Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department plans to use to provide the starting point against which it will measure its progress in halving violence against women and girls.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Further details on the suite of metrics used to measure progress on our VAWG mission is being discussed with the Office for National Statistics, and will be published in the VAWG Strategy later this year.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many scientific procedures involved the use of dogs from 2020- 2024.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The number of animals used in scientific research and testing, including dogs, is published annually at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-regulation-unit#statistics. Statistics for 2024 are scheduled for publication in July.

The Home Office assures that, in every research proposal, animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible, the number of animals are reduced to the minimum necessary to achieve the result sought, and that, for those animals which must be used, procedures are refined as much as possible to minimise their suffering.

The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) is leading on a strategy to accelerate the development, validation and uptake of alternatives to animal testing which is scheduled for publication later this year.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold discussions with the Metropolitan Police on taking steps to ensure that its enforcement of Public Order Act 2023 accords with the (a) rule of law and (b) Human Rights Act 1998.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The police are operationally independent of the government. The police make decisions about how to respond to specific incidents based on their professional judgement, the circumstances at hand, and all applicable laws, and the Home Office does not direct them on how to make those operational decisions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers were (a) removed, (b) reprimanded and (c) transferred after raising grooming-related failures between 1980 and 2010.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims, rooting out grooming gangs across the country, toughening up police action, and better understanding the current scale of offending.

Today (08 April 2025) the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, MP made a statement to Parliament setting out a detailed update on Government action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as a progress update on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse undertaken by Professor Alexis Jay.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer he was given on 8 April to question 44194. We are already taking swift action to tackle grooming gangs, including through stronger national backing for local inquiries and Baroness Casey’s audit on existing evidence of grooming gangs; therefore, we do not believe a further national inquiry is necessary.

However, we are supportive of independent local-led inquiries. Local authorities, which are responsible for delivering local services, are best placed to commission local inquiries. The best practice framework we are developing, along with the £5m fund for local authorities to undertake independent inquiries or related activity, will help deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors.

We have also taken the decision to implement the fund in a flexible way, in order to support both local authorities who want to launch full independent local inquiries; and those who want to take on more bespoke work, including in areas where inquiries have already taken place, for example through the establishment of local victims’ panels or conducting locally-led audits into the handling of historic cases.

Furthermore, the police are independent of Government, and it is the responsibility of forces to consider requests for disclosure of their records in accordance with respective records management policies; and it would be a matter for the National Police Chiefs’ Council to consider whether to appoint a liaison officer to this inquiry. Additionally, the Home Office does not collect data on police officers that were dismissed, transferred or reprimanded after raising grooming-related failures.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, where British passports are (a) printed and (b) produced.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Following a competitive tender process conducted under the previous government in 2017, the contract to manufacture passports was awarded to a company in mainland Europe, but the personalisation of those passports continues to be carried out within the UK to ensure that no personal data leaves the country.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support is in place for Ukrainian refugees who reach the end of their three-year visa.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The UK has offered or extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families under the Ukraine Schemes, thanks to the immense generosity of the British public. We are determined to continue to provide stability for those we have welcomed to the UK and who still need our sanctuary.

The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025, provides up to an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK for those with existing Ukraine Scheme permission.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of protections for overseas (a) health and (b) social care workers on a visa sponsorship arrangement.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Government condemns the exploitation of international care workers by rogue employers in the adult social care sector and continues to take robust action against this unscrupulous behaviour.

We have recently implemented a prohibition on Skilled Worker sponsors recouping sponsorship costs from those they sponsor, and those doing so now risk losing their licence. We are also working to ensure sponsorship and employment systems are more strongly aligned.

On 9 April we further clarified our Skilled Worker salary assessment rules to make clear that sponsors cannot inflate wages by including loans for the worker’s immigration application.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's original budget for the Emergency Services Network programme was; how much her Department has spent since that programme started; and what the estimated final cost is in (a) real and (b) current terms.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

In July 2021 the Emergency Services Network (ESN) Full Business case was approved by HM Treasury with a whole life cost of £11.3bn through to 2036/37.

In October 2024, HM Treasury approved an updated version of the business case which reflected a change in planning assumptions and timescales through to 2043/44 with a revised whole life cost of £19.2bn.

For the period 2015/16 to 31 March 2024, ESN has spent £5.5bn.

The estimated future cost to be spent by 2043/44 is £9.5bn (real), or £13.7bn (current).

In December 2024, the Home Office procured a new supplier for mobile radio and data services and intends to release a revised Full Business Case in Autumn 2025, which will set out a new timetable and costs, taking into account the impact of the recent procurement activity and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Charge Control.

The Home Office’s priority is to deliver ESN as swiftly as possible and Airwave will be shut down only when it is safe to do so.

The Programme is under regular review by the IPA, NAO and engages regularly with PAC and HASC.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to protect places of worship from police raids.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The enforcement of the law is an operational matter for the police. It is for them to decide whether a particular action warrants police involvement, based on their operational expertise and the circumstances of the case.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of the hon. Member for Hazel Grove in Home Office oral questions on 31 March 2025, Official report, Column 19, if she will (a) extend the Ukrainian Permission Extension scheme beyond 18 months and (b) create a pathway to UK citizenship for resident Ukrainians.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The UK has offered or extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families under the Ukraine Schemes, thanks to the immense generosity of the British public. We are determined to continue to provide stability for those we have welcomed to the UK and who still need our sanctuary.

The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025, provides up to an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK for those with existing Ukraine Scheme permission.

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 our offer of temporary sanctuary under the Ukraine Schemes does 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. This applies to holders of Ukraine Scheme permission regardless of nationality. There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements.

Registration or naturalisation as a British citizen is available to a Ukrainian national in the same way as other nationals, if they meet the statutory requirements.

Those granted permission under one of the Ukraine Schemes, which provide full rights to work and study, can apply to switch into other visa routes for which they qualify, including work and global talent visas.

We continue to keep the Ukraine schemes under review in line with the ongoing conflict.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of the hon. Member for Hazel Grove in Home Office oral questions on 31 March 2025, Official report, Column 19, whether Ukrainian refugees resident in the UK will be able to stay beyond the expiry of their visas.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The UK has offered or extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families under the Ukraine Schemes, thanks to the immense generosity of the British public. We are determined to continue to provide stability for those we have welcomed to the UK and who still need our sanctuary.

The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025, provides up to an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK for those with existing Ukraine Scheme permission.

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 our offer of temporary sanctuary under the Ukraine Schemes does 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. This applies to holders of Ukraine Scheme permission regardless of nationality. There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements.

Registration or naturalisation as a British citizen is available to a Ukrainian national in the same way as other nationals, if they meet the statutory requirements.

Those granted permission under one of the Ukraine Schemes, which provide full rights to work and study, can apply to switch into other visa routes for which they qualify, including work and global talent visas.

We continue to keep the Ukraine schemes under review in line with the ongoing conflict.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 40292 on Demonstrations, whether the post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 will be carried out independently; and whether her Department plans to publish the outcomes of the review.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

In line with standard practice, the memorandum the government will complete as part of the post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 will cover:

• A summary of the objectives of the act

• Implementation

• Secondary legislation etc

• Legal issues

• Other reviews

• Preliminary assessment of the act

Further details on post-legislative scrutiny can be found here: 2025 Guide to Making Legislation - master version - Google Docs

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason Ukrainian humanitarian visas are excluded from the 10-year route to residency based on nationality.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The UK has offered or extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families under the Ukraine Schemes, thanks to the immense generosity of the British public. We are determined to continue to provide stability for those we have welcomed to the UK and who still need our sanctuary.

The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025, provides up to an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK for those with existing Ukraine Scheme permission.

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 our offer of temporary sanctuary under the Ukraine Schemes does 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. This applies to holders of Ukraine Scheme permission regardless of nationality. There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements.

Registration or naturalisation as a British citizen is available to a Ukrainian national in the same way as other nationals, if they meet the statutory requirements.

Those granted permission under one of the Ukraine Schemes, which provide full rights to work and study, can apply to switch into other visa routes for which they qualify, including work and global talent visas.

We continue to keep the Ukraine schemes under review in line with the ongoing conflict.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will allow Ukrainians resident in the UK to apply for (a) working and (b) global talent visas.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The UK has offered or extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families under the Ukraine Schemes, thanks to the immense generosity of the British public. We are determined to continue to provide stability for those we have welcomed to the UK and who still need our sanctuary.

