Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her statement of 13 October 2025 on Manchester Terrorism Attack, whether she plans to amend sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 through amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill which will allow senior officers to take account of the cumulative impact of protest activity when considering whether to impose conditions under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986.This provision will help protect communities from repeated disruption caused by protests, while protecting the right to peaceful protest.
The Home Office regularly engages with the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Public Order and Public Safety, Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, and this clause has been developed in discussion with the NPCC and other operational policing partners, and informed by community concerns about the ongoing disruption caused by repeat protests.
The Home Office will work with the College of Policing and NPCC to include guidance on cumulative impact in the Public Order Public Safety authorised professional practice, and the Protest Operational Advice Document, which contain operational advice for frontline policing and are regularly updated to include all public order powers.
Police forces will be engaged in the development of the guidance, to help ensure the application of this legislation achieves the objective of addressing safety and security concerns of affected communities while ensuring that consideration of any cumulative disruption is balanced with the right to peaceful and lawful protest.
It will be for senior officers to consider whether to impose conditions on a protest having considered any relevant cumulative disruption to the life of the community in the area in which the protest is held or intended to be held.
Statistics on police protest powers are published here: Police protest powers, June 2022 to March 2024 - GOV.UK The latest figures cover the period up to March 2024.
In the period 28 June 2022 to 31 March 2024, 10 forces used powers under Sections 12, 14,14ZA of the Public Order Act (1986). The remaining 34 forces confirmed they had not used these powers in the period.
Since sections 12, 14 and 14ZA of the Public Order Act 1986 (as amended by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022) came into force, they have been used to apply conditions to 473 protests. Of these 473 protests, 434 were recorded as processions (conditions imposed under section 12) and 39 were recorded as assemblies (conditions imposed under section 14); the powers have not been used to apply conditions to any one-person protests (section 14ZA). As part of this data collection, information is provided on the ‘theme’ of protests that had conditions applied to them under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, to indicate whether the protest had one of more of the following themes: social justice, anti-fascism, cultural nationalism, animal rights, international, anti-government, environmental.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the number of times police forces in England and Wales have exercised powers under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 in each of the last three years.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill which will allow senior officers to take account of the cumulative impact of protest activity when considering whether to impose conditions under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986.This provision will help protect communities from repeated disruption caused by protests, while protecting the right to peaceful protest.
The Home Office regularly engages with the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Public Order and Public Safety, Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, and this clause has been developed in discussion with the NPCC and other operational policing partners, and informed by community concerns about the ongoing disruption caused by repeat protests.
The Home Office will work with the College of Policing and NPCC to include guidance on cumulative impact in the Public Order Public Safety authorised professional practice, and the Protest Operational Advice Document, which contain operational advice for frontline policing and are regularly updated to include all public order powers.
Police forces will be engaged in the development of the guidance, to help ensure the application of this legislation achieves the objective of addressing safety and security concerns of affected communities while ensuring that consideration of any cumulative disruption is balanced with the right to peaceful and lawful protest.
It will be for senior officers to consider whether to impose conditions on a protest having considered any relevant cumulative disruption to the life of the community in the area in which the protest is held or intended to be held.
Statistics on police protest powers are published here: Police protest powers, June 2022 to March 2024 - GOV.UK The latest figures cover the period up to March 2024.
In the period 28 June 2022 to 31 March 2024, 10 forces used powers under Sections 12, 14,14ZA of the Public Order Act (1986). The remaining 34 forces confirmed they had not used these powers in the period.
Since sections 12, 14 and 14ZA of the Public Order Act 1986 (as amended by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022) came into force, they have been used to apply conditions to 473 protests. Of these 473 protests, 434 were recorded as processions (conditions imposed under section 12) and 39 were recorded as assemblies (conditions imposed under section 14); the powers have not been used to apply conditions to any one-person protests (section 14ZA). As part of this data collection, information is provided on the ‘theme’ of protests that had conditions applied to them under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, to indicate whether the protest had one of more of the following themes: social justice, anti-fascism, cultural nationalism, animal rights, international, anti-government, environmental.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consultation her Department has undertaken with (a) police forces and (b) Police and Crime Commissioners on the proposal to extend police powers to consider the cumulative impact of protests.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill which will allow senior officers to take account of the cumulative impact of protest activity when considering whether to impose conditions under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986.This provision will help protect communities from repeated disruption caused by protests, while protecting the right to peaceful protest.
The Home Office regularly engages with the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Public Order and Public Safety, Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, and this clause has been developed in discussion with the NPCC and other operational policing partners, and informed by community concerns about the ongoing disruption caused by repeat protests.
