Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement a scheme similar to the EU entry/exit system for EU nationals travelling to the UK.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK has introduced electronic travel authorisations (ETAs) to enhance our ability to screen travellers upstream, and improve the customer experience. The introduction of the ETA scheme is in line with the approach many of the UK’s international partners have already taken to border security, including the European Union’s forthcoming ETIAS and EES. The UK’s scheme was extended to eligible European nationals on 5 March 2025, and will be a requirement for this cohort for travel from 2 April 2025. In line with international partners, we are building upon our existing ability to track arrivals in and out of the country.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider transferring responsibility for the misuse of drugs to the Department of Health and Social Care.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Responsibility for drug policy is shared across a number of departments and both the Home Office and the Department for Health and Social Care have important roles to play in setting policy to tackle drug use and to reduce drug-related crime and drug health harms. The Home Office is the lead department for the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and associated drug legislation, working with other departments as appropriate where changes in the law are required.
Illicit drug use affects the whole of society, and this Government is taking a collective response which will help our key missions to deliver safer streets, improve health outcomes and contribute to opportunities and growth through reducing crime and saving lives.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2025 to Question 40502 on Police: West Midlands, how many of those officers she expects the West Midlands force to recruit in each of the four years of that plan.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has committed to restoring neighbourhood policing through the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. This includes putting thousands more police personnel on the beat in neighbourhood policing roles up and down the country. Every part of the country will benefit from this pledge, including the West Midlands.
Further details of the delivery of this programme, including areas the impact on individual areas, will be published in due course.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure the the independence of the Windrush Commissioner in terms of (a) appointment, (b) resourcing and (c) reporting mechanisms.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Windrush Commissioner will be a public appointee, operating independently of the Home Office to serve as an advocate and trusted voice for victims, families and impacted communities affected by the Home Office Windrush Scandal. They will provide independent scrutiny, challenge and advice to the Home Secretary and Ministers ensuring the lessons from Windrush are applied across the Home Office and are acted on throughout government.
We have actively engaged and listened to stakeholders’ views on the key responsibilities of this position, ensuring their reflections informed the role specification. On appointment, it is anticipated that the Commissioner will also engage with impacted groups to understand their viewpoint and identify how they can deliver meaningful change through this new role.
The recruitment process is being conducted in line with Cabinet Office principles and guidelines, with two independent panel members included on the Advisory Assessment Panel to ensure transparency and fairness.
Like other Home Office Commissioners, the Windrush Commissioner also will have dedicated funding to recruit and build their team, while also receiving civil service support from the re-established Windrush Unit in the Home Office. A Memorandum of Understanding will be drawn up between the Windrush Commissioner and the Home Office on the governance arrangements between both parties in line with the approach taken for all independent public officer holders.
To maintain momentum, drive early progress, and refine the role based on stakeholder engagement, the Commissioner will initially operate on a non-statutory basis. It may be put on a statutory footing at a later date subject to Parliamentary approval.
The Windrush Commissioner will also assure delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme to provide advice to Ministers on the scheme’s effectiveness in achieving its objectives and provide assurance that the needs of Windrush communities are met.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Windrush Commissioner will have the authority to compel responses from government departments or agencies in the course of their work.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Windrush Commissioner will be a public appointee, operating independently of the Home Office to serve as an advocate and trusted voice for victims, families and impacted communities affected by the Home Office Windrush Scandal. They will provide independent scrutiny, challenge and advice to the Home Secretary and Ministers ensuring the lessons from Windrush are applied across the Home Office and are acted on throughout government.
We have actively engaged and listened to stakeholders’ views on the key responsibilities of this position, ensuring their reflections informed the role specification. On appointment, it is anticipated that the Commissioner will also engage with impacted groups to understand their viewpoint and identify how they can deliver meaningful change through this new role.
The recruitment process is being conducted in line with Cabinet Office principles and guidelines, with two independent panel members included on the Advisory Assessment Panel to ensure transparency and fairness.
Like other Home Office Commissioners, the Windrush Commissioner also will have dedicated funding to recruit and build their team, while also receiving civil service support from the re-established Windrush Unit in the Home Office. A Memorandum of Understanding will be drawn up between the Windrush Commissioner and the Home Office on the governance arrangements between both parties in line with the approach taken for all independent public officer holders.
To maintain momentum, drive early progress, and refine the role based on stakeholder engagement, the Commissioner will initially operate on a non-statutory basis. It may be put on a statutory footing at a later date subject to Parliamentary approval.
The Windrush Commissioner will also assure delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme to provide advice to Ministers on the scheme’s effectiveness in achieving its objectives and provide assurance that the needs of Windrush communities are met.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Windrush Commissioner will have (a) statutory powers of investigation and (b) access to Home Office data to fulfil their role independently.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Windrush Commissioner will be a public appointee, operating independently of the Home Office to serve as an advocate and trusted voice for victims, families and impacted communities affected by the Home Office Windrush Scandal. They will provide independent scrutiny, challenge and advice to the Home Secretary and Ministers ensuring the lessons from Windrush are applied across the Home Office and are acted on throughout government.