The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025, provides up to an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK for those with existing Ukraine Scheme permission.

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 our offer of temporary sanctuary under the Ukraine Schemes does 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. This applies to holders of Ukraine Scheme permission regardless of nationality. There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements.

Registration or naturalisation as a British citizen is available to a Ukrainian national in the same way as other nationals, if they meet the statutory requirements.

Those granted permission under one of the Ukraine Schemes, which provide full rights to work and study, can apply to switch into other visa routes for which they qualify, including work and global talent visas.

We continue to keep the Ukraine schemes under review in line with the ongoing conflict.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April to Question 43180 on Metropolitan Police: Finance, whether ministers in her Department have (a) met with and (b) corresponded with the (i) Mayor of London and (ii) Metropolitan Police Commissioner to discuss increasing investment into the Metropolitan Police Estate.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

It is the role of Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners (including Mayors with PCC responsibilities) to make decisions about their resources and estates, based on their local knowledge and expertise.

This Government is committed to supporting the Metropolitan Police by providing them with £3.8 billion of funding in the 2025-26 police settlement. This is a £262.1 million increase when compared with the 2024-25 settlement, equating to a 7.4% cash increase.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how she plans to identify the (a) roles and (b) number of police officers in each role who will be redeployed to increase neighbourhood policing.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

We have asked forces to outline proposals for their workforce mix that is tailored to local needs and operational contexts, based on what is deliverable within their funding allocation.

This will ensure that additional neighbourhood personnel in 2025-26 are delivered in a manner that is flexible and easily adaptable to varied crime demands, allowing forces to increase the neighbourhood policing workforce at pace.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to conduct a Child Rights Impact Assessment before the potential authorisation of Taser 10 for use by police forces in England and Wales.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Government decisions on whether to approve Taser for police use are informed by robust, independent technical and medical testing and assessments alongside an equality impact assessment which sets out any implications for those with protected characteristics, including age.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when Chief Constables will be informed of changes to staffing levels as part of the plans to implement her neighbourhood policing plan.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Home Office officials have reviewed all force delivery plans, and all forces have been contacted with confirmation of the outcome.

Police forces have been able to decide how best to spend their allocation of the Neighbourhood Policing Increase to recruit a workforce mix tailored to suit local context and operational needs. All forces’ plans are therefore informed by a force-level understanding of what can be achieved.

This approach enables forces to design their neighbourhood policing teams for and with local communities, providing flexibility to forces to manage operational pressures and maintain service levels.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the press notice entitled £200 million boost to transform neighbourhood policing, published on 31 January 2025, for what reason it is her policy to recruit 13,000 additional neighbourhood police officers.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Neighbourhood policing is the bedrock of the British policing model. Every community deserves visible, pro-active and accessible neighbourhood policing with officers tackling the issues that matter to them.

Neighbourhood policing has been decimated in recent years. The proportion of people who said that they never saw the police on the beat in their community doubled from 2010 to the year ending March 2024.

We have provided £200 million in FY 25/26 to support the first steps of delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood personnel. This major investment supports the commitment to make the country’s streets safer and reflects the scale of the challenges that many forces face and the Government’s determination to address them.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will instruct police forces to release redacted records to the hon. member for Great Yarmouth's inquiry upon request.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims, rooting out grooming gangs across the country, toughening up police action, and better understanding the current scale of offending.

Today (08 April 2025) the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, MP made a statement to Parliament setting out a detailed update on Government action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as a progress update on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse undertaken by Professor Alexis Jay.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer he was given on 8 April to question 44194. We are already taking swift action to tackle grooming gangs, including through stronger national backing for local inquiries and Baroness Casey’s audit on existing evidence of grooming gangs; therefore, we do not believe a further national inquiry is necessary.

However, we are supportive of independent local-led inquiries. Local authorities, which are responsible for delivering local services, are best placed to commission local inquiries. The best practice framework we are developing, along with the £5m fund for local authorities to undertake independent inquiries or related activity, will help deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors.

We have also taken the decision to implement the fund in a flexible way, in order to support both local authorities who want to launch full independent local inquiries; and those who want to take on more bespoke work, including in areas where inquiries have already taken place, for example through the establishment of local victims’ panels or conducting locally-led audits into the handling of historic cases.

Furthermore, the police are independent of Government, and it is the responsibility of forces to consider requests for disclosure of their records in accordance with respective records management policies; and it would be a matter for the National Police Chiefs’ Council to consider whether to appoint a liaison officer to this inquiry. Additionally, the Home Office does not collect data on police officers that were dismissed, transferred or reprimanded after raising grooming-related failures.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's inquiry into grooming gangs will be given access to documentation relating to those gangs.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims, rooting out grooming gangs across the country, toughening up police action, and better understanding the current scale of offending.

Today (08 April 2025) the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, MP made a statement to Parliament setting out a detailed update on Government action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as a progress update on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse undertaken by Professor Alexis Jay.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer he was given on 8 April to question 44194. We are already taking swift action to tackle grooming gangs, including through stronger national backing for local inquiries and Baroness Casey’s audit on existing evidence of grooming gangs; therefore, we do not believe a further national inquiry is necessary.

However, we are supportive of independent local-led inquiries. Local authorities, which are responsible for delivering local services, are best placed to commission local inquiries. The best practice framework we are developing, along with the £5m fund for local authorities to undertake independent inquiries or related activity, will help deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors.

We have also taken the decision to implement the fund in a flexible way, in order to support both local authorities who want to launch full independent local inquiries; and those who want to take on more bespoke work, including in areas where inquiries have already taken place, for example through the establishment of local victims’ panels or conducting locally-led audits into the handling of historic cases.

Furthermore, the police are independent of Government, and it is the responsibility of forces to consider requests for disclosure of their records in accordance with respective records management policies; and it would be a matter for the National Police Chiefs’ Council to consider whether to appoint a liaison officer to this inquiry. Additionally, the Home Office does not collect data on police officers that were dismissed, transferred or reprimanded after raising grooming-related failures.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department provides (a) training and (b) guidance to police on handling politically sensitive grooming gang cases.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims, rooting out grooming gangs across the country, toughening up police action, and better understanding the current scale of offending.

Today (08 April 2025) the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, MP made a statement to Parliament setting out a detailed update on Government action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as a progress update on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse undertaken by Professor Alexis Jay.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer he was given on 8 April to question 44194. We are already taking swift action to tackle grooming gangs, including through stronger national backing for local inquiries and Baroness Casey’s audit on existing evidence of grooming gangs; therefore, we do not believe a further national inquiry is necessary.

However, we are supportive of independent local-led inquiries. Local authorities, which are responsible for delivering local services, are best placed to commission local inquiries. The best practice framework we are developing, along with the £5m fund for local authorities to undertake independent inquiries or related activity, will help deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors.

We have also taken the decision to implement the fund in a flexible way, in order to support both local authorities who want to launch full independent local inquiries; and those who want to take on more bespoke work, including in areas where inquiries have already taken place, for example through the establishment of local victims’ panels or conducting locally-led audits into the handling of historic cases.

Furthermore, the police are independent of Government, and it is the responsibility of forces to consider requests for disclosure of their records in accordance with respective records management policies; and it would be a matter for the National Police Chiefs’ Council to consider whether to appoint a liaison officer to this inquiry. Additionally, the Home Office does not collect data on police officers that were dismissed, transferred or reprimanded after raising grooming-related failures.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to ensure whistleblowers in child protection cases are protected.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims, rooting out grooming gangs across the country, toughening up police action, and better understanding the current scale of offending.

Today (08 April 2025) the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, MP made a statement to Parliament setting out a detailed update on Government action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as a progress update on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse undertaken by Professor Alexis Jay.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer he was given on 8 April to question 44194. We are already taking swift action to tackle grooming gangs, including through stronger national backing for local inquiries and Baroness Casey’s audit on existing evidence of grooming gangs; therefore, we do not believe a further national inquiry is necessary.

However, we are supportive of independent local-led inquiries. Local authorities, which are responsible for delivering local services, are best placed to commission local inquiries. The best practice framework we are developing, along with the £5m fund for local authorities to undertake independent inquiries or related activity, will help deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors.

We have also taken the decision to implement the fund in a flexible way, in order to support both local authorities who want to launch full independent local inquiries; and those who want to take on more bespoke work, including in areas where inquiries have already taken place, for example through the establishment of local victims’ panels or conducting locally-led audits into the handling of historic cases.

