Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will set out (a) how and (b) when local authorities are consulted on the housing of asylum seekers in HMOs by the Home Office and its contractors.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The government is committed to reducing reliance on hotels by expanding the overall supply of dispersal and temporary accommodation, including through the private sector. Local authorities are consulted on all dispersed accommodation before it is procured, including for HMOs. This is a necessary step to meet our legal obligations while being cognisant of local pressures.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the advice provided by her Department to Somani Hotels on the need to seek a temporary application for a change of use of the Bell Hotel, Epping.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Department has not provided such advice to Somani Hotels.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2025 to Question 65276 on Travellers: Caravan Sites, if she will publish the representation made by the National Police Chief’s Council on the High Court judgment and its implications for operational policing.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has engaged with the National Police Chiefs’ Council following the High Court judgment to understand the implications of the judgment for operational policing.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her definition of non-violent extremism is.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Home Office published a definition of extremism in March 2024, under the previous government. There are no current plans to update this definition.
Further information can be found on gov.uk:
New definition of extremism (2024) - GOV.UK
Under this definition, extremism is the promotion or advancement of an ideology based on violence, hatred or intolerance, that aims to:
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2024 to Question 9549 on Royal and VIP Executive Committee, who represents her on the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Home Secretary is responsible within Cabinet and accountable to Parliament for the protective security of members of the Royal Family and public figures at particular risk.
The Home Secretary has delegated responsibility to the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC).
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date she declared the hospitality of tickets to the Taylor Swift concert in August 2024 to her Permanent Secretary.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As is standard practice, all ministerial gifts and hospitality received are declared on the Ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings transparency data on gov.uk
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the estimated cost to the public purse of the special escort group policing for Taylor Swift and her entourage; and whether any external sources contributed to that cost.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The safety of the British public is the first priority of this Government. We make no apologies for ensuring citizens are protected.
It is entirely right that for major events in the capital, the Government has a dialogue with the Metropolitan Police and Mayor to discuss planning to ensure events happen safely. Operational decisions on security arrangements are made by the police, independent of politicians.
It is long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on security arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions (a) she has had and (b) officials in her Department have had with the Metropolitan Police on Special Escort Group policing for (i) Taylor Swift and (ii) her entourage.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The safety of the British public is the first priority of this Government. We make no apologies for ensuring citizens are protected.
It is entirely right that for major events in the capital, the Government has a dialogue with the Metropolitan Police and Mayor to discuss planning to ensure events happen safely. Operational decisions on security arrangements are made by the police, independent of politicians.
It is long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on security arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Metropolitan Police originally recommended that the Special Escort Group was necessary to escort Taylor Swift to and from Wembley Stadium.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The safety of the British public is the first priority of this Government. We make no apologies for ensuring citizens are protected.
It is entirely right that for major events in the capital, the Government has a dialogue with the Metropolitan Police and Mayor to discuss planning to ensure events happen safely. Operational decisions on security arrangements are made by the police, independent of politicians.
It is long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on security arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to revise guidance issued to her Department on accepting hospitality from the (a) football and (b) music industry.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers by my hon. Friend, the Minister without Portfolio, during the Urgent Question, Reporting Ministerial Gifts and Hospitality, on 14 October 2024, Official Report, Columns 594-602.