Asked by: Lord Davies of Gower (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of mental health concerns as a ground for overturning asylum and immigration decisions; and what steps they have taken, if any, to remove mental health concerns as a criterion for asylum decisions to be overturned.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
When asylum and human rights applications are decided, it is necessary to consider the health of applicants, both physical and mental.
Over time, we have seen an expansion in the way human rights arguments are relied upon in some asylum and immigration cases, including those involving mental health issues. This can create barriers to the removal of individuals with no right to remain in the United Kingdom.
Through the Immigration and Asylum Bill, and in line with the Chişinău Political Declaration adopted by the Council of Europe, the Government is ensuring that human rights protections are applied as intended, with appropriate thresholds and proper weight given to the public interest.
Asked by: Lord Davies of Gower (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they will put in place to screen refugees accepted on the new refugee community sponsorship scheme for security risks.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office will assess all applications to ensure that only those who meet the eligibility requirements can access the named sponsorship route. Refugee status will be determined in partnership with the UNHCR, and all applicants will be subject to appropriate security, identity, and background checks before arrival in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Davies of Gower (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many children aged 10 to 13 have been arrested for (1) common assault, (2) actual bodily harm, (3) inflicting grievous bodily harm, and (4) causing grievous bodily harm with intent, in each of the past five years.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office collects and publishes data on arrests for notifiable offences in England and Wales as part of the ‘Police Powers and Procedures’ statistical series, available here: Stop and search, arrests, and mental health detentions, March 2025 - GOV.UK
Data are collected by age group, such as 10-17 years old, and more detailed breakdowns are not available. Additionally, data on arrests is collected by offence group only, for example ‘Sexual offences’. Data on arrests for the specific offences requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Lord Davies of Gower (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many children aged 10 to 13 have been arrested for (1) rape, (2) sexual assault, (3) assault by penetration, and (4) exposure, in each of the past five years.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office collects and publishes data on arrests for notifiable offences in England and Wales as part of the ‘Police Powers and Procedures’ statistical series, available here: Stop and search, arrests, and mental health detentions, March 2025 - GOV.UK
Data are collected by age group, such as 10-17 years old, and more detailed breakdowns are not available. Additionally, data on arrests is collected by offence group only, for example ‘Sexual offences’. Data on arrests for the specific offences requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Lord Davies of Gower (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many children aged 10 to 13 have been convicted of (1) common assault, (2) actual bodily harm, (3) inflicting grievous bodily harm, and (4) causing grievous bodily harm with intent, in each of the past five years.
Answered by Lord Lemos - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences by age in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics.
The requested information is provided in the below tables.
Total number of 10 to 13 year olds convicted of certain offences at criminal courts, England and Wales, 2021 to 2025 [note 1][note 2][note 3]
Source: Court Proceedings Database
Offence | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
Rape | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Sexual Assault (includes penetration and non penetration) | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
Sexual Assault With Penetration | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Exposure | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Offence | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
Grievous Bodily Harm | 5 | 11 | 20 | 18 | 11 |
Actual Bodily Harm | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 11 |
Common Assault | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 11 |
Notes
Note 1
Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
Note 2
These figures are presented on a principal offence basis - i.e. reporting information relating to the most serious offence that a defendant was dealt with for. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
Note 3
Only rows with non-zero values within the specified time period will appear in the table.
Asked by: Lord Davies of Gower (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many children aged 10 to 13 have been convicted of (1) rape, (2) sexual assault, (3) assault by penetration, and (4) exposure, in each of the past five years.
Answered by Lord Lemos - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences by age in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics.
The requested information is provided in the below tables.
Total number of 10 to 13 year olds convicted of certain offences at criminal courts, England and Wales, 2021 to 2025 [note 1][note 2][note 3]
Source: Court Proceedings Database
Offence | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
Rape | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Sexual Assault (includes penetration and non penetration) | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
Sexual Assault With Penetration | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Exposure | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Offence | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
Grievous Bodily Harm | 5 | 11 | 20 | 18 | 11 |
Actual Bodily Harm | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 11 |
Common Assault | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 11 |
Notes
Note 1
Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
Note 2
These figures are presented on a principal offence basis - i.e. reporting information relating to the most serious offence that a defendant was dealt with for. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
Note 3
Only rows with non-zero values within the specified time period will appear in the table.
Asked by: Lord Davies of Gower (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend the replacement of the Border Force cutters to be undertaken via domestic-only procurement.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Progress continues to be made on plans to procure a replacement maritime capability for the Border Security Command.
The procurement schedule has not yet been finalised but we are continuing to engage potential suppliers for future Border Security Command cutters on the basis of a UK-led build, using the Defence and Security provisions within the Procurement Act 2023 where appropriate. This approach is consistent with the government's commitment to back British businesses and a sustainable and successful shipbuilding and maritime technology sector and to ensure value for money and deliverability.
A dynamic UK shipbuilding sector has potential to play a key role in creating and sustaining jobs and in ensuring shared prosperity around the country. The Maritime Capabilities Replacement Programme procurement will require all bidders to deliver social value, with fair work and resilient supply chains identified as key priorities.
My officials are working closely with the National Shipbuilding Office.
Asked by: Lord Davies of Gower (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they intend to give to UK content and social value in the procurement of Border Force cutters.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Progress continues to be made on plans to procure a replacement maritime capability for the Border Security Command.
The procurement schedule has not yet been finalised but we are continuing to engage potential suppliers for future Border Security Command cutters on the basis of a UK-led build, using the Defence and Security provisions within the Procurement Act 2023 where appropriate. This approach is consistent with the government's commitment to back British businesses and a sustainable and successful shipbuilding and maritime technology sector and to ensure value for money and deliverability.
A dynamic UK shipbuilding sector has potential to play a key role in creating and sustaining jobs and in ensuring shared prosperity around the country. The Maritime Capabilities Replacement Programme procurement will require all bidders to deliver social value, with fair work and resilient supply chains identified as key priorities.
My officials are working closely with the National Shipbuilding Office.
Asked by: Lord Davies of Gower (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the procurement timelines for the replacement cutters for Border Force.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Progress continues to be made on plans to procure a replacement maritime capability for the Border Security Command.
The procurement schedule has not yet been finalised but we are continuing to engage potential suppliers for future Border Security Command cutters on the basis of a UK-led build, using the Defence and Security provisions within the Procurement Act 2023 where appropriate. This approach is consistent with the government's commitment to back British businesses and a sustainable and successful shipbuilding and maritime technology sector and to ensure value for money and deliverability.
A dynamic UK shipbuilding sector has potential to play a key role in creating and sustaining jobs and in ensuring shared prosperity around the country. The Maritime Capabilities Replacement Programme procurement will require all bidders to deliver social value, with fair work and resilient supply chains identified as key priorities.
My officials are working closely with the National Shipbuilding Office.
Asked by: Lord Davies of Gower (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government why they have not published a Police Covenant Report for the 2024–25 financial year, pursuant to section 1 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, and when they will do so.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Police Covenant Annual Report for the 2024–25 financial year has been completed and we plan to publish the report as soon as possible.
The Government remains committed to the Police Covenant, ensuring that the physical protection, health and wellbeing of the police workforce, both serving and retired, are properly recognised and supported.