Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department have had with Welsh Government counterparts on the implementation of local investigations in Wales as part of the grooming gangs inquiry.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
On 9 December 2025 the Home Secretary announced to Parliament the appointment of Baroness Anne Longfield CBE as Chair of the new Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs, and Zoë Billingham CBE and Eleanor Kelly CBE as Panel.
The Home Office has had regular discussions with the Welsh Government while the Inquiry was being established. The Inquiry is independent of Government. The draft Terms of Reference for the Inquiry make clear that it will establish its own process for how local investigations are determined, with no location able to resist if one is declared. All areas of Wales are within scope of the inquiry.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of police officers who died by suicide in each of the last ten years.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not collect data on suicides or attempted suicides by police workers. Data on suicides by occupation have previously been published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) available here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarri ages/deaths/adhocs/2726suicidebyoccupationinenglandandwales2023and202 4provisional.
A National Action Plan for Suicide Prevention and Postvention in policing has been launched, which aims to reduce rates among the police workforce as well as enhancing data recording.
The plan, which includes ensuring adequate training for the police workforce, emphasises a supportive environment that promotes mental health and combats stigma to ensure that those affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts can access appropriate and timely support.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with police forces on improving the recruitment process for police officers.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to ensuring there are consistent, high standards for entry into the police.
Individual police forces manage recruitment locally within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with guidance maintained by the College of Policing. We continue to work closely with the College to support ongoing improvements to all entry routes into policing, ensuring they are as effective as they can be for forces and participants, and that recruits across all forces consistently meet the same rigorous standards.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consideration she has given to reviewing the funding formula for policing.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to ensuring that policing has the resources it needs and the allocation of funding to police forces remains an important consideration.
The Chancellor has announced a real terms increase in police spending power over the next three years. As with previous years, decisions on police force funding allocations for 2026-27 will be set out at the forthcoming police funding settlement.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
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 granting Cardiff capital city status to enable the city to receive additional funding for policing.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Cardiff has been the capital city of Wales since 1955 and is one of the four capital cities in the UK.
A National and International Capital City (NICC) grant is paid to the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police to reflect the unique demands of policing in London. The NICC grant is partially funded from a reallocation of the core funding for all police forces in England and Wales and as such, decisions on the level of the funding must consider its impact on wider policing.
South Wales Police will receive up to £441.7 million in 2025-26, an increase of up to £32.6 million when compared to 2024-25. Decisions on the allocation of NICC funding are taken at the time of the Police Settlement and as with previous years, more details on force funding allocations for 2026-27 will be made via the provisional police funding settlement later in the year.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what policy changes her Department is considering to improve the use of the apprenticeship levy within police forces in Wales.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to collaborating with the Devolved Governments on skills policy, to share best practice and support growth and opportunity throughout the UK.
We have allocated £2.4m as part of the police settlement for 2025/26 to reimburse the amount paid by Welsh forces in their levy contribution for police constable degree apprenticeships.
In addition, funding for Welsh forces is up to £1.0 billion in 2025-26, an increase of up to £57.4 million compared to 2024-25 (6.0% in cash terms).
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will publish the Police Reform White Paper.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Secretary is committed to publishing a Police Reform White Paper this year. More information on the White Paper and the future of Policing in England and Wales will be shared with Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made with Cabinet colleagues of how many (a) prison service, (b) DWP and (c) general civil service staff members with Skilled Worker visas will lose their visa eligibility due to changes to immigration rules from 22 July 2025.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Under the current transitional arrangements, existing Skilled Worker visa holders are exempt from the changes to the skills threshold introduced on 22 July and can continue to extend in their current occupations.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
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 establishing a separate resettlement route for people in Gaza to join families in the UK.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 13 March to Question 35970.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the ban on employment for women seeking asylum on levels of gender-based violence and exploitation.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 3 June to Question 53862.