Home Office

Border Force continually reviews its resourcing and operational capacity across all UK ports, including regional airports such as Edinburgh. Resources are deployed according to passenger demand and operational risks and threats, enabling Border Force to maintain border security while facilitating legitimate travel.

Operational performance is monitored closely, allowing resources to be flexibly deployed in response to changing demands and operational requirements. The Home Office does not routinely publish staffing figures for individual ports.

There are currently no plans to integrate civil registration registers.

Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. These reviews allow us to balance the production of our regular statistics whilst developing new statistics for future releases.

Sponsored workers have the same rights and protections under employment law as resident workers, and it is a requirement for all sponsors to ensure their workers are aware of these rights.

The suspension or revocation of a sponsor licence does not, in itself, affect a worker’s status, and they can continue working as per their visa conditions until their permission expires. This includes during any 60-day period they are notified of following visa cancellation.

The latest Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules laid on 3 September introduces a provision to protect any Skilled Worker who has been identified by the Home Office Competent Authorities as a victim of modern slavery, allowing them to work for any employer (other than as a professional sportsperson or coach) for the remainder of their permission. This will incentivise victims to come forward early and guard against those who seek to weaponise the sponsorship scheme to exploit vulnerable workers.

As set out in last year’s Immigration White Paper, we are committed to exploring making it easier for sponsored workers to change sponsors, giving them more control over who they work for and reducing the risk of exploitation, and will publish further details in due course.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 29145, tabled on 11 September 2026.

Further to that response, this Government is clear that terrorist material including that from Palestine Action, has no place online, and we take the threat of online radicalisation extremely seriously. When a group is proscribed under UK law, it becomes a criminal offence to support or promote that organisation. Platforms are expected to act on this by removing content that glorifies, supports, or is otherwise linked to the proscribed group, in line with their terms of service and legal obligations.

The Home Office works closely with tech companies to strengthen their systems to detect and remove terrorist content. We continue to take robust action to reduce the availability and accessibility of terrorist content online.

The Home Office announced their intention to publish additional FNO statistics following upgrades to the data collection and infrastructure underpinning data on FNOs.

Additional transparency data on FNOs living in the community require further development to prepare these for a public release. Planned updates for the transparency data include additional breakdowns such as nationality and offence group.

Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. These reviews allow us to balance the production of our regular statistics whilst developing new statistics for future release.

Statistics on FNOs leaving immigration detention and FNOs removed from the UK, including breakdowns by most common nationalities, offence groups and sentence length groups, were first published in the quarterly Immigration system statistics release in May 2026, with FNOs entering detention by most common nationalities first published in August 2026.

The Government is aware of online material identifying businesses and other locations as targets. The Home Office continues to work closely with tech companies to strengthen their systems to detect and remove terrorist content and take robust action to reduce the availability and accessibility of terrorist content online.

Following the proscription of Palestine Action in July 2025, alongside the Maniacs Murder Cult and the Russian Imperialist Movement, the Home Office wrote to technology platforms reminding them of their obligations to detect, moderate and remove content that would likely be unlawful under the UK's Terrorism Act 2000 & 2006.

The Government works closely with the police and other partners to ensure that communities can go about their daily lives without fear of harassment, intimidation or serious disruption, and to protect businesses and local communities from criminality. The police have a range of powers to maintain public safety and deal with criminal behaviour, and where criminality occurs, those responsible should expect to face the consequences.

Anyone with information about criminal activity should report it to the police. Arrest and charging decisions are a matter for the operationally independent police and Crown Prosecution Service.

The Government takes the protection of national security seriously and does not routinely comment on operational matters or specific threats.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs works across Government to understand and manage risks and vulnerabilities affecting the UK agriculture sector arising from connected technologies, including components used in agricultural machinery, proportionate to the assessed threat. The Government keeps potential risks to critical sectors under continual review and takes action where necessary.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) in delivering their Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy for 2025–28. This strategy provides a framework through which policing and its partners can work together to tackle the crimes that predominantly affect rural communities, including organised criminality affecting farms and agricultural businesses.

Rural crime is not currently recorded as a distinct category within police recorded crime, so it is not possible to produce a single, centrally verified measure of its scale. Instead, offences affecting rural communities - such as theft, criminal damage and wildlife crime - are recorded within existing national categories. Our focus is therefore on improving understanding and response through better use of existing data, and by strengthening national coordination via the Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy and specialist units.

To support the policing response, the Home Office is providing over £800,000 in 2026/27 to the National Rural Crime Unit and National Wildlife Crime Unit.

