Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of a Seasonal Visa Scheme for qualified HGV drivers, similar to the scheme available to farm workers, to help tackle the UK lorry driver shortage; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Kevin Foster
I refer my Right Honourable friend to the answer given to the Honourable member for Kingston Upon Hull West and Hessle, UIN 13206, which was answered on 18 June.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the current processing time for the licensing and re-licensing of firearms; and what steps she plans to take reduce those processing times.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The duration of firearm and shotgun certificates is five years. We have no plans to increase the duration of these certificates at present. However, firearms licensing is kept under review and we will consider the duration of firearm and shotgun certificates following improvements to the arrangements for medical checks which are underway.
The administration of firearms licensing is an operational matter for police forces. The Government recognises that some firearms applications are inevitably being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The National Police Chiefs Council has been in contact with forces and I understand that during these exceptional times forces may need to flex their response but will maintain a business as usual approach wherever possible. I am aware that forces are rightly giving priority to renewal applications as those applicants are already in possession of firearms. The position is expected to ease as the national restrictions are lifted.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to increase the duration of firearms certificates; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The duration of firearm and shotgun certificates is five years. We have no plans to increase the duration of these certificates at present. However, firearms licensing is kept under review and we will consider the duration of firearm and shotgun certificates following improvements to the arrangements for medical checks which are underway.
The administration of firearms licensing is an operational matter for police forces. The Government recognises that some firearms applications are inevitably being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The National Police Chiefs Council has been in contact with forces and I understand that during these exceptional times forces may need to flex their response but will maintain a business as usual approach wherever possible. I am aware that forces are rightly giving priority to renewal applications as those applicants are already in possession of firearms. The position is expected to ease as the national restrictions are lifted.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to improve the tackling of rural crime and ensure effective co-ordination across different police force areas; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
I recognise the importance of tackling rural crime, which is why the Government is recruiting an additional 20,000 police officers over the next three years to ensure that the public are protected against crime, including rural crime. To further support with existing efforts, the Government also provides regular funding to the police’s National Wildlife Crime Unit.
It is the responsibility of Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables to ensure that the police priorities reflect those of their communities and that resources, including these new officers are deployed accordingly.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of criminal acts committed in the last five years in which crossbows have been used; what representations she has received over a similar period in favour of tighter restrictions being imposed on the sale and use of those weapons; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Home Office does not collect information on whether an offence recorded by the police involved a crossbow.
We periodically engage with the police to assess if they see crossbows as an emerging threat in crime. While tragic when they do occur, the misuse of crossbows is rare and the vast majority of those using crossbows, do so safely and responsibly. Misuse of these articles could be an offence, and legislation is already in place to deal with those who use crossbows as a weapon. We keep the legislation on bladed articles and offensive weapons, including crossbows, under review.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has issued to police authorities on the holding of speed awareness courses during the covid-19 outbreak; where live classroom courses are not available, what alternatives exist for people with no internet provision or access to a webcam and microphone; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The management of speed awareness courses is an operational matter for individual police forces and course providers who decide on the format and content of courses. Course providers do provide clear joining instructions for each person attending an online course. If individuals have poor IT skills or IT access providers can work with them via their call centres, to assist course completion on a case by case basis. The police are working with providers to develop alternative delivery methods for special characteristic groups for example a booklet with follow-up consultation.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the level of resources allocated to community speed watch schemes; how many of those schemes have been set up in each police force area; what assessment he has made of the value for money of those schemes; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
Decisions on the level of resources allocated and when to adopt these schemes are operational matters for individual Police and Crime Commisioners and Chief Constables in conjuction with local policing plans. They are best placed to understand how to meet the needs of local communuties.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate his Department has made of the number and proportion of police officers who are signed-off from work with stress and work-related illness.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The number and proportion of police officers who are signed-off from work with stress and work-related illness is not collected centrally by the Home Office.
The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of police officers on long-term absence as at 31st March each year, including long-term absence for sickness, but not specifically stress and work-related illness. Long-term absence includes officers on leave more than 28 days.
These data are available in the Absence Open Data tables published alongside the annual ‘Police workforce’ statistical bulletin, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-open-data-tables
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) accuracy, and (b) ability of facial recognition technology used at airports.to distinguish between identical twins and other siblings of similar appearance.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Facial recognition technology employed by Border Force at airports is regularly assessed to ensure that it is operating within operational parameters agreed by ministers. The technology employs a matching algorithm to distinguish between individuals to confirm identity. There has been no specific research undertaken by Border Force or Home Office Biometrics into the ability of facial recognition algorithms to distinguish between identical twins or sib-lings who look very alike.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the (a) reliability and (b) accuracy of the LTI 20.20 speed gun; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Hurd
LTI 20.20 handheld speed measurement devices have been approved under the Home Office Type Approval process. Type Approval ensures that devices are accurate, precise, reliable, and consistent so that any evidence generated can be relied upon in court.