Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish a system for recording deaths and serious injuries at the UK-France border; and why mortality data at that border is not routinely published.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office maintains a record of reported fatalities that have occurred as a result of attempts to make dangerous, illegal, and unnecessary crossings of the Channel by migrants in small boats. Most of these fatalities have taken place in French Territorial Waters, and so it would not be appropriate for UK authorities to publish information about fatal incidents occurring outside the UK's jurisdiction.
Those fatal incidents that have taken place in UK TTW are subject to UK coronial and official inquiry processes, and their reports are a matter of public record.
Serious injuries are extremely rare along the UK-France border and following interceptions by Border Force (canalised entry) and BSC (includes all Maritime interception, welfare receptions, initial interviewing and immigration processing on land), but there has always been violence and inhumane treatment perpetrated by people smuggling gangs across Europe and beyond. The UK and international partners are resolved on disrupting and dismantling these gangs.
Asked by: Lord Bailey of Paddington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer and remarks by Lord Hanson of Flint on 17 November (HL11520) and 10 November (HL Deb col 66), whether for-profit social housing providers will be granted the same powers as not-for-profit housing providers under the Crime and Policing Bill.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we are strengthening the powers available to relevant agencies under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
For-profit Social Housing Providers have grown in prominence since the 2014 Act first came into force. While it is important that all agencies have the powers they need to tackle ASB, it is also important that changes to the agencies that can use the powers in the 2014 ASB Crime and Policing Act are considered carefully, on a case-by-case basis. The addition of for-profit social housing providers as applicant agencies for Respect Orders, Housing Injunctions and Youth Injunctions remains under consideration, as mentioned in previous answers.
We are, however, legislating in the Crime and Policing Bill to extend the power to issue Closure Notices to Registered Social Housing Providers, including For Profit Housing Providers. This will make it easier for Housing Providers to take swift action to prevent disruptive ASB.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government why staff are "strongly advised" in the Immigration Enforcement Live Facial Recognition Policy Document published in November to refer to that document rather than being required to do so.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Immigration Enforcement live facial recognition policy document was based on standard police guidance. However, we can confirm that during operational deployments it was made clear to relevant Home Office members of staff that adherence to the agreed-upon policies and processes was mandatory.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to publish an assessment of the trial use of live facial recognition in immigration enforcement in November; and whether it will be used or trialled again for immigration enforcement purposes before the close of the consultation on a new legal framework for law enforcement use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Immigration Enforcement carried out two live facial recognition deployments in collaboration with South Wales Police and Greater Manchester Police. The Department are reviewing these operations and considering the next steps. The results of these deployments are available on gov.uk.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether it is their intention that hospitality venues responsible for upholding the law on the sale of alcohol, cigarettes, solvents and other restricted products will see equal protection under the new offence of assaulting a retail worker in the Crime and Policing Bill.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we are introducing a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.
This definition of a retail worker captures someone working in or about retail premises for or on behalf of the owner or occupier of the retail premises.
Our definition is intentionally narrow and does not include hospitality staff, given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job.
Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
There is also a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing worker in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. This ensures the courts treat the public-facing nature of a victim’s role as an aggravating factor when considering the sentence for an offence.
Alongside this, we are ending the effective immunity that currently applies for theft of goods under £200 by repealing section 176 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
We are also providing over £7 million over the next three years to support the police and retailers tackle retail crime, including continuing to fund a specialist policing team to disrupt organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how "retail" work is defined for the purposes of the Crime and Policing Bill; and whether that definition includes hospitality premises with a functional overlap, such as pubs which run village shops and restaurants selling branded products on the premises.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we are introducing a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.
This definition of a retail worker captures someone working in or about retail premises for or on behalf of the owner or occupier of the retail premises.
Our definition is intentionally narrow and does not include hospitality staff, given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job.
Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
There is also a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing worker in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. This ensures the courts treat the public-facing nature of a victim’s role as an aggravating factor when considering the sentence for an offence.
Alongside this, we are ending the effective immunity that currently applies for theft of goods under £200 by repealing section 176 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
We are also providing over £7 million over the next three years to support the police and retailers tackle retail crime, including continuing to fund a specialist policing team to disrupt organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what specific protections are in place to address abuse and theft in (1) retail, (2) hospitality, and (3) leisure businesses.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we are introducing a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.
This definition of a retail worker captures someone working in or about retail premises for or on behalf of the owner or occupier of the retail premises.
Our definition is intentionally narrow and does not include hospitality staff, given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job.
Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
There is also a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing worker in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. This ensures the courts treat the public-facing nature of a victim’s role as an aggravating factor when considering the sentence for an offence.
Alongside this, we are ending the effective immunity that currently applies for theft of goods under £200 by repealing section 176 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
We are also providing over £7 million over the next three years to support the police and retailers tackle retail crime, including continuing to fund a specialist policing team to disrupt organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce limits on the circumstances in which police forces can add children to facial recognition watchlists.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Facial recognition is a crucial tool that helps the police locate missing people, suspects, and those wanted by the courts.
In some cases, under the existing legal framework this includes vulnerable individuals such as missing children. When using facial recognition technology, police forces must comply with legislation including the Human Rights Act 1998, Equality Act 2010, Data Protection Act 2018, Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, as well as their own published policies. For live facial recognition, police forces must also follow the College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice (APP) on Live Facial Recognition.
This sets out the categories of people who may be included on a watchlist. These include individuals wanted by the police or the courts, suspects, missing or vulnerable people, or those posing a risk of harm to themselves or others.In each case, inclusion on a watchlist must be justified and authorised, and must pass the tests of necessity, proportionality and use for a policing purpose.
On 4th December the Government launched a consultation on a new legal framework for law enforcement use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies. During the consultation we want to hear views on when and how biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies should be used, and what safeguards and oversight are needed.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Crime and Policing Bill in its current form will see the protection of workers in quick service restaurants and food-to-go-style operators whose work has a functional overlap with their retail counterparts; and what, if any, impact assessment of such provisions has been undertaken.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we are introducing a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.
This definition of a retail worker captures someone working in or about retail premises for or on behalf of the owner or occupier of the retail premises.
Our definition is intentionally narrow and does not include hospitality staff, given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job.
Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
There is also a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing worker in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. This ensures the courts treat the public-facing nature of a victim’s role as an aggravating factor when considering the sentence for an offence.
Alongside this, we are ending the effective immunity that currently applies for theft of goods under £200 by repealing section 176 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
We are also providing over £7 million over the next three years to support the police and retailers tackle retail crime, including continuing to fund a specialist policing team to disrupt organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to expand safe and accessible routes of asylum for people fleeing persecution and conflict, including those affected by escalating violence in countries such as Sudan.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK has a proud history of providing protection and we continue to welcome refugees and people in need through our safe and legal routes.
As announced in Restoring Order and Control, we are developing new sponsored refugee pathways across education, labour and community routes. This will ensure that there are routes available to support individuals in need of protection, but in a way that meets the need of UK communities too