Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk of conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and the implications for Tigray; and what diplomatic steps they are taking to prevent further escalation.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK is working with partners to prevent a return to conflict in the region by supporting the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. On 13 March, the UK issued a joint statement with the EU and 23 countries emphasising our support for the agreement and urging all parties to refrain from violence and engage in urgent dialogue. We regularly engage with all parties and the African Union guarantors, to reiterate the importance of implementation and encourage political dialogue to overcome obstacles on the return of internally displaced persons and other outstanding issues.
The UK provides support for the demobilisation, disarmament, and reintegration process, funds international and Ethiopian human rights monitoring and supports investigatory capacity building across the country. The UK is aware of reports of illicit trade contributing to tensions in the region.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle drug related crime in Stafford constituency.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government recognises the considerable impact of drug use and dealing on individuals, families and communities. Tackling this is a vital part of our missions to deliver safer streets, improve health outcomes and contribute to opportunities. That is why we are taking a collaborative, cross-government approach to drugs at a national level.
This Government is dedicated to reducing drug-related harms through prevention and treatment, while acting quickly and decisively to stop the criminals peddling these harmful substances. We also expect the police to intervene to tackle illicit drug use, recognising the significant harms it causes.
Delivery focused local drugs partnerships across England provide a whole-system, multi-agency response from police, probation, public health, the NHS and other local partners. The partnership in Staffordshire, led by the Police and Crime Commissioner, has recognised and responded to the impact locally of the illicit supply and misuse of synthetic cathinones, sometimes referred to as ‘monkey dust’.
It is also crucial that the Government tackles the gangs that lure children and young people into crime and run county lines through violence and exploitation. County Lines are the most violent model of drug supply and a harmful form of child criminal exploitation. Through the County Lines Programme, we will continue to target exploitative drug dealing gangs and break the organised crime groups behind the trade. Since July 2024, policing activity delivered through the County Lines Programme has resulted in over 400 deal lines being closed, the arrest and charge of over 200 deal line holders, 500 arrests and 800 safeguarding referrals of children and vulnerable people.
Also, by disrupting drug supply chains, increasing treatment access, and targeting organised crime, we can reduce anti-social behaviour, knife crime, and the exploitation of young people through county lines.
The Government will set out its approach to drugs in more detail later this year.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to tackle drug-related crime in rural communities.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government recognises the considerable impact of drug use and dealing on individuals, families and communities in rural and urban constituencies. Tackling this is a vital part of our missions to deliver safer streets and improve health outcomes, and that is why we are taking a collaborative, cross-government approach to drugs at a national level.
We expect the police to intervene to tackle illicit drug use, recognising the significant harms it causes. We are dedicated to reducing these drug-related harms through prevention and treatment, while acting quickly and decisively to stop the criminals peddling these harmful substances.
County Lines are the most violent model of drug supply and a harmful form of child criminal exploitation. Through the County Lines Programme, we will continue to target exploitative drug dealing gangs and break the organised crime groups behind the trade.
Since July 2024, policing activity delivered through the County Lines Programme has resulted in over 400 deal lines being closed, the arrest and charge of over 200 deal line holders, 500 arrests and 800 safeguarding referrals of children and vulnerable people.
As part of the Programme, the National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC) regularly coordinates weeks of intensive action against county lines gangs, which all police forces take part in. The most recent of these took place 25 November to 1 December 2024 and resulted in 261 lines closed, as well as 1,660 arrests, 1,434 individuals safeguarded and 557 weapons seized.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle drug-related crime in rural constituencies.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government recognises the considerable impact of drug use and dealing on individuals, families and communities in rural and urban constituencies. Tackling this is a vital part of our missions to deliver safer streets and improve health outcomes, and that is why we are taking a collaborative, cross-government approach to drugs at a national level.
We expect the police to intervene to tackle illicit drug use, recognising the significant harms it causes. We are dedicated to reducing these drug-related harms through prevention and treatment, while acting quickly and decisively to stop the criminals peddling these harmful substances.
County Lines are the most violent model of drug supply and a harmful form of child criminal exploitation. Through the County Lines Programme, we will continue to target exploitative drug dealing gangs and break the organised crime groups behind the trade.
Since July 2024, policing activity delivered through the County Lines Programme has resulted in over 400 deal lines being closed, the arrest and charge of over 200 deal line holders, 500 arrests and 800 safeguarding referrals of children and vulnerable people.
As part of the Programme, the National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC) regularly coordinates weeks of intensive action against county lines gangs, which all police forces take part in. The most recent of these took place 25 November to 1 December 2024 and resulted in 261 lines closed, as well as 1,660 arrests, 1,434 individuals safeguarded and 557 weapons seized.
Asked by: Johanna Baxter (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department has taken to reform Companies House to tackle illicit finance.
Answered by Justin Madders
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) will fundamentally reform Companies House, enabling it to play a greater role in tackling economic crime.
