Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to improve oversight of biometric data storage and retention across law enforcement agencies.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office launched a public consultation on 04/12/2025 on the use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies.
The responses received will inform the creation of a bespoke legal framework and oversight for the use of biometric, facial recognition and similar technologies.
One aspect the consultation looks at is the oversight of biometric data storage and retention across law enforcement agencies.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has been made of the level of police recruitment and retention rates; and what steps she is taking to help constabularies maintain the number of frontline police officers.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is clear that visible policing is essential to restoring public confidence in the police. To support this aim, for 2025/26, £376.8 million will be available to forces to support officer numbers. This funding will be distributed as follows:
The retention of police officers is a priority for the Home Office and the National Police Chiefs’ Council. Experienced officers are incredibly valuable which is why forces should be using effective evidence-based strategies to manage retention and progression of existing officers. Voluntary resignations rates for police officers remain low at 3.2% compared to other sectors.
As at 31 March 2025, 90.3% of police officers worked in frontline roles (including visible operational frontline and non-visible frontline roles; excluding National Policing, unknown, and ‘Other’ functions), the same proportion as the previous year.
Forces are operationally independent, and the deployment of officers remains an operational decision for Chief Constables.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for (a) voluntary and (b) enforced removal schemes of foreign national offenders in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
We will not provide a running commentary on discussions between the Home Office and HMT on in-year funding for removal schemes. The costs associated with voluntary and enforced removals (including foreign national offenders) are varied. The total amount spent on returning people in the 2025/26 financial year will be published in the Home Office annual report and accounts in Summer 2026.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to the public purse of (a) voluntary return and (b) deportation schemes since July 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes all available information on returns expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab)(opens in a new tab)
The number of foreign national offenders returned under the Facilitated Returns Scheme (FRS) is published as part of the Immigration Enforcement transparency data at table FNO_09. The latest publication can be found at Migration transparency data - GOV.UK
The number of foreign nationals returned under the Voluntary Returns Scheme (VRS) is published as part of the quarterly Immigration system statistics, with the latest publication being for Q2 2025. The latest published data on VRS returns can be viewed at How many people are returned from the UK? - GOV.UK
Individuals departing are subject to a re-entry ban after departing the UK. The length of the ban depends on the circumstances of the individual case. Individuals who return illegally can face a range of sanctions, including prosecution.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many number payments were made to people (i) deported and (ii) voluntarily returned under Home Office schemes since July 2024; and what the value of those payments were.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes all available information on returns expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab)(opens in a new tab)
The number of foreign national offenders returned under the Facilitated Returns Scheme (FRS) is published as part of the Immigration Enforcement transparency data at table FNO_09. The latest publication can be found at Migration transparency data - GOV.UK
The number of foreign nationals returned under the Voluntary Returns Scheme (VRS) is published as part of the quarterly Immigration system statistics, with the latest publication being for Q2 2025. The latest published data on VRS returns can be viewed at How many people are returned from the UK? - GOV.UK
Individuals departing are subject to a re-entry ban after departing the UK. The length of the ban depends on the circumstances of the individual case. Individuals who return illegally can face a range of sanctions, including prosecution.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanisms are in place to recover public funds from people who return to the UK unlawfully after receiving financial support to leave.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes all available information on returns expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab)(opens in a new tab)
The number of foreign national offenders returned under the Facilitated Returns Scheme (FRS) is published as part of the Immigration Enforcement transparency data at table FNO_09. The latest publication can be found at Migration transparency data - GOV.UK
The number of foreign nationals returned under the Voluntary Returns Scheme (VRS) is published as part of the quarterly Immigration system statistics, with the latest publication being for Q2 2025. The latest published data on VRS returns can be viewed at How many people are returned from the UK? - GOV.UK
Individuals departing are subject to a re-entry ban after departing the UK. The length of the ban depends on the circumstances of the individual case. Individuals who return illegally can face a range of sanctions, including prosecution.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of deported individuals received financial assistance to leave since July 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes all available information on returns expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab)(opens in a new tab)
The number of foreign national offenders returned under the Facilitated Returns Scheme (FRS) is published as part of the Immigration Enforcement transparency data at table FNO_09. The latest publication can be found at Migration transparency data - GOV.UK
The number of foreign nationals returned under the Voluntary Returns Scheme (VRS) is published as part of the quarterly Immigration system statistics, with the latest publication being for Q2 2025. The latest published data on VRS returns can be viewed at How many people are returned from the UK? - GOV.UK
Individuals departing are subject to a re-entry ban after departing the UK. The length of the ban depends on the circumstances of the individual case. Individuals who return illegally can face a range of sanctions, including prosecution.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that financial support offered to facilitate voluntary return does not incentivise future illegal migration.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Financial support is designed to help with reintegration once migrants have returned to their home country, ensuring the return is sustainable, and not as an incentive to re-enter the UK illegally.
The various voluntary schemes operate under clear guidance to prevent misuse, including checks on eligibility and informed consent procedures. Individuals eligible for financial support through the Voluntary Returns Service receive a single payment on a card that can only be used in their home country. The Home Office monitors uptake and trends to ensure the different schemes remain cost-effective and are not abused.
Further details on eligibility are published on gov.uk at Get help to return home if you’re a migrant in the UK: Who can get help - GOV.UK
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to help ensure transparency in payments made to individuals (a) deported and (b) voluntarily returned from the UK since July 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The information requested regarding the specific value of payments made under the Voluntary Returns Service (VRS) and Facilitated Return Scheme (FRS) are not separately available from published statistics.
The Home Office publishes all available information on returns expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab)(opens in a new tab)
FRS and VRS are not an alternative to removal or deportation but facilitate the early removal of FNOs and those without leave to remain in the UK, helping them to re-settle in their country of origin. Voluntary removals benefit the UK taxpayer as costs of detention, appeals, and other legal challenges are significantly reduced.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average payment has been to individuals (a) deported and (b) removed from the UK under voluntary return schemes since July 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The information requested regarding the specific value of payments made under the Voluntary Returns Service (VRS) and Facilitated Return Scheme (FRS) are not separately available from published statistics.
The Home Office publishes all available information on returns expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab)(opens in a new tab)
FRS and VRS are not an alternative to removal or deportation but facilitate the early removal of FNOs and those without leave to remain in the UK, helping them to re-settle in their country of origin. Voluntary removals benefit the UK taxpayer as costs of detention, appeals, and other legal challenges are significantly reduced.