Home Office

Border Force work closely with partners to minimise passenger wait times and deploy officers flexibly and when required to meet demand and support passengers. We have introduced ePassport Gates to Paris Gare Du Nord station in two waves, the last being timed to ensure that we had maximum gate coverage within the allotted space provided to us by SNCF prior to the Paris Olympics. Since eGate deployment, we have lowered the age of people able to use eGates and increased the number of nationalities that are also able to use them. We have also installed new front desk technology that is quicker and more robust than its predecessor. We are also prioritising the deployment of new eGates to Paris and other parts of the rail network when they become available which will help streamline increased passenger fluidity during peak times. Border Force enjoys a strong operational relationship with Eurostar which has allowed us to successfully plan and deploy our resources at peak times – evidenced by the successful recent operational deliveries of both the Paris Olympics in the summer of 2024 and the Easter bank holiday period in 2025 that was equally as challenging from a passenger flow perspective.

The Home Office keeps all the recommendations from the report by the UN Committee under review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders.

Relevant departments are currently considering the Committee’s concluding observations in detail. The department will give written responses to three priority areas that the Committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027.

The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the UK’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.

On 6 February the Home Secretary brought together law enforcement and leading tech companies to drive greater collaboration in breaking the business model of mobile phone thieves.

The Summit resulted in clear commitments from attendees to work in partnership, including to significantly boost the sharing of data and intelligence on mobile phone theft to build a comprehensive picture of the problem and better understand the role of organised crime networks.

To aid police investigations and recovery of stolen goods, our Crime and Policing Bill also includes a measure to give police the power to enter and search premises for stolen property that has been electronically geolocation tracked to those premises, where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant.

Through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee we will place thousands of additional police officers and police community support officers in neighbourhood policing roles to provide a more visible and effective response, including in response to the activities of mobile phone thieves operating in our communities.

To deliver our pledge to halve knife crime in the next decade, it is crucial that we tackle the drug gangs that run county lines through violence and exploitation.

Through the County Lines Programme, we will continue to target exploitative drug dealing gangs whilst breaking the organised crime groups behind this vile trade. Between July and September 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.

While the majority of lines originate from the areas covered by the Metropolitan Police Service, West Midlands Police, Merseyside Police, and Greater Manchester Police, county lines is a national issue. This is why, through the Home Office-funded County Lines Programme, we fund the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre to monitor the intelligence picture and co-ordinate the national law enforcement response. In addition, we have a dedicated surge fund which provides local forces with additional funding to tackle county lines, including Avon & Somerset Police.

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 between 25 November to 1 December 2024, during which Avon and Somerset Police made 17 arrests, seized 5 drug lines and referred 5 vulnerable people to safeguarding services.

As committed to in the Government’s manifesto, we are introducing a new offence of child criminal exploitation in the Crime and Policing Bill to go after the gangs who are luring children into violence and crime.

We are also providing specialist support for children and young people to escape county lines and child criminal exploitation and will deliver on our manifesto commitment to roll out further support through Prevention Partnerships to intervene earlier to ensure young people vulnerable to being drawn into crime are identified and offered support in a more systematic way.

To deliver our pledge to halve knife crime in the next decade, it is crucial that we tackle the drug gangs that run county lines through violence and exploitation.

Through the County Lines Programme, we will continue to target exploitative drug dealing gangs whilst breaking the organised crime groups behind this vile trade. Between July and September 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.

While the majority of lines originate from the areas covered by the Metropolitan Police Service, West Midlands Police, Merseyside Police, and Greater Manchester Police, county lines is a national issue. This is why, through the Home Office-funded County Lines Programme, we fund the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre to monitor the intelligence picture and co-ordinate the national law enforcement response. In addition, we have a dedicated surge fund which provides local forces with additional funding to tackle county lines, including Avon & Somerset Police.

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 between 25 November to 1 December 2024, during which Avon and Somerset Police made 17 arrests, seized 5 drug lines and referred 5 vulnerable people to safeguarding services.

As committed to in the Government’s manifesto, we are introducing a new offence of child criminal exploitation in the Crime and Policing Bill to go after the gangs who are luring children into violence and crime.

We are also providing specialist support for children and young people to escape county lines and child criminal exploitation and will deliver on our manifesto commitment to roll out further support through Prevention Partnerships to intervene earlier to ensure young people vulnerable to being drawn into crime are identified and offered support in a more systematic way.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for the Government and a key part of the Safer Streets Mission.

