Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Baroness Mobarik, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
Baroness Mobarik has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Baroness Mobarik has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
The rights of LGBT+ individuals in Tanzania are coming under increasing pressure. The UK Government is clear that there needs to be an end to violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people in Tanzania and around the world. The British High Commission in Dar es Salaam is in regular contact with the LGBT+ community and human rights defenders to ensure we have a full understanding of the situation. Mindful that overt western interventions can exacerbate the situation, our responses are always informed by the LGBT+ community's perspective on what will best assure their safety.
We have ongoing discussions with the Scottish Government on drug policy issues, including in relation to drugs such as fentanyl, to understand current threats and the opportunities for collaboration. In addition, the UK Drugs Ministerial is the forum for discussions at ministerial level between His Majesty’s Government and the devolved administrations. The next UK Drugs Ministerial is planned for the Autumn.
While fentanyl is controlled as a Class A drug across the UK through the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, the Scottish Government is responsible for policies addressing drug use and drug harms in areas that are devolved, including healthcare and criminal justice.
The UK Government published its 10-year drug strategy ‘From Harm to Hope’ in 2021. Within this strategy we commit to disrupting all parts of drug supply chains from production and trafficking, to disrupting the retail market and attacking the profits of organised criminal activity. The Government and partner agencies are highly alert to the risk from fentanyl.
Fentanyl is controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 as a Class A drug and two fentanyl precursors, ANPP and NPP, are also controlled in the UK.
Working with law enforcement partners, we are monitoring the supply of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs into the UK and act decisively when they are discovered. Operationally, the NCA works closely with the Home Office, National Policing, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), and Border Force, to review the threat and ensure a rapid response to any escalation.
At the UK border, Border Force prioritises intelligence-based activity to detect all Class A drugs (including fentanyl), and works closely with the NCA to investigate and shut down distribution networks when they are identified. The NCA proactively monitors dark web sales, and has acted effectively to take down markets and vendors. Additionally, the NCA and Home Office work closely with international partners to identify, disrupt and share intelligence on the trafficking of synthetic opioids.
The UK maintains regular contact with the Government of France on our joint cooperation to tackle illegal migration at the shared border at Ministerial and official level. The UK has committed several funding packages to supporting this work, including a bilateral arrangement which was reached between the UK and France on 20 July 2021.
The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.
France is a safe country, and, like the UK, it has an asylum system which provides protection to those who need it. People in France who need protection, can and should claim asylum there rather than refuse the chance to do so and travel illegally and dangerously to the UK instead.
It is for this reason that the UK Government will not negotiate to have centres in France where asylum seekers can apply for asylum to the UK. All asylum claims that are lodged from within the UK and admitted to the UK asylum system, are given full and careful consideration so that we do not remove anyone who faces persecution or serious harm on return to their country of origin.
The UK maintains regular contact with the Government of France on our joint cooperation to tackle illegal migration at the shared border at Ministerial and official level. The UK has committed several funding packages to supporting this work, including a bilateral arrangement which was reached between the UK and France on 20 July 2021.
The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.
France is a safe country, and, like the UK, it has an asylum system which provides protection to those who need it. People in France who need protection, can and should claim asylum there rather than refuse the chance to do so and travel illegally and dangerously to the UK instead.
It is for this reason that the UK Government will not negotiate to have centres in France where asylum seekers can apply for asylum to the UK. All asylum claims that are lodged from within the UK and admitted to the UK asylum system, are given full and careful consideration so that we do not remove anyone who faces persecution or serious harm on return to their country of origin.
The number of staff employed by the Home Office is published in our annual reports.
2008/09 | 3189 | |
2009/10 | 3719 | |
2010/11 | 3350 | |
2011/12 | 11141 | *Machine of Government change increase |
2012/13 | 12456 | |
2013/14 | 26328 | *Machine of Government change increase |
2014/15 | 31556 | |
2015/16 | 31034 | |
2016/17 | 32173 | |
2017/18 | 31790 | |
2018/19 | 34982 | |
2019/20 | 33628 | |
2020/21 | 34469 | |
2021/22 | 35781 | |
*Based on headcount (not full-time equivalent). Include permanent employees |
Sources - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ho-annual-reports-and-accounts
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-home-office-departmental-report-2009