Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse was of painting over murals at an asylum processing centre.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
There was no financial cost to paint over the murals in the Kent Intake Unit.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) algorithmic and (b) other automated decision making systems her Department uses; and for what purposes.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Automated decision-making in Government is compliant with provisions in GDPR and the Data Protection Act, which requires the completion of Impact Assessments and includes the right for a data subject to request “a new decision that is not based solely on automated processing”. Government has also published a Ethics, Transparency and Accountability Framework for Automated Decision-Making, which guides the safe, sustainable and ethical use of automated or algorithmic decision-making systems.
“Algorithmic” and “automated decision-making systems” are broad terms covering a large array of systems and processes, and the department does not currently keep a specific record of all systems that could fall within the definitions for this purpose. However, given the importance of transparency, accountability, and consistency alongside considerations such as security, we are assessing what more could be done to ensure we have the best possible records.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure of 14 June 2023 at Topical Questions, T7, Official Report, column 286, what plans her Department has to (a) utilise the provisions in Part 3 of the Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill and (b) use smart data in new sectors.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
There is exciting potential to explore Smart Data in further sectors, beyond Open Banking. Government, regulators and industry experts are working together via the Smart Data Council to ensure that the UK continues to be at the forefront of developments in this space.
There are no immediate plans for the Home Office to utilise these provisions.
Before committing to utilise the provisions in Part 3 of the Data Protection and Digital Information (No.2) Bill in any given sector, there is work to be done to understand how Smart Data can empower consumers and turbo charge competition.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the report by the UK Commission on Bereavement entitled Bereavement is everyone's business, published in October 2022, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of (a) reviewing death registration processes and (b) extending the remit of the Tell Us Once service to include the private sector.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
For Civil Registration in England & Wales, remote registration assisted both the bereaved and the registration service during the Covid pandemic with positive feedback received. To continue this, a change to primary legislation is required and the Data Protection and Digital Information (no2) Bill before Parliament seeks to enable this.
There are currently no plans to extend the Tell Us Once Service to the prive sector.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department have taken to ensure (a) South Yorkshire Police and (b) Barnsley Council have an adequate level of resources to reduce incidents of speeding.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Excess speed is still a major cause of death and serious injury on our roads. Anyone who breaks the speed limit should expect to face proper sanction.
The enforcement of speeding offences, including in South Yorkshire, is an operational matter for the discretion of Chief Officers and Police and Crime Commissioners. The force’s Chief Officer will decide how to deploy available resources, taking into account any specific local pressures and demands.
The Government is proposing a total police funding settlement of up to £17.2 billion in 2023/24, an increase of up to £287 million when compared to 2022/23. South Yorkshire Police’s funding will be up to £326.1 million in 2023/24, an increase of up to £10.7 million when compared to 2022/23.
The Government is delivering on the people’s priorities by recruiting an additional 20,000 police officers. As at 30 September 2022, 15,343 additional uplift officers have been recruited in England and Wales through the Police Uplift Programme, 77% of the target of 20,000 additional officers by March 2023. As at 30 September 2022, South Yorkshire police has recruited 408 additional uplift officers against a total three year allocation of 504 officers. Forces are operationally independent and the deployment of officers remains an operational decision for Chief Constables.
Local authorities, including Barnsley Council, are best-placed to make decisions about the services that best meet the needs of their local populations. It is the responsibility of local authorities to commission different kinds of public services which fit local circumstances and priorities.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to ensure that (a) South Yorkshire police and (b) Barnsley Council have the resources to address increases in anti-social behaviour in Barnsley East.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is committed to tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour (ASB). We know the serious impact that persistent ASB can have on both individuals and the wider community.
We provided the police, local authorities, and other local agencies with a range of flexible tools and powers that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to ASB through the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers depending on the specific circumstances. They are best placed to understand what is driving the behaviour in question, the impact that it is having, and to determine the most appropriate response.
The Home Office published statutory guidance to support local areas to make effective use of these powers. The guidance sets out the importance of focusing on the needs of the victim and the local community, as well as ensuring that the relevant legal tests are met. This guidance was updated in June 2022 to ensure a victim-centred approach to tackling ASB as well as stronger use of the powers and tools in the 2014 Act.
One of the commitments outlined in the Beating Crime was to establish the principles required for a strong and effective partnership response to anti-social behaviour, working with PCCs, local authorities and other partners to help set expectations for local agencies, so that they work together to address ASB issues, including dealing with persistent offenders. This was published in July 2022.
The Home Office announced in March 2022 that ASB would be one of the primary crime and issue types being targeted in the next rounds of the Safer Streets Fund. This funding goes towards local projects aimed at increasing the safety of public spaces for all with a particular focus on addressing neighbourhood crime, anti-social behaviour and tackling violence against women and girls. At the end of July last year, we announced the outcome of Round Four of the Safer Streets Fund, investing an additional £50 million and supporting 111 projects across England and Wales.