These specialist capabilities provide intelligence, analysis, coordination and operational support to forces across the UK, helping to identify, disrupt and pursue offenders operating across force boundaries. We are committed to improving victims’ experiences by funding vital support services, ensuring access to appropriate assistance, and working with partners across the criminal justice system to deliver the rights set out in the Victims’ Code.

The Government is also committed to working closely with devolved governments, ministers and relevant agencies across the UK. This joined up approach between government and policing will help ensure the weight of government is put behind tackling rural crimes such as the theft of high value farm equipment and livestock.

The CESAR security and registration scheme is already in place and is used by the construction and agricultural industry with over 650,000 machines now protected and registered using this scheme. We are also seeking to implement measures under the Equipment Theft Act, which will make it harder to steal All-Terrain Vehicles and GPS units used in an agricultural setting and easier for the police to identify the owners when such items are recovered.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) in delivering their Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy for 2025–28. This strategy provides a framework through which policing and its partners can work together to tackle the crimes that predominantly affect rural communities, including organised criminality affecting farms and agricultural businesses.

Rural crime is not currently recorded as a distinct category within police recorded crime, so it is not possible to produce a single, centrally verified measure of its scale. Instead, offences affecting rural communities - such as theft, criminal damage and wildlife crime - are recorded within existing national categories. Our focus is therefore on improving understanding and response through better use of existing data, and by strengthening national coordination via the Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy and specialist units.

To support the policing response, the Home Office is providing over £800,000 in 2026/27 to the National Rural Crime Unit and National Wildlife Crime Unit.

These specialist capabilities provide intelligence, analysis, coordination and operational support to forces across the UK, helping to identify, disrupt and pursue offenders operating across force boundaries. We are committed to improving victims’ experiences by funding vital support services, ensuring access to appropriate assistance, and working with partners across the criminal justice system to deliver the rights set out in the Victims’ Code.

The Government is also committed to working closely with devolved governments, ministers and relevant agencies across the UK. This joined up approach between government and policing will help ensure the weight of government is put behind tackling rural crimes such as the theft of high value farm equipment and livestock.

The CESAR security and registration scheme is already in place and is used by the construction and agricultural industry with over 650,000 machines now protected and registered using this scheme. We are also seeking to implement measures under the Equipment Theft Act, which will make it harder to steal All-Terrain Vehicles and GPS units used in an agricultural setting and easier for the police to identify the owners when such items are recovered.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) in delivering their Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy for 2025–28. This strategy provides a framework through which policing and its partners can work together to tackle the crimes that predominantly affect rural communities, including organised criminality affecting farms and agricultural businesses.

Rural crime is not currently recorded as a distinct category within police recorded crime, so it is not possible to produce a single, centrally verified measure of its scale. Instead, offences affecting rural communities - such as theft, criminal damage and wildlife crime - are recorded within existing national categories. Our focus is therefore on improving understanding and response through better use of existing data, and by strengthening national coordination via the Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy and specialist units.

To support the policing response, the Home Office is providing over £800,000 in 2026/27 to the National Rural Crime Unit and National Wildlife Crime Unit.

These specialist capabilities provide intelligence, analysis, coordination and operational support to forces across the UK, helping to identify, disrupt and pursue offenders operating across force boundaries. We are committed to improving victims’ experiences by funding vital support services, ensuring access to appropriate assistance, and working with partners across the criminal justice system to deliver the rights set out in the Victims’ Code.

The Government is also committed to working closely with devolved governments, ministers and relevant agencies across the UK. This joined up approach between government and policing will help ensure the weight of government is put behind tackling rural crimes such as the theft of high value farm equipment and livestock.

The CESAR security and registration scheme is already in place and is used by the construction and agricultural industry with over 650,000 machines now protected and registered using this scheme. We are also seeking to implement measures under the Equipment Theft Act, which will make it harder to steal All-Terrain Vehicles and GPS units used in an agricultural setting and easier for the police to identify the owners when such items are recovered.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) in delivering their Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy for 2025–28. This strategy provides a framework through which policing and its partners can work together to tackle the crimes that predominantly affect rural communities, including organised criminality affecting farms and agricultural businesses.

Rural crime is not currently recorded as a distinct category within police recorded crime, so it is not possible to produce a single, centrally verified measure of its scale. Instead, offences affecting rural communities - such as theft, criminal damage and wildlife crime - are recorded within existing national categories. Our focus is therefore on improving understanding and response through better use of existing data, and by strengthening national coordination via the Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy and specialist units.