On 25 February 2025, the Crime and Policing Bill was introduced to Parliament. The Bill includes proposals to give the police greater powers to clamp down on all vehicles involved in anti-social behaviour including street racing, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles.

This will strengthen the law and send a clear message that antisocial street racing will not be tolerated.

Excess speed is a major cause of death and serious injury on our roads and anyone who breaks the speed limit should expect to face the full force of the law.

Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this government, and we have committed to use every government tool available to target perpetrators and address the root causes of abuse and violence.

The Home Office Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Intervention Fund provides funding to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to commission domestic abuse and stalking perpetrator interventions in their local area to reduce reoffending and protect victim-survivors. For financial year 2025-26, over £19 million of funding has been continued to 27 PCC areas.

The interventions delivered by PCCs include behaviour change programmes for perpetrators at different risk levels, or other interventions to support a reduction in reoffending, and may also be used for victim support services which sit alongside perpetrator intervention programmes.

Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this government, and we have committed to use every government tool available to target perpetrators and address the root causes of abuse and violence.

The Home Office Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Intervention Fund provides funding to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to commission domestic abuse and stalking perpetrator interventions in their local area to reduce reoffending and protect victim-survivors. For financial year 2025-26, over £19 million of funding has been continued to 27 PCC areas.

The interventions delivered by PCCs include behaviour change programmes for perpetrators at different risk levels, or other interventions to support a reduction in reoffending, and may also be used for victim support services which sit alongside perpetrator intervention programmes.

The Home Office does not hold the information requested.

This is an operational matter for the Metropolitan Police.

The right to peacefully protest is a fundamental part of our democratic society.

We have committed to carry out post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 beginning in May 2025.

Funding provided to Local Authorities by the Home Office in respect of asylum & resettlement is made in the form of grant payments.

As per the most recent published Cabinet Office grant data, in financial year 2023-24 these Home Office grants totalled approximately £500m - Government grants statistics 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK.

The Home Office’s asylum accommodation services are delivered under contracts by Serco, Mears, Clearsprings Ready Homes and Corporate Travel Management. These contracts were entered into by our predecessors.

The Home Office does not have any contractors providing accommodation for refugees under Resettlement schemes.

Under the current Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts, Serco provides accommodation in the North West and Midlands and East of England regions; Mears provides accommodation in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber; and Clearsprings Ready Homes provides accommodation in Wales, the South East, the South East and London.

Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release. The data can also be broken down by region and by local authority. Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) (opens in a new tab).

Under the current Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts, Serco provides accommodation in the North West and Midlands and East of England regions; Mears provides accommodation in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber; and Clearsprings Ready Homes provides accommodation in Wales, the South East, the South East and London.

Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release. The data can also be broken down by region and by local authority. Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) (opens in a new tab).

Under the current Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts, Serco provides accommodation in the North West and Midlands and East of England regions; Mears provides accommodation in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber; and Clearsprings Ready Homes provides accommodation in Wales, the South East, the South East and London.

Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release. The data can also be broken down by region and by local authority. Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) (opens in a new tab).

The Home Office is working closely with a range of stakeholders to fulfil its statutory obligations, while seeking to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation for the taxpayer.

As part of this programme, the Home Office works with its contracted estates delivery partner, Cushman and Wakefield, to identify potential leasehold and freehold properties for the Home Office to acquire. The Home Office does not publish information on the location of asylum accommodation sites for safety and security reasons.

Overall asylum expenditure is published on a routine basis in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts.

The Home Office does not routinely publish correspondence on operational matters.

In addition, it has been the longstanding policy of the Home Office under successive governments not to comment publicly on individual hotels which may or may not be utilised by the Home Office, nor do we provide details of those we accommodate at any site.

The Home Office’s publicly available transparency data sets out the annual costs of asylum support. The most recent data, covering the year 2023/24, can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-and-protection-data-q4-2024.

It remains our absolute commitment to end the use of hotels over time, as part of our reduction in overall asylum accommodation costs. The Home Office will continue to publish accurate end-of-year information on actual asylum expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts.

Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity. Under the UK Borders Act 2007, a deportation order must be made where a foreign national has been convicted of an offence and received a custodial sentence of at least 12 months. A foreign national convicted of an offence that has caused serious harm, who is a persistent offender or who poses a threat to national security will also be considered for deportation where it is deemed to be conducive to the public good under the Immigration Act 1971. Guidance on the use of those powers can be found here: Deporting foreign nationals on conducive grounds: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK.

