Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children were reported missing in (a) 2017-18, (b) 2018-19 and (c) 2019-20; and when he plans to publish missing persons data for those periods.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
People that go missing include some of the most vulnerable in our society. The Government is determined that missing people and their families receive the best possible protection and support; from Government, statutory agencies and the voluntary sector.
The Government’s 2011 Missing Children and Adults Strategy highlighted the importance of this issue and provided a core framework for local areas to consider what more can be done to protect children and vulnerable adults who go missing. These measures are kept under constant review. Protecting and supporting vulnerable missing children is also a key element of our action to tackle exploitation and abuse, including sexual abuse and county lines exploitation, given the clear links between children who go missing and these broader harms.
The existing Police National Computer (PNC) already allows police forces to report a person as missing and for that missing report to be visible to all UK police forces. The PNC is being decommissioned as part of the Home Office led National Law Enforcement Data Programme (NLEDP). As part of this process the Programme, working with the national policing lead for Missing Persons and the NCA’s UK Missing Persons Unit will deliver a National Register for Missing Persons (NRMP) which will provide additional functionality around the reporting of missing and associated found incidents across force boundaries.
The NLEDP will be delivered in phases to mitigate the risks of a ‘big bang’ deployment, beginning at the end of 2020, with the early phases focused on the highest priority functions, including replacing the current PNC capabilities. The anticipated delivery date for the phase including the NRMP is early 2022.
The Home Office does not hold data centrally on the number of people reported missing. Individual police forces hold information about current missing persons incidents. Annual missing persons statistics, including how many children are reported missing, are published by the National Crime Agency’s Missing Person’s Unit:
http://missingpersons.police.uk/en-gb/resources/downloads/missing-persons-statistical-bulletins
The NCA intends to publish missing persons data for 2017-18 and 2018-19 later this month (June), with publication of data for 19/20 expected at the end of 2020.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the report of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Runaway and Missing Children and Adults entitled, No place at home, published in September 2019, if his Department will allocated resources to local authorities in areas with high rates of county lines grooming and exploitation to ensure the provision of (a) in-area placements and (b) accommodation to children and young people (i) involved in and (ii) vulnerable to county lines criminal exploitation through (A) children’s services, (B) social housing services and (C) temporary and emergency housing.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
We are working across government to reduce the risk of children being criminally exploited and groomed by gangs, including involvement in ‘County Lines’. Last year we strengthened the statutory guidance for safeguarding children, ‘Working Together’, to support practitioners in preventing child criminal exploitation. We are also investing £2 million in the Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme, to provide dedicated advice and practical support to local area partnerships, focused on developing effective multi-agency responses to identifying the risks and warning signs of exploitation so that action can be taken early.
Ensuring children and young people have safe and secure living arrangements is absolutely vital in reducing the risks of criminal exploitation. This is particularly important for children in care, who are some of society’s most vulnerable children. We have made over £200 billion available until 2020 for councils to deliver local services, including children’s services, and provided a further £410 million in 2019-20 for local authorities to invest in adult and children’s social care services. Thinking ahead to next year, we are now able to confirm that all social care grants available this year will continue at least flat in cash terms.
Taken together with a new £1 billion cash grant for social care, this means that councils will benefit from having £2.9 billion of extra funding available to them for the core services that are so important to residents. Beyond social care, we are protecting vital front-line services by increasing elements of core settlement funding in line with inflation, and we will consult on a 2 per cent core council tax principle for all councils next year.
Outside of the main Local Government Finance Settlement, local government will also see increases from wider resources made available this Spending Round, including a £700 million increase in grant funding for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
Local authorities have a statutory duty to make sure that there is sufficient provision to meet the needs of children in their care. We are supporting local authorities to increase the sufficiency of care placements and ensure that placements meet children’s needs, including investing part of our £200 million children’s social care Innovation Programme into three residential care projects to increase councils’ capacity and improve commissioning practice.
