Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the pilot implementation of provisions relating to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill by local authorities.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
As a result of pre-legislative scrutiny, and extensive consultation in relation to proposals for the standard tier, the Government made significant changes to the Bill. This was to ensure public protection outcomes can be achieved whilst avoiding undue burdens on businesses and other organisations. This includes raising the standard tier threshold from 100 to 200.
Lowering the minimum threshold for the standard tier back to 100 would result in significant changes to the coverage of the Bill and increased costs to business. Government believes a threshold of 200 achieves an appropriate balance between protecting the public from the risk of physical harm and imposing burden on business, whilst continuing to deliver the Bill’s overall aims of increasing protective security and organisational preparedness across the UK.
We will continue to liaise with all relevant stakeholders as the Bill progresses.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to clause 2 of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, for what reason venues with a 100 person capacity will be excluded from full risk assessments.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
As a result of pre-legislative scrutiny, and extensive consultation in relation to proposals for the standard tier, the Government made significant changes to the Bill. This was to ensure public protection outcomes can be achieved whilst avoiding undue burdens on businesses and other organisations. This includes raising the standard tier threshold from 100 to 200.
Lowering the minimum threshold for the standard tier back to 100 would result in significant changes to the coverage of the Bill and increased costs to business. Government believes a threshold of 200 achieves an appropriate balance between protecting the public from the risk of physical harm and imposing burden on business, whilst continuing to deliver the Bill’s overall aims of increasing protective security and organisational preparedness across the UK.
We will continue to liaise with all relevant stakeholders as the Bill progresses.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to provide access to training for premises covered by the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
As a result of pre-legislative scrutiny, and extensive consultation in relation to proposals for the standard tier, the Government made significant changes to the Bill. This was to ensure public protection outcomes can be achieved whilst avoiding undue burdens on businesses and other organisations. This includes raising the standard tier threshold from 100 to 200.
Lowering the minimum threshold for the standard tier back to 100 would result in significant changes to the coverage of the Bill and increased costs to business. Government believes a threshold of 200 achieves an appropriate balance between protecting the public from the risk of physical harm and imposing burden on business, whilst continuing to deliver the Bill’s overall aims of increasing protective security and organisational preparedness across the UK.
We will continue to liaise with all relevant stakeholders as the Bill progresses.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consult Pool Reinsurance Limited on the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
As a result of pre-legislative scrutiny, and extensive consultation in relation to proposals for the standard tier, the Government made significant changes to the Bill. This was to ensure public protection outcomes can be achieved whilst avoiding undue burdens on businesses and other organisations. This includes raising the standard tier threshold from 100 to 200.
Lowering the minimum threshold for the standard tier back to 100 would result in significant changes to the coverage of the Bill and increased costs to business. Government believes a threshold of 200 achieves an appropriate balance between protecting the public from the risk of physical harm and imposing burden on business, whilst continuing to deliver the Bill’s overall aims of increasing protective security and organisational preparedness across the UK.
We will continue to liaise with all relevant stakeholders as the Bill progresses.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2024 to Question 8159 on Police: Training, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing protective security measures for people from Hong Kong with BNO status.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on individuals’ security arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.
We continually assess potential threats in the UK, and take protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK very seriously. Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will not be tolerated and will be thoroughly investigated.
Any individuals who believe they are a victim of a crime should report their concerns to the Police.
Home Office officials work closely with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, as well as other government departments, to ensure that the UK is a safe and welcoming place for both those who hold BN(O) (British National Overseas) status and other Hongkongers.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of using Nightingale Courts to tackle (a) mobile phone thefts, (b) other robberies at knifepoint and (c) other knife crime.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No specific assessment has been made about the use of Nightingdale Courts for these specific offences ; 20 of which remain open and will continue to be used by judges until at least March 2025.
This Government is committed to halving knife crime over 10 years. Knife enabled robbery accounts for 42% of all police recorded knife crime, so tackling it is a key focus. We are convening a Knife Enabled Robbery Taskforce with policing leaders to take immediate action to halt its rise.
We have implemented a ban on zombie-style knives and zombie-style machetes and will act to ban Ninja swords. We are also introducing the Young Futures programme to stop young people being drawn into a life of violent crime in the first place.
As part of our Safer Streets mission, this government is also determined to crack down on theft and other crimes that make people feel unsafe in our communities.
Set against soaring levels of snatch thefts and pickpocketing in the last year of the previous government, and the demand for stolen mobile phones increasing, we have announced a Home Office Mobile Phone Theft Summit, drawing together the tech companies and law enforcement to see what more can be done to break the business model of mobile phone thieves.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has taken steps to ensure (a) police and (b) security services receive adequate training to (i) identify and (ii) tackle instances of transnational repression of (A) people from Hong Kong with BNO status and (B) other people in the UK.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The UK does not tolerate any attempt to intimidate and silence individuals in the UK and overseas, including people from Hong Kong with BNO status. We continually assess potential threats in the UK, and take protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK very seriously. This involves taking a proactive approach to countering the most acute forms of state-directed threats to individuals.
The National Security Act 2023 strengthens our legal powers to counter foreign interference, including those actions which amount to transnational repression, and provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt modern-day state threats. As we implement the Act we are ensuring all relevant authorities have a good understanding of the threats many foreign powers present.
Where individuals have concerns for their safety, they are advised to contact their local police in the first instance. In the event that a person believes they are subject to an imminent threat, they should call 999.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to review exceptional circumstances criteria.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Where an applicant is not able to meet all the core eligibility requirements in the family Rules under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules, including the financial requirement, the application will receive consideration of whether there are exceptional circumstances which would render refusal a breach of Article 8 (the right to respect for private land and family life) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). This involves considering whether refusal would result in unjustifiably harsh consequences for the applicant or their family.
The exceptional circumstances test is long established in case law and has been approved by the Supreme Court as upholding our obligations under Article 8 of the ECHR. The government keeps all policies under review.
For further information on how the test is considered, information can be found at pp.59-71 of the following guidance: Family life (as a partner or parent) and exceptional circumstances (publishing.service.gov.uk).
For specific information on exceptional circumstances in the context of recourse to public funds, guidance can be found at pp.10-11 of the following guidance: Permitting access to public funds (publishing.service.gov.uk).
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the No Recourse to Public Funds policy on local authority emergency social service funding.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Home Office is committed to the continuous review of the impacts of the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) policy. Officials are working with a wide range of stakeholders, including other government departments, the devolved administrations and third sector organisations to develop a better understanding of the impacts of the policy, including on funding.
There are important safeguards in place for those in genuine need. Local authorities may provide basic safety net support, regardless of immigration status, if it is established that either there is a risk to the wellbeing of a child or there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution, for example, where a person has community care needs or serious health problems.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 15 March 2024 to Question 17855, whether all renewal processes for Ukrainians already in the UK are meant to be online.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Ukrainian guests wishing to apply for the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme will need to apply online using the digital application process. Full details on the application process and of eligibility will be available on GOV.UK ahead of the scheme launching in early 2025. Our intention is to open UPE to applications 3 months before the expiry of a person’s current visa to ensure Ukrainians have sufficient time to apply to the scheme.