Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking in response to the finding by BBC Radio 4's File on 4 programme that an estimated 13,000 children have been strip-searched by police since 2017; what assessment she has made of the appropriateness of the use of strip-searching by police; and if her Department will undertake a review of strip-searches of children by police.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
Strip search is one of the most intrusive powers available to the police and its use should not be a routine occurrence. The Government is clear that any use of strip search should be carried out in accordance with the law and with full regard for the dignity and welfare of the individual being searched – particularly if the individual being searched is a child.
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) Codes of Practice govern how the police should undertake a strip search. The College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice (APP) on Stop and Search provides further guidance for the police on the use of strip search. We expect officers to follow the law and the best practice guidance set by the College of Policing in its APP.
To provide more transparency on this issue the Home Office have recently introduced a data collection on strip searches to the Annual Data Requirement. Police forces will be providing this data for 2021/22 on a voluntary basis, and it is due for publication towards the end of 2022. The data collection will include details on the age, sex and ethnicity of persons strip searched by the police in England and Wales.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) adjustments, (b) translation services and (c) other support her Department (i) has in place and (ii) plans to put in place for people seeking asylum who may initially provide incorrect personal details as a result of either translation issues or fear of political persecution in their country of origin.
Answered by Kevin Foster
All asylum claimants undergo a screening interview with the option of having an interpreter present.
If inaccuracies are identified with the information they have previously provided Home Office systems are amended and relevant checks are re-run.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has plans to make training on domestic abuse, which includes recognition of specific needs of victims resulting from their ethnicity or cultural background, mandatory for public service providers engaging with victims of domestic violence; and what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of such services in meeting the needs of (a) black women and girls and (b) those from other marginalised communities.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
This Government is committed to ensuring that all victims of violence against women and girls get the support they need. We know that domestic abuse affects a disparate group and that a “one size fits all” approach is not appropriate, especially for ethnic minority victims. This is why we committed £1.5 million in the Tackling Violence and Girls Strategy to increase provision of ‘by and for’ services, to further increase funding for specialist services. Alongside this, our Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan invests over £230 million of new cross-government funding, including £141 million for supporting victims, with a minimum of £47 million ringfenced for community-based services.
Training is an important part of tackling and responding to domestic abuse, but this needs to form part of a wider approach of guidance and support. We recognise the importance of the police receiving the right training to respond effectively, regardless of the victim’s background. The College of Policing’s foundation training includes police ethics and self-understanding, hate crimes, ethics and equalities, and policing without bias. Specialist training for officers dealing routinely with public protection issues explores these issues in more depth and detail.
The College of Policing has also developed specialist training, the ‘Domestic Abuse Matters’ programme, in collaboration with SafeLives and with input from Women’s Aid, which helps first responders dealing with an incident or report. This considers the needs of different victims, including those from a diverse black community and ethnic minority communities. This training is being or has been delivered to the majority of forces already, and the Home Office will provide up to £3.3 million over three years to support further delivery.
The new full-time National Policing Lead for Violence Against Women and Girls, DCC Maggie Blyth, has included building trust and confidence as a key pillar for delivery: this includes working with charities supporting ethnic minority women and girls to avoid their specific needs being overlooked.
We are also finalising our Domestic Abuse Statutory Guidance which will support frontline services in identifying and responding to domestic abuse, including recognising unique barriers and experiences that some victims, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds or with other protected characteristics, may face.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the (a) number of Afghan nationals resettled under the ACRS who have higher education qualifications and (b) proportion of that number who acquired those qualifications in the UK.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) commenced on 6th January. The ACRS will provide up to 20,000 women, children and others at risk with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK.
We do not capture of hold details of individuals qualifications so are unable to provide this information
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her timetable is for conclusions of the review into the Government’s policy on asylum seeker's rights to work; and if she will publish details of the (a) progress, (b) outcomes and (c) activity of the review to 14 March 2022.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The review of asylum seeker right to work policy has been concluded. We are retaining our policy with no further changes.
A Written Ministerial Statement was made on 8 December, setting out the Home Office’s findings and rationale: Asylum Seekers: Right to Work Policy - Hansard - UK Parliament.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of (a) the number of Afghan nationals resettled under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme who have higher education qualifications and (b) the proportion of that number who acquired those qualifications in the UK.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) commenced on 6th January. The ACRS will provide up to 20,000 women, children and others at risk with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK.
Afghans who are eligible under ACRS or ARAP are working with job centre work coaches to assess their readiness for the jobs market, including their skills and qualifications.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the eligibility of Afghan nationals who formerly attended UK universities to be resettled in the UK.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The ACRS is not yet open. Officials are working urgently to stand up the remaining elements of the scheme.
Further information on the eligibility, prioritisation and referral of people for the ACRS is set out in the policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September, available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghanistan-resettlement-and-immigration-policy-statement.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle gun smuggling across (a) Coventry, (b) the West Midlands and (c) the UK.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government is committed to tackling the threat posed by trafficking and the misuse of illicit firearms. The UK has some of the toughest firearms controls in the world. We are continuing to reduce the supply and availability of illegal firearms to prevent their use by criminal or terrorist groups in the UK. The Government works closely with law enforcement to protect the public by tackling criminal use of firearms and disrupting illegal supply routes. Our approach is centred around partnership working, securing and enhancing capabilities at the border and reducing diversion from the legal to the illegal market.
For example, the NCA-led Operation Venetic, a sophisticated clampdown on organised criminals which saw international law enforcement agencies working together to infiltrate encrypted messaging platform EncroChat, has seen over 700 arrests for drugs and firearms offences across the UK, including in the West Midlands.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle firearm offences crime across (a) Coventry, (b) the West Midlands and (c) the UK.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government is committed to tackling the threat posed by trafficking and the misuse of illicit firearms. The UK has some of the toughest firearms controls in the world. We are continuing to reduce the supply and availability of illegal firearms to prevent their use by criminal or terrorist groups in the UK. The Government works closely with law enforcement to protect the public by tackling criminal use of firearms and disrupting illegal supply routes. Our approach is centred around partnership working, securing and enhancing capabilities at the border and reducing diversion from the legal to the illegal market.
For example, the NCA-led Operation Venetic, a sophisticated clampdown on organised criminals which saw international law enforcement agencies working together to infiltrate encrypted messaging platform EncroChat, has seen over 700 arrests for drugs and firearms offences across the UK, including in the West Midlands.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to take steps to grant urgent amnesty to undocumented migrants residing in the UK.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government remains committed to an immigration policy which welcomes and celebrates people to the UK through safe and legal routes but deters illegal immigration, partially from safe countries like France
The Immigration Rules already provide routes for undocumented migrants, who have not broken the law except for remaining here without lawful immigration status,to obtain permission to stay.
These Rules help to ensure public confidence in the immigration system. Whilst the Rules are kept under continuous review, there are no current plans to introduce an amnesty for undocumented migrants in the UK.