This is the first time the Border Security Commander will be appearing before the Committee to answer questions about his role in implementing Government policy on combatting organised immigration crime.

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Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 67240 on Animals in Science Regulation Unit: Inspections, how many inspectors were in post in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit as of July 2025.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Home Office is in the final stages of delivering a comprehensive programme of regulatory reform to strengthen the Animals in Science Regulation Unit and ensure robust compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The number of Inspectors will increase from 17 at the end of 2023, to 22 by end of 2025. This expansion will improve the Regulator’s capability to provide oversight and conduct inspections through regulation which is proportionate, targeted, robust and effective.

The number of inspectors in post in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit in July 2025 was 15 – the middle of the reform process. Numbers of inspectors are published in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit annual report.

The Government is fully committed to continuous improvement in regulation and strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in science and innovation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of trends in the number of prosecutions of offences under the Terrorism Act 2000.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

In the year ending 30 June 2025, 83 persons were tried for terrorism-related offences, an increase of 5 compared with the year ending June 2024 and 16 more than the average over the last 10 years (67). 80 of those 83 (96%) persons tried were convicted. Conviction rates have remained consistently high in recent years, with the highest conviction rate on record in the year ending 31 December 2024 (98% - 84 out of 86 trials resulting in conviction). This is a testament to the sustained efforts of CT Policing and the Crown Prosecution Service in securing record convictions for terrorism-related offences.

These statistics are routinely published by the Home Office as part of its quarterly reporting on the ‘Operation of Police Powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 and subsequent legislation’.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has taken steps to implement the recommendations of the report by Dr Frances Rawle entitled The role of review and regulatory approvals processes for animal research in supporting implementation of the 3Rs, published on 27 February 2023.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Rawle report identified opportunities to strengthen regulation and review processes supporting the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) in animal research, some of which are led by the Home Office. The Home Office has taken substantive steps to implement the recommendations, including:

• Licensing reform: The National Centre for the 3Rs are undertaking a review of the project licence application form to ensure robust and targeted assessment of 3Rs compliance at the application stage. The NC3Rs will provide recommendations to the Home Office.
• Audit enhancements: The Regulator has reviewed its approach to auditing licensed scientific establishments. When launched, audits will include a greater focus on assessing the effectiveness of Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Bodies (AWERBs).

• Named persons and AWERBs: A commission has been issued to the Animals in Science Committee to seek advice on strengthening the roles of AWERBs and Named Information Officers, and to include a request for guidance on promoting the 3Rs beyond licence review.
• Increased 3Rs training and resources: the training package for inspectors has been enhanced with a greater emphasis on replacement methodologies.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of project licences applied for under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were refused between 1 January and 1 September 2025.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Between 1 January 2021 to 1 January 2025, one application for a project licence under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 has been refused.

The Home Office does not routinely collect information on refused project licences as, due to the structure of the legal framework, this metric is not an indicator for the robustness of the regulatory regime.

The Government sets clear expectations of applications through publishing extensive guidance for the regulated sector. Before being submitted to the Regulator for assessment, the regulation requires that applications must be internally reviewed by an establishment’s Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body and be signed off by the Establishment Licence Holder. Home Office Inspectors in the Regulator will only review applications from establishments that fulfil all requirements of the legislation. Applications received by the Regulator may be returned to the applicant for clarification and/or amendment before being re-assessed. Applicants may also amend or withdraw an application in response to feedback from the regulator. This system means that the number of refusals tends towards zero.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle (a) insurance fraud and (b) ghost brokers in the motor insurance industry.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Government recognises the harm caused by insurance fraud, including ghost broking. This is why we have launched an Insurance Fraud Charter with key firms setting out a series of voluntary measures to disrupt and deter insurance fraud. As part of the Stop! Think Fraud public communications campaign, the Government supported a campaign led by the Association of British Insurers, the City of London Police, and the Insurance Fraud Bureau to highlight the signs of Ghost Broking and encourage public reporting to CheatLine. We continue working with law enforcement and industry partners, including the City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department, to combat this crime and protect consumers.

