Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any funds raised through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 have not been distributed in each of the last five years.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS) was introduced in 2006 to allow a proportion of the proceeds of crime recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA), to be redistributed to agencies involved in the asset recovery process. Funds recovered under POCA that do not enter ARIS, represent either victim compensation or recovery costs associated with asset recovery.

The Government is also mindful of considerations which may apply under international law, including under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). When an asset return under UNCAC takes place these funds will not be distributed under ARIS.

Further details can be found in the annual asset recovery statistical bulletin published on GOV.UK: Asset recovery statistical bulletin: financial years ending 2019 to 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help reduce the number of secondary poisonings of (a) buzzards and (b) red kites.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Secondary poisoning of buzzards and red kites is often caused by improper use of anticoagulant rodenticides. Deliberate misuse is a criminal offence. Where wild birds of prey are killed illegally the full force of the law will apply to any proven perpetrators of the crime. Defra supports the National Wildlife Crime Unit which helps prevent and detect wildlife crimes such as illegal poisoning by obtaining and disseminating intelligence and directly assisting law enforcers in their investigations.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) rather than Defra has policy responsibility for rodenticides which are an essential tool in managing the danger and economic costs of rodents spreading diseases, damaging property and disrupting food supplies. Given the potential risks posed to the environment by rodenticides, they are subject to strict regulation.

A stewardship regime has been set up to promote responsible use of rodenticides. For professional users, verification of competence is required at the point of sale to ensure only those who are properly trained can use them. The stewardship regime is currently under review and the outcome is expected in 2025. Furthermore, as of 4 July 2024, it is no longer possible to purchase anticoagulant rodenticides for use outdoors in open areas.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the companies developing the most powerful AI models on introducing safeguards to ensure their models cannot generate child sexual abuse material.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

AI generated child sexual abuse images are illegal material. It is an offence to produce, store or share any material that contains or depicts child sexual abuse, regardless of whether the material depicts a real child or not. The government engages regularly with the tech sector, including AI companies, to support them in making their platforms safer for children.

The Online Safety Act places new duties on companies that provide user-to-user services and search services to address priority illegal content, such as child sexual exploitation and abuse. The strongest protections in the Act are for children.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to include safeguards to prevent AI-generated child sexual abuse in the forthcoming AI Bill.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

AI generated child sexual abuse images are illegal material. It is an offence to produce, store or share any material that contains or depicts child sexual abuse, regardless of whether the material depicts a real child or not. The government engages regularly with the tech sector, including AI companies, to support them in making their platforms safer for children.

The Online Safety Act places new duties on companies that provide user-to-user services and search services to address priority illegal content, such as child sexual exploitation and abuse. The strongest protections in the Act are for children.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to publish the findings of the review into the Tier 1 (Investor) visa route.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Written Ministerial Statement of 12 January 2023, laid by the former Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Suella Braverman MP, provided the findings of the review into the Tier 1 (Investor) visa.

Found: advice in relation to the handling of a speeding offence by the former Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Suella Braverman