Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Immigration of 20 February 2023 on the Knowsley Incident, Official Report, column 33, what criteria her Department is using to decide whether individual legal practitioners are monitored; how many legal practitioners are currently being monitored; what records are kept of the monitoring; and if she will make a statement.

People who make dangerous journeys by putting their lives at risk to reach the UK often seek immigration advice. When considering representations, the Home Office ensures that legal practitioners raising such immigration matters have the correct regulatory credentials. If evidence exists that obligations have been breached, we will refer legal practitioners to regulators or law enforcement where criminality is evident.

It would not be appropriate to comment further as this is operationally sensitive.