The Government also launched a cross-government motor insurance taskforce, co-chaired by the Department for Transport and His Majesty’s Treasury, to help drive down the costs of motor insurance and will consider related fraud as part of this. The taskforce is expected to publish its final report in the autumn.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support the Community Security Trust in safeguarding (a) synagogues, (b) Jewish schools and (c) other Jewish community locations.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

There is no excuse for violence or abuse driven by antisemitic hatred and discrimination, and we support the police in taking strong action against those who carry out these crimes.

This Government is committed to supporting the protection of Jewish communities against antisemitic attacks and other security threats.

The Jewish Community Protective Security (JCPS) Grant provides protective security measures (such as security personnel services, CCTV and alarm systems) at synagogues, Jewish educational establishments and community sites. It is managed on behalf of the Home Office by the Community Security Trust.

From 2024/25 to 2027/28, the Community Security Trust has been allocated £18 million annually through the JCPS Grant to continue this important work. We continue to work closely with the CST to ensure the safety and security of Jewish communities across the UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals have been refused entry to the UK on the basis of their support for proscribed terrorist groups since 2020.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The information requested is not centrally held and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the use of cash intensive businesses for money laundering.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Cash intensive businesses can be exploited by criminals who seek to launder their cash enabling them to profit from their illegal activities. Under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, law enforcement may seize cash of £1,000 or more if they reasonably suspect it is derived from or intended for use in criminal activity, even without a criminal charge or conviction. In the financial year ending March 2024, £49.5 million in cash was seized.

Driving down money laundering is critical to this Government’s key missions to deliver safer streets and economic growth. Addressing cash-based money laundering is therefore one of the strategic priorities of the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC), which sits within the National Crime Agency (NCA).

In March, the NECC, coordinated a three-week crackdown against barbershops and other cash intensive business across England and Wales involving 19 different police forces and Regional Organised Crime Units, as well as HMRC, Trading Standards and Home Office Immigration Enforcement. In total, 380 premises were visited across the three-week operation, with officers securing freezing orders over bank accounts totalling more than £1m, executing 84 warrants and arrested 35 individuals. Officers also seized more than £40,000 in cash, 200,000 cigarettes, 7,000 packs of tobacco, over 8,000 illegal vapes and two vehicles.

This is the first phase of targeted action against criminals and organised crime groups who use high-street businesses to launder criminal monies. The Government is committed to working with the NCA and partners to reduce this threat.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they assess whether a student visa sponsor remains fully compliant, and whether they plan to introduce any additional regulatory tools to address student visa misuse.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office requires sponsors to pass an annual Basic Compliance Assessment (BCA) to retain their licence. Additionally, sponsor visiting teams carry out audits to ensure sponsors are fulfilling their duties.

As set out in the Immigration White Paper, we are taking action to drive responsible recruitment by tightening the minimum pass requirement of each BCA metric by five percentage points. Further details will be provided in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are reviewing the quantitative thresholds of the core requirements for student visa sponsor compliance.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office requires sponsors to pass an annual Basic Compliance Assessment (BCA) to retain their licence. Additionally, sponsor visiting teams carry out audits to ensure sponsors are fulfilling their duties.

As set out in the Immigration White Paper, we are taking action to drive responsible recruitment by tightening the minimum pass requirement of each BCA metric by five percentage points. Further details will be provided in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of illegal migrants they will return under the returns agreement with France by the end of 2025.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Returns to France under the UK-France returns agreement commenced on 18 September 2025.

This is a pilot that we want to expand and therefore the numbers will vary. We will not go into the operational details as this would provide criminal smuggling gangs with information that they may use to continue to their vile trade.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect flights returning illegal migrants to France to commence under their returns agreement.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Returns to France under the UK-France returns agreement commenced on 18 September 2025.

This is a pilot that we want to expand and therefore the numbers will vary. We will not go into the operational details as this would provide criminal smuggling gangs with information that they may use to continue to their vile trade.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they collect data about suicides and attempted suicides by police members across England and Wales.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not currently collect data centrally on suicides or attempted suicides by police workers.