South Yorkshire Police’s funding will be up to £314.3m, in 2022/23 an increase of up to 17.2 when compared to 2021/22. As at 30 September 2022, South Yorkshire has recruited 408 additional uplift officers against a total three year allocation of 504 officers.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to help prevent anti-social behaviour on the sites of derelict buildings.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is committed to tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour (ASB). We know the serious impact that persistent ASB can have on both individuals and the wider community.
We provided the police, local authorities, and other local agencies with a range of flexible tools and powers that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to ASB through the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers depending on the specific circumstances. They are best placed to understand what is driving the behaviour in question, the impact that it is having, and to determine the most appropriate response.
The Home Office published statutory guidance to support local areas to make effective use of these powers. The guidance sets out the importance of focusing on the needs of the victim and the local community, as well as ensuring that the relevant legal tests are met. This guidance was updated in June 2022 to ensure a victim-centred approach to tackling ASB as well as stronger use of the powers and tools in the 2014 Act.
One of the commitments outlined in the Beating Crime was to establish the principles required for a strong and effective partnership response to anti-social behaviour, working with PCCs, local authorities and other partners to help set expectations for local agencies, so that they work together to address ASB issues, including dealing with persistent offenders. This was published in July 2022.
The Home Office announced in March 2022 that ASB would be one of the primary crime and issue types being targeted in the next rounds of the Safer Streets Fund. This funding goes towards local projects aimed at increasing the safety of public spaces for all with a particular focus on addressing neighbourhood crime, anti-social behaviour and tackling violence against women and girls. At the end of July last year, we announced the outcome of Round Four of the Safer Streets Fund, investing an additional £50 million and supporting 111 projects across England and Wales.
South Yorkshire Police’s funding will be up to £314.3m, in 2022/23 an increase of up to 17.2 when compared to 2021/22. As at 30 September 2022, South Yorkshire has recruited 408 additional uplift officers against a total three year allocation of 504 officers.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to help increase charge rates for repeated anti-social behaviour.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is committed to tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour (ASB). We know the serious impact that persistent ASB can have on both individuals and the wider community.
We provided the police, local authorities, and other local agencies with a range of flexible tools and powers that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to ASB through the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers depending on the specific circumstances. They are best placed to understand what is driving the behaviour in question, the impact that it is having, and to determine the most appropriate response.
The Home Office published statutory guidance to support local areas to make effective use of these powers. The guidance sets out the importance of focusing on the needs of the victim and the local community, as well as ensuring that the relevant legal tests are met. This guidance was updated in June 2022 to ensure a victim-centred approach to tackling ASB as well as stronger use of the powers and tools in the 2014 Act.
One of the commitments outlined in the Beating Crime was to establish the principles required for a strong and effective partnership response to anti-social behaviour, working with PCCs, local authorities and other partners to help set expectations for local agencies, so that they work together to address ASB issues, including dealing with persistent offenders. This was published in July 2022.
The Home Office announced in March 2022 that ASB would be one of the primary crime and issue types being targeted in the next rounds of the Safer Streets Fund. This funding goes towards local projects aimed at increasing the safety of public spaces for all with a particular focus on addressing neighbourhood crime, anti-social behaviour and tackling violence against women and girls. At the end of July last year, we announced the outcome of Round Four of the Safer Streets Fund, investing an additional £50 million and supporting 111 projects across England and Wales.
South Yorkshire Police’s funding will be up to £314.3m, in 2022/23 an increase of up to 17.2 when compared to 2021/22. As at 30 September 2022, South Yorkshire has recruited 408 additional uplift officers against a total three year allocation of 504 officers.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the funding for fire and rescue authorities to enable them to operate safely.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Fire and rescue services have the resources they need to do their important work.
In 2022/23, overall, fire and rescue authorities will receive around £2.5 billion. Standalone fire and rescue authorities will see an increase in core spending power of 6.2 per cent in cash terms compared to 2021/22.
It is a matter for individual Chief Fire Officers to make operational decisions including the allocation of resources and the provision of regular fire safety training for firefighters and staff at their respective authorities.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department provides for constituents who have missed their holidays due to passport delays.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Since April 2021, people have been advised to allow up to ten weeks when applying for their British passport as more than 5 million people delayed applying due to the pandemic. 98.6% of all passport applications continue to be dealt with well within 10 weeks.
The standard service does not have a guaranteed timeframe as a passport cannot be issued until all checks have been satisfactorily completed, and HM Passport Office cannot take responsibility for missed travel. But where a UK-based customer submitted their application more than 10 weeks previously and can evidence that they are due to travel within the next fortnight, Her Majesty’s Passport Office will prioritise their case.