Asked by: Will Quince (Conservative - Colchester)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate his Department has made of number of offences involving an imitation firearm in the latest period for which figures are available.
Answered by Nick Hurd
In the year ending September 2018, the police forces of England and Wales recorded 1,342 offences involving an imitation firearm, a 20% fall compared with the previous year (1,668 offences). Statistics about imitation firearms which have been seized by police forces are not recorded by the Home Office.
Existing legislation ensures that there are controls in place relating to imitation firearms. The Policing and Crime Act 2017 introduced a new offence to prevent the unlawful conversion of imitation firearms, and other controls include specifications on the manufacture of blank firing imitation firearms, and legislation to ensure that readily convertible imitation firearms must be held on a firearms certificate.
It is an offence to possess an imitation firearm with the intent to cause someone to fear that unlawful violence will be used against them or another person. Imitation firearms which are difficult to distinguish from real firearms are subject to specific controls. The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 specifies that the size, shape and principal colour are to be taken into account in determining whether an imitation firearm is to be considered a realistic imitation firearm. There are a number of legitimate activities in relation to the possession of realistic imitation firearms, including for the purposes of historical re-enactment and airsoft skirmishing.
Firearms legislation and controls, including in relation to imitation firearms, are kept under review to ensure we have the right intelligence, detection and enforcement capabilities and policies in place to prevent the misuse of firearms.
Asked by: Will Quince (Conservative - Colchester)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many imitation firearms have been seized by police forces in the latest period for which figures are available.
Answered by Nick Hurd
In the year ending September 2018, the police forces of England and Wales recorded 1,342 offences involving an imitation firearm, a 20% fall compared with the previous year (1,668 offences). Statistics about imitation firearms which have been seized by police forces are not recorded by the Home Office.
Existing legislation ensures that there are controls in place relating to imitation firearms. The Policing and Crime Act 2017 introduced a new offence to prevent the unlawful conversion of imitation firearms, and other controls include specifications on the manufacture of blank firing imitation firearms, and legislation to ensure that readily convertible imitation firearms must be held on a firearms certificate.
It is an offence to possess an imitation firearm with the intent to cause someone to fear that unlawful violence will be used against them or another person. Imitation firearms which are difficult to distinguish from real firearms are subject to specific controls. The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 specifies that the size, shape and principal colour are to be taken into account in determining whether an imitation firearm is to be considered a realistic imitation firearm. There are a number of legitimate activities in relation to the possession of realistic imitation firearms, including for the purposes of historical re-enactment and airsoft skirmishing.
Firearms legislation and controls, including in relation to imitation firearms, are kept under review to ensure we have the right intelligence, detection and enforcement capabilities and policies in place to prevent the misuse of firearms.
Asked by: Will Quince (Conservative - Colchester)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the availability of imitation firearms.
Answered by Nick Hurd
In the year ending September 2018, the police forces of England and Wales recorded 1,342 offences involving an imitation firearm, a 20% fall compared with the previous year (1,668 offences). Statistics about imitation firearms which have been seized by police forces are not recorded by the Home Office.
Existing legislation ensures that there are controls in place relating to imitation firearms. The Policing and Crime Act 2017 introduced a new offence to prevent the unlawful conversion of imitation firearms, and other controls include specifications on the manufacture of blank firing imitation firearms, and legislation to ensure that readily convertible imitation firearms must be held on a firearms certificate.
It is an offence to possess an imitation firearm with the intent to cause someone to fear that unlawful violence will be used against them or another person. Imitation firearms which are difficult to distinguish from real firearms are subject to specific controls. The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 specifies that the size, shape and principal colour are to be taken into account in determining whether an imitation firearm is to be considered a realistic imitation firearm. There are a number of legitimate activities in relation to the possession of realistic imitation firearms, including for the purposes of historical re-enactment and airsoft skirmishing.
Firearms legislation and controls, including in relation to imitation firearms, are kept under review to ensure we have the right intelligence, detection and enforcement capabilities and policies in place to prevent the misuse of firearms.
Asked by: Will Quince (Conservative - Colchester)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the use of imitation firearms in criminal offences.
Answered by Nick Hurd
In the year ending September 2018, the police forces of England and Wales recorded 1,342 offences involving an imitation firearm, a 20% fall compared with the previous year (1,668 offences). Statistics about imitation firearms which have been seized by police forces are not recorded by the Home Office.