Data on suicides by occupation have previously been published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

A National Action Plan for Suicide Prevention and Postvention in policing has been launched, which aims to reduce rates among the police workforce as well as enhancing data recording. The plan, which includes ensuring adequate training for the police workforce, emphasises a supportive environment that promotes mental health and combats stigma to ensure that those affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts can access appropriate and timely support.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to make the frequency of asylum applications from student visa holders at the same student visa sponsor grounds to suspend or revoke a student visa sponsor licence.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office requires sponsors to pass an annual Basic Compliance Assessment (BCA) to retain their licence. Additionally, sponsor visiting teams carry out audits to ensure sponsors are fulfilling their duties.

As set out in the Immigration White Paper, we are taking action to drive responsible recruitment by tightening the minimum pass requirement of each BCA metric by five percentage points. Further details will be provided in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks to community cohesion and national security posed by recent attacks on places of worship.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

There is no excuse for violence or threats targeted at places of worship and we support the police in taking strong action against those who carry out these crimes.

The Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to practise their religion freely at their chosen places of worship and community centres. We regularly work closely with the police to assess threats and review the protections in place for communities.

In 2025/26, up to £50.9 million is available to protect faith communities. This includes £18 million through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant, £29.4 million through the Protective Security for Mosques scheme and for security at Muslim faith schools, and £3.5 million for the places of worship and associated faith community centres of all other faiths.

In addition, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government is undertaking work to develop a more strategic approach to supporting communities and societal resilience more broadly.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of risk that Islamism, as portrayed by the religionofpeace.com website, poses to the United Kingdom.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

In the context relevant to the Home Office's responsibility for tackling terrorism, the terrorist threat we see today is more diverse and complex. The UK’s counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST, outlines that in the UK the primary domestic terrorist threat comes from Islamist terrorism, with the remainder driven by Extreme Right-Wing Terrorism.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support the enforcement of their proposed "respect orders" by police forces in England and Wales.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

It is crucial that police have the powers they need to tackle anti-social behaviour.

New Respect Orders, introduced through the Crime and Policing Bill, will give police stronger powers to enforce against the most persistent adult offenders.

Respect Orders will be behavioural orders, issued by the civil courts. They will enable courts to ban offenders from engaging in harmful anti-social behaviours and can also require perpetrators to take action to address the root cause of their behaviour.

Failure to comply with a Respect Order will be a criminal offence, enforceable by arrest and tried in the criminal court. Penalty for breach will include community sentences, unlimited fines, and prison time for the most serious breaches.

Updated statutory guidance will be provided to forces on Respect Orders, to ensure they are being used as effectively as possible.

We are also delivering on our commitment to restore and strengthen neighbourhood policing, ensuring thousands of additional police officers and police community support officers are out patrolling in our town centres and communities to make our streets safer.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have used, or plan to use, artificial intelligence to assess the age of asylum seekers; if so, from what date; what consultation on its use has been undertaken or is planned; whether the results of such consultation will be published; and whether individuals subject to its use will be given full details without having to request them.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Assessing age of unaccompanied children is an incredibly complex and difficult task. The Home Office is considering whether scientific and technological methods and artificial intelligence tools (such as facial age estimation technology) can improve age assessment methods with facial estimation technology trials due to begin later this year. Subject to the results of further testing and assurance, which has been commissioned, Facial Age Estimation could be introduced into the system in 2026.

We are engaging various stakeholders throughout testing and policy development. The Government will inform Parliament of any decisions on this policy area in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many asylum claims have been submitted by visa holders with a licensed student visa sponsor in the most recent 12-month period.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes data on people claiming asylum by route of entry to the UK in table Asy_D01a of the 'Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release' on GOV.UK. The latest data relates to the year ending June 2025. Between July 2024 and June 2025, 14,800 asylum claims were submitted by those holding a study visa. There is no breakdown by sponsored or non-sponsored study available. This breakdown is not available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to publish statutory guidance to accompany the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Public sexual harassment is a crime that often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women, feeling very unsafe. That is why tackling it is an important part of our mission to halve levels of violence against women and girls within a decade.

We will confirm next steps on implementation of the Protection from Sex Based Harassment in Public Act 2023, including accompanying statutory guidance, at the earliest opportunity.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the police forces about the potential dangers of food couriers riding electric bicycles on pavements.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Ministers and officials meet representatives of police forces regularly to discuss a wide range of topics.

