Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the annual revenue earned in the UK by global technology platforms from fraudulent advertising.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics.
Under the Online Safety Act, the largest social media and search services will soon be required to address fraudulent adverts on their platforms. Ofcom are due to consult on these duties next year.
Companies in the sector are also working with the government through the Online Advertising Taskforce, to enhance voluntarily initiatives to tackle the drivers of illegal advertising.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of section 69 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in addressing acts of animal sexual abuse, including non-penetrative and coercive activity; and, for each of the past five years, how many cases of potential animal sexual abuse were reported to the police, how many resulted in a charge, and how many led to a successful prosecution.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The number of offences of intercourse with an animal recorded by police each year since 2020 varies from 40 to 57. Specifically, police recorded 40 of these crimes in 2020, 48 in 2021, 49 in 2022, 57 in 2023, 51 in 2024, 54 in the year up to June 2024 and 42 in the year up to June 2025. The proportion of recorded cases that resulted in a charge or summons varied from 20% to 2%.
The Home Office do not hold information on non-penetrative or coercive activity against animals.
The court proceedings database shows that the number of individuals proceeded against by criminal courts where the offence of intercourse with an animal was the principal offence was 4 in the year to June 2021, 1 in the years to June 2022, 2023 and 2024, and 0 in the year to June 2025.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 13 March (HL5345), and in the light of reports that Portuguese and German police are carrying out new searches, what requests they have received and what decisions they have made about the funding of Operation Grange and Metropolitan Police activities in the financial year 2025–26.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
For financial year 2025-26, the Home Office provided up to £108,000 to the Metropolitan Police Service through Special Grant funding for Operation Grange, the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
Special Grant funding is reviewed annually by the Home Office, and the Department liaises regularly with the Operation Grange investigation team to discuss progress and the use of funds.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to mark the 20th anniversary of the killing of Jean-Charles de Menezes on 22 July.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The shooting of Mr Jean-Charles de Menezes was a truly tragic incident and our thoughts will be with Mr de Menezes’ family and friends on the upcoming anniversary.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 26 February (HL4971), by what date current funding for Operation Grange provided by the Home Office will be exhausted; and whether they intend to publish details of any subsequent requests for funding if they are made.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Funding from the Police Special Grant is drawn from the wider Police Funding Settlement. As such, budgets and awards are agreed annually. At the start of this financial year, previous Ministers agreed to provide the Metropolitan Police with up to £191,800 in respect of Operation Grange for 2024-25. Funding for 2025-26 will be decided in due course.
Special Grant awards are published on the Home Office website after the end of the financial year to which they relate. Police funding: special grant applications - GOV.UK
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 4 February (HL4235), whether they will set out the specific details of any proposals received from the Metropolitan Police for Special Grant Funding for Operation Grange in the financial year 2025–26; if they have received such proposals, when they expect to reach a decision on those requests; and if they have not received any proposals, when funding for Operation Grange will cease.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Decisions on the investigation and formal requests for funding are an operational matter for the Metropolitan Police.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether, for Operation Grange, they have received any proposals from the Metropolitan Police Service for Special Grant funding for the financial year 2025–26; what costs have been incurred during the current financial year; and what the total expenditure has been to date.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Special Grant funding of up to £192,000 was agreed for provision to the Metropolitan Police Service for the costs of Operation Grange in financial year 2024/25. In-year costs will not be available until after the conclusion of the current financial year.
Special Grant funding is reviewed annually by the Home Office, and the Department liaises regularly with the Operation Grange investigation team to discuss progress and the use of funds.
The total expenditure to date since 2011 for Operation Grange, up to and including financial year 23/24, is £13.2m.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Metropolitan Police concerning the future of its Wildlife Crime Unit; and whether they will meet them to discuss the ramifications of this move for animal welfare.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government recognises the importance of tackling wildlife crime. We are committed to safeguarding rural communities, with tougher measures to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing, and stronger laws to prevent farm theft and fly-tippers.
Along with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Home Office directly funds the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) to help tackle these crimes. Future funding will be subject to a forthcoming Spending Review.
The NWCU works on behalf of all police forces to assist in the prevention and detection of wildlife crime and reduce the harm posed by organised crime.
The Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit is a separate MPS unit and as such is a matter for the Mayor of London.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to re-introduce measures to make the reporting of child sex abuse mandatory; and if so, when.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Child sexual abuse is a despicable crime, and this Government will be taking robust action to better safeguard children and ensure that perpetrators face the full force of the law.
In its final report, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse recommended the introduction of a mandatory reporting duty for certain individuals. We thank the Independent Inquiry for all their work on this important matter and pay tribute to all the brave survivors who shared their experience. We will be quickly identifying how we can move forward with delivery of the Inquiry’s recommendations.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what funding is being made available to Operation Grange into the disappearance of Madeline McCann in the financial year 2024–25; how many police officers are currently involved in the investigation; when the next review of funding will occur; and what are the total costs of the police operation to date.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
For the year 2024-25 the Home Office has agreed to provide up to £192,000 to the Metropolitan Police Service through Special Grant funding for Operation Grange, the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. At 31 March 2024, the total cost of the investigation was £13.2m.
Operation Grange’s Special Grant budget currently funds a team of three police officers and one member of police staff, all of whom operate on a part-time basis.
Special Grant funding is reviewed annually by the Home Office. The Department also liaises regularly with the Operation Grange investigation team to assess progress and challenge the use of funds as necessary.