Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of aligning strategic authority mayoral boundaries with new regional policing boundaries.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Police Reform White Paper, published on 26 January 2026, represents the most significant reforms to policing in England and Wales since the service was professionalised nearly 200 years ago. As part of this, the White Paper sets out an ambition to significantly reduce the number of police forces by the end of the next Parliament.
An Independent Review of police structures, which will report this Summer, will examine the optimal configuration of police forces. The review will consider alignment of public service boundaries, including mayoral and local authorities. Mayors and elected local leaders will continue to be a core part of the governance and accountability arrangements for policing.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 22 of the Police reform white paper, From Local to National: A New Model for Policing (CP1489), how can local residents find out who their named, contactable officer is.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is ensuring a more consistent standard of neighbourhood policing across England and Wales. Every neighbourhood has named, and contactable officers dedicated to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour locally, with forces increasing patrols in town centres and other hotspots based on local demand and intelligence.
Details of all named, contactable officers can be found on force websites, where the public are able to type in their postcode to find out about their neighbourhood policing team and area, local policing priorities and how to contact their neighbourhood teams.
Asked by: Phil Brickell (Labour - Bolton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed police reforms on the integration of Mayoral Combined Authorities and Police and Crime Commissioners.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Police Reform White Paper, published on 26 January 2026, represents the most significant reforms to policing in England and Wales since the service was professionalised nearly 200 years ago. Proposals will focus local forces on local crime, while strengthening our ability to tackle serious and organised crime and threats to national security by creating a new national force, the National Police Service. The White Paper also sets out an ambition to significantly reduce the number of police forces by the end of the next Parliament.
As part of these reforms, the Police and Crime Commissioner Model will be abolished at the end of their current term of office in May 2028. We will transfer policing governance to mayors of strategic authorities wherever possible, or to elected council leaders where it is not, through Policing and Crime Boards.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what are the current boundaries of operational independence for police forces.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Operational independence of the police is a longstanding fundamental principle of British policing. This ensures that Chief Constables maintain direction and control over their police force so that they can perform their role without fear or favour.
There is no statutory definition of operational independence or its boundaries. However, the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 and the Policing Protocol Order 2023 set an expectation that Chief Constables, their officers, and staff exercise professional judgement free from improper political or operational interference.
The Government’s recently published White Paper ‘From Local to National: A New Model for Policing’ announced plans to clarify the boundaries of operational independence to provide policing with direction and support to drive improvement where necessary.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 13 of the Police reform white paper “From Local to National: A New Model for Policing” (CP1489), what will be the location of the new National Centre for AI in Policing.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is determined to ramp up the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence across policing. We recently announced over £115 million over the next three years to support the rapid and responsible development, testing and rollout of AI tools across all 43 police forces in England and Wales.
This will be spearheaded by the creation of Police.AI, a new National Centre for AI in Policing. The Home Office is now working closely with the NPCC AI portfolio to establish Police.AI. This includes securing a host organisation and establishing and agreeing an estates strategy. Police.AI will transition into the National Police Service when it is appropriate to do so.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied asylum-seeking children were supported by local authorities in each financial year since 2019-20.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not hold data on the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) supported by local authorities. Local authorities have a duty to provide services to all children in need in their area. Under section 20(1) of the Children Act 1989, when a local authority has accommodated an unaccompanied child for 24 hours, they become 'looked after'. An unaccompanied child is entitled to the same support as any other looked after child, regardless of their immigration status. The Department for Education publishes annual data on the number of UASC looked after by local authorities in England here -
Children looked after in England including adoptions - reporting year 2025
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 103186 on Asylum: Council Housing, if she will publish the information or guidance given to participating local authorities on the new accommodation model.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The information requested on the information or guidance given to participating local authorities on the new accommodation model is considered commercially sensitive.
We have committed to closing every asylum hotel, and work is well underway, with more suitable sites, including military bases, being brought forward to ease pressure on communities and cut asylum costs. MHCLG and HO are exploring options for a new, more sustainable accommodation model, developed in consultation with local authorities and devolved partners.
This would complement ongoing Home Office reforms to the asylum accommodation estate to end the use of hotels. New council housing will not be used by asylum seekers under any circumstances.
Feb. 12 2026
Source Page: Record year of drug seizures made by Border ForceFeb. 12 2026
Source Page: Monthly entry clearance visa applications: January 2026Feb. 12 2026
Source Page: Monthly entry clearance visa applications: January 2026