The Highway Code details the legal responsibilities of cyclists. In addition to the main offences of dangerous and careless cycling there are a variety of specific offences including cycling on the pavement for which police officers and Police Community Support Officers can issue £50 fixed penalty notice.

In addition, the Government is giving the police greater powers through the Crime and Policing Bill to clamp down on vehicles, including electric bicycles, used anti-socially and illegally with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing them.

The Government has also recently consulted on proposals to allow the police to dispose of seized vehicles which have been used anti-socially and illegally more quickly. The consultation closed on 8 July and the Government response will be published in due course.

These combined measures will help tackle the scourge of vehicles ridden anti-socially and illegally and send a clear message to would-be offenders and local communities that this behaviour will not be tolerated.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to prevent illegal migrants who arrive in the Republic of Ireland from travelling into Northern Ireland and then to Great Britain.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative working relationship on a range of issues, including migration and border security. That collaboration includes a joint commitment to protect the Common Travel Area (CTA) from abuse while preserving the rights of British and Irish citizens.

The UK operates intelligence-led operational activity across the CTA and everyone entering the UK, regardless of where they enter from, is required to meet UK’s immigration requirements. Anyone identified attempting to circumvent UK border controls is liable to be detained and, if they are not lawfully present within the UK, removed.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Hanson of Flint on 15 September (HL9952, HL9953, HL9954, HL9955, HL9956), whether they will answer the questions put.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office has a statutory obligation to support asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute. Asylum Support provisions are reviewed regularly to ensure that we remain compliant in meeting our legal obligations. This can include consideration of how other countries provide support for people seeking asylum.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a national freight crime strategy, including proposals for criminal law measures, and on what timeframe.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government understands the significant and damaging impact freight crime has on businesses and drivers and we are aware of worrying increases in its frequency.

Whilst there are no plans to introduce a national freight crime strategy, we will continue to work with law enforcement agencies and invested stakeholders to change the unacceptable perception that freight crime is low risk and high reward and find solutions which will tackle it.

There are strong links between freight crime and serious, organised crime, which is a major threat to the national security and prosperity of the UK and estimated to cost the economy at least £47 billion annually.

This Government is committed to tackling serious and organised crime in all its forms, and we are continuing to work closely with Opal, the police’s national intelligence unit focused on serious organised acquisitive crime, which has multiple thematic desks, including a vehicle crime intelligence desk which covers freight crime.

The DfT also hosts the Freight Council; this group regularly discusses crime against freight companies, and the Home Office works closely with DfT to engage with the sector on this issue through the Freight Council.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 3 September (HL10232), how many asylum seekers are currently placed in (1) hotels, (2) houses of multiple occupation, and (3) other locations and facilities in England, broken down by local council.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of supported asylum seekers accommodated in contingency and dispersed accommodation, including houses of multiple occupation, across England as at 30 June 2025.

The below figures are broken down by region. The data is available on GOV.UK under Immigration statistics and can be further broken down by local authority.

This Government is delivering on its pledge to close asylum hotels; drastically reducing taxpayer costs and giving control back to local communities. This Government is committed to ending the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by the end of the Parliament.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many migrants arrived by small boats, and how many were deported to France, on 18 September.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

0 people arrived by small boats on 18 September 2025. On the same day, one person was removed to France under the UK-France returns agreement.

This was the first person to be removed under the agreement. More on this can be read on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/first-small-boat-migrant-returned-under-new-uk-france-agreement).

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many European airports allowed UK passengers to use e-gates on 19 May, and how many do so now.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Rt. Hon Lord to the answer provided on 5^th June 2025 to PQ HL7659.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the backlog in deportation cases.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

As committed to in the Immigration White Paper (12 May 2025), the Government will shortly publish a formal Asylum Policy Statement setting out radical reforms to modernise the asylum system and strengthen border security. These proposals will include a new protection offer, accelerated decision-making, fast-track appeals and returns, as well as reforms to family rights and Article 8 claims.

Latest published information shows that at the end of Q2 2025 there were 19,390 foreign national offenders (FNOs) living in the community having completed their custodial sentences and subject to deportation.