Furthermore, the police are independent of Government, and it is the responsibility of forces to consider requests for disclosure of their records in accordance with respective records management policies; and it would be a matter for the National Police Chiefs’ Council to consider whether to appoint a liaison officer to this inquiry. Additionally, the Home Office does not collect data on police officers that were dismissed, transferred or reprimanded after raising grooming-related failures.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether (a) officials and (b) social workers who (i) raised concerns, (ii) resigned and (iii) whistle-blew will be (A) protected and (B) encouraged to testify to the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's private inquiry into grooming gangs.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims, rooting out grooming gangs across the country, toughening up police action, and better understanding the current scale of offending.

Today (08 April 2025) the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, MP made a statement to Parliament setting out a detailed update on Government action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as a progress update on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse undertaken by Professor Alexis Jay.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer he was given on 8 April to question 44194. We are already taking swift action to tackle grooming gangs, including through stronger national backing for local inquiries and Baroness Casey’s audit on existing evidence of grooming gangs; therefore, we do not believe a further national inquiry is necessary.

However, we are supportive of independent local-led inquiries. Local authorities, which are responsible for delivering local services, are best placed to commission local inquiries. The best practice framework we are developing, along with the £5m fund for local authorities to undertake independent inquiries or related activity, will help deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors.

We have also taken the decision to implement the fund in a flexible way, in order to support both local authorities who want to launch full independent local inquiries; and those who want to take on more bespoke work, including in areas where inquiries have already taken place, for example through the establishment of local victims’ panels or conducting locally-led audits into the handling of historic cases.

Furthermore, the police are independent of Government, and it is the responsibility of forces to consider requests for disclosure of their records in accordance with respective records management policies; and it would be a matter for the National Police Chiefs’ Council to consider whether to appoint a liaison officer to this inquiry. Additionally, the Home Office does not collect data on police officers that were dismissed, transferred or reprimanded after raising grooming-related failures.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will recommend the police appoint a liaison to support the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's inquiry into rape gangs.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims, rooting out grooming gangs across the country, toughening up police action, and better understanding the current scale of offending.

Today (08 April 2025) the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, MP made a statement to Parliament setting out a detailed update on Government action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as a progress update on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse undertaken by Professor Alexis Jay.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer he was given on 8 April to question 44194. We are already taking swift action to tackle grooming gangs, including through stronger national backing for local inquiries and Baroness Casey’s audit on existing evidence of grooming gangs; therefore, we do not believe a further national inquiry is necessary.

However, we are supportive of independent local-led inquiries. Local authorities, which are responsible for delivering local services, are best placed to commission local inquiries. The best practice framework we are developing, along with the £5m fund for local authorities to undertake independent inquiries or related activity, will help deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors.

We have also taken the decision to implement the fund in a flexible way, in order to support both local authorities who want to launch full independent local inquiries; and those who want to take on more bespoke work, including in areas where inquiries have already taken place, for example through the establishment of local victims’ panels or conducting locally-led audits into the handling of historic cases.

Furthermore, the police are independent of Government, and it is the responsibility of forces to consider requests for disclosure of their records in accordance with respective records management policies; and it would be a matter for the National Police Chiefs’ Council to consider whether to appoint a liaison officer to this inquiry. Additionally, the Home Office does not collect data on police officers that were dismissed, transferred or reprimanded after raising grooming-related failures.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the affordability of the cost of a British passport.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Home Office laid an amendment to the Passport (Fees) Regulations 2022 on 19 March 2025 which increased fees payable for passport applications from 10 April 2025.

An Economic Impact Assessment and Equalities Impact Assessment have been published in relation to those passport fee increases and can be found via the following links: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2025/55/pdfs/ukia_20250055_en.pdf and https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/363/pdfs/uksiod_20250363_en_002.pdf.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a person's passport can be used to prove their (a) biological sex, (b) genetic sex, (c) sex at birth and (d) sex as legally defined.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer I gave her on 31 March to question 41234.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the starting figure was upon which the planned 13,000 additional neighbourhood police officers will be in addition to.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is committed to ensuring police forces are supported to tackle crime effectively and protect the communities they serve. We are clear that visible policing is essential to restoring public confidence in the police.

As such, total funding of the £17.6 billion allocated to police forces win 2025/26, an increase of up to £1.2 billion compared to the 2024-25 police funding settlement – a significant increase, and more than the increase last year. This equates to a 7.1% cash increase, and 4.6% real terms increase in funding. This includes funding to support the costs of the 24-25 pay award, the increase in the employer national insurance contributions, funding for officer maintenance and an additional £200 million to kickstart the first phase of 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles. A total of up to £376.8 million has been allocated to support of police officer numbers in England and Wales in 2025-26.

The Government expects forces to use the resources available to them effectively, to tackle crime and protect the public. Forces are operationally independent; therefore, it is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions to make operational decisions based on their local knowledge and experience. Robust workforce plans will ensure forces can continue to manage budgets whilst maintaining officer numbers and effectively deploying resources to serve and support communities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) police officer, (b) Police Community Support Officer and (c) Special Constable roles are due to be reduced in 2025-26 by police forces.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is committed to ensuring police forces are supported to tackle crime effectively and protect the communities they serve. We are clear that visible policing is essential to restoring public confidence in the police.

As such, total funding of the £17.6 billion allocated to police forces win 2025/26, an increase of up to £1.2 billion compared to the 2024-25 police funding settlement – a significant increase, and more than the increase last year. This equates to a 7.1% cash increase, and 4.6% real terms increase in funding. This includes funding to support the costs of the 24-25 pay award, the increase in the employer national insurance contributions, funding for officer maintenance and an additional £200 million to kickstart the first phase of 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles. A total of up to £376.8 million has been allocated to support of police officer numbers in England and Wales in 2025-26.

The Government expects forces to use the resources available to them effectively, to tackle crime and protect the public. Forces are operationally independent; therefore, it is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions to make operational decisions based on their local knowledge and experience. Robust workforce plans will ensure forces can continue to manage budgets whilst maintaining officer numbers and effectively deploying resources to serve and support communities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the projected recruitment figure is for neighbourhood policing roles in each year between 2025-26 and 2028-29.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is committed to ensuring police forces are supported to tackle crime effectively and protect the communities they serve. We are clear that visible policing is essential to restoring public confidence in the police.

As such, total funding of the £17.6 billion allocated to police forces win 2025/26, an increase of up to £1.2 billion compared to the 2024-25 police funding settlement – a significant increase, and more than the increase last year. This equates to a 7.1% cash increase, and 4.6% real terms increase in funding. This includes funding to support the costs of the 24-25 pay award, the increase in the employer national insurance contributions, funding for officer maintenance and an additional £200 million to kickstart the first phase of 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles. A total of up to £376.8 million has been allocated to support of police officer numbers in England and Wales in 2025-26.

The Government expects forces to use the resources available to them effectively, to tackle crime and protect the public. Forces are operationally independent; therefore, it is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions to make operational decisions based on their local knowledge and experience. Robust workforce plans will ensure forces can continue to manage budgets whilst maintaining officer numbers and effectively deploying resources to serve and support communities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the baseline figure is that the recruitment of additional neighbourhood police officers will be benchmarked against.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is committed to ensuring police forces are supported to tackle crime effectively and protect the communities they serve. We are clear that visible policing is essential to restoring public confidence in the police.

As such, total funding of the £17.6 billion allocated to police forces win 2025/26, an increase of up to £1.2 billion compared to the 2024-25 police funding settlement – a significant increase, and more than the increase last year. This equates to a 7.1% cash increase, and 4.6% real terms increase in funding. This includes funding to support the costs of the 24-25 pay award, the increase in the employer national insurance contributions, funding for officer maintenance and an additional £200 million to kickstart the first phase of 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles. A total of up to £376.8 million has been allocated to support of police officer numbers in England and Wales in 2025-26.

The Government expects forces to use the resources available to them effectively, to tackle crime and protect the public. Forces are operationally independent; therefore, it is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions to make operational decisions based on their local knowledge and experience. Robust workforce plans will ensure forces can continue to manage budgets whilst maintaining officer numbers and effectively deploying resources to serve and support communities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on tackling shop lifting.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The measures relating to shop theft in the Crime and Policing Bill will be enacted in England and Wales; however, we have had regular engagement with the Northern Ireland Executive – and will continue to do so as the Bill makes its passage through Parliament - on measures in the Bill.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the graduate route visa scheme.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

We keep all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of hours spent by West Midlands Police investigating fly-tipping related incidents in the last two months.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The requested data is not currently collected by the Home Office.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many firearms-related offences there were by the type of offence in (a) Birmingham and (b) the West Midlands in each of the last five years.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on offences involving firearms recorded by the police in England and Wales at the Police Force Area level.