The enforcement of protest legislation is an operational matter for the police. It is within their discretion to determine whether a particular action warrants police involvement, based on their operational expertise and the specific circumstances of each case.

The Home Office will consider any proposal for national long service recognition for Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). It is only right that we recognise the commitment shown by PCSOs across the country and whose role are undeniably at the sharp end of policing, diffusing community tensions and providing visible policing presence in our communities.

The 1987 Police Pension Scheme provides a pension for the widow, widower or civil partner of a police officer who dies. In common with most other public service pension schemes of that time, these benefits cease to be payable where the widow, widower or civil partner remarries or cohabits with another partner. With the introduction of the 2006 and 2015 police pension schemes, all eligible police officers were able to join a pension scheme that provides life-long survivor benefits for spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners, including those who remarry or cohabit after losing a spouse.

From 1 April 2015, the 1987 Police Pension Scheme was amended to allow widows, widowers and civil partners of police officers who have died as a result of an injury on duty to receive their survivor benefits for life regardless of remarriage, civil partnership or cohabitation.

There are no plans at this time to make any further changes to benefits accrued in the 1987 police scheme.

The police are operationally independent of the government and make decisions on specific incidents based on their intelligence and judgment. The Home Office does not have the power to direct them to make any operational decisions. However, the Home Secretary has regular meetings with all policing leaders, including the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), covering a range of matters.

The Home Office does not collect or hold data on these subjects.

The College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice guidance contains a chapter intended to support the police in offering crisis intervention to people who are at risk of suicide and to respond professionally and effectively when suicide occurs: https://www.college.police.uk/app/mental-health/suicide-and-bereavement-response

The Independent Office for Police Conduct’s annual report on the number of deaths during or following police contact in England and Wales contains information on the number of apparent suicides following police custody. The most recent publication is here: https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/publications/annual-deaths-during-or-following-police-contact-report-202324

The Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, College of Policing, and key health and voluntary sector stakeholders to improve support for those at risk of suicide following release from police custody.

The Poisons Act 1972 sets out the legal obligations in relation to the sale, purchase, and use of explosives precursors and poisons for suppliers, professional users, and members of the public.

The Poisons Act was amended in October 2023 to strengthen controls, and enhance suspicious activity reporting requirements, including new obligations for online marketplaces. As well as the requirement to report suspicious transactions, economic operators supplying any reportable substances must now demonstrate that their personnel are aware about which of their products contain listed substances, and are instructed on their obligations.

Sodium nitrate is a reportable explosives precursor listed in Part 4 of Schedule 1A of the Poisons Act 1972; this means it is lawful to sell this substance in Great Britain without further controls, however suppliers have a legal obligation to report any suspicious transactions.

The Home Office work with retailers and suppliers to raise awareness and emphasise their legal obligation to report suspicious activity for regulated and reportable substances. Government expertise in relation to substances of concern is also shared to inform retailer sales practices. This includes encouraging suppliers to use declaration of use forms for sales of such substances. This work will continue to ensure suppliers are meeting their requirements under the Poisons Act.

As set out in CONTEST, The United Kingdom’s Strategy for Countering Terrorism, the Government is committed to reducing the ability of terrorists to access and use materials and technology of concern. We continue to keep dangerous substances under review to ensure appropriate regulation and controls are in place to keep the public safe.

The Poisons Act 1972 sets out the legal obligations in relation to the sale, purchase, and use of explosives precursors and poisons for suppliers, professional users, and members of the public.

The Poisons Act was amended in October 2023 to strengthen controls, and enhance suspicious activity reporting requirements, including new obligations for online marketplaces. As well as the requirement to report suspicious transactions, economic operators supplying any reportable substances must now demonstrate that their personnel are aware about which of their products contain listed substances, and are instructed on their obligations.

Sodium nitrate is a reportable explosives precursor listed in Part 4 of Schedule 1A of the Poisons Act 1972; this means it is lawful to sell this substance in Great Britain without further controls, however suppliers have a legal obligation to report any suspicious transactions.

The Home Office work with retailers and suppliers to raise awareness and emphasise their legal obligation to report suspicious activity for regulated and reportable substances. Government expertise in relation to substances of concern is also shared to inform retailer sales practices. This includes encouraging suppliers to use declaration of use forms for sales of such substances. This work will continue to ensure suppliers are meeting their requirements under the Poisons Act.