The Home Office faces significant and complex challenges when seeking to return those who have no right to be in the UK to their country of origin or lawful place of return. Despite these barriers, we are fully committed to making our communities safer by deporting those who break our laws.

That is why are legislating to introduce a 24-week timeframe, this will speed up the appeals process for foreign criminals subject to ensuring that a fair hearing can take place.

This government has already removed 5,179 FNOs in its first year in office, a 14 per cent increase on the previous twelve months, and we will continue to ensure there is no hiding place for foreign criminals in our country.

The latest figures on the increase in returns can be found at: Returns from the UK between 5 July 2024 and 4 July 2025 - GOV.UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many seats were booked on deportation charter flights in the last year; and how many were used.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

In the year 5 September 2024 to 4 September 2025 inclusive, the capacity available for those being returned on the 64 returns charter flights that operated was 3717 seats. Of these, 2972 seats were used across the 64 returns charter flights.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many charter flights for deportations were scheduled in the last 12 months; and how many took place.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

In the year 5 September 2024 to 4 September 2025 inclusive, 69 returns charter flights were arranged, 64 were operated and five did not take place.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department’s policy is on restricting multiple appeals against deportation.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

In most deportation cases, there is no right of appeal unless the person concerned makes a human rights or protection claim, in which case there is a right of appeal against a decision to refuse the claim.

As part of efforts to fix the broken asylum system the Government inherited, proposals are being developed to ensure immigration and asylum appeals are heard more quickly, with safeguards to maintain high standards, mechanisms to surge capacity when needed, and processes to accelerate and prioritise cases. These proposals will also include new procedures to tackle repeat applications and last-minute claims that frustrate removal action.

Currently, where a person has already brought an appeal on human rights or protection grounds and then makes further submissions, they are subject to a robust test which if not met means their submissions will be rejected without a right of appeal. There is only an appeal where a person raises something that has not previously been considered which, taken together with any previously considered material, creates a realistic prospect of success.

Where a person has permission to stay in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme, there is a right of appeal against a decision to make a deportation order against them, in compliance with the Agreement on the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU. That right can only be exercised once, unless another deportation decision is made.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to vet for public safety and security students and dependants from Gaza who are on expedited visas and are offered temporary leave to remain in the UK.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

As set out by the Home Secretary in her oral statement to Parliament on 1 September 2025, the Home Office has put in place systems to issue expedited visas, with biometric checks conducted prior to arrival for all the Chevening scholars from Gaza.

The Home Office is in the process of doing the same for students in Gaza who have been awarded fully funded scholarships and places at UK universities so they can start their studies in autumn this year (no later than 31 December 2025).

All visa applicants are required to provide their biographic and biometric data to enable a range security checks to be completed, including criminality checks.

The Home Office uses various tools to detect and disrupt travel by terrorists, by criminals and by individuals excluded from the UK; previously deported from the UK; or using lost, stolen or revoked documents and visas. This includes the use of domestic and international watchlists. The Home Office works with both law enforcement and wider government partners to ensure appropriate action is taken before travel or at the border when individuals of concern are identified.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 12 February (HL4531), whether the management information related to the "no recourse to public funds" condition is not available on the Atlas system for each leave to remain record.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Atlas records, as part of a leave to remain decision, whether an individual has been given a ‘no recourse to public funds’ (NRPF) condition, and every individual who has an immigration application record on Atlas has their nationality, gender and date of birth recorded as standard. Management Information reports related to the NRPF condition are not yet available, pending prioritisation of enabling work.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how often her Department checks that UK visa holders are living at the address provided.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Home Office decision makers can make enquiries as part of the visa consideration process to confirm that a person is intending to stay at the address provided in their application. Customers are encouraged to update their personal details, including their home and postal address, in their UKVI account. There is no routine check to confirm whether UK visa holders are living at the address previously provided.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain subsequent to having been convicted of an offence in the UK since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The information requested 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.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data the Government holds on the percentage of prison officers employed via the worker visa route.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Published visa data is available at Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department had discussions with the (a) Department of Justice in Northern Ireland and (b) Police Service of Northern Ireland prior to the decision to proscribe Palestine Action.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Decisions on proscription are not taken lightly. They are informed by a robust evidence-based process, with contributions from a wide range of experts from across government, the police and the intelligence community.