The Home Office will work with the College of Policing and NPCC to include guidance on cumulative impact in the Public Order Public Safety authorised professional practice, and the Protest Operational Advice Document, which contain operational advice for frontline policing and are regularly updated to include all public order powers.
Police forces will be engaged in the development of the guidance, to help ensure the application of this legislation achieves the objective of addressing safety and security concerns of affected communities while ensuring that consideration of any cumulative disruption is balanced with the right to peaceful and lawful protest.
It will be for senior officers to consider whether to impose conditions on a protest having considered any relevant cumulative disruption to the life of the community in the area in which the protest is held or intended to be held.
Statistics on police protest powers are published here: Police protest powers, June 2022 to March 2024 - GOV.UK The latest figures cover the period up to March 2024.
In the period 28 June 2022 to 31 March 2024, 10 forces used powers under Sections 12, 14,14ZA of the Public Order Act (1986). The remaining 34 forces confirmed they had not used these powers in the period.
Since sections 12, 14 and 14ZA of the Public Order Act 1986 (as amended by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022) came into force, they have been used to apply conditions to 473 protests. Of these 473 protests, 434 were recorded as processions (conditions imposed under section 12) and 39 were recorded as assemblies (conditions imposed under section 14); the powers have not been used to apply conditions to any one-person protests (section 14ZA). As part of this data collection, information is provided on the ‘theme’ of protests that had conditions applied to them under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, to indicate whether the protest had one of more of the following themes: social justice, anti-fascism, cultural nationalism, animal rights, international, anti-government, environmental.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds data on the subject matter of protests at which sections (a) 12 and (b) 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 have been used in the last three years.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill which will allow senior officers to take account of the cumulative impact of protest activity when considering whether to impose conditions under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986.This provision will help protect communities from repeated disruption caused by protests, while protecting the right to peaceful protest.
The Home Office regularly engages with the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Public Order and Public Safety, Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, and this clause has been developed in discussion with the NPCC and other operational policing partners, and informed by community concerns about the ongoing disruption caused by repeat protests.
The Home Office will work with the College of Policing and NPCC to include guidance on cumulative impact in the Public Order Public Safety authorised professional practice, and the Protest Operational Advice Document, which contain operational advice for frontline policing and are regularly updated to include all public order powers.
Police forces will be engaged in the development of the guidance, to help ensure the application of this legislation achieves the objective of addressing safety and security concerns of affected communities while ensuring that consideration of any cumulative disruption is balanced with the right to peaceful and lawful protest.
It will be for senior officers to consider whether to impose conditions on a protest having considered any relevant cumulative disruption to the life of the community in the area in which the protest is held or intended to be held.
Statistics on police protest powers are published here: Police protest powers, June 2022 to March 2024 - GOV.UK The latest figures cover the period up to March 2024.
In the period 28 June 2022 to 31 March 2024, 10 forces used powers under Sections 12, 14,14ZA of the Public Order Act (1986). The remaining 34 forces confirmed they had not used these powers in the period.
Since sections 12, 14 and 14ZA of the Public Order Act 1986 (as amended by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022) came into force, they have been used to apply conditions to 473 protests. Of these 473 protests, 434 were recorded as processions (conditions imposed under section 12) and 39 were recorded as assemblies (conditions imposed under section 14); the powers have not been used to apply conditions to any one-person protests (section 14ZA). As part of this data collection, information is provided on the ‘theme’ of protests that had conditions applied to them under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, to indicate whether the protest had one of more of the following themes: social justice, anti-fascism, cultural nationalism, animal rights, international, anti-government, environmental.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps are available to applicants to the Afghan civilian resettlement scheme who have evidence of biometric data taken for application where the Home Office (a) did not retain the content of and (b) process an earlier application.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Everyone seeking resettlement under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) is required to meet the eligibility requirements published on gov.uk.
The window to submit a referral under ACRS Pathway 1 Stage 2: Separated Families was opened on 30 July 2024 and closed on 30 October 2024. Those who have been resettled in the UK under ACRS Pathway 1 and were evacuated during Operation Pitting without their immediate family members, were able to submit a referral under this pathway. This includes those that have submitted previous visa applications to the Home Office.
Further information is viewable at: Afghan citizens resettlement scheme: Separated Families Pathway - GOV.UK
To obtain entry clearance to the UK under the ACRS, individuals must successfully complete the required entry clearance processes, which includes meeting the relevant suitability requirements. The Home Office does not consider previous applications.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her Department's policy that an application for family relocation may be pursued under the Afghan civilian resettlement scheme criteria where the Home Office did not (a) retain the content of and (b) process an earlier application.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Everyone seeking resettlement under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) is required to meet the eligibility requirements published on gov.uk.
