Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the threat posed by the Yemen Cyber Army, and what steps they are taking to counter such cyber threats.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is facing an increasingly complex and persistent cyber threat landscape, driven by a diverse range of actors, including hostile nation states, non-state entities, and organised criminal groups.
To counter these threats, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) continuously monitors cyber activity targeting the UK, helping to safeguard national interests and ensure the country remains secure online.
The NCSC provides expert guidance, practical tools, and responsive services to victims of cyber incidents. It empowers organisations and individuals to strengthen their cyber defences and build long-term resilience against evolving threats.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent reports of increasing Iranian support for the Polisario Front; and what steps they are taking with allies to address the risks posed by Iranian influence in the Western Sahara conflict.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK has not seen requisite evidence regarding the allegation of Iranian support to the Polisario Front. However, we continue to monitor Iranian activity in the region.
The UK has long condemned the destabilising activity of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its regional partners and proxies. We will continue to work with partners to tackle Iran's destabilising activity.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether national security related vetting procedures are applied equally to permanent recruitment exercises and to government internship programmes in all departments and agencies, including summer intelligence internships.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Levels of National Security Vetting required are not primarily based on length of employment, or whether an individual is employed on a permanent or temporary basis.
The level of vetting required for a role is instead based on a range of factors, including: access to classified material, buildings and other assets; proximity to public figures assessed to be at particular risk from terrorist attack; and access to information or material assessed to be of value to terrorists or hostile states.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the date by which the Crown Court backlog will return to pre-2020 levels.
Answered by Baroness Levitt - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog from the Conservative administration. We are committed to creating a more stable and sustainable criminal justice system, in which victims and the public can have confidence. That is why we took immediate action, funding a record-high allocation of 110,000 Crown Court sitting days this financial year. We will invest up to £92 million more a year in criminal legal aid solicitors and have already boosted Magistrates’ sentencing powers from 6 to 12 months. However, the backlog has reached such an extent that reducing the backlog to a sustainable level will take a considerable period of time. Fundamental reform is necessary. That is why the previous Lord Chancellor asked Sir Brian Leveson to propose once-in-a-generation reform that will improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swifter justice for victims.
Part one of the Independent Review of Criminal Courts has now been published. We are considering Sir Brian’s proposals and will publish a government response in due course, then introduce legislation when parliamentary time allows. Part two of the Review, considering how the criminal courts can operate as efficiently as possible, is expected to be finalised later this year.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the report into the escape by Daniel Khaliffe from HMP Wandsworth.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Following Daniel Khalife’s escape from HMP Wandsworth in September 2023, Keith Bristow QPM was appointed to conduct an independent investigation. The investigation was asked to identify shortcomings and ensure lessons are learned to help prevent incidents of this nature occurring again in future. Following the conclusion of the criminal proceedings earlier this year, we are considering carefully what information from Mr Bristow’s report, which relates to matters of prison security, can be appropriately shared.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of the expulsion of the Iranian Ambassador from Australia, what steps they are taking to monitor and counter state-backed interference in the UK by Iran and other hostile states.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government takes state threats to the UK incredibly seriously, including those posed by Iran. In concert with international partners, we will use all appropriate tools at our disposal to protect the UK, and our interests, from state threats.
In March the Government announced new measures to tackle state threats from Iran. This included placing the Iranian state, including Iran's Intelligence Services, the IRGC and MOIS, on the Enhanced Tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS). FIRS is a critical disruptive tool for the UK and went live on 1 July 2025.
The National Security Act 2023 also provides crucial powers to respond to foreign interference and we will strengthen our legislative framework where necessary, including committing to create a new state threats proscription-style tool that will further help to protect the UK.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to review sentencing guidelines or judicial training for the sentencing of repeat knife carriers.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Knife crime has destroyed far too many lives. That is why, as part of the Safer Streets mission, we are working to halve knife crime within a decade. To date, we have taken action to ban zombie knives, and the ban on ninja swords came into force on 1 August 2025 – it is now illegal to sell or own these weapons. We have also implemented “Ronan’s Law”, a range of measures which will include stricter rules for online sellers of knives.
The maximum penalty for carrying a knife or threatening with an offensive weapon is 4 years’ imprisonment. In recognition of the seriousness of offences related to knives, Parliament has provided for minimum custodial sentences for repeat knife possession and offences that involve threatening with a weapon. Where someone is physically harmed by a knife or offensive weapon, there are a range of offences that they may be charged with, such as causing grievous bodily harm. These can result in lengthy sentences, up to life imprisonment.
Sentencing guidelines are produced by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. In 2018, the Council issued a package of guidelines on offences involving possession of and threatening with bladed articles and offensive weapons. These are available on its website at: https://sentencingcouncil.org.uk/guidelines/crown-court/. The Council published an evaluation last year which found that the package of guidelines are working as intended.
To preserve judicial independence, statutory responsibility for judicial training is held by the Lady Chief Justice, Senior President of Tribunals and Chief Coroner. The responsibilities are fulfilled by the Judicial College. The training programme is published online in an annual prospectus.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of robbery and theft-person crime resolution rates in London on public safety.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government recognises the serious impact that robbery and theft from the person offences have on public safety, both in terms of the harm caused to victims and the wider implications for communities.
Through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee we will place thousands of additional police officers and police community support officers in neighbourhood policing roles. This will provide a more visible and effective service to the public, with each neighbourhood having a named, contactable officer dealing with local issues, including robbery and theft from the person.
A significant proportion of these offences involve the theft of a mobile phone which is why the Home Secretary brought together police, the National Crime Agency, the Mayor of London, leading tech companies and others in February 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, better understand the role of organised crime networks and identify the most effective means of tackling this criminality.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address challenges faced by agencies and the police in identifying individuals within the asylum system who may pose a threat to national security.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The first priority of government is protecting national security.
The Home Office uses various tools to detect and disrupt travel by individuals of national security interest 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.
All applications for UK immigration status, including asylum claims, are subject to comprehensive security checks. Where an individual is assessed as presenting a risk to our country, we take swift and robust action.
It is longstanding policy not to discuss either the specific data held on the watchlist, the source of the data or how it is used, as to do so would be counterproductive and harmful to the national security of the UK.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Mayor of London about the reported 58.5 per cent increase in knife crime in London between 2021 and 2024.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office remains in regular contact with the Mayor of London across all knife crime issues.
The Mayor of London and Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime were members of the Knife-Enabled Robbery (KER) Taskforce, chaired by the Policing Minister.