Counter terrorism is a reserved matter. I can confirm that Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) were consulted prior to the decision to proscribe Palestine Action.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of women identified as "pregnant from Ireland" who were forcibly returned from Britain to Ireland in the 20th century and what plans they have to offer recompense to those affected.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Irish Government is implementing a redress scheme which provides compensation to survivors of historical wrongs in Ireland. The Department for Work and Pensions is considering how to legislate so that UK residents who receive this compensation do not have their benefits affected. The ongoing legalisation the PQ is in relation to is Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill

The Home Office has, to the best of its knowledge, confirmed that it does not hold the information requested.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with counter-terrorism policing units about online reports of threats to kill directed at mosques and Muslim communities.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

There is no excuse for violence or threats targeted at Muslim communities. The Government is committed to safeguarding the right to practise faith freely and safely, including at places of worship.

While we do not disclose details of operational discussions, the Home Secretary regularly meets Counter Terrorism Policing to discuss current threats and risks.

We have robust legislation to address threatening, abusive and harassing behaviour, including laws against inciting racial and religious hatred. Online hate is also a priority illegal harm under the Online Safety Act 2023, which places legal duties on platforms to proactively prevent and remove such content, and to take other steps to reduce abuse on their platforms.

We continue to support the police in taking strong action against those who seek to harm or intimidate communities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to mosques and Islamic centres to strengthen security following recent vandalism, desecration, and threats of violence.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

There is no excuse for violence or threats targeted at Muslim communities and we support the police in taking strong action against those who carry out these crimes.

The Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to practise their religion freely at their chosen places of worship and community centres. We regularly work closely with the police to assess threats and review the protections in place for communities.

The Protective Security for Mosques Scheme provides protective security measures, such as security personnel services, CCTV, intruder alarms and secure perimeter fencing, to mosques and associated Muslim faith community centres. These protective security measures are also available to Muslim faith schools. We have made up to £29.4 million available for this important work in 2025/26.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent series of attacks on mosques across the UK in August and September.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

There is no excuse for violence or threats targeted at Muslim communities and we support the police in taking strong action against those who carry out these crimes.

The Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to practise their religion freely at their chosen places of worship and community centres. We regularly work closely with the police to assess threats and review the protections in place for communities.

The Protective Security for Mosques Scheme provides protective security measures, such as security personnel services, CCTV, intruder alarms and secure perimeter fencing, to mosques and associated Muslim faith community centres. These protective security measures are also available to Muslim faith schools. We have made up to £29.4 million available for this important work in 2025/26.

Legally require that any individual with two or more Domestic Violence Protection Orders or Stalking Protection Orders be placed on a new monitored registry. This registry ensures that future partners & child services are notified, enhancing safety, accountability, and prevention of repeated abuse.

We call on the government to withdraw the UK’s membership of the European Convention on Human Rights and pause processing all asylum applications until illegal Channel crossings are completely stopped.

Urgently include occupation code 3314 (Prison Officers) in the Immigration Salary List to help enable sponsorship for recently recruited Prison officers to ensure staff retention and avert further staffing crisis for prisons.

Allow patients with valid medical cannabis prescriptions to legally grow up to 6 plants for personal medical use. Require secure cultivation, LED lighting for safety, and registration with clinics to ensure safe, affordable, and regulated access to medicine.

To ensure that the culture within the Crown and Public Service, including but not limited to the Police, Social Work, Teaching, plus amongst elected officials, is one of accountability.

We want a review of the current provision of safe and legal routes for asylum seekers to enter the UK. This should consider:

a) a humanitarian visa to enable people to apply from overseas rather than having to cross the Channel on small boats.

b) an expansion of the resettlement scheme.

I would like the Government to introduce legislation banning the use of the Nazi salute, the swastika, the SS rune, and other such Nazi symbols, similar to laws that have long existed in Germany and Austria, and have been more recently introduced in Australia.

