Asked by: Jim Dobbin (Labour (Co-op) - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce the effect of data breaches of sensitive immigration information on people whose details have been accidentally published online.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The Home Office takes data breaches of any type extremely seriously and they will be subject to our established procedure for managing data-related incidents. This entails a detailed risk-assessment exercise to determine the impact on the Data Subject together with actions designed to reduce the level of exposure wherever it is practical to do so.
Subject to the outcome of the risk assessment the Department may choose to inform the Data Subjects and the primary factor in this decision is the personal safety and security of those concerned. Regardless of whether the decision is taken to inform Data Subjects or not, every effort is made to remove the material in question from all platforms visible to the public.
Asked by: Jim Dobbin (Labour (Co-op) - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to routinely refuse visas to foreign nationals who enter the UK with the aim of encouraging or assisting suicide.
Answered by James Brokenshire
A foreign national may be refused entry clearance or leave to enter the UK, if, from information available the person’s exclusion is considered to be conducive to the public good. This could include information indicating that the person may be intending to commit an offence while in the UK. Each decision is made on a case by case basis taking into account all the relevant factors.
Asked by: Jim Dobbin (Labour (Co-op) - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what reports she has received on the time taken for the Metropolitan Police to act in the case of a foreign national conducting a seminar which is alleged to have encouraged assistance with suicide in London, June 2013; and what steps she is taking to ensure that the case is now properly investigated.
Answered by Mike Penning
No such reports have been received. The investigation of criminal offences is an operational matter for the police. It would therefore not be appropriate for
the Government to interfere in police investigations.
Asked by: Jim Dobbin (Labour (Co-op) - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle the street trade in prescription tranquilisers.
Answered by Norman Baker
We are fully aware of the dangers of the misuse of prescription drugs such as tranquilisers, and law enforcement authorities have a robust range of powers available to deal with those who engage in the diversion and illicit trade of such drugs, particularly where those drugs are controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Police forces use these powers to tackle the trade of such substances in their area, and action is also being taken to tackle illicit online sales. For instance, the Medicines Healthcare and Regulatory Products Agency works closely with Internet Service Providers to close down websites that are illicitly selling prescription drugs to UK consumers. In June 2013, the Agency and Border Force collaborated on Operation Pangea, an annual international initiative which in the UK led to the seizure of 3.7 million doses of unlicensed medicine worth approximately £12.2 million.
As well as cracking down on the illicit supply of prescription drugs, we are taking steps to increase our understanding of the problem. This is why in September 2013 the Home Secretary asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to explore the potential for medical and social harms arising from the diversion and illicit supply of prescription drugs. I have asked that this work includes consideration of the prevalence of misuse, user demographics, and the most common drugs being misused. The Advisory Council is likely to report later in the year.