Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment his Department has made of the ability of UK Border Force to identify and punish people who regularly exploit and traffick illegal workers into the UK.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The Government is committed to protecting the vulnerable. At the primary checkpoint, Border Force Officers have the unique advantage of being the first point of contact with UK authorities for many vulnerable children and adults as well as the criminals who traffic them.
All Border Force staff receive training in how to spot indicators of modern slavery for both victims and traffickers. In addition to this specialist safeguarding teams with enhanced skills provide advice to colleagues on this area of work.
Intelligence-led operations to disrupt traffickers and protect victims is the key to Border Force’s response to the threat of Modern Slavery. Through the Modern Slavery Threat Group, Border Force work alongside UKVI, IE and other law enforcement agencies to identify and disrupt modern slavery offenders.”
If a suspected trafficker is encountered by Border Force staff this is referred to colleagues in Immigration Enforcement, NCA or the police for further investigation and prosecution.
The responsibility for investigation and prosecution does not sit with Border Force.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the extent of illegal foxhunting in Cheshire; and what steps her Department is taking to prevent illegal foxhunting in that county.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The enforcement of the Hunting Act is an operational matter for the police. This is in line with their duties to keep the peace, protect communities and prevent the commission of offences, working within the provisions of the legal framework set by Parliament.
It is for individual Chief Constables to determine how their resources are deployed and it is for locally elected PCCs to hold their forces to account, including on how they tackle the crimes that matter most to residents and businesses in rural and urban areas alike.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Police and Crime Commissioners on devolving further powers to local areas.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Home Secretary has regular meetings with Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) where a range of topics, including the extension of the PCC role, are discussed.
Together with the Ministry of Justice, Home Office officials are exploring how PCCs and Mayors with PCC powers could play a greater role in the wider Criminal Justice system (CJS). The strengths that PCCs currently bring to policing – transparency, accountability and a direct local mandate – could be of real benefit to the wider CJS.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Home Secretary, what steps she is taking to ensure the police have adequate funding to tackle violent crime.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Government has protected police spending since 2015. Since then, Po-lice and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) have received broadly flat cash direct resource funding and we are increasing investment in transformation and improved communications and technology capabilities.
We know that crime is changing, and we are sensitive to current pressures on policing. That is why I am undertaking a programme of engagement with the sector to understand the impact of changing demands, and to hear how the police are managing this. That includes what more can be done to improve productivity and efficiency, reduce bureaucracy, and make prudent use of financial reserves.
Decisions about the allocation of police resources and deployment of officers are for Chief Constables and democratically accountable PCCs. They are responsible for ensuring the needs of the local community are met.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the effect of changes in the level of government funding on fire and rescue services in Cheshire.
Answered by Nick Hurd
Fire and rescue services have the resources they need to do their important work. In 2017/18 Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service have a core spending power of £40.9 million, and reserves of £33.8 million at March 2016. Over the last 5 years the level of reserves has more than doubled and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service have seen a 31 per cent reduction in fires and a 6 per cent reduction in overall incidents.