The first of these reforms came into force in March 2024 and included new powers to query, challenge and remove inaccurate information, stronger checks on company names, stricter address requirements and greater information sharing powers. These reforms were backed by £63 million of investment and increased fees to fund greater investigation and enforcement capabilities.
Further reforms under the ECCTA, including the introduction of Identity Verification later this year, are in the process of being implemented.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help tackle illegal narcotic trade within the Caribbean Sea.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
A Royal Navy ship is persistently deployed to the Caribbean. In conjunction with the US, this ship conducts counter illicit trafficking operations to directly intercept drug smugglers. In addition, a Royal Naval officer provides UK liaison to the US Joint Inter Agency Task Force (South) in Florida to ensure that we collaborate to best effect with allies.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to prevent the sale of (a) illegal and (b) prescription drugs on dark web marketplaces.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government takes seriously the threat from potent synthetic drugs, including synthetic opioids such as nitazenes, and is taking action to disrupt this deadly trade. Reducing drug harms has important benefits for public health and for the Government’s mission to deliver safer streets.
The HMG Synthetic Opioids Taskforce is working with partner agencies such as the National Crime Agency (NCA), the Department for Health and Social Care and the National Police Chiefs Council to deliver an evidence-based response to the level of risk posed by synthetic opioids and implement a range of policies and mitigations to counter the distribution and use of these dangerous substances.
To stem the supply of illicit synthetic opioids to and within the UK, the NCA, Police and Border Force are working together to ensure all lines of enquiry are prioritised and vigorously pursued. This involves mapping and targeting key offenders, including those operating within dark web markets.
Additionally, to support people with drug dependency who may be at risk of synthetic opioid harm, £267 million has been invested in drug and alcohol treatment this year, improving the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol treatment services in England.
The unlawful sale of controlled drugs online is listed as a priority offence in the Online Safety Act, meaning that under this legislation, technology companies must proactively remove this type of content from their platforms and use proportionate systems designed to minimise the risk of users from encountering such content.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent the (a) distribution and (b) use of synthetic opioids.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government takes seriously the threat from potent synthetic drugs, including synthetic opioids such as nitazenes, and is taking action to disrupt this deadly trade. Reducing drug harms has important benefits for public health and for the Government’s mission to deliver safer streets.
The HMG Synthetic Opioids Taskforce is working with partner agencies such as the National Crime Agency (NCA), the Department for Health and Social Care and the National Police Chiefs Council to deliver an evidence-based response to the level of risk posed by synthetic opioids and implement a range of policies and mitigations to counter the distribution and use of these dangerous substances.
To stem the supply of illicit synthetic opioids to and within the UK, the NCA, Police and Border Force are working together to ensure all lines of enquiry are prioritised and vigorously pursued. This involves mapping and targeting key offenders, including those operating within dark web markets.
Additionally, to support people with drug dependency who may be at risk of synthetic opioid harm, £267 million has been invested in drug and alcohol treatment this year, improving the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol treatment services in England.
The unlawful sale of controlled drugs online is listed as a priority offence in the Online Safety Act, meaning that under this legislation, technology companies must proactively remove this type of content from their platforms and use proportionate systems designed to minimise the risk of users from encountering such content.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Institute of Fiscal Studies' finding relating to the fall in revenues from tobacco duty over the last decade, outlined on page 42 of its report entitled The outlook for the public finances in the new parliament, published on 10 October 2024, what steps she is taking to help tackle the illicit and non-duty paid markets for tobacco.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) launched its first strategy to tackle illicit tobacco in 2000. This, and consequent strategies with Border Force, have reduced the overall tobacco duty tax gap from 21.7% in 2005/6 to 14.5% in 2022/23.
During this time, the duty gap for cigarettes has reduced by a third, and for hand-rolling tobacco by a half.
In January this year HMRC and Border Force published their latest illicit tobacco strategy, ‘Stubbing Out the Problem’. The government is committed to reducing the trade in illicit tobacco with a focus on reducing demand, and tackling and disrupting the organised crime groups behind the illicit tobacco trade.
The strategy is supported by £100 million of new smokefree funding over the next 5 years to boost existing HMRC and Border Force enforcement capability.
Asked by: Lord Moylan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to reducing or freezing tobacco excise duty to curtail the illicit and non-duty paid tobacco market, and to minimise the annual tax revenue loss from tobacco duty avoidance.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Tobacco duty aims to raise revenue and reduce harm to public health by discouraging smoking and raised £10bn in 2022/23. High duty rates, making tobacco less affordable, have helped reduce smoking prevalence with the percentage of adult smokers in the UK reducing from 26% in 2000 to 12% in 2023.
Strong enforcement is essential in tackling the illicit tobacco market and minimising the tax gap. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Border Force published a new illicit tobacco strategy in January 2024, ‘Stubbing Out the Problem)’. This set out the Government’s continued commitment to reduce the trade in illicit tobacco with a focus on reducing demand, and the disruption of organised crime groups behind the illicit tobacco trade.
The strategy is supported by £100 million of new ‘smokefree’ funding over the next 5 years which will boost existing HMRC and Border Force enforcement capability.