role.</p><p>We do not currently have plans to incorporate wildlife crime into the Policing Education Qualification Framework.</p>
answering member constituency Croydon South more like this
answering member printed Chris Philp more like this
question first answered
less than 2024-04-22T14:35:59.013Zmore like thismore than 2024-04-22T14:35:59.013Z
answering member
4503
label Biography information for Chris Philp more like this
tabling member
1447
label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell more like this
1700066
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2024-04-12more like thismore than 2024-04-12
answering body
Home Office more like this
answering dept id 1 more like this
answering dept short name Home Office remove filter
answering dept sort name Home Office more like this
hansard heading Immigration Controls: Belgium and France more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has had discussions with his (a) French and (b) Belgian counterparts on the use of European Union passport e-gates by British nationals in (i) the European Union and (ii) Gare du Nord station. more like this
tabling member constituency Romford more like this
tabling member printed
Andrew Rosindell more like this
uin 20926 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2024-04-22more like thismore than 2024-04-22
answer text <p>The Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office continue to engage with European counterparts on expanding access to e-Gates for British nationals travelling to the EU.</p><p>The use of e-Gates for third country nationals is decided by EU Member States on a country-by-country basis. British nationals are already able to use e-Gates at Gare du Nord station.</p> more like this
answering member constituency Corby more like this
answering member printed Tom Pursglove more like this
question first answered
less than 2024-04-22T11:50:50.273Zmore like thismore than 2024-04-22T11:50:50.273Z
answering member
4369
label Biography information for Tom Pursglove more like this
tabling member
1447
label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell more like this
1700079
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2024-04-12more like thismore than 2024-04-12
answering body
Home Office more like this
answering dept id 1 more like this
answering dept short name Home Office remove filter
answering dept sort name Home Office more like this
hansard heading Knives: Sales more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
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. more like this
tabling member constituency Arfon more like this
tabling member printed
Hywel Williams more like this
uin 20903 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2024-04-17more like thismore than 2024-04-17
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 more like this
answering member printed Chris Philp more like this
grouped question UIN 20904 more like this
question first answered
less than 2024-04-17T15:22:25.263Zmore like thismore than 2024-04-17T15:22:25.263Z
answering member
4503
label Biography information for Chris Philp more like this
tabling member
1397
label Biography information for Hywel Williams more like this
1700080
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2024-04-12more like thismore than 2024-04-12
answering body
Home Office more like this
answering dept id 1 more like this
answering dept short name Home Office remove filter
answering dept sort name Home Office more like this
hansard heading Knives: Wales more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
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. more like this
tabling member constituency Arfon more like this
tabling member printed
Hywel Williams more like this
uin 20904 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2024-04-17more like thismore than 2024-04-17
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 more like this
answering member printed Chris Philp more like this
grouped question UIN 20903 more like this
question first answered
less than 2024-04-17T15:22:25.217Zmore like thismore than 2024-04-17T15:22:25.217Z
answering member
4503
label Biography information for Chris Philp more like this
tabling member
1397
label Biography information for Hywel Williams more like this