Review the settlement and citizenship pathway for those born or raised in the UK from childhood. We believe many fall outside current routes due to law changes. The review should consider adding a new pathway resembling the Windrush scheme, giving rights to live, work, and contribute.

Create a dedicated mobility scheme for Ukrainian researchers: fast-track, fee-free visas including dependants; the right to work in UK universities and labs; relocation grants and bridging fellowships; recognition of qualifications; coordination with UKRI to match skills to posts; extension routes.

Found: Not applying the Decent Homes Standard to short term lets, home office accommodation and temporary accommodation

Found: battle, documented in emails to MPs, local Councillors, Police, HMRC, Environmental Health, and the Home Office

Found: will not accept these offers, accommodation of this kind is increasingly being procured by the Home Office

Found: including Housing Benefit and Council Tax reductions, which are classified as ‘public funds’ by the Home Office

Found: Lord Hanson of Flint Minister of State 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF www.gov.uk/home-office

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help protect the (a) animal and (b) plant export sector from risks posed by illegal meat imports.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is working with the Home Office, Border Force and Dover Port Health Authority to ensure that operations around detecting illegal meat imports are as effective as possible and have allocated this financial year £3.1 million to Dover Port Health Authority. We are also working with port and airport operators to ensure travellers are aware of the new restrictions on bringing in animal products for personal use. In most cases there is no risk to plant exports as a result of the animal disease risk posed by illegal meat imports, with the exception of the export of hay and straw.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that meat imported illegally into the UK is seized at the border.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

Defra is working closely with the Home Office and the Food Standards Agency to tackle meat smuggling, with the support of Border Force, port health authorities and local authorities.

Defra has committed £3.1 million for Dover Port Health Authority to work in partnership with Border Force in seizing meat smuggled via the Port of Dover in 2025/26, additional to over £9m of funding provided to date.

Defra is considering the recommendations in the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s report on meat smuggling.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the opportunities for the promotion of industrial hemp.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Growers are the best judge of what planting is suited to their land type and long-term agronomic strategy, but Defra recognises the valuable addition industrial hemp can be to some farms as a break crop.

Defra and the Home Office have listened carefully to experienced growers, and we believe that the changes to the Home Office hemp licensing system, currently in delivery, will be key to unlocking the crop’s huge potential. These reforms will enable an expansion of the growing area, better alignment of licences with the farming calendar and rotation planning, and an increase in the number of varieties growers can access.

Defra has also commissioned several studies looking at hemp cultivation, to better understand how the crop can contribute to achieving environmentally sustainable actions.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what role UK diplomatic posts in the Gulf region will play in monitoring and supporting implementation of the enhanced partnership with the United Arab Emirates on illicit finance.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK-UAE Partnership to Tackle Illicit Financial Flows, chaired by the Home Office, is a cross-governmental effort to strengthen operational cooperation and disrupt financial crime. A senior UAE delegation visited the UK on 2 and 3 September to advance this work. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) sets and evaluates countries against global standards, which is a separate and technical process. Our bilateral engagement complements implementation of the FATF standards and supports international financial integrity.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of how the UK-UAE partnership on illicit finance will interact with multilateral initiatives such as the Financial Action Task Force.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK-UAE Partnership to Tackle Illicit Financial Flows, chaired by the Home Office, is a cross-governmental effort to strengthen operational cooperation and disrupt financial crime. A senior UAE delegation visited the UK on 2 and 3 September to advance this work. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) sets and evaluates countries against global standards, which is a separate and technical process. Our bilateral engagement complements implementation of the FATF standards and supports international financial integrity.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase resource allocation for wildlife licensing applications under the Deer Act 1991 and the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to improve interdepartmental communication between the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Home Office on this matter and to streamline deer licence applications.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra has no current plans to increase resource allocation for wildlife licensing applications under the Deer Act 1991.

The Home Office assesses applications for the use of animals in science under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. This legislation is not the same as wildlife licensing applications.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) including key skilled early years professional roles where there is a shortage to the skilled worker visa route and (b) easing the visa process for skilled early years workers on the early years workforce.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department recognises the huge contribution the early years workforce makes to young children’s lives. The workforce is at the heart of the government’s mission to give every child the best start in life and deliver the Plan for Change. Workforce numbers increased by 6% between 2023 and 2024.