As set out in CONTEST, The United Kingdom’s Strategy for Countering Terrorism, the Government is committed to reducing the ability of terrorists to access and use materials and technology of concern. We continue to keep dangerous substances under review to ensure appropriate regulation and controls are in place to keep the public safe.

The Poisons Act 1972 sets out the legal obligations in relation to the sale, purchase, and use of explosives precursors and poisons for suppliers, professional users, and members of the public.

The Poisons Act was amended in October 2023 to strengthen controls, and enhance suspicious activity reporting requirements, including new obligations for online marketplaces. As well as the requirement to report suspicious transactions, economic operators supplying any reportable substances must now demonstrate that their personnel are aware about which of their products contain listed substances, and are instructed on their obligations.

Sodium nitrate is a reportable explosives precursor listed in Part 4 of Schedule 1A of the Poisons Act 1972; this means it is lawful to sell this substance in Great Britain without further controls, however suppliers have a legal obligation to report any suspicious transactions.

The Home Office work with retailers and suppliers to raise awareness and emphasise their legal obligation to report suspicious activity for regulated and reportable substances. Government expertise in relation to substances of concern is also shared to inform retailer sales practices. This includes encouraging suppliers to use declaration of use forms for sales of such substances. This work will continue to ensure suppliers are meeting their requirements under the Poisons Act.

As set out in CONTEST, The United Kingdom’s Strategy for Countering Terrorism, the Government is committed to reducing the ability of terrorists to access and use materials and technology of concern. We continue to keep dangerous substances under review to ensure appropriate regulation and controls are in place to keep the public safe.

The Poisons Act 1972 sets out the legal obligations in relation to the sale, purchase, and use of explosives precursors and poisons for suppliers, professional users, and members of the public.

The Poisons Act was amended in October 2023 to strengthen controls, and enhance suspicious activity reporting requirements, including new obligations for online marketplaces. As well as the requirement to report suspicious transactions, economic operators supplying any reportable substances must now demonstrate that their personnel are aware about which of their products contain listed substances, and are instructed on their obligations.

Sodium nitrate is a reportable explosives precursor listed in Part 4 of Schedule 1A of the Poisons Act 1972; this means it is lawful to sell this substance in Great Britain without further controls, however suppliers have a legal obligation to report any suspicious transactions.

The Home Office work with retailers and suppliers to raise awareness and emphasise their legal obligation to report suspicious activity for regulated and reportable substances. Government expertise in relation to substances of concern is also shared to inform retailer sales practices. This includes encouraging suppliers to use declaration of use forms for sales of such substances. This work will continue to ensure suppliers are meeting their requirements under the Poisons Act.

As set out in CONTEST, The United Kingdom’s Strategy for Countering Terrorism, the Government is committed to reducing the ability of terrorists to access and use materials and technology of concern. We continue to keep dangerous substances under review to ensure appropriate regulation and controls are in place to keep the public safe.

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of tools and powers they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour (ASB), including the civil injunction which can be issued by a court to under 18s.

The powers in the 2014 Act are deliberately flexible in nature, and it is for local agencies to determine whether their use is appropriate in the specific circumstances of each individual case.

Police and local authorities can apply to the courts for a civil injunction to prevent those under 18 from committing further ASB. The civil injunction can also include positive requirements, to address the underlying causes of their behaviour. The court can attach a power of arrest to the civil injunction where there is the use, or threatened use, of violence against other persons or there is a significant risk of harm to other persons from the respondent. If the applicant thinks the respondent has breached a term of the injunction to which a power of arrest has not been attached, they may apply to the court for an arrest warrant.

​The Government’s published Plan for Change sets out clear direction on how we will tackle ASB, which includes, by July, ensuring a dedicated lead officer in every force working with communities to develop a local ASB action plan. We are also delivering on our commitment to restore and strengthen neighbourhood policing and as announced in the Police Funding Settlement, we are doubling the funding available to a total of £200 million in 2025/26 to support the first steps of delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel.

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of tools and powers they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour (ASB), including the civil injunction which can be issued by a court to under 18s.

The powers in the 2014 Act are deliberately flexible in nature, and it is for local agencies to determine whether their use is appropriate in the specific circumstances of each individual case.