Government provides largely un-ringfenced funding to councils, giving them freedom over the money they receive. This allows them to work with their residents to decide how best to make their spending decisions.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s response to the 10th report of the Home Affairs Select Committee 2017-19 HC 515: Policing for the future, CP62, published 15 March 2019, page 22, what the expected publication date is of the updated Missing Children and Adults Strategy.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government recognises that people that go missing include some of the most vulnerable people in our society. That is why this Government will do all it can to ensure those people are protected from harm.
The Home Office is working with partners to address the issues faced by those who go missing through its refreshed Missing Children and Adults Strategy which will be published in the coming months.
The Home Office does not hold information on the cost to police forces of dealing with missing persons cases.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment the Department has made of the cost to police forces of dealing with missing persons cases in each of the last five years.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government recognises that people that go missing include some of the most vulnerable people in our society. That is why this Government will do all it can to ensure those people are protected from harm.
The Home Office is working with partners to address the issues faced by those who go missing through its refreshed Missing Children and Adults Strategy which will be published in the coming months.
The Home Office does not hold information on the cost to police forces of dealing with missing persons cases.
Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 21 December 2018 (HL12231), whether the updated Government's Missing Children and Adults Strategy will include specific measures to prevent child victims of trafficking going missing shortly after referral to the National Referral Mechanism.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Government is committed to protecting all people who go missing, but recognises that the needs of children, particularly vulnerable children such as trafficked children, are different to those of adults and we have an even greater responsibility to protect them.
Home Office is working with partners to address the issues faced by all children who go missing through its refreshed Missing Children and Adults Strategy which will be published in the coming months. The refreshed Strategy will include cross-Government commitments aimed to prevent victims of child trafficking from going missing by ensuring they are given appropriate information and support. This includes work to encourage police forces to adopt the Operation Innerste process which aims to build trust between a child and the UK authorities, reducing the likelihood of them running away or going missing after a referral to the National Referral Mechanism.
Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 21 December 2018 (HL12231), when they plan to publish the updated version of the Government's Missing Children and Adults Strategy.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Government is committed to protecting all people who go missing, but recognises that the needs of children, particularly vulnerable children such as trafficked children, are different to those of adults and we have an even greater responsibility to protect them.
Home Office is working with partners to address the issues faced by all children who go missing through its refreshed Missing Children and Adults Strategy which will be published in the coming months. The refreshed Strategy will include cross-Government commitments aimed to prevent victims of child trafficking from going missing by ensuring they are given appropriate information and support. This includes work to encourage police forces to adopt the Operation Innerste process which aims to build trust between a child and the UK authorities, reducing the likelihood of them running away or going missing after a referral to the National Referral Mechanism.
Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the relationship between cuts to children's support services and child victims of trafficking going missing shortly after referral to the National Referral Mechanism.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The government takes the issue of any child going missing extremely seriously.
Funding for children’s services is an un-ring fenced part of the Local Government Finance Settlement, it is for local authorities to spend it in the way they think best to meet local needs and their statutory duties. Over the 5 year period to 2019-20, councils have access, through the Local Government Finance Settlement, to over £200 billion to deliver local services, including children’s services. Core spending power has increased from £45.1 billion in 2018-19 to £46.4 billion in 2019-20. In addition to this, local authorities estimate that in 2019-20 the sector will keep around £2.5 billion in business rates growth. Local authorities have control over the way in which this money is used, and as such this growth can be directed to support existing services or to invest in further growth.
In the Autumn Budget, the government announced a further £410 million in 2019-20 for local authorities to invest in adult and children’s social care services. It also announced £84 million of extra funding, over the next 5 years, to support local authorities to invest in initiatives that improve social work practice and decision making. The government will continue to work closely with the sector to consider long-term children’s services funding as part of the upcoming Spending Review.
In order to address the particular vulnerability of these children, the government updated statutory guidance for local authorities on the ‘Care of unaccompanied migrant children and child victims of modern slavery’, attached, in November 2017. This includes guidance on preventing children going missing. Department for Education data collection guidance has been revised to clarify to local authorities that all cases of looked after children who go missing – many of whom might be at heightened risk of being trafficked - are reported, including all children who have gone missing within the first 24 hours of coming to the attention of the local authority.