The window to submit a referral under ACRS Pathway 1 Stage 2: Separated Families was opened on 30 July 2024 and closed on 30 October 2024. Those who have been resettled in the UK under ACRS Pathway 1 and were evacuated during Operation Pitting without their immediate family members, were able to submit a referral under this pathway. This includes those that have submitted previous visa applications to the Home Office.
Further information is viewable at: Afghan citizens resettlement scheme: Separated Families Pathway - GOV.UK
To obtain entry clearance to the UK under the ACRS, individuals must successfully complete the required entry clearance processes, which includes meeting the relevant suitability requirements. The Home Office does not consider previous applications.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people aged (a) 14 to 17, (b) 18 to 25 and (c) 26 and older who were screened for acquired brain injury when they entered police custody were found to have a brain injury in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Police custody officers should carry out an assessment of the risk and vulnerability of everyone in custody, on an individual basis. This assessment should take into account the person’s behaviour, any signs of illness or injury, their communication, including information from all available sources and the circumstances and environment in which they were found.
In accordance with Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Code C paragraph 9.5, the custody officer must make sure that a detainee receives appropriate clinical attention as soon as reasonably practicable if the person: appears to be suffering from physical illness, is injured, appears to be suffering from a mental disorder or appears to need clinical attention.
The Home Office does not issue guidance on custody healthcare. NHS England continue to support national policing by offering specialist support to the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) custodial healthcare portfolio, which also includes the authoring and maintaining of the Police custodial healthcare service specification.
Data on the proportion of people in custody screened for or found to have an acquired brain injury is not held.
The Home Office collects and publishes data on detentions in police custody, including age and whether an adult was vulnerable.
The most recent data, for the year ending March 2023, is available here: Other PACE powers, year ending March 2023 (second edition) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people aged (a) 14 to 17, (b) 18 to 25 and (c) 26 and older who enter police custody were screened for acquired brain injury in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Police custody officers should carry out an assessment of the risk and vulnerability of everyone in custody, on an individual basis. This assessment should take into account the person’s behaviour, any signs of illness or injury, their communication, including information from all available sources and the circumstances and environment in which they were found.
In accordance with Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Code C paragraph 9.5, the custody officer must make sure that a detainee receives appropriate clinical attention as soon as reasonably practicable if the person: appears to be suffering from physical illness, is injured, appears to be suffering from a mental disorder or appears to need clinical attention.
The Home Office does not issue guidance on custody healthcare. NHS England continue to support national policing by offering specialist support to the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) custodial healthcare portfolio, which also includes the authoring and maintaining of the Police custodial healthcare service specification.
Data on the proportion of people in custody screened for or found to have an acquired brain injury is not held.
The Home Office collects and publishes data on detentions in police custody, including age and whether an adult was vulnerable.
The most recent data, for the year ending March 2023, is available here: Other PACE powers, year ending March 2023 (second edition) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department issues on the steps the police should take when someone who enters police custody is found to have had an acquired brain injury.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Police custody officers should carry out an assessment of the risk and vulnerability of everyone in custody, on an individual basis. This assessment should take into account the person’s behaviour, any signs of illness or injury, their communication, including information from all available sources and the circumstances and environment in which they were found.
In accordance with Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Code C paragraph 9.5, the custody officer must make sure that a detainee receives appropriate clinical attention as soon as reasonably practicable if the person: appears to be suffering from physical illness, is injured, appears to be suffering from a mental disorder or appears to need clinical attention.
The Home Office does not issue guidance on custody healthcare. NHS England continue to support national policing by offering specialist support to the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) custodial healthcare portfolio, which also includes the authoring and maintaining of the Police custodial healthcare service specification.
Data on the proportion of people in custody screened for or found to have an acquired brain injury is not held.
The Home Office collects and publishes data on detentions in police custody, including age and whether an adult was vulnerable.
The most recent data, for the year ending March 2023, is available here: Other PACE powers, year ending March 2023 (second edition) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a right to work for asylum seekers who have (a) lodged an asylum application and (b) been waiting more than six months for a decision on their asylum application.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As has been the case for many years, asylum seekers who have had their claim outstanding for 12 months or more, through no fault of their own, can apply for permission to work. Those permitted to work are restricted to jobs on the Immigration Salary List. This list is based on expert advice from the independent Migration Advisory Committee.
Whilst we keep all policies under review, there are no plans to change this policy.
The Government is determined to restore order to the asylum system. We will ensure that the system operates fairly and with quicker processing of claims. This will see recognised refugees being able to access employment more quickly, whilst failed asylum seekers can be safely returned.