Various early years roles are included in the list of occupations eligible for Skilled Worker visas. Settings can use this route if the salary threshold (£41,700) is met. Nursery education teaching professionals on national pay scales are subject to a lower threshold (£25,000).

The Migration Advisory Committee advises government on migration issues and regularly considers the case for changes. Data on numbers of workers on Skilled Worker Visas are held by the Home Office, while the recruitment of individual staff is conducted by settings.

The department is supporting providers to recruit domestically by attracting talented staff into the sector, supporting the recruitment and retention of childminders, and making careers as accessible and rewarding as possible.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the number and proportion of children and young people who were referred to Prevent who had Education, Health and Care Plans in the 2023-24 academic year.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The information requested is not held centrally. The department does not hold data on the number and proportion of children and young people who were referred to Prevent who had education, health and care plans.

Annual Prevent statistics are published by the Home Office each year and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/individuals-referred-to-prevent-to-march-2024. The latest statistics show the number of individuals referred to and supported through the Prevent programme from April 2023 to March 2024, their demography, and associated characteristics.

Found: The Home Office is responsible for these sanctions.

Found: The government supports the bill, with the Home Office providing explanatory notes.

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Found: Page 1 of 18 Published for Home Office staff on 23 July 2025

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Found: address Easy Living Furniture 58, Whiteladies Road, BRISTOL, BS8 2PY Furniture Manufacturers - Home & Office

Found: DBS, an arm’s length body of the Home Office, helps employers make safer recruitment decisions each year

Found: Home Office Minister Mike Tapp said: Border Force’s record-breaking summer of seizures – costing criminals

Found: The Animals in Science Committee (ASC) is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Home Office

Found: The Public Safety Group (PSG), part of the Home Office, commissioned the Accelerated Capability Environment

Found: Understanding the current state of play The Home Office asked the Accelerated Capability Environment

Found: Following a career as a Royal Navy submarine commander, Mr Tuckett moved into senior Home Office positions

Found: Home Office figures reveal that around 259,000 fake toys worth over £3.5m have already been seized by

Found: Home Office ethics committee renamed to reflect broader focus

Found: The Home Office and Attorney General’s Office confirmed the details you provided in this application

Found: The Home Office confirmed that you made no decisions specifically related to

Found: The Rt Hon Suella Braverman KC MP left her role with the Home Office in November 2023.

Found: SIA to get these criteria and (any changes to them) approved by the Secretary of State for the Home Office

Found: Higher Education Funding Council for England (BEIS), the Ethics Group of the National DNA Database (Home Office

Found: We will continue to proceed on this basis unless directed otherwise by the Home Office.

Found: involved in building critical infrastructure on the basis of that wording being published by the Home Office

Found: effectiveness of NTSs and RAs, reiterating concerns raised by external stakeholders and in the Home Office

Found: Taylor et al. 2018, 2023), and within the Home Office commission itself.

Found: GOV.UK. 4.12 MoJ engages with justice system partners such as the Crown Prosecution Service, Home Office

Found: number of care workers in the UK had fallen before the policy was introduced and coincided with a Home Office

Found: The context of the declaration included: fiscal constraints; changes in the Home Office asylum process

Found: Wales must Act 19 Figure 1 A timeline of key events in Wales and UK September 2020 The UK Home Office

Question

How is the Cabinet Secretary working with National Rail and Transport for Wales to strengthen enforcement and fines on those who commit crimes such as stealing signalling cables?

Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales

Transport for Wales and Network Rail have my full support in maintaining the safety of our Wales and Borders railway network. Transport for Wales work closely with the British Transport Police and partners to prevent crime across the railway. They have worked together to strengthen security measures in response to recent incidents of cable theft on the Core Valley Lines. This criminal activity is dangerous, disruptive and is costly to the taxpayer.  

Criminal enforcement and punishment are a non-devolved matter that is the responsibility of the UK Government Home Office. That said, Transport for Wales is working with the relevant authorities to support the investigation into these matters and my officials have raised these incidents directly with the British Transport Police as part of our on-going funding agreement with them for additional PCSOs.