Police and local authorities can apply to the courts for a civil injunction to prevent those under 18 from committing further ASB. The civil injunction can also include positive requirements, to address the underlying causes of their behaviour. The court can attach a power of arrest to the civil injunction where there is the use, or threatened use, of violence against other persons or there is a significant risk of harm to other persons from the respondent. If the applicant thinks the respondent has breached a term of the injunction to which a power of arrest has not been attached, they may apply to the court for an arrest warrant.

​The Government’s published Plan for Change sets out clear direction on how we will tackle ASB, which includes, by July, ensuring a dedicated lead officer in every force working with communities to develop a local ASB action plan. We are also delivering on our commitment to restore and strengthen neighbourhood policing and as announced in the Police Funding Settlement, we are doubling the funding available to a total of £200 million in 2025/26 to support the first steps of delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel.

This Government will always take threats to the UK incredibly seriously. On 4 March, the Government announced a concerted package of measures to counter the threat from the Iranian Intelligence Services. This includes our decision to specify Iran on the Enhanced Tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), which will require individuals and organisations directed by Iran to conduct activity in the UK to register with the Home Office. Failure to do so will be a criminal offence.

Peaceful protest is a vital part of our democratic society. However, the right to peacefully protest does not extend to behaviour that is violent or causes harassment, alarm or distress to others. Should a protest contravene the law, the police have the powers to respond.

The Metropolitan Police Service had a significant policing plan in place – including conditions under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act – during the Al Quds Day march on 23 March. The use of these powers and the management of demonstrations are an operational matter for the police, and Government Ministers are unable to intervene in individual cases or in operational decisions.

The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas, including Global Talent and Scale-Up Worker visas, in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on outcomes of visas (issued, refused, withdrawn, lapsed) are published in table ‘Vis_D02’ of the detailed entry clearance dataset. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. Data is up to the end of December 2024.

An application which does not meet all the validity requirements for the Global Talent route is invalid and may be rejected and not considered. This information is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Information on processing times of Scale-Up Worker visas and visas issued under the digital technology stream of the Global Talent visa is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas, including Global Talent and Scale-Up Worker visas, in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on outcomes of visas (issued, refused, withdrawn, lapsed) are published in table ‘Vis_D02’ of the detailed entry clearance dataset. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. Data is up to the end of December 2024.

An application which does not meet all the validity requirements for the Global Talent route is invalid and may be rejected and not considered. This information is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Information on processing times of Scale-Up Worker visas and visas issued under the digital technology stream of the Global Talent visa is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas, including Global Talent and Scale-Up Worker visas, in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on outcomes of visas (issued, refused, withdrawn, lapsed) are published in table ‘Vis_D02’ of the detailed entry clearance dataset. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. Data is up to the end of December 2024.

An application which does not meet all the validity requirements for the Global Talent route is invalid and may be rejected and not considered. This information is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Information on processing times of Scale-Up Worker visas and visas issued under the digital technology stream of the Global Talent visa is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

The specific information requested is not held.

We keep all aspects of the immigration system under review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

The Home Office and Ministers meet regularly with Scottish Government Ministers and officials to discuss all aspects of Home Office business, including immigration and our work linking skills and visa policy to ensure our immigration system works in the interests of the whole of the UK.

The Home Office and Ministers meet regularly with Scottish Government Ministers and officials to discuss all aspects of Home Office business, including immigration and our work linking skills and visa policy to ensure our immigration system works in the interests of the whole of the UK.

The Home Office and Ministers meet regularly with Scottish Government Ministers and officials to discuss all aspects of Home Office business, including immigration and our work linking skills and visa policy to ensure our immigration system works in the interests of the whole of the UK.

Ensuring the safety of women and girls in public spaces is a top priority for this Government. We have set out an unprecedented mission to halve the level of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in a decade. That means working to tackle threats to women’s safety in all areas of their lives, including in public places.

Through our Safer Streets Mission, we are driving action across Government to achieve this. We are spearheading a cross-Government approach to preventing and tackling VAWG through the Safer Streets Mission Board, and this includes looking at what action we can take to make public spaces safer for women and girls.

We know that public sexual harassment often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women and girls, feeling unsafe on our streets. That is why tackling it is an important part of our mission and will be addressed in the forthcoming cross-government VAWG strategy.

I refer the Hon Member to the response given to UIN 31037 on 28^th February 2025.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.