Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when will the Government launch its public consultation on the controls on (a) shotguns and (b) other firearms.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February this year, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns, to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety. We intend to publish this consultation shortly.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce and (b) prevent equipment theft in (1) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (2) Lincolnshire.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Equipment theft can have devastating consequences for countryside communities and the agricultural sector.
That is why we are committed to the implementation of the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 and fully support its intentions to prevent the theft and re-sale of All-Terrain Vehicles, quad bikes and GPS systems. We will introduce the necessary secondary legislation when parliamentary time allows.
The Crime and Policing Bill will introduce a new power for the police to enter and search premises to which items have been electronically tracked by GPS or other means, where the items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and are on those premises, and where it has not been reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant from a court. This will provide a valuable tool for police in tackling stolen equipment and machinery.
This financial year the Home Office has provided the first Government funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit (£365,000). The National Rural Crime Unit provides police forces with specialist operational support in their response to rural crime, such as the theft of farming or construction equipment. They also help police across the UK tackle organised theft and disrupt organised crime groups.
We have also worked closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council to deliver their updated Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy for 2025-2028. The strategy highlights how policing can assist in the prevention of crime in rural areas including equipment theft.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester Withington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will list the meetings scheduled for the working group on any new issues involving research with controlled drugs during the next six months.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
On 16 July, the Government responded to recommendations from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (‘ACMD’) on how best to reduce barriers to clinical research with Schedule 1 drugs. The Government committed to set up a cross-government working group of officials to assist with delivery of those recommendations.
The group had its first meeting in September, followed by a series of bilateral discussions between Home Office officials and the organisations represented on the working group. The next meeting is planned for January. Alongside the working group, officials have ongoing engagement with relevant officials in wider departments and agencies, and with businesses, representative organisations and researchers who are likely to benefit from the proposals. Officials have also explored with international counterparts the provisions for research with controlled drugs in their jurisdictions.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester Withington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings have been held of the cross-government officials working group on research with controlled drugs.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
On 16 July, the Government responded to recommendations from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (‘ACMD’) on how best to reduce barriers to clinical research with Schedule 1 drugs. The Government committed to set up a cross-government working group of officials to assist with delivery of those recommendations.
The group had its first meeting in September, followed by a series of bilateral discussions between Home Office officials and the organisations represented on the working group. The next meeting is planned for January. Alongside the working group, officials have ongoing engagement with relevant officials in wider departments and agencies, and with businesses, representative organisations and researchers who are likely to benefit from the proposals. Officials have also explored with international counterparts the provisions for research with controlled drugs in their jurisdictions.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy that people with convictions for any sexual offences should be prevented from serving in the police forces.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
One of the Government’s key priorities is to restore public confidence in policing. To achieve this, we must ensure that those who enter policing are vetted in line with standards the public would expect.
That is why, in alignment with our manifesto commitment, we are strengthening the vetting system by introducing new regulations which will place vetting standards on a legislative footing. These regulations will seek to include robust measures which will enable forces to exclude individuals from policing who have a caution or a conviction for relevant domestic abuse or sexual offences.
Asked by: Shaun Davies (Labour - Telford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to support the financial sustainability of police forces.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
This Government is committed to ensuring that policing has the resources it needs. In December 2025, we published the provisional police funding settlement for 2026-27, which proposes funding of up to £18.3 billion for territorial police forces. This is an increase of up to £746 million compared to the 2025-26 police funding settlement, equivalent to a 2.0% real terms increase.
More widely, the Home Office engages regularly with police forces, the NPCC, and APCC to discuss police finances and understand the pressures on police budgets.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to protect civil liberties in the (a) development and (b) implementation of (i) public order and (ii) policing policy.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
All protest legislation has been and is developed in line with the UK’s obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights, particularly Articles 10 and 11. The government remains committed to protecting civil liberties, including the right to peaceful protest.
It has long been a principle in this country that individuals may gather and express their views, provided they do so within the law. Where protests contravene the law, it is essential that the police who are operationally independent have appropriate powers to respond.
The Home Secretary launched an independent review of public order and hate crime legislation on 5 October led by Lord Macdonald of River Glaven KC. The review will ensure police powers remain fit for purpose, are used consistently, and strike the right balance between protecting the public and upholding the right to lawful protest.
It will address whether the existing legislation is effective and proportionate, whether it adequately protects communities from intimidation and hate and whether it strikes a fair and sustainable balance between the right to freedom of expression and peaceful protest, and the need to prevent disorder and keep communities safe.
The review is underway and will conclude by Spring 2026.
Asked by: Josh Babarinde (Liberal Democrat - Eastbourne)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help prevent bicycle theft in Eastbourne constituency.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Bike theft has a significant impact on individuals and for too long, many victims have felt not enough was being done to prevent their bikes being stolen or track down the thieves responsible.
The Crime and Policing Bill, now at Committee Stage in the House of Lords, will amend the Theft Act 1968 to give police new powers. Officers will be able to enter and search premises where stolen items – such as GPS-tracked bicycles – are reasonably believed to have been stolen and located, and where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a court warrant. This will significantly enhance the ability of the police to act swiftly and effectively in recovering stolen property.
Additionally, the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will ensure that every community in England and Wales will have named and contactable officers dealing with local issues, and that neighbourhood teams spend the majority of their time in their communities providing visible patrols and engaging with local communities and businesses.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that hate crime data reported by police forces is accurate and comparable across categories of characteristic.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Hate crime has no place in our society, and the Government is committed to ensuring it is recorded accurately and addressed effectively.
The accuracy and consistency of crime recording, including hate crime, is the responsibility of individual police forces, who must comply with the Home Office Counting Rules. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) independently inspects, monitors and reports on the efficiency and effectiveness of the police, including crime recording practices. However, HMICFRS does not publish annual compliance reports specifically on hate crime recording.
Home Office statisticians work closely with forces to ensure accurate data is provided for the annual statistical publication on hate crime in England and Wales. The latest release, covering the year ending March 2025, is available on GOV.UK. Hate crime, England and Wales, year ending March 2025 - GOV.UK
The College of Policing sets national guidance and standards for policing, including Authorised Professional Practice on hate crime. The Home Office works closely with the College and other policing partners to review and update recording protocols as needed. This ensures forces have clear, consistent guidance for recording hate crime across all protected characteristics.
The government is carefully considering the 34 recommendations made by the Law Commission in its 2021 review of hate crime legislation; this does not contain any formal recommendation on how police should record hate crimes.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she or officials in her Department have had with the College of Policing on updating hate crime recording protocols.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Hate crime has no place in our society, and the Government is committed to ensuring it is recorded accurately and addressed effectively.
The accuracy and consistency of crime recording, including hate crime, is the responsibility of individual police forces, who must comply with the Home Office Counting Rules. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) independently inspects, monitors and reports on the efficiency and effectiveness of the police, including crime recording practices. However, HMICFRS does not publish annual compliance reports specifically on hate crime recording.
Home Office statisticians work closely with forces to ensure accurate data is provided for the annual statistical publication on hate crime in England and Wales. The latest release, covering the year ending March 2025, is available on GOV.UK. Hate crime, England and Wales, year ending March 2025 - GOV.UK
The College of Policing sets national guidance and standards for policing, including Authorised Professional Practice on hate crime. The Home Office works closely with the College and other policing partners to review and update recording protocols as needed. This ensures forces have clear, consistent guidance for recording hate crime across all protected characteristics.
The government is carefully considering the 34 recommendations made by the Law Commission in its 2021 review of hate crime legislation; this does not contain any formal recommendation on how police should record hate crimes.