These data, by offence group and type of weapon, are published in Open Data Tables, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6793b6b48a0829895f24bf55/prc-firearms-open-data-march2009-onwards-300125.ods

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many firearms-related offences there were by the type of firearm in (a) Birmingham and (b) the West Midlands in each of the last five years.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on offences involving firearms recorded by the police in England and Wales at the Police Force Area level.

These data, by offence group and type of weapon, are published in Open Data Tables, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6793b6b48a0829895f24bf55/prc-firearms-open-data-march2009-onwards-300125.ods

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many non-air firearms-related offences were recorded in (a) Birmingham, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England in each of the last 15 years.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on offences involving firearms recorded by the police in England and Wales at the Police Force Area level.

These data, by offence group and type of weapon, are published in Open Data Tables, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6793b6b48a0829895f24bf55/prc-firearms-open-data-march2009-onwards-300125.ods

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to publish an updated version of the report entitled The economic and social costs of crime second edition, published on 23 July 2018.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Economic and Social Costs of Crime, Second Edition was published by the Home Office in July 2018. An update to the economic and social cost of fraud against individuals has since been published in the Fraud Strategy (May 2023). Together, these documents are currently the most comprehensive source for the estimated economic and social costs of these specified crimes against individuals and businesses.

The Home Office plans to publish a report containing updated estimates of the costs of the included crimes in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to lower (a) visa and (b) administrative costs for research organisations.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Government keeps the immigration system and fees for immigration and nationality applications under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders.

The Government will also continue to set fees for immigration and nationality applications at a level to ensure the migration and borders system is sustainably funded. It is right that a greater share of the cost of operating the system is borne by those applicants who directly use it, rather than the taxpayer.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) police officers and (b) workers in her Department submitted their resignation in each of the past five years.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number of police officers leaving the police service, including resignations, in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

Information on the number of police officers leaving the police service, broken down by reason for leaving, between the years ending 31 March 2007 to 2024 can be found in the ‘Leavers Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/669a917cce1fd0da7b59294f/open-data-table-police-workforce-leavers-240724.ods.

Information for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 is due to be published in Summer 2025.

The number of Home Office staff who have submitted their resignation in the last five years can be found in the table below.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to increase the (a) role and (b) resources of (i) the National Wildlife Crime Unit and (ii) Border Force to support the (A) protection of wildlife, (B) communities and (C) ecological recovery.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Wildlife crime can have devastating consequences for our natural environments and countryside communities. We are committed to reducing crime and anyone exploiting or deliberately harming British wildlife should face the full force of the law.

Recognising the notable successes of the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), we are providing funding this financial year (2025/26) of £450,000, an increase on previous years, ensuring this specialist policing unit can continue to help police forces and other law enforcement agencies across the UK to tackle wildlife crime, including disrupting serious and organised crime. The NWCU also supports cases referred by Border Force to the National Crime Agency or to individual forces and is the UK policing focal point for EUROPOL and INTERPOL wildlife crime activity.

Border Force’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) officers are dedicated to preventing the importation and exportation of endangered animals and plants, as well as working in partnership with the legal trade and enforcement partners from across the UK to eradicate this ruthless and exploitative trade which has a devastating environmental impact.

Additionally, all new Border Force officers receive mandatory training on CITES to aid the detection of illicit goods linked to the illegal wildlife trade.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on the amount of cannabis seized in the UK over the last 12 months.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office latest published data on cannabis seizures made by the police and Border Force for England and Wales covers the period April 2023-March 2024 and it can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/seizures-of-drugs-in-england-and-wales-financial-year-ending-2024

The latest published statistics show that police forces and Border Force seized 85.01 tonnes of herbal cannabis, 4.16 tonnes of resin cannabis and 0.48 million cannabis plants in England and Wales in the year ending March 2024.

Border Force also release quarterly transparency data which include cannabis seizures. The latest available data are below:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/border-force-transparency-data-q4-2024

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 introducing a criminal offence of honour based violence or abuse.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

‘Honour’-based abuse (HBA) is an umbrella term, covering specific crimes such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, but also other forms of abuse that take place in an 'honour' context.

While there is not a specific offence of Honour Based Abuse, there are a number of measures in place to help ensure consistency. The college of policing has published policing guidance and a national policing strategy for HBA, FGM and forced marriage and the government has in place statutory multi-agency guidance and free e-learning on forced marriage and FGM to support all professionals. The sentencing guidelines for cases involving domestic abuse also apply to Honour Based Abuse.

Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority for this Government and the new VAWG strategy will include action to tackle HBA. The strategy will be published later this year.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many regulatory tests were carried out on animals where non-animal methods were available in 2024.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) protects animals in scientific research by prohibiting their use if there is a practicable and validated non-animal alternative that would achieve the scientific outcome(s) sought.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will meet representatives of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign to discuss the potential merits of launching an inquiry into the events at Orgreave during the miners' strike.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Secretary and the Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime have already met with the Orgreave and Truth and Justice Campaign and the National Union of Mineworkers to discuss the Government’s manifesto commitment of holding an investigation or inquiry into the events at Orgreave. in October 2024. Ministers found this to be a positive meeting and have been meeting with a number of stakeholders to discuss the manifesto commitment for an investigation or inquiry into the events at Orgreave.

Next steps will be announced in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her planned timeline is for launching an inquiry into the events at Orgreave during the miners' strike.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Secretary and the Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime have already met with the Orgreave and Truth and Justice Campaign and the National Union of Mineworkers to discuss the Government’s manifesto commitment of holding an investigation or inquiry into the events at Orgreave. in October 2024. Ministers found this to be a positive meeting and have been meeting with a number of stakeholders to discuss the manifesto commitment for an investigation or inquiry into the events at Orgreave.

Next steps will be announced in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the (a) College of Policing and (b) National Police Chiefs' Council policing framework for violence against women and girls include male victims.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government adopts a single consistent definition of violence against women and girls (VAWG) which recognises that women and girls are disproportionately affected by certain crimes but includes all victims, including male victims. The police are operationally independent and have developed their own working definition as part of their policing framework, which recognises the same offences but does not include men and boys.

These differences do not impact the way VAWG crimes are investigated or recorded by the police. The different definitions also do not impact on the Government measuring trends, for which we utilise all available data that aligns with the agreed Government definition.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Public Order Act 2023 on (a) freedom of assembly and (b) peaceful protest.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

We have committed to carry out post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 beginning in May 2025. This process will review how the legislation has operated since it came into force.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme on tourism.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Electronic travel authorisations (ETAs) have been introduced to enhance our ability to screen travellers upstream and stop those who pose a threat from travelling to the UK. ETAs will help deliver a more streamlined, digital immigration system which will be quicker and more secure for the millions of people who pass through the UK border each year.

The Home Office published an initial impact assessment on the introduction of ETAs, and a further Impact Assessment published alongside the Fee Regulations in March that increased the chargeable ETA fee (alongside other fees) - The Immigration, Nationality and Passport (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2025.

The experience of other countries with similar schemes in operation shows that genuine visitors are unlikely to be deterred by the small additional cost. For example, the USA (which operates the ESTA scheme) has seen continued growth in overseas visitor volumes since the introduction of the ESTA in 2010.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2025 to Question 32890 on Homes for Ukraine Scheme, whether her Department plans to publish eligibility criteria for Ukrainian nationals resident in the UK wishing to transition to alternative routes to settlement after the expiry of the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the absence of a bespoke long-term route on Ukrainians in the UK.

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 our offer of temporary sanctuary under the Ukraine Schemes does 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.

Those granted permission under one of the Ukraine Schemes, which provide full rights to work and study, can apply to switch into other visa routes for which they qualify even if their visa does not normally allow them to do so. The link to the page providing further guidance for Ukrainian nationals who are in the UK with a visa is here: Ukrainian nationals in the UK: visa support - GOV.UK.

