Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of UK–France border agreements in the context of trends in the number of (a) fatalities and (b) reports of violence at the border; and whether any changes are planned.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Violence against French law enforcement is unacceptable. Whilst the French law enforcement response to that violent conduct has to be a matter for the French authorities, we continue to support their operations to prevent small boat crossings.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle organised acquisitive rural crime.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
We are improving the protections for rural communities, with tougher measures to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing and stronger measures to prevent farm theft. This financial year the Home Office will be providing the first Government funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit (£365,000) as well as continuing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (£450,000).
The National Wildlife Crime Unit has a far-reaching impact, assisting in detecting high-profile and high-value crimes including serious organised crime. This includes disrupting organised crime groups. Funding the National Rural Crime Unit enables it to continue to increase collaboration across police forces, harnessing the latest technology and data to target the serious organised crime groups involved in crimes like equipment theft from farms.
Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are introducing a new power for the police to enter and search premises to which items have been electronically tracked by GPS or other means, where the items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and are on those premises, and where it has not been reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant from a court.
Additionally, we are committed to the implementation of the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act and fully support its intentions to tackle the theft and re-sale of All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), quad bikes and GPS systems.
There can be challenges in responding to rural crime. That is why we have worked closely with the NPCC to deliver their updated Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy for 2025-2028. The strategy sets out operational and organisational policing priorities in respect of tackling crimes that predominantly affect rural communities.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure police officers are trained to (a) recognise and (b) respond to the mental health needs of young people held in police custody.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is the responsibility of the College of Policing for setting standards for police training and development, including the national policing curriculum, leadership standards and accreditations for those who work in high risk or specialist roles. It is then the responsibility of individual police forces for local delivery of training and ongoing development for all officers and staff with support from the College.
The College’s core learning standards includes the initial training for officers under the Police Constable entry programme and incorporates content on autism, learning disabilities, mental health and other vulnerabilities. Officers are taught to assess vulnerability and adapt their approach accordingly, and guidance for Custody Sergeants covers additional legal responsibilities and safe detention, including fitness for detention and safeguarding.
To support both the recognition and response to mental health needs, the College promotes frameworks for consistent identification of vulnerability and appropriate safeguarding action. Liaison and Diversion schemes commissioned by NHS England operate in custody suites to identify and refer individuals with mental health needs or other vulnerabilities to specialist support services. These schemes also provide advice to custody staff on how best to support people with these needs.
When a death occurs in custody, the College’s Authorised Professional Practice sets out procedures for forces to follow. These include reporting deaths to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, investigating and analysing incidents, and implementing lessons learned.
Policing is operationally independent, and chief constables decide on any additional training locally. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services regularly inspects police forces, including on how they protect vulnerable people.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional (a) guidance and (b) training her Department provides to police forces following incidents in which a person has died following a period in police custody.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is the responsibility of the College of Policing for setting standards for police training and development, including the national policing curriculum, leadership standards and accreditations for those who work in high risk or specialist roles. It is then the responsibility of individual police forces for local delivery of training and ongoing development for all officers and staff with support from the College.
The College’s core learning standards includes the initial training for officers under the Police Constable entry programme and incorporates content on autism, learning disabilities, mental health and other vulnerabilities. Officers are taught to assess vulnerability and adapt their approach accordingly, and guidance for Custody Sergeants covers additional legal responsibilities and safe detention, including fitness for detention and safeguarding.
To support both the recognition and response to mental health needs, the College promotes frameworks for consistent identification of vulnerability and appropriate safeguarding action. Liaison and Diversion schemes commissioned by NHS England operate in custody suites to identify and refer individuals with mental health needs or other vulnerabilities to specialist support services. These schemes also provide advice to custody staff on how best to support people with these needs.
When a death occurs in custody, the College’s Authorised Professional Practice sets out procedures for forces to follow. These include reporting deaths to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, investigating and analysing incidents, and implementing lessons learned.
Policing is operationally independent, and chief constables decide on any additional training locally. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services regularly inspects police forces, including on how they protect vulnerable people.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of police training relating to the care of vulnerable young people held in police custody.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is the responsibility of the College of Policing for setting standards for police training and development, including the national policing curriculum, leadership standards and accreditations for those who work in high risk or specialist roles. It is then the responsibility of individual police forces for local delivery of training and ongoing development for all officers and staff with support from the College.
The College’s core learning standards includes the initial training for officers under the Police Constable entry programme and incorporates content on autism, learning disabilities, mental health and other vulnerabilities. Officers are taught to assess vulnerability and adapt their approach accordingly, and guidance for Custody Sergeants covers additional legal responsibilities and safe detention, including fitness for detention and safeguarding.
To support both the recognition and response to mental health needs, the College promotes frameworks for consistent identification of vulnerability and appropriate safeguarding action. Liaison and Diversion schemes commissioned by NHS England operate in custody suites to identify and refer individuals with mental health needs or other vulnerabilities to specialist support services. These schemes also provide advice to custody staff on how best to support people with these needs.
When a death occurs in custody, the College’s Authorised Professional Practice sets out procedures for forces to follow. These include reporting deaths to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, investigating and analysing incidents, and implementing lessons learned.
Policing is operationally independent, and chief constables decide on any additional training locally. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services regularly inspects police forces, including on how they protect vulnerable people.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on what intelligence was shared by West Midlands Police with (a) the UK Football Policing Unit, (b) the National Police Chiefs Council and (c) her Department.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Affairs Select Committee held evidence sessions on 1 December and 6 January to examine West Midlands Police’s intelligence assessments underpinning the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters.
As I committed to the House of Commons, I have provided details of my correspondence with the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police to the Home Affairs Select Committee. Correspondence and evidence submitted to the Committee are routinely published on its official website, ensuring full transparency.
In addition, the Home Office has published HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary’s inspection report, which considers the information and intelligence in respect of the match assessment and categorisation produced by West Midlands Police. The report can be found at the following link: Inspection of police forces’ contributions to safety advisory groups: West Midlands Police - GOV.UK
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to announce the (a) scope and (b) timetable of the forthcoming consultation on proposals to merge shotgun and firearms licensing regimes.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety.
We intend to publish this consultation shortly.
Asked by: Lord Pack (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee's recommendation in its 32nd Report (HL Paper 157), what progress they have made in reviewing whether police driving standards should be set in legislation; and what further steps they plan to take on this issue.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Police Crime Sentencing and Court Act 2022, introduced new training requirements and a new test for police drivers. Regulations subsequently laid in 2023 and 2025 prescribed police driver training standards.
The College of Policing also introduced licensing for police driving training providers in April 2024.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to reply to my letter of the 4th of December 2025, reference LB46770,on the Birmingham pub bombings.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Security Minister will reply in due course.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding her Department provided to strategic migration partnership in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office does not currently publish funding levels to Strategic Migration Partnerships, previous years funding can be found here Government Grants Data and Statistics