Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the prevalence of violence against women and girls among crimes committed by people who are in the UK without legal immigration status.

Asylum seekers who engage in antisocial or criminal behaviour will be subject to the same legal consequences as any other individual residing in the country and will have their immigration status reviewed, if convicted.

No one in the UK, including foreign nationals, asylum seekers or refugees, is above the law. Asylum seekers are clearly advised of the expectations the Home Office and accommodation providers have for them to behave responsibly while they are accommodated in Home Office properties and not to engage in any form of criminal or anti-social activity.

Tacking Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is a top priority for the Government. Our mission is to halve the levels of these crimes within a decade, using every lever available to us. “Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls”, sets out the strategic direction and concrete actions to prevent violence and abuse, pursue perpetrators, and support victims.