We keep the Ukraine schemes under continuous review in line with the ongoing conflict.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of offering an official apology to Ali Kololo.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The operationally independent Metropolitan Police continue to progress matters relating to Mr. Kololo’s case. It would not be appropriate for Home Office Ministers to comment on any discussions concerning the individual.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what costs the Metropolitan Police have incurred defending the civil claim filed by Ali Kololo.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The operationally independent Metropolitan Police continue to progress matters relating to Mr. Kololo’s case. It would not be appropriate for Home Office Ministers to comment on any discussions concerning the individual.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the auditing process in place for animal testing facilities.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

All establishments licensed to breed or supply animals, or to carry out regulated procedures on animals under ASPA in Great Britain, are subject to the full requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA).

To provide assurance of compliance with the Regulations, the Regulator provides clear and accessible guidance and conducts regular on-site audits.

The published framework for audit is based on clear benchmarks and assessing compliance through organisational governance to encourage greater commitment to compliance. Both announced and unannounced site visits are undertaken within a risk- based framework to assure compliance and inspect the welfare, health, and environment of animals at any establishment.

Through a current regulatory reform programme, the Regulator is presently recruiting to have more Inspectors for audit related activities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 20 March (HL5602), what representations the government of China or its representatives have made to the Home Office relating to the latest planning application for the Chinese Embassy, prior to and after the Secretary of State's call-in decision, and on what dates.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Having conducted reasonable due diligence, we are not aware of any such representations. In any event, final decision sits with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government in her independent, quasi-judicial role.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure the safety of girls and young women in public places.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Ensuring the safety of women and girls in public spaces is a top priority for this Government. We have set out an unprecedented mission to halve the level of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in a decade. That means working to tackle threats to women’s safety in all areas of their lives, including in public places.

Through our Safer Streets Mission, we are driving action across Government to achieve this. We are spearheading a cross-Government approach to preventing and tackling VAWG through the Safer Streets Mission Board, and this includes looking at what action we can take to make public spaces safer for women and girls.

We know that public sexual harassment often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women and girls, feeling unsafe on our streets. That is why tackling it is an important part of our mission and will be addressed in the forthcoming cross-government VAWG strategy.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with the Scottish Government's agriculture and rural economy directorates on the workforce needs of the (a) agriculture, (b) fishing and (c) rural economy sector and the skilled worker visa since 31 January 2020.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Home Office and Ministers meet regularly with Scottish Government Ministers and officials to discuss all aspects of Home Office business, including immigration and our work linking skills and visa policy to ensure our immigration system works in the interests of the whole of the UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Greater Manchester Police to reduce response times in north Greater Manchester.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the response given to UIN 31037 on 28^th February 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing physical exit checks at borders.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the completeness of the data collected under the exit checks programme.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff in her Department have job titles that include the words (a) equality, (b) diversity, (c) inclusion, (d) gender, (e) LGBT and (f) race.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer he was given by my predecessor on 4 March 2024 in response to the same question (PQ UIN 15470).

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 42254 on Licensing Laws, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of continuing the alcohol licensing easement for (a) pavement licences and (b) takeaway pints.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made to the House on 27 February.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 42254 on Licensing Laws, whether licensed premises must apply for variations to their licence to continue to serve alcohol within the curtilage of a pavement licence area.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made to the House on 27 February.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to reverse the regulatory changes to (a) pavement licences and (b) takeaway pints from the expiry of the covid easements on 1 April 2025.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made to the House on 27 February.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the impact on business of freight crime in (a) England and (b) the West Midlands; and if she will undertake an assessment of trends in the level of freight crime in (i) England and (ii) the West Midlands.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government understands the significant and damaging impact freight crime has on businesses and drivers and we are carefully monitoring the increases in its frequency. The experience of cargo theft, where criminals are ripping the sides of lorries and taking the goods inside, is a highly alarming one for dedicated HGV drivers to go through, and the Government is committed to tackling this crime, and protecting those drivers.

We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders towards those ends, and I recently met with Rachel Taylor MP, and Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads at the Department for Transport (DfT), specifically to discuss freight crime. The DfT also hosts the Freight Council, which regularly discusses crime against freight companies, and which is attended by Home Office officials to engage with the sector on this issue.

We also recognise the strong links between freight crime and serious, organised crime, which is a major threat to our country’s national security and prosperity and is estimated to cost the UK at least £47 billion annually. This Government is committed to tackling serious and organised crime in all its forms, and we are continuing to work closely with Opal, the police’s national intelligence unit focused on serious organised acquisitive crime, which has multiple thematic desks, including a vehicle crime intelligence desk which covers freight crime.

As well as wider offence data, the Home Office collects and publishes data on specific crimes affecting commercial business premises in England and Wales, including premises in the Transport, Accommodation and Food sector, as part of the Commercial Victimisation Survey (CVS). Neither data source currently provides the level of detail necessary to separately identify freight crimes, or the number of offences taking place in different regions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support Staffordshire Police to reduce rates of freight crime.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government understands the significant and damaging impact freight crime has on businesses and drivers and we are carefully monitoring the increases in its frequency. The experience of cargo theft, where criminals are ripping the sides of lorries and taking the goods inside, is a highly alarming one for dedicated HGV drivers to go through, and the Government is committed to tackling this crime, and protecting those drivers.

We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders towards those ends, and I recently met with Rachel Taylor MP, and Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads at the Department for Transport (DfT), specifically to discuss freight crime. The DfT also hosts the Freight Council, which regularly discusses crime against freight companies, and which is attended by Home Office officials to engage with the sector on this issue.

We also recognise the strong links between freight crime and serious, organised crime, which is a major threat to our country’s national security and prosperity and is estimated to cost the UK at least £47 billion annually. This Government is committed to tackling serious and organised crime in all its forms, and we are continuing to work closely with Opal, the police’s national intelligence unit focused on serious organised acquisitive crime, which has multiple thematic desks, including a vehicle crime intelligence desk which covers freight crime.

As well as wider offence data, the Home Office collects and publishes data on specific crimes affecting commercial business premises in England and Wales, including premises in the Transport, Accommodation and Food sector, as part of the Commercial Victimisation Survey (CVS). Neither data source currently provides the level of detail necessary to separately identify freight crimes, or the number of offences taking place in different regions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to data table 7.2 of her Department's statistics entitled Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain 2023: data tables, published on 11 September 2024, what legislation on medicinal products for human use required the use of dogs in regulatory procedures.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

We are working with regulators to see how advances in technology can and will reduce use and phase out use in some areas.

The explicit requirement for using animals in toxicology tests comes from section 50 (5) to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (as amended 2019 and 2020). Therefore, in most cases, new drugs are required to be tested in two animal species for public safety and efficacy purposes. There are rare exceptions where the medicine has no pharmacological effect in any species other than humans where this may not be applied.

Although much research can be done without using animals, there are still purposes where use of live animals is essential, as the complexity of whole biological systems cannot be reliably replicated using validated alternative methodologies. Animal testing is therefore required by all global medicines regulators, including the UK’s Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). We are working with regulators to see how advances in technology can and will reduce use and phase out use in some areas.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department plans to take to tackle freight crime.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government understands the significant and damaging impact freight crime has on businesses and drivers and we are carefully monitoring the increases in its frequency. The experience of cargo theft, where criminals are ripping the sides of lorries and taking the goods inside, is a highly alarming one for dedicated HGV drivers to go through, and the Government is committed to tackling this crime, and protecting those drivers.

We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders towards those ends, and I recently met with Rachel Taylor MP, and Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads at the Department for Transport (DfT), specifically to discuss freight crime. The DfT also hosts the Freight Council, which regularly discusses crime against freight companies, and which is attended by Home Office officials to engage with the sector on this issue.

We also recognise the strong links between freight crime and serious, organised crime, which is a major threat to our country’s national security and prosperity and is estimated to cost the UK at least £47 billion annually. This Government is committed to tackling serious and organised crime in all its forms, and we are continuing to work closely with Opal, the police’s national intelligence unit focused on serious organised acquisitive crime, which has multiple thematic desks, including a vehicle crime intelligence desk which covers freight crime.

As well as wider offence data, the Home Office collects and publishes data on specific crimes affecting commercial business premises in England and Wales, including premises in the Transport, Accommodation and Food sector, as part of the Commercial Victimisation Survey (CVS). Neither data source currently provides the level of detail necessary to separately identify freight crimes, or the number of offences taking place in different regions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The UK Civil Service only formally observes the government-set bank holidays.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of cybercrime from North Korea on the UK.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The UK is one of the most digital, connected and online countries in the world. This increases our exposure to a range of cyber threats including from states, ransomware gangs, and cyber criminals. Cyber crime causes immense damage to people and businesses across the world and is a top priority for the Government.

