Asked by: David Hanson (Labour - Delyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many young people, as defined by the British Nationality Act 1981, have been (a) refused and (b) granted citizenship in each year since December 2012.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The good character test for British citizenship applies to those aged 10 and over, in line with the age of criminal responsibility. There are no plans at present to review this. I recently wrote to the Joint Committee for Human Rights on several issues relating to British citizenship, including the good character test.
Figures relating to citizenship applications, including decisions to refuse where the applicant is found to not be of good character, are included in the latest Home Office quarterly migration statistics published on 24 May and available on Gov.uk.
Asked by: David Hanson (Labour - Delyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the British Nationality Act 1981, how many young people have been refused British citizenship as a result of being found to not be of good character under each classification; and how many young people have faced restrictions in applying as a minor in each year since December 2012.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The good character test for British citizenship applies to those aged 10 and over, in line with the age of criminal responsibility. There are no plans at present to review this. I recently wrote to the Joint Committee for Human Rights on several issues relating to British citizenship, including the good character test.
Figures relating to citizenship applications, including decisions to refuse where the applicant is found to not be of good character, are included in the latest Home Office quarterly migration statistics published on 24 May and available on Gov.uk.
Asked by: David Hanson (Labour - Delyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many rest days are owed to police officers by forces in England and Wales as at 1 June 2018; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Home Office does not hold the information requested centrally. It is the responsibility of chief constables to manage working time and support the workforce effectively, ensuring police officers are able to take the rest days they are entitled to.
Asked by: David Hanson (Labour - Delyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to publish the outcome of the Government's review of air weapon regulation, announced on 12 December 2017.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Government’s review of the regulation of air weapons received a large number of representations from interested parties and members of the public. We are considering these carefully and will publish our findings in due course.
Asked by: David Hanson (Labour - Delyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people waited longer than (a) 14 days, (b) 18 days, (c) 25 days and (d) 60 days to receive their Disclosure and Barring Service reports; and what the number of applications for Disclosure and Barring Service reports was by police force in each year since 2010.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The tables below set out the number of people who have waited longer than 14, 18, 25 and 60 days to receive their disclosure certificates*:
2010/11:
Type of check | > 14 days | > 18 days | > 25 days | > 60 days |
Enhanced | 1,880,214 | 1,578,142 | 1,243,836 | 453,391 |
Standard | 9,222 | 4,926 | 2,784 | 674 |
Total | 1,889,436 | 1,583,068 | 1,246,620 | 454,065 |
2011/12:
Type of check | > 14 days | > 18 days | > 25 days | > 60 days |
Enhanced | 688,549 | 519,641 | 368,941 | 104,773 |
Standard | 4,456 | 2,960 | 1,794 | 487 |
Total | 693,005 | 522,601 | 370,735 | 105,260 |
2012/13:
Type of check | > 14 days | > 18 days | > 25 days | > 60 days |
Enhanced | 790,299 | 613,596 | 380,402 | 42,520 |
Standard | 3,917 | 2,935 | 1,961 | 319 |
Total | 794,216 | 616,531 | 382,363 | 42,839 |
2013/14:
Type of check | > 14 days | > 18 days | > 25 days | > 60 days |
Enhanced | 834,288 | 751,147 | 593,457 | 405,014 |
Standard | 3,221 | 3,063 | 2,151 | 946 |
Total | 837,509 | 754,210 | 595,608 | 405,960 |
2014/15:
Type of check | > 14 days | > 18 days | > 25 days | > 60 days |
Enhanced | 1,038,411 | 736,329 | 490,198 | 181,338 |
Standard | 15,125 | 4,420 | 1,473 | 216 |
Total | 1,053,536 | 740,749 | 491,671 | 181,554 |
2015/16:
Type of check | > 14 days | > 18 days | > 25 days | > 60 days |
Enhanced | 917,972 | 675,921 | 446,212 | 209,613 |
Standard | 3,688 | 1,646 | 897 | 217 |
Total | 921,660 | 677,567 | 447,109 | 209,830 |
2016/17:
Type of check | > 14 days | > 18 days | > 25 days | > 60 days |
Enhanced | 948,522 | 725,014 | 516,048 | 204,482 |
Standard | 2,579 | 998 | 617 | 124 |
Total | 951,101 | 726,012 | 516,665 | 204,606 |
2017-Feb 2018:
Type of check | > 14 days | > 18 days | > 25 days | > 60 days |
Enhanced | 917,339 | 675,261 | 404,637 | 39,940 |
Standard | 11,021 | 3,157 | 698 | 137 |
Total | 928,360 | 678,418 | 405,335 | 40,077 |
*To include Standard and Enhanced checks.
