Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of her Department’s resources are allocated to (a) tackling and (b) helping to prevent fraud.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
This Government takes the issue of fraud very seriously and is dedicated to protecting the public from this devastating crime. This is why we will shortly publish a new strategy to address the threat of fraud.
Safeguarding victims will form a key pillar of the strategy. It will set out how more victims of authorised fraud will get their money back through legislation to enable the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) to require reimbursement by all payment service providers. HMG has already introduced measures in the Financial Services and Markets Bill (2022) to give the PSR the power to mandate reimbursement to victims of fraud.
To improve victim support, the Home Office is also working with City of London Police to expand the Action Fraud National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (NECVCU) across England and Wales for victims whose cases are not investigated by the police. The NECVCU service aims to help victims cope and recover – including through advice on how to recover losses - and to significantly reduce the likelihood of repeat victimisation. The Home Office is working with City of London Police to deliver a nationwide rollout of NECVCU from 2023.
The Home Office has a total of 31 FTE to tackle fraud against businesses and individuals. The 2021 Spending Review allocated £400 million to tackling economic crime, including fraud. Over the next three years, close to £100m will be spent on tackling fraud. This is in addition to the funding that the Home Office commits each year to the National Economic Crime Centre in the NCA, and police forces, including over £15m each year to the City of London Police as the national lead force for fraud and the operator of the Action Fraud and National Fraud Intelligence Bureau services.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to allocate (a) funds and (b) other resources for celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the MV Empire Windrush in Britain.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
DLUHC is the lead Government department for Windrush Celebratory events and DLUHC officials are further exploring what else we can do to make even more of an impact for these celebrations. Further funding will be allocated to further developing an educational component on the National Windrush Monument website, in time for National Windrush Day 2023 and the 75th anniversary celebrations.
The 75th anniversary of the arrival of MV Empire Windrush at the Port of Tilbury marks a seminal moment in our nation’s shared history. £750,000 in grant funding will be provided by government for the Windrush Day Grant Scheme to celebrate Windrush 75. Community groups and local authorities in England and Northern Ireland can apply for up to £50,000 for events and activities that mark the annual Windrush Day on 22 June.
As of today, HM Government has dedicated £3.75 million in funding toward honouring the Windrush legacy. This includes £2.75 million across five years of the Windrush Day Grant Scheme, and £1 million allocated to the National Windrush Monument.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether current police regulations prevent the immediate suspension of an officer who is under investigation for a serious crime.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Police officers are governed by a statutory set of standards of professional behaviour. Regulation 11 of The Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 sets out the procedure that should be followed when an officer is suspended.
Decisions, whether or not to suspend officers, are made by the appropriate authority of individual forces
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children there are at the Manston processing centre; and what proportion of those children are unaccompanied.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Home Office does not hold the data in the format requested.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the impact of visa renewal fees on migrants.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
No assessment has been carried out on the overall impact of visa renewal fees. Fees are set for the consideration of the application and are payable regardless of whether the application is seeking entry clearance or permission to stay.
An assessment of the additional impact of immigration and nationality fees is published alongside the Immigration and Nationality Fees Regulations where fee levels are changed.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to launch an independent inquiry into the potential involvement of foreign intelligence services in facilitating British children’s entry into Syria for the purpose of joining IS.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
We do not comment on individual cases, operational intelligence or security matters.
There are currently no plans to launch an independent inquiry in response to media speculation.
It would be inappropriate to comment on the specifics of Ms Begum’s case whilst legal proceedings are ongoing.
The Government’s top priority remains maintaining our national security and keeping the public safe.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with her Canadian counterpart on reports of the involvement of Canadian Security Intelligence Services in facilitating Shamima Begum’s entry to Syria in 2015.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
We do not comment on individual cases, operational intelligence or security matters.
There are currently no plans to launch an independent inquiry in response to media speculation.
It would be inappropriate to comment on the specifics of Ms Begum’s case whilst legal proceedings are ongoing.
The Government’s top priority remains maintaining our national security and keeping the public safe.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds information on Five Eyes nations having been involved in facilitating British children’s entry into Syria for the purpose of joining IS.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
We do not comment on individual cases, operational intelligence or security matters.
There are currently no plans to launch an independent inquiry in response to media speculation.
It would be inappropriate to comment on the specifics of Ms Begum’s case whilst legal proceedings are ongoing.
The Government’s top priority remains maintaining our national security and keeping the public safe.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date the UK intelligence services were made aware of the involvement of Canadian Security Intelligence Services in facilitating Shamima Begum’s entry to Syria in 2015.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
We do not comment on individual cases, operational intelligence or security matters.
There are currently no plans to launch an independent inquiry in response to media speculation.
It would be inappropriate to comment on the specifics of Ms Begum’s case whilst legal proceedings are ongoing.
The Government’s top priority remains maintaining our national security and keeping the public safe.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Streatham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the date the Metropolitan Police Service were made aware of the involvement of Canadian Security Intelligence Services in facilitating Shamima Begum’s entry to Syria in 2015.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
We do not comment on individual cases, operational intelligence or security matters.
There are currently no plans to launch an independent inquiry in response to media speculation.
It would be inappropriate to comment on the specifics of Ms Begum’s case whilst legal proceedings are ongoing.
The Government’s top priority remains maintaining our national security and keeping the public safe.