The UK is concerned around the threat DPRK poses through cyber activity, not only to cybersecurity, but to economic security and national security. The UK works closely with our allies to deter all malign actors from conducting malicious cyber activity. This includes through targeted sanctions, public attributions and working closely with partners to encourage capacity building and cyber deterrence.

We have been clear that we will not tolerate malicious cyber activity. The DPRK has repeatedly acted in violation of internationally agreed cyber norms. The NCSC continues to work with partners to understand and address the risk to the UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the projected number of police officers recruited is in each of the next four years.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The 2025-26 police funding settlement provides funding of up to £19.6 billion for the policing system in England and Wales. Total funding to police forces will be up to £17.6 billion, an increase of up to £1.2 billion compared to the 2024-25 police funding settlement.

This includes up to £376.8 million, allocated to directly support the maintenance of police officers across England and Wales in 2025-26, as well as £200 million to kickstart the first phase of delivering 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the benefits of creating a long service award to recognise PCSOs with 20 years of service.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office will consider any proposal for national long service recognition for Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

It is only right that we recognise the commitment shown by PCSOs across the country and whose role are undeniably at the sharp end of policing, diffusing community tensions and providing visible policing presence in our communities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 902429 on Orgreave, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on an investigation or inquiry into the events at Orgreave.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Secretary and the Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention have been meeting with a number of stakeholders to discuss the manifesto commitment for an investigation or inquiry into the events at Orgreave.

Next steps will be announced in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) police officers, (b) Police Community Support Officers, (c) special constables and (d) staff Cambridgeshire Constabulary were budgeted to recruit in each of the last five financial years.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number of police officers joining the police service in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

Information on the number of police officers joining Cambridgeshire Constabulary between the years ending 31 March 2007 to 2024 can be found in the ‘Joiners Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/678fab54c88969ba1bc2ad6d/open-data-table-police-workforce-joiners-220125.ods.

Information for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 is due to be published in Summer 2025.

The Home Office does not currently collect information on the number of police officers, Police Community Support Officers, special constables or police staff a police force was budgeted to recruit.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) new and (b) redeployed officers will be required in order to provide a named police officer for every town.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is committed to providing strong neighbourhood policing to everyone in England and Wales, no matter where they live.

As the Prime Minister announced on 10 April, by July, every community will have named and contactable officers dedicated to addressing the issues facing their communities as part of the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. We have worked closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other sector leaders to develop this Guarantee and ensure that it is deliverable.

As of March 2024, there were 17,023 neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs. The Guarantee will provide 13,000 additional neighbourhood police by 2029.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria has been used to calculate the number of police officers required to provide a named officer in every town.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is committed to providing strong neighbourhood policing to everyone in England and Wales, no matter where they live.

As the Prime Minister announced on 10 April, by July, every community will have named and contactable officers dedicated to addressing the issues facing their communities as part of the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. We have worked closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other sector leaders to develop this Guarantee and ensure that it is deliverable.

As of March 2024, there were 17,023 neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs. The Guarantee will provide 13,000 additional neighbourhood police by 2029.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers were recruited in Cambridgeshire in (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number of police officers joining the police service in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

Information on the number of police officers joining Cambridgeshire Constabulary between the years ending 31 March 2007 to 2024 can be found in the ‘Joiners Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/678fab54c88969ba1bc2ad6d/open-data-table-police-workforce-joiners-220125.ods.

Information for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 is due to be published in Summer 2025.

The Home Office does not currently collect information on the number of police officers, Police Community Support Officers, special constables or police staff a police force was budgeted to recruit.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on the cumulative number of years of experience of police officers by force.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the length of service of police officers in post, as at 31 March each year, in the ‘Police workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

This data has been published since 2016 and can be found in the open data table ‘Police workforce, England and Wales, 31 March 2024: length of service open data tables’, available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/669a920ba3c2a28abb50d34d/open-data-table-police-workforce-length-of-service-240724.ods. This breaks down officers’ length of service into grouped categories.

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Found: children’ (2025): https://www.rightsandsecurity.org/assets/downloads/Prevent_database_report.pdf 3 Home Office

Found: Government could connect policy across departments to break down current silos that include DSIT, the Home Office

Found: contracted legal and law enforcement experts from around the world, including secondees from the UK Home Office

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Found: 1 Dan Jarvis MBE MP Security Minister 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF www.gov.uk/home-office

Found: JointCtteeNSS parliament.uk Friday 28 March 2025 Dan Jarvis MBE MP Minister for Security Home Office

Found: abuse: Preliminary findings on the prevalence and impact of economic abuse on women in the UK 2 Home Office

Found: We are engaged with Treasury and Home Office colleagues at the moment.

Found: We have a huge role to play on migration—on returns—but alongside the Home Office, on the upstream work

Found: We know that your department and the Home Office have also been looking at that.

Found: the retail sector HC 355 8th Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage HC 351 7th Asylum accommodation: Home Office

Found: budgets only and in the IAC additional sittings are funded from other sources, for example by the Home Office

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Found: proportion of religiously motivated hate crime in England and Wales since 2017/18, according to Home Office

Found: The annual cost is £30,000 per annum, formerly met by the Home Office.

Found: that, when I arrived, was dealing with a huge backlog of cases that it had inherited from the Home Office

Found: David Burton-Sampson: Jess Phillips, who is in our Home Office team does a lot of work in this area

Found: Whilst the latest Home Office statistics show that main study visa applications were up in January 2025

Found: coordination framework, chaired by the Minister for Media and supported by DCMS, DSIT, DfE and the Home Office

Found: pausing for a moment, just so everybody knows, there is an urgent question on Kashmir at 12.30 pm, a Home Office

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Found: There has been a general increase in HBA-related offences as recorded by the Home Office in the last

Found: Our service funders include the UK Home Office, Refuge, London Councils and Kent PCC 2.

Found: The Home Office, with support from the FCDO, leads the government's efforts on transnational repression

Found: We also work with, and on occasions need assistance, from the Home Office, including support in visa

Found: The UK Visas and Immigration Guidance provides the basis upon which the Home Office considers asylum

Found: in the UK may face prolonged preparation time for overseas travel plans.They have to apply for Home Office

Found: Practice has had some constructive engagement with the Defending Democracy Task Force based in the Home Office

Found: Co-operation) Act 2003 and the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (External Requests and Orders) Order 2005. 2 Home Office

Found: hold countries using repressive tactics accountable. 2) The NCA alone, or in liaison with the Home Office

Found: Policy teams within the Home Office, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and the Ministry

Found: tactics of the perpetrator countries, it is vital for administrations in host countries, such as the Home Office

Found: While we welcome efforts by the Home Office to improve business compliance and the quality of statements

Found: 2019; Businesses and Human Resource Centre, Modern Slavery Act: Five Years of Reporting, 2021 19 Home Office

Found: Border Force is a law enforcement command within the Home Office.

Found: It would involve the Home Office looking at issues of media literacy and its potential, or the lack

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Found: there is a need for better integration of care across CMHs and specialist drug/alcohol services, (Home Office

Found: Lord Hanson of Flint Minister of State 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF www.gov.uk/home-office

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been paid in application fees for indefinite leave for members of the armed forces on discharge in each year since 2015.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

This information is not held by the Ministry of Defence. Individuals who choose to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK on discharge, also known as Settlement, submit their application and any associated fee to the Home Office.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to develop a strategy for (a) preventing and (b) responding to wildfires.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Prime Minister announced in February 2025 that the Home Office’s fire functions would move to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) from the 1 April 2025 under a machinery of government (MOG) change. This included its responsibilities as lead government department for wildfire.

In the Third National Adaptation Plan (2023) the previous government committed to scoping a wildfire strategy and action plan. Prior to the MOG the Home Office convened a number of stakeholder workshops with the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra), its’ agencies, and other stakeholders to identify policy options for addressing wildfire risk. The outcomes of this work are currently being considered.