Data relating to the number of applications for Disclosure and Barring checks carried out by each police force in each year since 2010 is available, but due to the volume of data, it is not in a reportable format. Officials will ensure a hard copy of this data is placed in the House library.
Asked by: David Hanson (Labour - Delyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for its policies of the Office for National Statistics report into solvent abuse, published on 26 March 2018.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government has noted the key findings from the report of the Office of National Statistics on deaths related to volatile substances and helium in Great Britain.
We are committed to preventing deaths related to substance misuse. Our Drug Strategy, published in July 2017, brings together police, health, community and global partners to tackle the illicit drug trade, protect the most vulnerable and help those with drug dependency to recover and turn their lives around.
Drug control is kept under constant review and we work in consultation with the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to consider any new evidence of misuse or harms.
Asked by: David Hanson (Labour - Delyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the number of deaths associated with solvent abuse.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government has noted the key findings from the report of the Office of National Statistics on deaths related to volatile substances and helium in Great Britain.
We are committed to preventing deaths related to substance misuse. Our Drug Strategy, published in July 2017, brings together police, health, community and global partners to tackle the illicit drug trade, protect the most vulnerable and help those with drug dependency to recover and turn their lives around.
Drug control is kept under constant review and we work in consultation with the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to consider any new evidence of misuse or harms.
Asked by: David Hanson (Labour - Delyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to tackle the misuse of nitrous oxide.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Psychoactive substances, such as nitrous oxide, have already cost far too many lives. That is why we changed the law in 2016 to make it illegal to supply substances that are capable of having a psychoactive effect.
The introduction of the Psychoactive Substances Act sent out a clear message – we will take whatever action is necessary to keep our families and communities safe.
Since the Act came into force, over 300 retailers across the United Kingdom have either closed down or are no longer selling psychoactive substances, police have arrested suppliers and action by the National Crime Agency has resulted in the removal of these drugs for sale on UK based websites.
Asked by: David Hanson (Labour - Delyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding the Government has committed to reduce deaths associated with solvent abuse via each (a) Department, (b) Agency, (c) Local authorities, and (d) voluntary organisation?
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Funding decisions in relation to substance misuse services have been devolved to local authorities through the public health grant. It is for local authorities to commission the appropriate health services to address the use of volatile substances based on an assessment of local need.
Local areas need to consider how best to prevent and treat volatile substance use through age appropriate services. Local specialist services can support young people to address their substance misuse, and should operate as part of a wider network of services which aim to support young people with a range of issues and help them to build their resilience.
Adults who have problems with volatile substances can also access support from community drug and alcohol services, which should be able to provide appropriate psychosocial interventions to help them stop using these substances and medicines for symptomatic relief if needed.
Asked by: David Hanson (Labour - Delyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Local Shop Report 2017, published by the Association of Convenience Stores, what steps she is taking the reduce the level of convenience store crime.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government takes retail crime very seriously. We recognise the damage and disruption that different crimes can have on businesses including smaller businesses and convenience stores.
Through the National Retail Crime Steering Group, which I co-chair with the British Retail Consortium, we bring together representatives from government departments, the police and the retail sector, including the Association of Convenience Stores, to focus on the crime issues that affect businesses of all sizes. This includes addressing the crimes that affect retail establishments and improving the safety of the staff who work in them.