In addition, the government has awarded £2.2 million from the Child Trafficking Protection Fund to seven organisations to protect vulnerable children in the UK and overseas who are at risk of trafficking. The projects cover a range of areas including tailored support for trafficking victims from various cultures, developing skills and expertise in local areas, and a specialist accommodation pilot. The fund is in addition to the provision of Independent Child Trafficking Advocates for children who have been trafficked.
The cross-government Missing Children and Adults Strategy will be published in the coming months and will include commitments aimed to prevent victims of child trafficking from going missing by ensuring they are given appropriate information and support. This includes work to encourage police forces to adopt the Operation Innerste process which aims to build trust between a child and the UK authorities, reducing the likelihood of them running away.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to encourage emergency services to promote the Herbert Protocol for people living with dementia in their local areas.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
People who go missing are often the most vulnerable in society. Initiatives such as the Herbert Protocol, are important tools to reduce the duration of a missing incident.
Implementation of the Herbert Protocol is an operational decision for individual police forces. The forthcoming update to the Government’s Missing Children and Adults Strategy, due to be published in the coming months, aims to raise awareness of effective practices, such as the Herbert Protocol, and encourages all agencies to work together to safeguard vulnerable individuals and to reduce missing incidents.
Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made in the last six months of the causes behind child victims of trafficking going missing shortly after the point of referral to the National Referral Mechanism.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The unaccompanied asylum seeking (UASC) Safeguarding Strategy, published in November 2017, included a commitment to pilot a standardised process for police when they first encounter an unaccompanied child, to inform effective practice in preventing UASC from going missing. Hertfordshire Police successfully implemented their First Encounter Pilot which has reduced missing incidents of the children it identified. It is now available to all forces nationally; to date 12 forces have begun implementing the process.
We are working to deliver a National Register of Missing Persons (NRMP) and for it to be in operation in 2020/2021. The Home Office is working to update the Government’s Missing Children and Adults Strategy, which was published in 2011. The refreshed strategy will be accompanied by an implementation plan that will include an action to deliver the NRMP.
On 16 January 2017, the Home Secretary announced £2.2m from the Child Trafficking Protection Fund. This has been awarded to seven organisations to protect vulnerable children in the UK and overseas who are at risk of trafficking.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) regularly publishes National Referral Mechanism (NRM) data but does not publish data about the number, proportion and referrals that have been made to the National Referral Mechanism as result of gang involvement. Latest statistics on NRM referrals and decisions are available at the following link:
Further information is also available in the 2018 UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery which was published on 18 October 2018.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2018-uk-annual-report-on-modern-slavery
Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability on 20 November (187328), why they do not publish data on the number and proportion of successful referrals that have been made to the National Referral Mechanism as a result of gang involvement.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The unaccompanied asylum seeking (UASC) Safeguarding Strategy, published in November 2017, included a commitment to pilot a standardised process for police when they first encounter an unaccompanied child, to inform effective practice in preventing UASC from going missing. Hertfordshire Police successfully implemented their First Encounter Pilot which has reduced missing incidents of the children it identified. It is now available to all forces nationally; to date 12 forces have begun implementing the process.
We are working to deliver a National Register of Missing Persons (NRMP) and for it to be in operation in 2020/2021. The Home Office is working to update the Government’s Missing Children and Adults Strategy, which was published in 2011. The refreshed strategy will be accompanied by an implementation plan that will include an action to deliver the NRMP.
On 16 January 2017, the Home Secretary announced £2.2m from the Child Trafficking Protection Fund. This has been awarded to seven organisations to protect vulnerable children in the UK and overseas who are at risk of trafficking.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) regularly publishes National Referral Mechanism (NRM) data but does not publish data about the number, proportion and referrals that have been made to the National Referral Mechanism as result of gang involvement. Latest statistics on NRM referrals and decisions are available at the following link:
Further information is also available in the 2018 UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery which was published on 18 October 2018.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2018-uk-annual-report-on-modern-slavery