We have actively engaged and listened to stakeholders’ views on the key responsibilities of this position, ensuring their reflections informed the role specification. On appointment, it is anticipated that the Commissioner will also engage with impacted groups to understand their viewpoint and identify how they can deliver meaningful change through this new role.
The recruitment process is being conducted in line with Cabinet Office principles and guidelines, with two independent panel members included on the Advisory Assessment Panel to ensure transparency and fairness.
Like other Home Office Commissioners, the Windrush Commissioner also will have dedicated funding to recruit and build their team, while also receiving civil service support from the re-established Windrush Unit in the Home Office. A Memorandum of Understanding will be drawn up between the Windrush Commissioner and the Home Office on the governance arrangements between both parties in line with the approach taken for all independent public officer holders.
To maintain momentum, drive early progress, and refine the role based on stakeholder engagement, the Commissioner will initially operate on a non-statutory basis. It may be put on a statutory footing at a later date subject to Parliamentary approval.
The Windrush Commissioner will also assure delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme to provide advice to Ministers on the scheme’s effectiveness in achieving its objectives and provide assurance that the needs of Windrush communities are met.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what metrics will be used to assess the effectiveness of the Windrush Commissioner in assuring delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Windrush Commissioner will be a public appointee, operating independently of the Home Office to serve as an advocate and trusted voice for victims, families and impacted communities affected by the Home Office Windrush Scandal. They will provide independent scrutiny, challenge and advice to the Home Secretary and Ministers ensuring the lessons from Windrush are applied across the Home Office and are acted on throughout government.
We have actively engaged and listened to stakeholders’ views on the key responsibilities of this position, ensuring their reflections informed the role specification. On appointment, it is anticipated that the Commissioner will also engage with impacted groups to understand their viewpoint and identify how they can deliver meaningful change through this new role.
The recruitment process is being conducted in line with Cabinet Office principles and guidelines, with two independent panel members included on the Advisory Assessment Panel to ensure transparency and fairness.
Like other Home Office Commissioners, the Windrush Commissioner also will have dedicated funding to recruit and build their team, while also receiving civil service support from the re-established Windrush Unit in the Home Office. A Memorandum of Understanding will be drawn up between the Windrush Commissioner and the Home Office on the governance arrangements between both parties in line with the approach taken for all independent public officer holders.
To maintain momentum, drive early progress, and refine the role based on stakeholder engagement, the Commissioner will initially operate on a non-statutory basis. It may be put on a statutory footing at a later date subject to Parliamentary approval.
The Windrush Commissioner will also assure delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme to provide advice to Ministers on the scheme’s effectiveness in achieving its objectives and provide assurance that the needs of Windrush communities are met.
Asked by: Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to prevent the export of stolen vehicles by organised criminal groups.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is determined to drive down vehicle crime and we are working with the automotive industry and police – taking a national approach – to ensure our response is as strong as it can be, including working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime.
This Government is committed to working domestically, applying the full range of disruption tactics, and with partners internationally to disrupt organised crime groups upstream.
We provided £250,000 funding in the financial year 2024-25 to help support enforcement at the ports to prevent stolen vehicles and vehicle parts being shipped abroad. This included additional staff and specialist equipment.
Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced measures to ban electronic devices used to steal vehicles, empowering the police and courts to target the criminals using, manufacturing and supplying them.
Via the recently established National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership and the police-led National Vehicle Crime Working Group, we are focusing on prevention and deterrence of theft of and from vehicles; this includes training police officers on the methods used to steal vehicles, encouraging vehicle owners to secure their vehicles, and working with industry to address vulnerabilities in vehicles.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to grant Ukraine Scheme visa holders the right to settled status after five years.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
We recognise the Ukrainian government’s desire for the future return of its citizens to Ukraine. It is important our approach respects these wishes.
This is why the temporary sanctuary Ukraine Visa Schemes do not lead to settlement in the UK. Similarly, time spent in the UK with permission granted under the Ukraine Schemes cannot be relied upon towards the continuous qualifying period for the purposes of a Long Residence application.
There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements.
The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025, will provide up to an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK for those with existing Ukraine Scheme permission.
UPE is a new grant of permission; it is not an extension of a person's existing permission. An automatic extension of existing permission would mean providing further unnecessary permission, even to a person who has now left the UK and is no longer in need of temporary sanctuary in the UK.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to grant an automatic extension of 18 months to all Ukraine Scheme visas.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
We recognise the Ukrainian government’s desire for the future return of its citizens to Ukraine. It is important our approach respects these wishes.
This is why the temporary sanctuary Ukraine Visa Schemes do not lead to settlement in the UK. Similarly, time spent in the UK with permission granted under the Ukraine Schemes cannot be relied upon towards the continuous qualifying period for the purposes of a Long Residence application.
There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements.
The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025, will provide up to an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK for those with existing Ukraine Scheme permission.
UPE is a new grant of permission; it is not an extension of a person's existing permission. An automatic extension of existing permission would mean providing further unnecessary permission, even to a person who has now left the UK and is no longer in need of temporary sanctuary in the UK.