Since 2024 the government has funded a National Resilience Wildfire Advisor to assess what additional national capabilities might be needed in the fire sector to increase resilience to wildfire risk. In addition to ensuring the effective coordination of approaches across the sector, MHCLG has also been working with other departments, stakeholders and partners to identify further research opportunities to enhance our understanding of wildfire risk.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of recognising the Royal Observation Corps as having served as a (a) regular and (b) reserve for the armed forces.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Royal Observer Corps (ROC) was formed by a Royal Warrant on 21 May 1947; this Warrant was re-issued by Her Late Majesty The Queen several times, most recently in July 1966. The Warrant laid down that, while the Defence Council would be responsible for the ROC’s organisation, training, financing and conditions of service, amongst other elements, for operational control it came under the Home Office.

This was reflected in the ROC’s own Regulations which stated that it was a uniformed civilian organisation, subject to the provision of the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) civilian pay, staff and travel regulations. In addition, the regulations stated that the Commandant ROC was responsible to the Home Office for its operations, and to the MOD for administrative matters with direct access to the Assistant Under-Secretary Civilian Management (Administrators).

From this, it is very clear the ROC was a civilian, and not a military, organisation, which, even when interacting with the MOD, was treated on the same terms as Civil Servants rather than Service Personnel. For that reason, the MOD does not believe there is any rationale which would justify the retrospective recategorisation of past members of the ROC (or any other civilian defence organisation) as having been Regular or Reserve members of the Armed Forces. However, this in no way diminishes the Government’s admiration of those who performed such a vital role during the Cold War.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which Government department is responsible for the UK's events industry strategy.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The UK is a world leader in the events industry. The events industry spans many sectors and has cross-cutting interests across a number of Government Departments including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Business and Trade, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the Cabinet Office and the Home Office on safety and security elements.

The Department for Business and Trade works closely with the events sector to ensure they are engaged and able to shape developing government policy and any business issues the sector is facing are captured and addressed.

There have been a number of sector specific strategies published, including the Gold Framework which set out how the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and UK Sport work jointly to support the bidding for and staging of major sporting events at a UK level. In addition, UK Sport published a major event strategic framework, Making Live Sport Matter, which sets out a target list of major events hosting for the coming decade.

DCMS will also be launching a new Visitor Economy Growth Strategy later this year, which will include the business events industry. It will set out a clear, joined-up plan for driving growth, improving the visitor offer and strengthening the UK's appeal in an increasingly competitive global market.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle theft of electric vehicle infrastructure.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

I have raised this issue with the Home Office and my Department will continue to work with them on this.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what priority is being given to cases of suicide by sodium nitrate poisoning within the Government’s ongoing implementation of the suicide prevention strategy.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Every suicide is a tragedy that has a devastating and enduring impact on families, friends and communities. The suicide prevention strategy for England sets out priority areas and key actions to address the risk factors contributing to suicide. Tackling methods of suicides is one of these priority areas.

The Government continues to take steps to reduce access to, and awareness of, this substance. The Department of Health and Social Care leads a Concerning Methods Working Group which develops and delivers rapid targeted actions to collectively reduce public access to emerging methods of suicide, including this substance. The group involves representatives from the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, police, academics and the National Health Service, as well as Government departments including Department of Science, Innovation and Technology and the Home Office. This substance has been a particular focus of the actions implemented since the group was established and continues to be a priority of the Government’s approach to preventing suicides.

The group has worked with retailers and manufacturers to prevent this substance being sold for the purpose of suicide and the Home Office works with retailers to raise awareness and to remind them of their obligation to report suspicious activity relating to this action.

We continue to work operationally with a range of organisations, and we are actively considering further opportunities alongside the NHS, Border Force, police, charities and a range of Government departments.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to introduce restrictions on purchasing sodium nitrate in quantities that pose a significant risk to (a) self harm and (b) life.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are committed to implementing our suicide prevention strategy for England, which sets out priority areas and key actions to address the risk factors contributing to suicide and self-harm. Tackling methods of suicide and self-harm is one of these priority areas.

The Government continues to take steps to reduce access to, and awareness of, sodium nitrate. The Department leads a Concerning Methods Working Group, which develops and delivers rapid targeted actions to collectively reduce public access to, and awareness of, emerging methods of suicide, including the use of sodium nitrate. The group involves representatives from Government departments, including the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology and the Home Office, as well as representatives from the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector, police, academics, and the National Health Service. This substance has been a particular focus of the actions implemented since the group was established and continues to be a priority in discussions about further action to be taken.

The group has worked with manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers to reduce access to this substance, where people may be intending to use it for suicide.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to include sustainable funding for domestic abuse perpetrator intervention programmes in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Home Office is the lead department responsible for domestic abuse funding. The allocation of funding across departmental budgetary responsibilities will be confirmed through the upcoming Spending Review.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 37596 on Ammunition: Lost Property and Theft, whether any losses have been referred to the Service Prosecuting Authority.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

All losses and thefts of ammunition are rigorously investigated, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence Police, Service Police and Home Office Police Forces as appropriate. No ammunition was reported stolen during that period and no reports to the Service Prosecution Authority were made.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what is the total cost to the public purse of financial support given to asylum seekers for glasses since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Health Service is a residency-based system, which means that people who do not live here on a lawful, settled basis must contribute to the cost of their care. However, some of the most vulnerable people arriving in the United Kingdom, including refugees and asylum seekers, do not pay for NHS treatment.

Asylum seekers who are receiving support from the Home Office under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 will automatically receive a HC2 certificate for full help with health costs. From the data available it is not possible to determine the total number, or cost of, sight tests or optical vouchers provided to asylum seekers, as eligibility to NHS services and to free means-tested services is not based on immigration status. Immigration status is therefore not recorded when services are provided.

Asylum seekers are entitled to free new glasses or contact lenses in the same way as other residents meeting the means-test criteria. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/opticians/free-nhs-eye-tests-and-optical-vouchers/

The Home Office and its contractors work closely with the NHS, local authorities, and non-governmental organisations to ensure that people can access the health care and support they need.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many free eyesight tests have been given to asylum seekers since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Health Service is a residency-based system, which means that people who do not live here on a lawful, settled basis must contribute to the cost of their care. However, some of the most vulnerable people arriving in the United Kingdom, including refugees and asylum seekers, do not pay for NHS treatment.

Asylum seekers who are receiving support from the Home Office under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 will automatically receive a HC2 certificate for full help with health costs. From the data available it is not possible to determine the total number, or cost of, sight tests or optical vouchers provided to asylum seekers, as eligibility to NHS services and to free means-tested services is not based on immigration status. Immigration status is therefore not recorded when services are provided.

Asylum seekers are entitled to free new glasses or contact lenses in the same way as other residents meeting the means-test criteria. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/opticians/free-nhs-eye-tests-and-optical-vouchers/

The Home Office and its contractors work closely with the NHS, local authorities, and non-governmental organisations to ensure that people can access the health care and support they need.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what financial assistance is available to pay for glasses following a free eyesight test for asylum seekers.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Health Service is a residency-based system, which means that people who do not live here on a lawful, settled basis must contribute to the cost of their care. However, some of the most vulnerable people arriving in the United Kingdom, including refugees and asylum seekers, do not pay for NHS treatment.

Asylum seekers who are receiving support from the Home Office under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 will automatically receive a HC2 certificate for full help with health costs. From the data available it is not possible to determine the total number, or cost of, sight tests or optical vouchers provided to asylum seekers, as eligibility to NHS services and to free means-tested services is not based on immigration status. Immigration status is therefore not recorded when services are provided.

Asylum seekers are entitled to free new glasses or contact lenses in the same way as other residents meeting the means-test criteria. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/opticians/free-nhs-eye-tests-and-optical-vouchers/

The Home Office and its contractors work closely with the NHS, local authorities, and non-governmental organisations to ensure that people can access the health care and support they need.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Terms of reference for VfM Study on procuring short-term residential accommodation, published on 11 March 2025, how much local authorities have spent on procuring short term residential accommodation for asylum support in 2024-25.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The provision of asylum support, including accommodation, is the responsibility of the Home Office, not of local authorities. Local authorities do not provide any funding for asylum support. The Home Office’s total expenditure on asylum accommodation in 2024-25 will be confirmed in its Annual Report and Accounts in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much her Department has spent on keeping foreign nationals imprisoned in prisons in each of the last five years.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

We do not disaggregate prison run costs by nationality and the cost to hold individuals depends on category of prisons. Our unit costs for holding prisoners are published on GOV.UK alongside the HM Prison and Probation Service Annual Reports and Accounts. Data on the number of Foreign National Offenders in custody is published in Offender Management Statistics quarterly on GOV.UK.

Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced. The Ministry of Justice will work with the Home Office to pursue their deportation. Between 5 July 2024 and 22 March 2025, 3,594 FNOs have been returned – 16% more than the 3,101 in the same period 12 months prior, under the previous government.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing guidance on the sentencing of freight crime.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

This Government is highly aware of the rising frequency of freight crime and the significant and damaging impact it can have on businesses and drivers. We are determined to crack down on it.

We are committed to tackling crime and restoring public confidence in policing through our Safer Streets Mission and Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which will deliver thousands of officers across England and Wales. We are continuing to work closely with the police, wider automative industry and the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) to strengthen our response to vehicle crime. We are also continuing to work closely with Opal, the police’s national intelligence unit focused on serious organised acquisitive crime, including freight crime. The Department for Transport (DfT) hosts the Freight Council, which discusses crime against freight companies, and the Home Office works closely with DfT to engage with the sector on this issue through the Freight Council.

With regards to guidelines, guidelines for sentencing are developed and reviewed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales, in fulfilment of its statutory duty to do so. The guidelines produced provide the Court with guidance on factors that should be considered, which may affect the sentence given. They set out different levels of sentence based on the harm caused and how culpable the offender is.

It is open to individuals to approach the Council to ask that they review their guidelines. As an independent body, it is at the Council’s discretion whether to review particular guidelines, in line with its published criteria for developing or revising guidelines. This is available on its website at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/sentencing-and-the-council/about-the-sentencing-council/our-criteria-for-developing-or-revising-guidelines/.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the current backlog of outstanding cases before the First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The number of appeals in the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) that have not been determined and remain outstanding, as at December 2024, is 75,000.

Published statistics can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-2024/tribunal-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-2024.

This Government inherited a broken justice system with record and rising court backlogs. The Lord Chancellor recently announced that for 2025-26, the Ministry of Justice will provide a total budget of £2,538 million. For the Immigration and Asylum Chamber this will mean funding to support 14,400 sitting days. We expect to be able to increase this substantially with additional funding from the Home Office, taking it to near maximum capacity and helping to speed up asylum claims. This builds on the Government’s work to restore order to the immigration system so that every part – border security, case processing, appeals and returns – operates efficiently.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of tribunal appeals that are submitted by people with previous failed asylum or deportation claims.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber hears all appeals made against refusal decisions made by the Home Office on the basis of the application made to them. An asylum seeker or human rights claimant who has already appealed cannot appeal again unless they make further submissions which have not previously been considered and amount to a ‘fresh claim’.

The Tribunal does not collate data on historic failed claims that do not form the basis of the appeal before it. Accordingly, the information requested is not centrally held.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many court hours have been spent on immigration-related cases involving people with no legal right to remain in the UK in the last 12 months.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The information requested is not held centrally by HMCTS. The Home Office collect and categorise data on the numbers of people with no legal right to remain in the UK.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average length of time taken is to conclude appeals brought by migrants who have entered the UK illegally against deportation orders.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The information requested is not held centrally. Data on the arrival status of people who go on to appeal Home Office decisions is recorded by the Home Office not the First tier Tribunal.

General information on the average clearance time for an immigration appeal in the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) (IAC) is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-2024/tribunal-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-2024.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what percentage of immigration appeals have been pending for more than 12 months.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The percentage of open appeals pending before the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) for more than 12 months, as at 31 December 2024 can be found in the table below:

This government inherited a broken justice system with record and rising court backlogs. The Lord Chancellor recently announced that for 2025-26, the Ministry of Justice will provide a total budget of £2,538 million. For the Immigration and Asylum Chamber this will mean funding to support 14,400 sitting days. We expect to be able to increase this substantially with additional funding from the Home Office, taking it to near maximum capacity and helping to speed up asylum claims. This builds on the Government’s work to restore order to the immigration system so that every part – border security, case processing, appeals and returns – operates efficiently.

Found: This legislation, if brought into force, would have placed a legal duty on the Home Office to ignore

Found: Police National Computer The Home Office programme to replace the Police National Computer for a more

Found: cases, there have been 176 cases over the past 15 years with a known outcome. 177 Home Office

Found: The Home Office’s asylum accommodation contracts

Found: The Home Office’s asylum accommodation contracts

Found: The Home Office’s asylum accommodation contracts

Found: progress Scheduled: Autumn 2025 Topics: Crime, justice and law, Policing Departments: Home Office

Found: building relationships and facilitating joint initiatives to achieve shared goals, including with Home Office

Found: national security incident, the immediate central government operational response will be led by the Home Office

Found: national security incident, the immediate central government operational response will be led by the Home Office

Found: terrorism is suspected, the immediate central government operational response will be led by the Home Office

Found: terrorism is suspected, the immediate central government operational response will be led by the Home Office

Found: cases, there have been 176 cases over the past 15 years with a known outcome. 177 Home Office

Found: /06/2024 Professional Subscriptions Ics - Integrated Corporate Services - Ics - Human Resources Home Office

Found: National Design Guidance £49,692.00 28/03/2025 CABINET OFFICE Recruitment £338,284.00 28/03/2025 HOME OFFICE

Found: ADEFGHKLM AP STVX X ASTVX V ARSTUVWX f AZbdfghi fhi AZabdfghi f AZabdfghi Zfhi f f Ajkl o Home Office

Found: Care leaver aged 25+ years 560 0.0072897682895079405 Required to leave accommodation provided by Home Office

Found: Visits 2010 to 2012 DCMS, Head of Communication, Government Olympic Executive 2009 to 2010 Home Office

Found: Page 1 of 43 Published for Home Office staff on 6 May 2025 Private

Found: Your client’s application for entry clearance as a Skilled Worker has been refused because the Home Office

Found: (a) They can no longer work lawfully in the UK until the new application is decided (b) It is Home Office

Found: Your client’s application for pre-settled status under Appendix EU has been refused because the Home Office

Found: refusal decision is received (b) 10 working days after the Home Office refusal decision is sent (c

Found: After waiting for several months, the Home Office has just decided to refuse her application.

Found: If you make that application, you will need to demonstrate to the Home Office that after your entry

Found: It will rarely be necessary to look at the immigration rules or the guidance to Home Office caseworkers

Found: Wait for a decision Your application will be considered by the Home Office and relevant Overseas

Found: Home Office fees); and • bank transaction fees, but excluding Counsel’s fees.

Found: Home Office fees); and • bank transaction fees, but excluding Counsel’s fees.

Found: Home Office fees); and • bank transaction fees, but excluding Counsel’s fees.

Found: Home Office fees); and • bank transaction fees, but excluding Counsel’s fees.

Found: Home Office fees); and • bank transaction fees, but excluding Counsel’s fees.

Found: Earlier in his career, Michael worked primarily in the Home Office (with stints at Ofsted and the FCDO

Found: which delineates between the standards and compliance functions of the StaCU and the role of the Home Office

Found: From: Home Office and Commission for Countering Extremism Published 6 May 2025 Get emails

Found: economic growth through an effective migration system and supporting the Border Security Command (Home Office

Found: Whether it is responding to Home Office requests regarding extremists travelling to the UK; giving advice

Found: for registration of a child under 18 as a British overseas territories citizen October 2018 The Home Office

Found: Deception You must tell us if the child has ever practised deception in their dealings with the Home Office

Found: Deception You must tell us if you have practised deception in your dealings with the Home Office

Found: registration as a British citizen under British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997 January 2025 The Home Office

Found: RS2 10 Deception You must tell us if you have practised deception in your dealings with the Home Office

Found: overseas territories citizen by a person who has made a declaration of renunciation May 2024 The Home Office

Found: Political parties The Home Office and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport should develop

Found: ADEFGHKLM AP STVX X ASTVX V ARSTUVWX f AZbdfghi fhi AZabdfghi f AZabdfghi Zfhi f f Ajkl o Home Office

Found: Past trainees have worked in the Home Office to gain policy experience, advising ministers on the passage

Found: when departing from or arriving in the UK through the National Maritime Single Window (NMSW) (Home Office

Found: These describe location, salary, seniority, skill requirements, home/office working, and more.

Found: dedicated teams in both the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Home Office

Found: It is sponsored by the Home Office. 2.

Found: Coram welcomed the repeal of powers to detain children without a time limit and for the Home Office

Found: asylum-seeking children ( UASC, the Home Secretary has the discretion to detain them for such period the Home Office

Found: It is agreed with the Home Office.