Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government which recommendations of the Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review, published in March 2023, have been taken forward; and which recommendations have not been taken forward; and why.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review made 17 recommendations for reform. Of these, eight fall within the remit of the Ministry of Justice, five of which were accepted. The previous Government introduced a statutory aggravating factor for murders involving ‘overkill’, and a statutory aggravating factor and a statutory mitigating factor for murder in relation to controlling or coercive behaviour, which came into force in February 2024. This Government introduced statutory aggravating factors for murders connected with the end of a relationship, and for those involving strangulation, which came into force in October 2025.
The Ministry of Justice rejected three recommendations, including the recommendation to disapply the 25-year starting point in domestic murder cases. Implementing this recommendation would lead to significant inconsistency between domestic and non-domestic murders where a weapon has been taken to the scene. The Government rejected the Review’s recommendation to exclude sexual infidelity as mitigation and to exclude the use of a weapon as aggravation in domestic murder cases because the framework currently in place already enables judges to consider and account for the varied facts of each case.
Two of the recommendations fall within the remit of other Government Departments. The review recommended establishing a system for collecting data relevant to domestic homicides. The Home Office, in partnership with the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, created a central library for all Domestic Homicide Reviews. The recommendation to create mandatory training for lawyers and judges on coercive control is not within Government’s remit, so the previous Government wrote to the judiciary and regulatory bodies for solicitors and barristers to offer support with any potential review of training. The CPS already provides a comprehensive training package on domestic abuse and coercive or controlling behaviour.
The remaining seven recommendations fall under the remit of the independent Sentencing Council. In April 2024, following consultation, the Sentencing Council made changes to the manslaughter sentencing guidelines relating to strangulation and coercive control.
Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the disparity of sentencing between domestic and street homicides, in particular with regard to minimum sentencing terms.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
We recognise that there are significant concerns regarding the sentencing framework in relation to domestic murders and the importance of ensuring that sentencing in these cases delivers justice for victims and their families. We have taken action by implementing further recommendations made by Clare Wade KC in the Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review. Legislation introducing statutory aggravating factors for murders involving strangulation and those connected with the end of a relationship came into force in October 2025. While it is for the judge to determine the appropriate weight to be given to the aggravating factors in each case, we expect that these measures, along with Clare Wade KC’s recommendations that have already been implemented, will have a significant impact on the custodial terms given to the perpetrators in these cases.
We know that there is more to be done. That is why the Government has asked the Law Commission to undertake a wholesale review of homicide law and sentencing, which will completely reconsider and make recommendations for a new sentencing framework for murder. It is important the Law Commission is able to consider all issues relating to homicide law and sentencing holistically. The Law Commission closed a call for evidence on 31 October 2025. They are reviewing the responses ahead of a public consultation due to be published in 2026.
Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to issue immigration rules on the weight immigration tribunals should put on baptism while in asylum accommodation in the UK when assessing an asylum claim on the grounds of religious conversion.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
No, however all asylum and human rights claims, including those based on religious conversion, are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations so that we do not remove anyone who faces persecution or serious harm on return to their country of origin. Assessments are made against the background of relevant case law and the latest available country of origin information. The credibility of a conversion to a particular faith needs to be established, and therefore a claimant’s personal experiences and journey to their new faith are explored in the round, including an assessment of what has happened in their country of origin and in the UK. Claims based on religious conversion do not guarantee a grant of refugee status. It is upon the claimant to establish that a religious conversion is genuine to the’ balance of probabilities’ standard of proof.Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (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 24 September (HL10412), whether they will place in the Library of the House (1) the stakeholders they have met to improve policy guidance on asylum claims based on religious conversions, and (2) the minutes of those meetings.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
We engage with stakeholders, including faith leaders, to ensure asylum claims based on religious persecution, including those based on religious conversion, are well considered, that those in genuine need are supported, and that there are no loopholes to claiming asylum in this country. Our guidance for considering claims based on religious conversion is publicly available on GOV.UK and we do not consider it is appropriate to place detailed discussions with stakeholders in the Library of the House.
Detailed Home Office policy instructions are regularly reviewed and provide a framework for considering asylum claims. All caseworkers receive extensive training to consider claims objectively and impartially and receive mentoring support before interviewing claimants and making such decisions. Our processes are underpinned by a robust framework of safeguards and quality checks, ensuring that claims are properly considered, decisions are sound, fake claims are rooted out, and protection is granted to those who genuinely need it.
Every asylum claim admitted to the UK asylum system, including those based on religion or belief, and including those from claimants who were accommodated on the Bibby Stockholm, is determined on its individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. People may become refugees ‘sur place’ due to activities they engage in or beliefs they have come to hold since leaving their country. As with all asylum claims, claims involving sur place activity are carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. In some circumstances it is appropriate to revoke protection status where evidence emerges that status was obtained by deception; where protection is no longer needed; or where someone commits a serious crime, represents a threat to our national security or demonstrates extremist behaviour.
Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they investigated reports that asylum seekers on the Bibby Stockholm barge sought to convert to Christianity to avoid deportation; and if so, whether they will publish the findings of that investigation.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
We engage with stakeholders, including faith leaders, to ensure asylum claims based on religious persecution, including those based on religious conversion, are well considered, that those in genuine need are supported, and that there are no loopholes to claiming asylum in this country. Our guidance for considering claims based on religious conversion is publicly available on GOV.UK and we do not consider it is appropriate to place detailed discussions with stakeholders in the Library of the House.
Detailed Home Office policy instructions are regularly reviewed and provide a framework for considering asylum claims. All caseworkers receive extensive training to consider claims objectively and impartially and receive mentoring support before interviewing claimants and making such decisions. Our processes are underpinned by a robust framework of safeguards and quality checks, ensuring that claims are properly considered, decisions are sound, fake claims are rooted out, and protection is granted to those who genuinely need it.