To support the policing response, the Home Office is providing over £800,000 in 2026/27 to the National Rural Crime Unit and National Wildlife Crime Unit.

These specialist capabilities provide intelligence, analysis, coordination and operational support to forces across the UK, helping to identify, disrupt and pursue offenders operating across force boundaries. We are committed to improving victims’ experiences by funding vital support services, ensuring access to appropriate assistance, and working with partners across the criminal justice system to deliver the rights set out in the Victims’ Code.

The Government is also committed to working closely with devolved governments, ministers and relevant agencies across the UK. This joined up approach between government and policing will help ensure the weight of government is put behind tackling rural crimes such as the theft of high value farm equipment and livestock.

The CESAR security and registration scheme is already in place and is used by the construction and agricultural industry with over 650,000 machines now protected and registered using this scheme. We are also seeking to implement measures under the Equipment Theft Act, which will make it harder to steal All-Terrain Vehicles and GPS units used in an agricultural setting and easier for the police to identify the owners when such items are recovered.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) in delivering their Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy for 2025–28. This strategy provides a framework through which policing and its partners can work together to tackle the crimes that predominantly affect rural communities, including organised criminality affecting farms and agricultural businesses.

Rural crime is not currently recorded as a distinct category within police recorded crime, so it is not possible to produce a single, centrally verified measure of its scale. Instead, offences affecting rural communities - such as theft, criminal damage and wildlife crime - are recorded within existing national categories. Our focus is therefore on improving understanding and response through better use of existing data, and by strengthening national coordination via the Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy and specialist units.

To support the policing response, the Home Office is providing over £800,000 in 2026/27 to the National Rural Crime Unit and National Wildlife Crime Unit.

These specialist capabilities provide intelligence, analysis, coordination and operational support to forces across the UK, helping to identify, disrupt and pursue offenders operating across force boundaries. We are committed to improving victims’ experiences by funding vital support services, ensuring access to appropriate assistance, and working with partners across the criminal justice system to deliver the rights set out in the Victims’ Code.

The Government is also committed to working closely with devolved governments, ministers and relevant agencies across the UK. This joined up approach between government and policing will help ensure the weight of government is put behind tackling rural crimes such as the theft of high value farm equipment and livestock.

The CESAR security and registration scheme is already in place and is used by the construction and agricultural industry with over 650,000 machines now protected and registered using this scheme. We are also seeking to implement measures under the Equipment Theft Act, which will make it harder to steal All-Terrain Vehicles and GPS units used in an agricultural setting and easier for the police to identify the owners when such items are recovered.

The Home Office does not currently hold a national dataset of average police response times to incidents in rural areas. However, officials are developing a nationally comparable response-times dataset, working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the College of Policing and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).

The Government will set a national target for forces to attend 90 percent of the most serious incidents within 15 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas. This will establish a clear national expectation for the service the public should receive, wherever they live.

Performance against national targets, including incident response targets, will be published through the Police Performance Framework. Together with HMICFRS inspections, this will inform force assessments with the Policing Performance System, enabling the identification of forces requiring improvement. Forces will be offered targeted support and, where necessary, receive intervention to help drive performance improvements.

The Home Office does not currently hold a national dataset of average police response times to incidents in rural areas. However, officials are developing a nationally comparable response-times dataset, working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the College of Policing and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).

The Government will set a national target for forces to attend 90 percent of the most serious incidents within 15 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas. This will establish a clear national expectation for the service the public should receive, wherever they live.

Performance against national targets, including incident response targets, will be published through the Police Performance Framework. Together with HMICFRS inspections, this will inform force assessments with the Policing Performance System, enabling the identification of forces requiring improvement. Forces will be offered targeted support and, where necessary, receive intervention to help drive performance improvements.

Procurement and commercial decisions are matters for individual police. Chief Constables of those forces are operationally independent and are responsible for determining how best to equip and resource their forces to meet local needs.

Deliberately or recklessly starting a wildfire may be prosecuted as arson under the Criminal Damage Act 1971. Broader prevention of wildfires is a matter for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The investigation of alleged offences is an operational matter for the police; and prosecution decisions are a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service.

Deliberately or recklessly starting a wildfire may be prosecuted as arson under the Criminal Damage Act 1971. Broader prevention of wildfires is a matter for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The investigation of alleged offences is an operational matter for the police; and prosecution decisions are a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service.

Deliberately or recklessly starting a wildfire may be prosecuted as arson under the Criminal Damage Act 1971. Broader prevention of wildfires is a matter for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The investigation of alleged offences is an operational matter for the police; and prosecution decisions are a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service.