Existing legislation ensures that there are controls in place relating to imitation firearms. The Policing and Crime Act 2017 introduced a new offence to prevent the unlawful conversion of imitation firearms, and other controls include specifications on the manufacture of blank firing imitation firearms, and legislation to ensure that readily convertible imitation firearms must be held on a firearms certificate.
It is an offence to possess an imitation firearm with the intent to cause someone to fear that unlawful violence will be used against them or another person. Imitation firearms which are difficult to distinguish from real firearms are subject to specific controls. The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 specifies that the size, shape and principal colour are to be taken into account in determining whether an imitation firearm is to be considered a realistic imitation firearm. There are a number of legitimate activities in relation to the possession of realistic imitation firearms, including for the purposes of historical re-enactment and airsoft skirmishing.
Firearms legislation and controls, including in relation to imitation firearms, are kept under review to ensure we have the right intelligence, detection and enforcement capabilities and policies in place to prevent the misuse of firearms.
Asked by: Will Quince (Conservative - Colchester)
Question to the Home Office:
What steps he is taking to tackle domestic abuse.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
This Government is committed to transforming the response to domestic abuse. We have provided £100 million to support victims and organisations working to combat domestic abuse and violence against women and girls.
Our consultation on domestic abuse closed on 31 May, with over 3200 responses. We will be publishing a response to the consultation and a draft Domestic Abuse Bill later this session.
Asked by: Will Quince (Conservative - Colchester)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to consult with local authorities on whether they can make more places available under Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
On February 8, the Government announced that we will transfer the specified number of 350 children to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act following consultation with local authorities on capacity. We ran a full consultation process, with regional events in every part of England, one in Scotland and one in Wales. Over 400 local authority representatives attended the regional events. Any further places offered by local authorities will be gratefully received, and we will use them to fulfil our existing commitments, including ensuring a fairer distribution of children between local authorities through the National Transfer Scheme.
In July 2016 the Government significantly increased the funding it provides to local authorities who look after unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Local authorities now receive £41,610 per annum year for each unaccompanied asylum-seeking child aged under 16 and £33,215 per annum for unaccompanied asylum-seeking child aged 16 and 17. This represents a 20% and 28% increase in funding respectively. In addition, the Government went further and also increased the funding it provides to local authorities for those young people who turn 18 and go on to attract leaving care support by 33%. We will be working with local authority partners to conduct a review of our funding rates and remain fully committed to maintaining the current rates.
Asked by: Will Quince (Conservative - Colchester)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that children outside of formal camps in Greece and Italy are assessed for relocation to the UK under the Dublin Regulation and Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
We have seconded an expert to Greece to support these efforts, and are working in conjunction with the Greek authorities, UNHCR and NGOs to identify children whose best interests may be served by a transfer to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act, pending the publication of the basis on which the transfers will be made.
In Italy, our long-standing secondee is also working closely with the Italian authorities. Our secondees are also working to support the timely and efficient operation of the Dublin Regulation, in order to ensure that children with close family in the UK can be reunited. Furthermore, the UK has established a £10 million Refugee Children’s Fund to support the needs of vulnerable refugee and migrant children arriving in Europe.
Asked by: Will Quince (Conservative - Colchester)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the eligibility criteria for the 150 remaining places announced under Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016, and for any further transfers to the UK, will prioritise individual vulnerability and the best interests of children.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
We will announce in due course the basis on which further children will be transferred from Europe to the UK, where it is in their best interests, under section 67 of the Immigration Act to the specified number.
Asked by: Will Quince (Conservative - Colchester)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to proactively identify unaccompanied refugee children and vulnerable families in Greece and Italy who can be brought to join family members in the UK; and what use her Department has made of the discretionary powers under the Dublin III Regulations to take charge of such children and families.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
We are working with the Greek and Italian authorities, UNHCR and non-governmental organisations to identify children from Greece and Italy who may qualify for transfer to the UK. We have seconded an expert to Greece to support these efforts, in addition to our long-standing secondee in Italy. We have established a dedicated Home Office Dublin Regulation team to lead on family reunion cases for unaccompanied children.
We will consider all requests from Member States, including Greece and Italy, to take responsibility for unaccompanied asylum seeking children or other family members where there are grounds to do so under the Dublin Regulation.