Every asylum claim admitted to the UK asylum system, including those based on religion or belief, and including those from claimants who were accommodated on the Bibby Stockholm, is determined on its individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. People may become refugees ‘sur place’ due to activities they engage in or beliefs they have come to hold since leaving their country. As with all asylum claims, claims involving sur place activity are carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. In some circumstances it is appropriate to revoke protection status where evidence emerges that status was obtained by deception; where protection is no longer needed; or where someone commits a serious crime, represents a threat to our national security or demonstrates extremist behaviour.
Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to amend the assessment of religious conversion as a basis for an asylum claim since March 2024.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
We engage with stakeholders, including faith leaders, to ensure asylum claims based on religious persecution, including those based on religious conversion, are well considered, that those in genuine need are supported, and that there are no loopholes to claiming asylum in this country. Our guidance for considering claims based on religious conversion is publicly available on GOV.UK and we do not consider it is appropriate to place detailed discussions with stakeholders in the Library of the House.
Detailed Home Office policy instructions are regularly reviewed and provide a framework for considering asylum claims. All caseworkers receive extensive training to consider claims objectively and impartially and receive mentoring support before interviewing claimants and making such decisions. Our processes are underpinned by a robust framework of safeguards and quality checks, ensuring that claims are properly considered, decisions are sound, fake claims are rooted out, and protection is granted to those who genuinely need it.
Every asylum claim admitted to the UK asylum system, including those based on religion or belief, and including those from claimants who were accommodated on the Bibby Stockholm, is determined on its individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. People may become refugees ‘sur place’ due to activities they engage in or beliefs they have come to hold since leaving their country. As with all asylum claims, claims involving sur place activity are carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. In some circumstances it is appropriate to revoke protection status where evidence emerges that status was obtained by deception; where protection is no longer needed; or where someone commits a serious crime, represents a threat to our national security or demonstrates extremist behaviour.
Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to prevent those who convert to Christianity following an unsuccessful asylum appeal from avoiding deportation on the grounds of a fear of persecution in their country of origin.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Every asylum claim admitted to the UK asylum system, including those based on religion or belief, is determined on its individual merits in accordance with our international obligations so that we do not remove anyone who faces persecution or serious harm on return to their country of origin. This is regardless of where or how a person may have entered the UK, or how they might be accommodated while in the UK.
People may become refugees ‘sur place’ due to activities they engage in or beliefs they have come to hold since leaving their country. As with all asylum claims, claims involving sur place activity are carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. This is also the process for further submissions lodged on protection grounds by failed asylum seekers.
We engage with stakeholders, including faith leaders, to ensure asylum claims based on religious persecution, including those based on religious conversion, are well considered, that those in genuine need are supported, and that there are no loopholes to claiming asylum in this country.
Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to prevent asylum seekers who convert to Christianity while in asylum accommodation from claiming asylum on the grounds of a fear of persecution in their country of origin.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Every asylum claim admitted to the UK asylum system, including those based on religion or belief, is determined on its individual merits in accordance with our international obligations so that we do not remove anyone who faces persecution or serious harm on return to their country of origin. This is regardless of where or how a person may have entered the UK, or how they might be accommodated while in the UK.
People may become refugees ‘sur place’ due to activities they engage in or beliefs they have come to hold since leaving their country. As with all asylum claims, claims involving sur place activity are carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. This is also the process for further submissions lodged on protection grounds by failed asylum seekers.
We engage with stakeholders, including faith leaders, to ensure asylum claims based on religious persecution, including those based on religious conversion, are well considered, that those in genuine need are supported, and that there are no loopholes to claiming asylum in this country.
Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to prevent those who convert to Christianity after arriving illegally in the UK from claiming asylum on the grounds of religious conversion.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Every asylum claim admitted to the UK asylum system, including those based on religion or belief, is determined on its individual merits in accordance with our international obligations so that we do not remove anyone who faces persecution or serious harm on return to their country of origin. This is regardless of where or how a person may have entered the UK, or how they might be accommodated while in the UK.
People may become refugees ‘sur place’ due to activities they engage in or beliefs they have come to hold since leaving their country. As with all asylum claims, claims involving sur place activity are carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. This is also the process for further submissions lodged on protection grounds by failed asylum seekers.
We engage with stakeholders, including faith leaders, to ensure asylum claims based on religious persecution, including those based on religious conversion, are well considered, that those in genuine need are supported, and that there are no loopholes to claiming asylum in this country.
Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what resources they are making available to support training and resourcing for artificial intelligence and large language models in planning departments for the purpose of (1) assessing good design, and (2) boosting productivity in those departments and local authorities.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government is committed to building more high-quality, well-designed, and sustainable homes and places. There is a clear framework through policy and guidance on how to achieve well-designed places in plan making and decision making, and the principles of good design are set out in national design guidance. We will be publishing updated guidance in due course. We are also exploring the role of digital tools to support local planning authorities to deliver good design through the planning system.
We support the responsible integration of AI across local government operations and services to reduce costs, drive efficiencies and improve service outcomes.
My department is working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) Incubator for AI (i.AI) to deliver the ‘Extract’ product, which uses AI to transform planning information and maps from PDFs into data. This will unlock data, which can be made available on planning.data.gov.uk, to power innovation, analysis and new types of planning software. We intend to make this product available for all local authorities in England during 2026. We are developing Extract to make it as intuitive as possible to all users, to encourage greater adoption. As a vital part of our commitment to developing AI-enabled products responsibly, we are also identifying and meeting the need for AI literacy and training among users in local planning authorities.