The Government is clear that individuals should be able to carry out public functions without being subjected to violence, threats or intimidation. A range of existing criminal offences may apply to such behaviour, including assault, harassment, stalking and public order offences.

The Home Office engages with licensed establishments, including MBR Acres, through its regulatory activity. The Home Office provides a clear framework to all licensed establishments that supports the rehoming of animals where the statutory safeguards can be met and the welfare of the animals concerned remains the primary consideration.

Decisions on whether an individual animal is suitable for rehoming are made on a case-by-case basis, informed by veterinary advice and the animal’s health, welfare and behavioural needs. Where the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 applies, rehoming must meet the relevant statutory safeguards.

The issuing of firearm and shotgun certificates, resourcing of firearms licensing teams and the efficiency of police forces in processing licensing applications, are matters for individual Chief Officers of Police and Police and Crime Commissioners. When increased fees came into effect on 5 February 2025 to provide full-cost recovery for the police, the Home Office wrote to all Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables to make clear that the additional income must be used to support improvements in police force firearms licensing teams. Fees were subsequently increased by 3% from 4 June 2026, in line with inflation, to help ensure that they continue to reflect the costs to police forces of delivering the firearms licensing function. The expectation that the fees income supports an effective and efficient licensing service remains unchanged.

Alongside the increase in fees, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for firearms licensing now publishes quarterly performance data for firearms licensing in all police forces in England and Wales which includes a new performance target for forces to complete applications for the grant or renewal of firearm and shotgun certificates within four months of receipt. We welcome this greater transparency and forces making improvements in performance, subject to ensuring public safety remains the priority and suitability checks are carried out properly.

Lord Macdonald submitted his report to the Home Secretary on Friday 29 May.

The Government is now reviewing the report in detail and will publish the report alongside its formal response shortly.

The Government recognises fraud by abuse of position is a serious and often hidden threat, where someone in a position of trust abuses their position for financial personal gain. Allegations that an individual has falsely claimed to hold, or has abused, a power of attorney in order to obtain or exercise control over a vulnerable person’s finances may constitute fraud and should be reported to Report Fraud, the national fraud and cyber crime reporting service.

Report Fraud uses the latest technology to improve the reporting experience for victims, provide case updates and improve the speed and quality of information shared with police to boost the chances of successful prosecutions. Where there is sufficient evidence and a viable lead, reports are referred to the appropriate police force or law enforcement partner to determine whether investigation or other enforcement activity should take place.

Through the Fraud Strategy 2026-2029, the Government is strengthening its response to fraud, including through a dedicated cross sector working group on fraud by abuse of position focused on developing a system-wide response to protect vulnerable and older people who rely on legal protections such as powers of attorney.

The Government is committed to supporting the police in tackling the illegal and anti-social use of e-scooters. Privately owned e-scooters are classed as motor vehicles and are illegal to use on public roads and other public places unless they comply with the relevant legal requirements such as having appropriate insurance, driving licences, number plates, and helmets.

Police already have powers to stop, seize and, where appropriate, dispose of illegally used e-scooters, as well as to enforce offences relating to careless or dangerous use.

The Government has reduced and aligned vehicle disposal timeframes, enabling vehicles to be disposed of after seven days. In the Crime and Policing Act 2026 we strengthened police powers to tackle vehicles used in an anti-social manner, including e-scooters, by removing the requirement to issue a warning before seizure. These measures will enable officers to take swifter action against those using e-scooters illegally and in a way that causes alarm, distress or nuisance to the public.

The Home Office continues to work closely with policing partners and the Department for Transport to support effective enforcement and improve public safety.

The Government is committed to supporting the police in tackling the illegal and anti-social use of e-scooters. Privately owned e-scooters are classed as motor vehicles and are illegal to use on public roads and other public places unless they comply with the relevant legal requirements such as having appropriate insurance, driving licences, number plates, and helmets.

Police already have powers to stop, seize and, where appropriate, dispose of illegally used e-scooters, as well as to enforce offences relating to careless or dangerous use.

The Government has reduced and aligned vehicle disposal timeframes, enabling vehicles to be disposed of after seven days. In the Crime and Policing Act 2026 we strengthened police powers to tackle vehicles used in an anti-social manner, including e-scooters, by removing the requirement to issue a warning before seizure. These measures will enable officers to take swifter action against those using e-scooters illegally and in a way that causes alarm, distress or nuisance to the public.

