Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of mandating the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme to review security at a mosque immediately following a hate related threat or attack, irrespective of when the last review took place.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
Protecting the right of all faith communities to worship without fear is fundamental.
The Protective Security for Mosques Scheme can respond rapidly where an eligible mosque experiences a hate-related threat or attack, helping to ensure that appropriate security support can be put in place as quickly as possible. Applications and any resulting security requirements are considered on a case-by-case basis.
The Home Office keeps the Scheme under review and works closely with delivery partners to ensure support is targeted effectively. Decisions on security measures are informed by independent security assessments and expert advice, ensuring that recommendations reflect the specific security risks and vulnerabilities of individual sites and that public funds are used effectively and appropriately.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
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 Protective Security for Mosques Scheme allowing only three physical security measures on the security of mosques.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
Applications to the Protective Security for Mosques are assessed holistically, taking account of the vulnerability of the site, the nature and level of risk identified, evidence of threats or previous incidents, existing security provision, and whether the proposed measures would materially reduce the specific risks identified.
Funding decisions seek to ensure that the package of measures provided is appropriate and proportionate to the risks identified, represents value for money, and enables the available funding to be allocated fairly across eligible sites. The security benefit of an award therefore depends on the suitability and combined effect of the measures provided, rather than solely on the number of measures funded.
Through this holistic assessment, the number and type of measures offered are tailored to each site and their likely impact in addressing the specific risks identified as part of the site survey process.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme is (a) delivered efficiently and (b) provides value for money.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
Protecting the right of all faith communities to worship without fear is fundamental. Up to £40 million is available through the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme in 2026/27. The scheme provides protective security measures, including security personnel services, CCTV, intruder alarms and secure perimeter fencing, to mosques and associated Muslim faith community centres. Applications are assessed individually against the scheme's requirements and security measures are informed by independent security assessments, ensuring that decisions are based on the specific security needs of each site. Approved sites are referred to delivery partners for survey and installation activity. These arrangements help ensure that funding decisions are evidence-based, applications are considered consistently and fairly, and public funds are used effectively and appropriately. |
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of funding for the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme in meeting the needs of mosques.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
Funding allocations for the Home Office’s protective security schemes for faith communities are informed by threat and risk. We draw on a range of information, including data on religiously motivated hate crime and assessments from policing and intelligence partners, to ensure that funding remains proportionate and responsive to the needs of different communities.
Up to £40 million is available through the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme in 2026/27. The scheme provides protective security measures, including security personnel services, CCTV, intruder alarms and secure perimeter fencing, to mosques and associated Muslim faith community centres. Protective security measures are also available to Muslim faith schools.
The Home Office keeps funding allocations under review to ensure that support is directed where it is most needed and continues to work with the police and other partners to monitor threats and strengthen protections for Muslim communities against hate crime, terrorism and wider security threats.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment the Department has made of the potential impact of orbital mirror constellations on astronomical observation and light pollution in the UK, and whether the Government is taking any steps, through international space regulatory bodies, to establish light-reflection limits for Low Earth Orbit satellites.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Government has funded three studies to date and engages internationally through a range of fora, including the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, to help develop guidelines and governance structures that meet the needs of the modern space age. This work includes international engagement on matters such as sustainability and the protection of dark and quiet skies for astronomy and scientific observation.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of point-of-sale registration on tackling illegal vehicle sales.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No specific assessment has been made of the potential impact of point-of-sale registration on tackling illegal vehicle sales. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) already requires notification when a vehicle is bought or sold and maintains vehicle and registered keeper records to support efforts to tackle vehicle-related crime.
The DVLA encourages keeper details to be updated at the point of sale wherever possible, using online, paper and dealer notification services. Prompt notification helps keep the vehicle register accurate and up to date.
Safeguards are in place to help prevent criminal or fraudulent activity. Where an application is made for a vehicle registration certificate (V5C) and the DVLA has not been told that the registered keeper has disposed of the vehicle, the DVLA contacts the keeper to confirm this before issuing a V5C. Access to the latest V5C is also required to use the DVLA’s online services.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a Digital Citizenship Qualification to educate children on interaction with the online world.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Following the final report of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, the government is focused on delivering the reforms set out in its response to the Review, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-final-report-government-response.
These reforms will strengthen the knowledge and skills that young people need to thrive in a rapidly changing digital world.
This includes replacing GCSE computer science with a broader computing GCSE to strengthen digital literacy within computing. Together with new statutory media literacy content in citizenship, introduced from primary onwards, our reforms will cover artificial intelligence, data science and technological bias, supported by digital skills embedded in other subjects, where relevant.
The department believes that the best way to equip young people with the digital literacy and media literacy they need is through a strong curriculum that reaches all pupils, rather than through an optional standalone qualification.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the Mass Transit Taskforce working with the devolved governments to help ensure the benefits to the UK supply chain are maximised.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The independently-led Mass Transit Taskforce welcomes views from members of the public, experts, operators and academics from across Britain. The call for evidence is now open and as part of its research, the Taskforce will also draw on knowledge and experience from existing mass transit systems in each of the four nations and from examples abroad.
The Taskforce will identify practical reforms to planning, financing and delivery models and make targeted recommendations to government. Decisions on where and how to deliver mass transit systems will remain entirely local. However, the Taskforce will support devolution by sharing evidence, guidance and lessons learned, including the role of UK supply chains.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Mass Transit Taskforce's remit includes tram-train projects.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The independently-led Mass Transit Taskforce will consider all modes of mass transit and emerging technologies. This includes Tram-train projects and other mass transit modes, including bus‑based, light rail‑based and hybrid systems.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many woman and girls she estimates have been victims of grooming gangs; and what methodology she uses to calculate that number.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The true scale of group-based child sexual exploitation remains unknown because of under-reporting, under-identification, and variations in data collection and analysis. However, data from the Centre for Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse shows that 15% of girls and 5% of boys are estimated to have been sexually abused before the age of 16.
The Home Office continues to work with policing colleagues to improve data collection and analysis to improve understanding of these crimes and to develop a more accurate understanding of victims and perpetrators.
We continue to support the Office for National Statistics work on the Safety During Childhood Survey, which will improve our understanding of the scale of a range of harms that children and young people experience, including child sexual abuse.