Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many hotels are in use as temporary accommodation for people seeking asylum in Northern Ireland; and what recent estimate he has made of the number that will be required by the end of 2024.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Home Office has been clear that the use of hotels is a temporary and short-term measure to ensure we meet our statutory obligation to accommodate destitute asylum seekers. We have already made significant progress by ending the use of 100 hotels across the UK by 31 March 2024, including 6 in Northern Ireland. A total of 150 hotels will no longer be used for accommodating asylum seekers by the beginning of May, reducing the strain on local communities.
Our statutory accommodation needs are kept under continuous review, and we will write to MPs and local authorities as further decisions on hotels are made.
Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation (including in contingency hotels and other contingency accommodation) is published in table Asy_D11 here: Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Data is published on a quarterly basis. The Home Office does not publish a breakdown of statistics which disaggregates the number of hotels used to house asylum seekers by region.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will have discussions with his Irish counterpart on the number of asylum seekers who arrived in Northern Ireland who have subsequently relocated to the Republic of Ireland in 2022-23.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
There is a high level of cooperation on migration and border security between the UK and Irish governments. In particular, the Home Office regularly discuss asylum trends and work to respond to these trends with our counterparts in the Department of Justice. The Home Secretary will hold discussions with his Irish counterpart in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Orpheopolis system of French orphanages for the orphaned children of police officers; and what assessment they have made of the benefits of introducing such a facility in England and Wales.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
This Government has no plans to introduce a facility specifically for orphaned children of police officers.
The death of an officer is devastating for all in policing, but most deeply felt by their loved ones and children. It is important that bereaved families have access to the appropriate support, primarily from the police force. Depending on the particular circumstances, there is a range of benefits payable to children on the death of an officer under both the occupational pension and injury benefit schemes. There are also a number of police charities providing support for bereaved families and children, which provide access to counselling and peer support.
This Government also introduced the Police Covenant, to support the police workforce and their families, recognising the risks and demands that can be involved. We have funded the National Police Wellbeing Service to develop and launch the first national family support package, providing advice for the families of officers on mental health and fatigue, as well as practical resources for those with young children to help them understand the role of policing.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 38 of the Independent review of Border Force by Alexander Downer, published on 20 July 2022, how many and what proportion of officers who are unable to remain in position because their reasonable adjustments can no longer be accommodated (a) have moved to a lower pay scale, (b) have chosen to take part in the Voluntary Exit Scheme, (c) are over the age of 50 and (d) had been placed on reasonable adjustments in the last five years.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Border Force does not hold the information in an easily accessible format, therefore the information requested cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost. However, Border Force can confirm that no officer who was unable to remain at the Heathrow PCP has moved to a lower pay scale.
The Home Office prioritises removing or reducing workplace barriers by implementing workplace adjustments, so that impacted employees and those with long-term health conditions have the same opportunities as those without reasonable adjustments.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of permanent staff worked in the National Crime Agency's International Corruption Unit for more than 12 months; and what the staff attrition rate was for the financial year (i) 2019-20 and (ii) 2020-21.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
International Corruption Unit (ICU) data shows that in 2023/24 92% of staff had been in the unit for more than 12 months.
The ICU staff annual attrition rate was recorded at 37% in 2019/20 and 9% 2020/21.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any unaccompanied asylum seeking children who arrived in the UK after 7 March 2023 have been informed that their claim will not be processed until Ministerial guidance is provided on the applicability of the provisions of the Illegal Migration Act 2023.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
In 2023, we met the Prime Minister's pledge to clear the legacy backlog of asylum cases made before 28 June 2022. The Home Office is now prioritising claims lodged on or after 28 June 2022.
These are being considered under provisions in the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. It is only right that we consider the oldest claims first.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Retail Crime Action Plan.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
In October 2023, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) published the Retail Crime Action Plan. Through this Plan, all police forces across England and Wales have committed to prioritise attendance at the scene where violence has been used towards shop staff, where an offender has been detained by store security, and where evidence needs to be secured and can only be done by police personnel. Additionally, where CCTV or other digital images are secured, police will run this through the Police National Database to aid efforts to identify prolific offenders or potentially dangerous individuals.
This builds on the NPCC commitment that police forces across England and Wales will follow up all crimes where there are reasonable lines of enquiry, actionable evidence and the chance of identifying an offender, including shoplifting.
Early indications suggest that there has been improved police attendance at the retail crime incidents prioritised. This has been echoed by major retailers.
Though this is a welcome step from policing, we know more needs to be done. That’s why, on 10 April, we launched the Government’s plan – "Fighting retail crime: more action" which highlights five areas of work this Government will drive forward to tackle retail crime:
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2024 to Question 22938 on Youth Mobility Scheme: EU Countries, with which EU member states his Department has discussed a bilateral youth mobility scheme; and when each of those discussions commenced.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Youth Mobility Schemes (YMS) are agreed to following bilateral negotiation over the reciprocal arrangement between the relevant parties. It would therefore be inappropriate to disclose the status of negotiations as they occur, or the parties involved.
We remain committed to expanding our YMS offer to more nations, including, but not limited to, those within the EU. Further details of additional YMS agreements will be announced once they are concluded.
Asked by: Tahir Ali (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department is taking steps to support Birmingham City Council’s efforts to tackle street cruising.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The exercise of powers under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 by local authorities is a local matter.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of synthetic opioids; and what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of (a) related crises and (b) governmental responses in (i) the USA and (ii) Canada.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Tackling Class A drugs, including synthetic opioids, is a priority for the Government due to the harm caused to users, society and the economy.
We assess that the scale of trafficking of synthetic opioids into the UK remains low, including relative to countries like the USA and Canada where they have caused devastation. Sadly, nitazenes have been linked to more than 100 deaths in the UK during the last year, and we are taking action.
The cross-Government Synthetic Opioids Taskforce is working with partners, such as the NCA, the Department for Health and Social Care and the National Police Chiefs Council to deliver an evidence-based response to the risk posed by synthetic opioids, and to implement effective action to stem the demand and supply of these dangerous substances.
We regularly meet bilaterally with our partners in the USA and Canada to understand the tragic situation in North America and to learn from their responses. We are key members of the US-led Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, and I recently attended the UN’s Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna to meet with and learn from partners across the world.