The Home Office continues to work closely with policing partners and the Department for Transport to support effective enforcement and improve public safety.

The Government has no plan to withdraw the document.

The Government recognises the vital role vehicle recovery operators play in supporting policing and road safety,

The Government consulted on proposed increases to vehicle disposal fees in May last year. We have considered responses to the proposed changes following the closure of the consultation and are in the process of analysing police data to ensure any revised fee complies with Managing Public Money Guidance. We are prioritising this work and we will engage further with the sector once this process has concluded.

We are aware of industry and policing concerns about the costs of recovery, storage and disposal of electric vehicles. Although consideration of the impacts from electric vehicles were outside of the scope of the previous consultation, we continue to consider next steps for working with police forces and industry to collect evidence on the costs of electric vehicles for potential future consultation.

The Government recognises the vital role vehicle recovery operators play in supporting policing and road safety,

The Government consulted on proposed increases to vehicle disposal fees in May last year. We have considered responses to the proposed changes following the closure of the consultation and are in the process of analysing police data to ensure any revised fee complies with Managing Public Money Guidance. We are prioritising this work and we will engage further with the sector once this process has concluded.

We are aware of industry and policing concerns about the costs of recovery, storage and disposal of electric vehicles. Although consideration of the impacts from electric vehicles were outside of the scope of the previous consultation, we continue to consider next steps for working with police forces and industry to collect evidence on the costs of electric vehicles for potential future consultation.

The Government recognises the vital role vehicle recovery operators play in supporting policing and road safety,

The Government consulted on proposed increases to vehicle disposal fees in May last year. We have considered responses to the proposed changes following the closure of the consultation and are in the process of analysing police data to ensure any revised fee complies with Managing Public Money Guidance. We are prioritising this work and we will engage further with the sector once this process has concluded.

We are aware of industry and policing concerns about the costs of recovery, storage and disposal of electric vehicles. Although consideration of the impacts from electric vehicles were outside of the scope of the previous consultation, we continue to consider next steps for working with police forces and industry to collect evidence on the costs of electric vehicles for potential future consultation.

Section 8 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026, which amended section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002 came into force on 29 June. The Home Office has not collected vehicle seizure data since the new provisions came into force.

The College of Policing issues guidance to police forces on the use of a broad range of public order powers. This includes guidance on the use of face coverings at protests.

Police decide when to use their powers, based on their assessment of the operational threats and risks for each situation they encounter.

Guidance is published online here: https://www.college.police.uk/app/public-order-public-safety and National protest operational advice

The Home Office were updated by the Metropolitan Police Service on 25 August about a US investigation that involved an officer from the US Embassy being recalled to the US.

Border Force works with law enforcement partners under Operation Shiraz to identify and disrupt the importation of child-like sexual abuse dolls and related items into the United Kingdom.

Information relating to arrests and prosecutions connected to Operation Shiraz is held for operational and intelligence purposes. The Home Office does not publish official statistics relating to arrests or prosecutions under the operation and does not hold verified data suitable for publication.

Protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation remains a priority for this Government. Border Force plays an important role in preventing prohibited and harmful items from entering the United Kingdom and works closely with domestic and international partners to detect, seize and investigate suspected criminal activity.

The Government recognises that there can be challenges in responding to rural crime and is taking a coordinated, cross-system approach to tackling this issue. The Home Office has worked closely with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to support the National Police Chiefs’ Council in delivering their Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy for 2025–28. This strategy provides a framework through which policing and its partners can work together to tackle the crimes that predominantly affect rural communities, including organised criminality affecting farms and agricultural businesses.

Whilst rural crime is not recorded as a distinct category within police recorded crime and therefore cannot be assessed separately, relevant offences, including theft, burglary, vehicle crime and certain wildlife offences, are recorded within the police recorded crime framework. The Home Office supports consistent crime recording through the National Crime Recording Standard and the Home Office Counting Rules. Chief Constables are responsible for ensuring offences are recorded in line with these standards, while His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services independently assesses the quality and consistency of crime recording across police forces.

The Government has not made a specific assessment of the adequacy of the resources and operational support available to police forces to tackle the dangerous or anti-social use of e-bikes in town centres. The deployment of police resources and operational activity is a matter for Chief Constables, who are best placed to assess local threats and priorities.

Through the Crime and Policing Act 2026, the Government strengthened police powers to tackle anti-social behaviour. This amended section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002 to remove the requirement for police to issue a prior warning before seizing a motor vehicle being used in a manner causing alarm, distress or annoyance. These changes came into force on 29 June 2026.

In addition, in July 2026 the Government reduced and aligned vehicle disposal timeframes to seven days. This reduces opportunities for offenders to reclaim their vehicles and continue offending.

These measures support police efforts to tackle dangerous or anti-social use of illegally modified e-bikes.

It is wholly unacceptable for those who put themselves at risk to protect the public to be subjected to harassment or intimidation. Police have a broad range of powers to tackle unlawful behaviour, including harassment and intimidation, and we expect them to take robust action to address it.

I will place a copy of the letter in the Library.

Information is shared with local authorities and policing partners where appropriate and necessary, consistent with the arrangements that apply for any individual taking up residence in the local area and in accordance with relevant legal and data protection requirements.

When an individual claims asylum, the Home Office will conduct mandatory identity, criminality and security checks. Biographic and biometric data are checked against relevant Home Office systems and police criminality databases including domestic and international data.

The safety of local communities is central to our immigration reforms which is why asylum seekers are routinely screened against policing, criminality, and immigration databases before they are permitted to move into sites.

Information relating to an individual's immigration case and personal circumstances is handled in accordance with data protection legislation and established information-sharing protocols. The Home Office works closely with local authorities, police and accommodation providers where safeguarding or public protection considerations require information to be shared.

Palestine Action is a proscribed terrorist organisation. Under the Terrorism Act 2000, it is a criminal offence to invite or recklessly express support for a proscribed organisation. It is also an offence to publish an image of an article, such as a flag or logo, in circumstances which arouse reasonable suspicion that an individual is a member or supporter of that organisation.

Terrorist groups and their supporters seek to exploit the reach of the internet to disseminate material, promote their activities and attract support. The Government is taking action to tackle this. We work closely with technology companies to support the removal of unlawful terrorist content, including material linked to proscribed organisations. Under the Online Safety Act 2023, technology companies are required to have systems and processes in place to reduce the risk that their services are used for illegal activity and to remove illegal content, including terrorist material.

The Police Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit can also review online content which may breach terrorism legislation and refer such material to platforms for consideration of removal.

The Court of Appeal recently found that Palestine Action displayed the continuing intention to promote the use of violence, regardless of the risk that it would result in serious damage to property or serious violence against members of the public.

This Government will continue to take the strongest possible action to protect national security, while fully respecting lawful freedom of expression and peaceful protest. Proscription does not prevent individuals from supporting the Palestinian cause or protesting lawfully, but support for a proscribed organisation is a criminal offence.

This Government recognises the particularly invasive nature of burglary, and the profound impact this crime can have on individuals and the wider community. Police recorded burglary across England and Wales has reduced 9% in the year to March 2026. There was an 11% fall in burglary offences in Birmingham over the same period.

We are committed to delivering strong neighbourhood policing through the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. Based on their £12,210,903 allocation in 2025/26 from the Neighbourhood Policing Grant, as at 31 March 2026, West Midlands Police have grown by 351 FTE Neighbourhood officers compared to 31 March 2025. Every neighbourhood in England and Wales including in the West Midlands has named contactable officers dedicated to tackling local issues.

The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of notifiable offences, including burglary offences, recorded by the police in England and Wales, at the Police Force Area level and the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) Area level.

This information is published on a quarterly basis, and can be accessed here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tables

The Home Office does not publish information at the Parliamentary Constituency level.

The Home Office is the largest recipient of Freedom of Information requests across central government and received over 8,700 requests in 2025. The cases shown in the table represent a point-in-time snapshot of requests within the Communications Directorate and Special Adviser review processes and account for a relatively small proportion of the overall volume of FOI requests handled by the Department.

Cases within the Communications Directorate and Special Adviser review processes (information extracted and validated on 28 September 2026)

Note: The Department does not routinely retain historical reports showing the stage reached within the Special Adviser review process at a specific point in time. The figures therefore reflect information extracted and validated on 28 September 2026. Cases awaiting consideration by Special Advisers have been presented separately from cases elsewhere within the wider Special Adviser referral process.

The figures are management information derived from the Home Office's case management system and supplementary information provided by the Special Adviser Private Office. They have not undergone formal quality assurance.

The Disclosure & Barring Service publishes its performance against all levels of check on a quarterly basis at DBS dataset 1: DBS checks, the DBS Update Service, and disputes - GOV.UK.

For the most recently reported quarter, the average turnaround time for Basic checks is reported as 0.8 days.

The Government continues to have a policy of non-engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain.