Police Resources Sara Britcliffe (Hyndburn) (Con) 1. What steps she
is taking to increase police resources.(903478) Dean Russell
(Watford) (Con) 12. What steps she is taking to increase police
resources.(903491) Mrs Flick Drummond (Meon Valley) (Con) 15. What
steps she is taking to increase police resources.(903494) The
Secretary of State for the Home Department (Suella Braverman) On 31
January, the Government confirmed a total police funding...Request free trial
Police Resources
(Hyndburn) (Con)
1. What steps she is taking to increase police
resources.(903478)
(Watford) (Con)
12. What steps she is taking to increase police
resources.(903491)
(Meon Valley) (Con)
15. What steps she is taking to increase police
resources.(903494)
The Secretary of State for the Home Department ()
On 31 January, the Government confirmed a total police funding
settlement of up to £17.2 billion for 2023-24, an increase of up
to £287 million on this year, providing the police with the
resources to fight crime and keep the public safe. As a result of
our police uplift programme, we are on track to meet our target
of 20,000 new police officers, meaning that England and Wales
will have the most police officers ever.
I welcome the work this Government are doing to increase police
resources and tackle antisocial behaviour, with many
initiatives—such as the youth investment fund, the youth justice
sport fund and the safer streets fund—acting as preventive policy
measures. However, in my constituency of Hyndburn and Haslingden,
it is not just individuals who are impacted by this; it is also
businesses, which have associated costs and fear for their staff.
Will my right hon. and learned Friend work with me to see how we
can address this issue for businesses on our high streets?
I share my hon. Friend’s deep concern about antisocial behaviour,
and I was pleased to discuss the issue with her very recently.
She will obviously be aware of the 435 new police officers on the
ground in Lancashire, thanks to this Government. She will also be
aware of the 18% fall in neighbourhood crime in Lancashire since
2019, thanks to this Government, and the £1 million safer streets
funding in Lancashire, thanks to this Government. Lancashire
police are building a specialist antisocial behaviour unit to
make the most of those extra resources, and have already had some
progress with Operation Propulsion, aimed at tackling nuisance
bikes. There is more to do, and that is why I will be setting out
the antisocial behaviour plan in due course.
Mr Speaker
And it is the finest constabulary in the country.
In Watford, I have been fortunate enough to join dawn raids and
have seen at first hand the important work the police do in
tackling serious and organised crime. However, once the police
successfully carry out these types of operations across the
country, often with extensive multi-agency work, it is important
the right support is in place to maintain security within the
community. Will my right hon. and learned Friend please confirm
what further support is in place to ensure the long-term
dismantling of these awful gangs and to guarantee that no new
criminals take over and reinstate the lines of supply to this
criminality?
I thank my hon. Friend for his excellent work in Watford, working
hard for the communities he serves.
Through our successful county lines programme the police have
arrested thousands of individuals and closed down 2,900 county
lines. The programme focuses on charging line holders, ensuring
we put offenders behind bars and putting deal lines out of
action. Together with “Clear, hold, build”, an initiative that I
launched recently, we will also be taking more robust action on
serious and organised crime gangs that blight communities through
drug dealing.
Mrs Drummond
Hampshire and Isle of Wight constabulary is one of the
lowest-funded police forces by central Government. Can my right
hon. and learned Friend confirm that this historically unfair
funding settlement will be looked at, and that the people of
Hampshire and the Isle of Wight can look forward to the same
levels of funding as similar areas?
We will be consulting very shortly on police funding formulas,
but I am very pleased that the excellent police and crime
commissioner in Hampshire, , has made very good use of the
funding flexibility that I brought into force very recently by
raising the precept. That will increase the amount of funding
available to the frontline in policing, and together with the
safer streets funding and millions of pounds for violence
reduction units, it will mean more police, less crime and safer
streets in Hampshire.
(Plymouth, Sutton and
Devonport) (Lab/Co-op)
Linking police records of gun certificates to medical databases
was a key ask of the community in Plymouth after the tragedies we
suffered in 2021. How is that linking of GP records with
police-held databases and other medical records going, and what
additional policing resources is the Home Secretary making
available to ensure that, no matter where in the country someone
lives, if they present to their medical professional with a
mental health issue, it will be clear to that medical
professional whether they have a firearm?
The hon. Gentleman raises a very important point about access to
firearms or other weapons for people with a track record or
indication of mental health vulnerabilities. We must wait for the
coroner report to be issued, so I will not comment substantively,
but we are looking very closely at this and I hope to report on
it in due course.
(Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)
There have been too many examples of misogyny and sexism in
public services in recent times, so can the Home Secretary
reassure the House that sufficient resources will be provided to
clear out the worst offenders and help change the culture so we
can once again have confidence in our important police
services?
The hon. Gentleman is right that recent instances have really
shaken confidence in the whole of the policing family throughout
the country, and although there are many thousands of
professional, expert men and women who put themselves forward
every day, it is clear that policing must do better. That is why
I have asked the College of Policing to strengthen the statutory
code of practice for police vetting, we have tasked the Angiolini
inquiry to look into the specifics of the David Carrick case, and
we have commissioned the inspectorate to conduct a rapid review
of all forces’ response to the inspectorate’s recent review into
vetting and counter-corruption. It is clear that standards need
to rise so that cases such as the tragic ones we have seen become
a thing of the past.
(North Shropshire) (LD)
North Shropshire is obviously a safe place to live, I am very
glad to say, but headteachers and health professionals have
recently reported to me an increase in county lines drug-running
activities and child exploitation. Can the Home Secretary confirm
that North Shropshire will receive additional police resource,
particularly at night-time, and the multi-agency approach we need
to close down these county lines gangs?
There has been considerable success through our county lines
programme over the last few years, shutting down over 2,000
county lines across the country and making thousands of arrests
of those caught up in propagating this evil behaviour of drug
supply. It is vital that we go further and that this success
reaches every part of the country.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Croydon Central) (Lab)
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Some Government Members will be celebrating the Prime Minister’s
first 100 days—it is remarkable that that is considered an
achievement these days—but during those 100 days in office around
30,000 people, mostly women, will have been raped, and 20,000 of
those rapes will have been reported while only about 320 will
ever lead to a charge. The Home Secretary has responded by
slashing Government funding for forensics, cutting this year’s
funding for local police forces by £62 million and heaping
pressure on to council tax payers to fill the gaps. Is that
because of the Government’s disastrous mini-Budget, is it because
of the Government’s failure to grow the economy over 13 years, or
have they simply given up on tackling violence against women and
girls?
I must gently point out that the hon. Lady has got to get with
the programme, get with reality, and come back down to earth. The
facts are that we have increased police funding by over half a
billion pounds, I have just brought in more flexibility so police
and crime commissioners around the country can increase their
resources on the frontline, and we are on track to have the
highest number of police officers on the ground in the history of
policing. That is thanks to this Government’s funding and
policies.
Of course we must do better on violence against women and girls
and on rape and sexual offences; that is why we are pioneering
the roll-out of Operation Soteria, which will improve operational
support for victims of rape and serious sexual offences on the
ground throughout an investigation. It is also why we are going
to have specialist measures in court so that victims of rape and
serious sexual offences give evidence in a much more appropriate
manner. We are taking the steps; that is far better than carping
from the sidelines.
Iranian Regime: Threat to UK
(Ealing, Southall)
(Lab)
2. What recent assessment her Department has made of the level of
threat posed by the Iranian regime to people in the UK.
(903479)
The Minister for Security ()
The director general of MI5 recently outlined that, since January
2022, there have been at least 10 Iranian threats to kidnap or
even kill UK-based individuals. The level of the Iranian threat
is kept under constant review. The Home Secretary and I are
working with our partners across Government to ensure that all
tools at our disposal are used to protect individuals in the UK
against any threats from the Iranian state.
Mr Sharma
It has been patently obvious for years that the whole Iranian
Government are rotten. Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps leaders
are allowed to travel to the UK and store their stolen wealth
almost with impunity. The people of Iran are fighting back. Why
do we not stop their abusers stealing the wealth of the country
and sanction more than just 50 people at the top of the
organisation?
The hon. Member is absolutely correct: the IRGC is a vicious
organisation and its first victims are the Iranian people, who
have been brutalised and murdered by that despotic regime for far
too long. I hope he will be encouraged by the actions the UK
Government are taking at the moment in looking into various of
these areas, and also by the work being done by some of our
partners. It is interesting to note that, of the so-called E3+3,
Germany and France appear to be looking at proscribing the IRGC,
as the United States has already done. It seems that not only is
there international agreement on the point the hon. Member
raises, but that action is absolutely ready to go.
(Chipping Barnet)
(Con)
As part of the sanctions the Government are imposing on this evil
regime, will they please shut down the Islamic centre in Maida
Vale, which is the voice of the supreme leader in this country?
It should not have charitable status and should be shut down.
My right hon. Friend has raised an extremely important issue, of
which I am acutely aware and which has not gone without
notice.
(Leyton and Wanstead) (Lab)
The Minister seemed to say in response to the original question
from my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, Southall (Mr Sharma)
that we were considering proscribing the IRGC. Is that the
case?
The Government always keep all areas under review, and
speculation has certainly been in that direction. What we have
already done is sanction various different elements. Any further
action will no doubt be announced as soon as it is ready, and we
will see as soon as that can be done.
(Harrow East) (Con)
Clearly, the threat from the IRGC to people in this country—be
they opposition journalists reporting on what is going on in Iran
at the moment or UK citizens—is paramount. Foreign Office
Ministers have responded to all the urgent questions the Speaker
has granted and the debates we have had, but will my right hon.
Friend now take the obvious step, which is supported by all
political parties in the Chamber, and proscribe the IRGC in its
entirety?
My hon. Friend will know that it is not me he has to persuade in
this matter and that there are many areas where I would like to
go. I can assure him that the Government are absolutely listening
to exactly what he is saying. The Home Secretary and I are as one
on this.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Halifax) (Lab)
The Minister has been explicit, as have others, about the threat
we face in the UK from the Iranian regime. I really welcome what
he has said, and we stand ready to work with him on this issue,
but the truth is that we have not seen anything like the
sanctions and immigration controls that have been deployed
against Russia being deployed against Iran. Will the Government
go further and be clear? Will they proscribe the IRGC using
either existing terror laws or new state threat variations to
drive out this threat and keep people safe?
The hon. Lady knows very well that the Government have already
sanctioned many individuals inside the Iranian regime and have
taken action on individuals who may have had access around Europe
and indeed into the United Kingdom. Those people have been either
controlled or not allowed permission to travel. She should also
be aware that our embassy in Iran is keeping us closely informed
of how the sanctions are playing out and making sure that we
target appropriately individuals who are a threat to the United
Kingdom.
It is completely wrong that any foreign state should be able to
threaten anybody in the United Kingdom. Anybody in the UK should
have the same protection and be afforded the same rights as
anybody else. The action we have taken to protect some
journalists in the UK, which was highlighted only recently by
some of our agencies, is absolutely vital to the security of our
whole society.
Refugees: Accommodation
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
3. What steps she is taking to help ensure that refugees are
placed in adequate housing. (903480)
(Buckingham) (Con)
7. What progress she has made in ending the use of hotels as
contingency asylum accommodation. (903484)
The Minister for Immigration ()
Our first duty is to break the business model of the
people-smuggling gangs, stop the boats and reduce the number of
those coming to this country illegally. Alongside that, we are
working to ensure that decent but not luxurious accommodation is
available while asylum claims are being processed. We are working
with local councils and providers to develop regional dispersal
plans and are pursuing a range of options to increase supply.
Mr Sheerman
I am very pleased to hear what the Minister says. When the
dreadful invasion of Ukraine took place, many people welcomed
with open arms refugees from Ukraine. Does he agree that it is
still not safe for many of them to go home? Many have outstayed
their time with their host, so can we have a coherent plan going
forward to ensure that refugees from Ukraine are decently
protected and housed?
The hon. Gentleman is right to celebrate the good work that we
have done in this country to support people who came here from
Ukraine. That has been the largest humanitarian visa effort in
this country’s history. I have benefited from that personally,
having had a family stay with me, as I know many Members across
the House have. Over 500 individuals continue to come to the UK
every week under the Ukrainian visa schemes, but he is right to
say that the challenge now is as much about ensuring re-matches
are available for people who, for whatever reason, are coming to
the end of their stay with their original families. We are
working very closely with the Department for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities to ensure that those changes are as
seamless as possible so that nobody ends up homeless.
The Best Western hotel in the town of Buckingham was originally
acquired by Clearsprings on a six-month lease, which in theory
runs out in March. The loss of the hotel as a valuable local
business is noticeable in the town, as is the diversion of
precious primary care resources, with an on-site clinic required
at least once a week on top of the usual services of the Swan
Practice. Can my right hon. Friend confirm that the use of the
Best Western in Buckingham will end soon, so that Buckingham
businesses can get back to normal and health resources are freed
up?
The Home Secretary and I are as frustrated as my hon. Friend that
too many people are staying in hotels, costing too much money to
the taxpayers of this country. We want to ensure that hotels such
as the one in his constituency are exited as swiftly as possible.
That is why we are pursuing a full dispersal model with local
authorities and considering a range of other options, including
larger sites. The enduring solution to this problem is to break
the business model of the people smugglers and to stop the boats.
It is for that reason that the Home Secretary and I will shortly
bring forward further legislation, which I hope will command
support across the House.
(Leeds Central) (Lab)
Do the Government have any plans to make use of the former
Atkinson Court care home in east Leeds as part of their dispersal
policy?
I am not aware of that site, but I am very happy to look into it
and revert to the right hon. Gentleman. The mandatory dispersal
model we are pursuing is one of agreement with local authorities,
where every local authority works with the Home Office and our
providers to agree a number of bed spaces in their local area and
then to choose appropriate ones that meet the needs of the local
community. I am happy to revert to the right hon. Gentleman on
that.
(Southport) (Con)
Does my right hon. Friend agree that, given the severity of the
risks, it would not be appropriate to house asylum seekers in a
Pontins holiday camp in my constituency? Will he take the
opportunity to confirm at the Dispatch Box the reports at the end
of last week that the site will not be used?
The Home Office is reviewing a range of options and having
exploratory conversations with a number of local authorities. If
the local authority, Sefton Council, does not wish to proceed On
the Pontins site in my hon. Friend’s constituency then the site
will not proceed, because it is the freeholder of that site. He
should really speak to Sefton Council to get that assurance, but
the task for all of us is to stop the boats, or else we will
continue to have troubles like this in the years ahead, with
thousands of individuals crossing the channel illegally and
placing unbearable strain on our asylum accommodation.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson.
(Glasgow Central)
(SNP)
Home Office accommodation provider Mears has made significant
profits providing substandard facilities for asylum seekers.
Community InfoSource in Glasgow has found that Mears’ practices
are retraumatising and causing unnecessary stress and suffering.
Mears is now back to using hotels such as the Muthu in Erskine,
which the Park Inn incident in Glasgow proved to be entirely
unsuitable for vulnerable people. Why are the UK Government
encouraging rapacious companies to profit from misery, rather
than investing in community-based alternatives and more effective
decision making?
If the hon. Lady has specific allegations, will she please bring
them to me and I will be happy to investigate them?
The answer to this issue, in Scotland as across the country, is
for local authorities to step up and make more accommodation
available. As I have said many times at the Dispatch Box,
including to the hon. Lady, the Scottish Government are taking
fewer asylum seekers and refugees than any other comparable part
of the United Kingdom. The SNP’s record on this issue is frankly
shameful. It was, after all, the Scottish Government whose failed
Ukrainian scheme meant that they had to house Ukrainian refugees
in cruise ships.
Crime: Lancashire
(Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab)
4. What steps her Department is taking to help prevent crime in
Lancashire.(903481)
The Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire ()
I know that questions about policing in Lancashire are of
particular interest to you, Mr Speaker.
I am pleased to report that since 2015, there are 467 more police
in Lancashire. Next year, the available funding will increase by
£12.3 million. Over the last three years, Lancashire police have
had £5.5 million for their violence reduction unit and £4.7
million for their hotspot policing. I met this morning with
Lancashire’s excellent police and crime commissioner, , who talked to me about
Operation Warrior, which has seen on average each week 2 kg of
drugs being seized, 17 arrests and £55,000 of illicit cash being
taken off the streets.
When I tabled my question, I had planned to raise the issue of
rural crime in the Wyre area of my constituency, but events over
the last few days have changed that. As part of the intensive
search for Nicola Bulley, Lancashire police are asking drivers
for dash-cam footage from the Blackpool Lane and Garstang Road
area of St Michael’s from Friday 27 January between 9 and 10 am.
Will the Minister echo my request for people from the local
community to come forward, even if they think their dash-cam
footage does not contain anything of interest—the police will be
able to make that decision—and for all of us to do our best to
find Nicola and bring her home?
I completely echo what the hon. Lady says about this awful,
tragic case. I agree with everything she said and I join her in
urging anyone who thinks they may have any information, however
innocuous it may seem, to come forward, including dash-cam
footage and any other information that may be relevant. The whole
local community and the police are desperately doing everything
they can to find out what happened, and I urge everyone to help
them in that endeavour.
(Blackpool North and
Cleveleys) (Con)
It almost seems like Lancashire day today, Mr Speaker.
I join the hon. Member for Lancaster and Fleetwood () in praising the hard work of our constabulary and the
many local people, particularly my constituents, who have been
out searching the river banks of the Wyre estuary looking for
clues as to what has happened. Will the Minister join me in
imploring people to avoid the speculation, gossip and guesswork
that has been going on? People have been descending on St
Michael’s on Wyre and it is hampering the investigation and
causing inordinate distress to Nicola’s family.
I agree completely with my hon. Friend. It is important that the
public respect the family’s need for privacy at what is obviously
an extremely difficult, upsetting and unimaginably distressing
time. It is important that the public let the police and the
local authority get on with their work. I repeat what my hon.
Friend said and what the hon. Member for Lancaster and Fleetwood
() said a moment ago: if anyone has any information,
however minor or innocuous it may seem to them, I ask them to
share it with the local police. Anything at all could help them
to get to the bottom of this, and I urge people to do everything
they can to help the police at this terribly difficult time.
Domestic Abuse: Serial Perpetrators
(Lewisham West and Penge)
(Lab)
5. What steps her Department is taking ensure effective (a)
management and (b) monitoring of serial perpetrators of domestic
abuse.(903482)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home
Department ( )
Domestic abuse is an abhorrent crime and tackling it is a
priority for this Government. Our tackling domestic abuse plan,
which was published last year, is clear that our response to
perpetrators will be uncompromising and relentless. We are
investing unprecedented amounts in perpetrator interventions and
technology for the police to identify abusers. We are also
considering the feasibility of putting dangerous offenders on the
register.
In response to a recent parliamentary question, the Minister
admitted that the Home Office does not routinely collect data on
the number of domestic abuse victims killed by a partner who had
previously been convicted of domestic violence. When domestic
abuse offences reported to the police have doubled in the past
five years while charges have nearly halved, this puts lives at
risk. Will the Minister back Labour’s call for a domestic abuse
register to track offenders, protect victims and help prevent
more crime?
Miss Dines
The feasibility of such a register is being looked into. I remind
the House that 911,000 reports of domestic abuse are made to the
police every year. The Government are carefully considering
technological answers and ensuring that police forces look
carefully at the situation. We are looking at multi-agency forums
for improving the track record on this issue. The Government are
spending unprecedented amounts in a cogent, targeted way and I am
proud of the commitments so far.
(Rother Valley)
(Con)
I was pleased to see that last year’s tackling domestic abuse
plan recognised the link between domestic abuse and child abuse.
My hon. Friend will be aware of the horrendous child sexual
exploitation case in Rotherham and will agree that we need to end
child abuse of all kinds. Does she agree that we need a child
criminal and sexual exploitation commissioner, working alongside
the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, to stop CSE, punish perpetrators
and ensure that anyone linked to CSE has no link to public office
ever again?
Miss Dines
I know my hon. Friend is a strong campaigner on this issue and
that it is very important locally, but it is also hugely
important nationally. I was privileged to visit the National
Crime Agency and other groups that work in the field. A huge
amount of work is going on. It is clear that the Government need
to have a detailed response to the recent report to ensure that
we have joined-up thinking across all Departments to stamp out
child sexual abuse, because it is a dreadful crime.
Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner
(Orkney and Shetland)
(LD)
6. When she plans to appoint an Independent Anti-Slavery
Commissioner.(903483)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home
Department ( )
The role of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, as set out
in the Modern Slavery Act 2015, is to encourage good practice in
the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of
slavery and human trafficking offences and the identification of
victims. The Home Secretary recognises the importance of the role
of the anti-slavery commissioner and has committed to running a
new competition to recruit for the role. The process will begin
imminently.
Mr Carmichael
I thank the Minister most warmly for that answer. She illustrates
perfectly the need for my private Member’s Bill, which would
allow Parliament to make this most important appointment, rather
than the Government. The post has been vacant for 10 months
already. In the third quarter of last year, no fewer than 4,586
potential victims of modern slavery were referred to the Home
Office—38% up on the previous year. What is it about their record
on this issue that makes the lack of scrutiny so attractive to
the Government?
Miss Dines
I do not accept that narrative. The competition is opening
shortly. There will be a large number of very good candidates,
and there needs to be a proper process. These things cannot be
rushed. Sometimes the best things come to those who wait.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Bradford West) (Lab)
In the third quarter of 2022, over 4,500 potential victims of
modern slavery were referred to the national referral mechanism—a
record since its introduction—and 43% of those were children.
Just last month, people up and down the country were shocked to
learn that over 200 children seeking asylum have gone missing
from Home Office hotels. The Home Office ignored repeated
warnings that the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 would make
things worse. What have we seen since then? A failure to appoint
a new anti-slavery commissioner and just one conviction for child
trafficking last year. Does the Minister think that that one
conviction shows that the Government are on top of this? Does it
not show that they are continuing to let dangerous criminal gangs
get away with their crimes?
Miss Dines
There is a big history with trafficking, and dangerous gangs have
to be looked at. However, it is this Government who have the
confidence to do something about it. There are issues that other
Members of this House were reluctant to look at. It is important,
for example, that the ethnicity of each and every alleged
criminal in the field is noted, so that greater statistics and
knowledge can be held. A commissioner will be appointed at the
appropriate time, as soon as possible.
Neighbourhood Policing
(Blaydon) (Lab)
8. What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy
of levels of neighbourhood policing.(903486)
The Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire ()
We are in the middle of recruiting an extra 20,000 police
officers. We are on track to deliver that by March, in just a few
weeks’ time. As of December, we had recruited over 16,000 of
them. When we hit the target in a few weeks, we will have more
police officers than at any time in this country’s history:
approximately 148,000.
Neighbourhood policing is vital in cracking down on antisocial
behaviour. I am very glad to say that our excellent police and
crime commissioner, , is fully aware of that
issue and is addressing it. Nationally, why have we seen an
overall drop of 8,500 in the number of police community support
officers over the past 13 years? Locally, in Northumbria, there
has been a drop of 395, and we are still down by 565 police
officers since 2010.
As I explained a moment ago, we are on track very shortly to have
more police officers than at any time in this country’s history,
but let me tell you what has dropped since 2010, Mr Speaker.
According to the crime survey, criminal damage has dropped by
65%, domestic burglary has dropped by 56%, robbery has dropped by
57% and violence has dropped by 38%. That, Mr Speaker, is what
has dropped.
(Rochester and Strood)
(Con)
In Kent, burglary has decreased by 41% and crime overall has
decreased by 7%. I am pleased to report that by the end of next
month, we will have 358 extra officers operating across Kent.
However, in Medway we have been blighted by the new phenomenon of
car racing and car meets, which have created terrible antisocial
behaviour and lots of problems for local residents. Does my right
hon. Friend agree that Kent police working with the council to
implement a public spaces protection order is a great way to
tackle this nuisance, which is a very dangerous activity?
I am happy to confirm that the county of Kent already has a
record ever number of police officers. I pay tribute to its
fantastic police and crime commissioner, , who is doing great
work—along with Kent’s MPs, of course. I agree with my hon.
Friend that public spaces protection orders are a very good way
to combat antisocial behaviour, whether it is antisocial racing
or nitrous oxide consumption. I encourage all local authorities
to use PSPOs.
Asylum Applications: Backlog
(Luton South) (Lab)
9. What recent progress her Department has made on reducing the
backlog of asylum applications.(903487)
(Lewisham, Deptford)
(Lab)
16. What recent progress her Department has made on reducing the
backlog of asylum applications.(903495)
The Minister for Immigration ()
We have committed to clearing the backlog of asylum applications
over this year and to introducing a faster, more productive
system. Since making that commitment at the end of 2022, we have
made excellent progress: recruiting more caseworkers, working
towards a doubling in their number, establishing dedicated
caseworkers per nationality and designing a more streamlined
process, which is already raising productivity substantially.
Luton is a compassionate town and is always proud to support
those seeking sanctuary, but the backlog and delays in the Home
Office’s asylum system have led to Luton receiving a
disproportionate number of dispersal placements in comparison
with the rest of the east of England. Luton Borough Council’s
services are already stretched beyond their means, following a
decade of Government cuts, so how is the Minister working with
the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to
ensure that councils receive clear funding settlements to cover
the costs of the increased impact on local services?
We provide funding for every asylum seeker who is in a local
authority’s care of about £3,500, and we work closely with local
authorities through the mandatory dispersal system to make sure
that each one plays a fair and equitable part. However, the
answer to this problem is not more accommodation; it is stopping
the boats and ensuring that we have some of the most robust laws
in the world, so that those who come here illegally do not find a
way to a life in the UK. I hope that the hon. Lady will support
us when we introduce our legislation.
My constituent arrived here from Syria and claimed asylum in July
2021. He is a doctor and applied to volunteer with the covid
vaccination programme, but was turned down because he had no
documentation. After more than a year and many interventions by
my office, he finally had his asylum interview and was given a
job as a healthcare assistant, but that was delayed because he
had to wait for his national insurance number. The NHS is crying
out for staff. When will the Government sort this out?
We are working to bring down the backlog of cases. Let me gently
point out that the last Labour Government left a backlog of cases
of not 450,000, as I said during the last session of Home Office
questions, but 500,000, as has been shown by further research. So
bad was the backlog that there was even a room colloquially known
as the “room of doom” into which cases were put. We will get the
backlog down, and create a streamlined and efficient asylum
system.
(Cannock Chase) (Con)
Tensions in the community are rising in my constituency owing to
the use of hotels to house asylum seekers in and around Cannock
Chase and, in particular, in Bridgtown. There were protests in
Cannock at the weekend. Will my right hon. Friend join me in
thanking the local police, who are doing everything they can to
respond to issues as they arise, and will he meet me to discuss
the situation and ways in which we can alleviate the concerns of
my constituents?
I should be pleased to meet my right hon. Friend and work with
her to ensure that that hotel, like others, is cleared as quickly
as possible. I hope she will see from the work we are doing that
we are straining every sinew to tackle this issue. For example,
following the communiqué that was signed with Albania at the end
of last year and is now being implemented, we are seeing weekly
return flights of illegal migrants to Albania and a faster
process, involving 400 caseworkers dedicated to those Albanian
cases.
Sir (New Forest East) (Con)
One group with a strong claim to be here are the former
interpreters in Afghanistan and other locally employed civilians
who helped our armed forces. Will the Minister explain to the
House whether such applications are caught up in the general
collection of applications made by people who have come here
illegally, or whether any form of priority and extra attention is
given to those very deserving Afghan refugees?
My right hon. Friend has raised an important issue. We take our
moral commitment to those who supported our troops and our
efforts in Afghanistan extremely seriously. We have helped more
than 20,000 individuals to come to the UK, some before Operation
Pitting, some during that operation and some since, under the
Afghan relocations and assistance policy and subsequently the
Afghan citizens resettlement scheme. The Foreign Office is
drawing up a further list of individuals for the ACRS. The people
to whom my right hon. Friend has referred should be applying to
that scheme, and we hope we will be able to bring them to the
United Kingdom as soon as possible, if they are not here
already.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Aberavon) (Lab)
In 2019, the then Conservative Home Secretary said that she would
end small boat crossings in a matter of months. Since then, the
number of crossings has increased from 1,000 to 45,000, with the
criminal gangs laughing all the way to the bank. Last year,
Ministers promised that the Nationality and Borders Act 2022
would deal with the crisis, but in fact it has caused the asylum
backlog to spiral out of control, forcing the British taxpayer to
foot the bill for an extra £480 million in six-monthly
accommodation costs. Now, Ministers are making all the same empty
promises again. The Refugee Council says that the latest
Government proposals will cost the taxpayer an extra £1 billion
every six months, without anyone being returned anywhere. Does
the Minister agree with Albert Einstein that doing the same thing
over and over again and expecting different results is a
definition of madness?
The problem with the hon. Gentleman and his colleagues is that
they vote against every step that we bring forward. In an age of
mass migration in which millions of people are on the move and
want to come to our country, either as economic migrants or
asylum shoppers, we have to take the most robust action we can.
The system we are building is a simple one in which those who
want to come here illegally in small boats will find no way to a
life in this country. They will be returned home, or to a safe
third country such as Rwanda.
We will fulfil our commitment to those fleeing genuine
persecution, war and human rights abuses, such as through the
schemes that we have created for Afghanistan, Syria and Ukraine,
but we on the Government Benches are capable of seeing the
difference between genuine asylum seekers and economic migrants.
I hope the hon. Gentleman and his colleagues will join us in
voting for that further legislation when we bring it forward
shortly.
Mr Speaker
I call the Scottish National party spokesperson.
(Glasgow Central)
(SNP)
Delays even when decisions have been made are all too common. To
give an example, a constituent had his appeal allowed but is
still waiting for the tribunal’s decision to be implemented nine
months later. He cannot get on with his life. In a written answer
to me, the Minister for Immigration was unable to provide my
constituent with a timescale, or to establish the longest time
that people have been waiting, or even how many appeals are still
in Home Office limbo. Can he tell me what is the longest time
that people like my constituent will have to wait, or is Home
Office bureaucracy now completely out of his control?
The hon. Lady does not want us to tackle this issue because she
believes in open borders. We want to take action to ensure that
this country is not somewhere where economic migrants and asylum
shoppers seek to come. That means suffusing deterrents throughout
the system. She should support plans such as Rwanda and our
efforts to bear down on illegal migrants. We will bear down on
the backlog of cases. As I said in answer to an earlier question,
we will clear it over the course of this year. We are ensuing
that productivity rises every week.
Police Officers: Protecting Communities
(Hendon) (Con)
10. What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that
police officers protect communities. (903488)
The Secretary of State for the Home Department ()
The Government have committed substantial extra funding to invest
in policing and to reduce crime, including the recruitment of an
additional 20,000 police officers by March. We recently confirmed
a total police funding settlement of a maximum of £17 billion for
2023-24. We have seen great results: a fall in overall crime
since 2019 thanks to this Government, a fall in domestic burglary
since 2019 thanks to this Government, and a fall in violent crime
since 2019 thanks to this Government—more police, less crime and
safer streets.
Dr Offord
Hendon Police College was once an exemplar of British policing,
but there have been accusations of police staff officers being
assaulted, inappropriate use of pain compliance techniques and
multiple cases of cheating in exams, where the perpetrators
subsequently lied about it—all by trainee police officers. How
can there be trust in the police to protect the public when the
recruitment process fails to identify the fundamentally
dishonest?
My hon. Friend is right to raise that point about standards in
policing and, in particular, the recruitment methods used to
increase the forces. That is why we need to improve our
standards. I am glad that many forces have committed to a
face-to-face interview—that is absolutely vital to weed out the
inappropriate applicants. We need to ensure that there is a rapid
review of all forces’ responses to the inspectorate’s recent
report on vetting and counter-corruption. I know that the Met
commissioner is taking this issue incredibly seriously and has
put in place a rigorous plan to improve standards and restore
confidence.
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
Kids in my constituency are razzing around the streets illegally
on motorbikes. Sadly, two have died as a consequence of accidents
they were involved in. The worst of it is that, on both
occasions, the police have been caught on the hop by impromptu
vigils that have taken place at the accident spots. Hundreds of
other kids are defacing public and private property and
intimidating residents, and the police are powerless to act. That
shows that turning the police funding taps off and on has lost us
experience. What will the Home Secretary do to get that
experience back?
I will tell the House why the hon. Gentleman is absolutely wrong
in his analysis. We are on track to recruit 20,000 police
officers. That is the highest number of police officers ever
known in this country—higher than in the Labour years and higher
than in the 1990s, so I am sorry, but the facts do not support
his accusation of reduced funding and reduced resources. He
raises an important point about antisocial behaviour, and that is
my priority: graffiti, vandalism, drug dealing, nuisance boy
racers—they all have to be stopped. That is why increased numbers
of police officers and neighbourhood policing on the ground are
going to be able to tackle exactly the problem he talks
about.
Topical Questions
(Colne Valley) (Con)
T2. If she will make a statement on her departmental
responsibilities.(903504)
The Secretary of State for the Home Department ()
I am going to make a short topical statement.
It is very important that our passport system runs as efficiently
as possible. This is an issue that matters a great deal to our
constituents. Covid had a global impact on passport processing
times. In 2022, His Majesty’s Passport Office served more
customers than ever before. Staff numbers have increased by over
1,200 since April 2021 and many staff have been trained to deal
with a broader range of applications. I note that last spring
there were serious concerns about the performance of the Passport
Office, which prompted the Home Affairs Committee to inquire into
the issue. I have made it a priority to fix that issue since I
became Home Secretary, and I am pleased that since September the
team at the Passport Office have worked hard to reduce processing
times and that, despite very high demand so far this year, last
week, approximately 99% of all UK applications were completed
within 10 weeks. Indeed, last week, approximately 97% of all UK
applications were completed within three weeks. We expect
elevated demand for passports throughout the year, so customers
should continue to allow 10 weeks, and I urge people to apply in
good time, not at the last minute, to avoid delays.
Mr Speaker
I say to the Home Secretary that it is not appropriate to make
such statements at the start of topicals. If there is a
statement, she should come to the House. Topicals are meant to be
short bits of business, not to be dragged out. If we stay long
today, she will understand why. If there is an urgent question
tomorrow, she should not be shocked if somebody has to answer
it.
Whereas most countries have police forces, we are proud to have a
police service in Britain, with police officers playing an
integral role in the communities in which they live and work.
That is why I particularly welcome the 16,000-plus police
officers who are being recruited. In West Yorkshire, in my patch,
that means 589 additional police officers. What extra will the
Home Secretary do to ensure that we recruit high-quality police
officers while also retaining those experienced officers in our
local forces?
West Yorkshire police have recruited 837 additional police
officers to December, against their total allocation of 852. This
is an unprecedented recruitment drive and it gives forces the
opportunity to recruit the brightest and the best into policing.
It is thanks to this Government’s commitment to policing, to
police numbers and to funding that we are on track to recruit a
historic level of police officers on the frontline, something
that the Labour party has failed to support.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Home Secretary.
(Normanton, Pontefract and
Castleford) (Lab)
The whole House’s thoughts will be with Turkey and Syria after
the terrible earthquake.
Sentencing is under way today for David Carrick’s truly appalling
crimes. It is shocking that he was able to serve as an officer
for so long, and we think of his victims. After Sarah Everard’s
murder, Ministers said “Never again”, but barely anything
changed. Can the Home Secretary confirm that, if a police officer
is under investigation for rape or domestic abuse, there is still
no requirement for them even to be suspended, and that many, like
Carrick, are not?
We are going through an overhaul of our processes when it comes
to disciplinary procedures applying to those officers who are
under investigation. That is why I have announced a review and am
looking into measures over the disciplinary process, so that we
make it easier for chief constables to exclude those officers who
have fallen short, whether that is criminal behaviour or other
professional misconduct. It is right that we change the system
and, if necessary, I will act.
But nothing has changed in two years. Everything the Home
Secretary has said is too little and too late, and far, far too
weak. I have been contacted by a woman whose police officer
partner was actually charged by his force with domestic abuse,
but he still was not suspended and he is still a serving officer.
This kind of thing is too unfair on victims and on police
officers working hard. Labour will change the law to bring in
compulsory standards for policing and to tackle abuse. Why won’t
the Home Secretary change the law?
I think the right hon. Lady needs to keep up, because we have the
College of Policing already strengthening the statutory code of
practice for police vetting; we have tasked the Angiolini inquiry
to look at the specifics of the Carrick case; and I have launched
a review into the disciplinary process.
But let us be clear: the right hon. Lady is trying to talk tough
and to sound robust on the issues, but her actions and those of
her party have completely fallen short of protecting the British
public. It is the Labour party that has voted against police
funding for several years now, and it was the Labour party that
voted against our legislation that would have given the police
greater powers and increased sentences.
Mr Speaker
Home Secretary, these are topicals. You took advantage; don’t
take it on every question, please.
(Buckingham) (Con)
T3. Can my right hon. Friend update the House on the steps being
taken to further the aims of the Green Ribbon Policing campaign,
to support the mental health of our police officers—particularly
those with serious conditions such as post-traumatic stress
disorder—and to hold the forces to account for delivering that
support?(903505)
The Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire ()
My hon. Friend raises an extremely important point. It is
something we work on regularly via the police covenant oversight
board, which I chair. One of the steps we have already taken is
to appoint a chief medical officer for the police, to deal with
exactly the issues that he rightly raises.
(Luton South) (Lab)
T5. The broken police funding formula means that Bedfordshire
police are continually reliant on special grant funding each year
to tackle serious and organised crime. Will the Minister tell the
House when he expects the review of the police funding formula to
be completed, and can he assure my Luton South constituents that
that review will take account of the level of complex and
organised crime in Bedfordshire?(903507)
Yes, there is an intention to consult on the police funding
formula in the near future. That is very important, but I ask the
hon. Lady to join me in welcoming the fact that Bedfordshire now
has about 150 more officers than it did in 2010.
(Birmingham, Northfield)
(Con)
T4. Recently, we have seen an increase in instances of antisocial
behaviour, especially around shops in Rubery and in particular
the Co-op in West Heath, an incident that involved a knife. Can
my right hon. and learned Friend explain how we can help to
protect those who work in retail, and also reduce instances of
antisocial behaviour?(903506)
Tackling antisocial behaviour is a priority of mine, and my hon.
Friend is right to mention this issue. When it comes to retail
staff—people who are on the frontline of our public services—we
have taken steps to protect them. We introduced an aggravating
factor in legislation, so that an assault on a retail staff
member will be taken into account at sentencing; we have a retail
crime group within Government chaired by the Policing Minister,
my right hon. Friend the Member for Croydon South (), to bring together the
relevant agencies; and ultimately, more police and less crime is
going to do the job of protecting those in retail.
Mr Speaker
Can I say that I am quite serious about trying to get through
topicals? When the right hon. and learned Lady is still here much
later than was expected, do not try and complain.
(Glasgow North) (SNP)
T6. On 14 December, the Home Secretary said to the House
regarding people who are smuggled into the UK,“they are coming
here unfairly and illegitimately. That is not the right way to
come to the United Kingdom and they are not welcome.”—[Official
Report, 14 December 2022; Vol. 724, c. 1123.]When I meet with
asylum seekers and refugees in Glasgow North next week, if it
transpires that some of them have come to the United Kingdom on
small boats or in the backs of lorries, at what point in the
meeting should I tell them that the Home Secretary says they are
not welcome here?(903508)
I am sorry, but the hon. Gentleman is living on another planet if
he thinks that everybody who is coming to this country on a small
boat—breaking our laws, putting themselves at risk, and paying
huge amounts of money to unlawful and criminal people
smugglers—is welcome. Those people should not be taking that
journey, and there will be a robust response from our laws if
they continue to do so.
(New Forest West) (Con)
T8. What is being done to reduce the impact of fraud?(903510)
The Minister for Security ()
My right hon. Friend is right to ask the question, because fraud
has been a blight on too many communities. I assure him that the
fraud strategy that many of us have been working on for a number
of months is coming out very soon.
Mr Speaker
That was a quick answer.
(Glasgow South West)
(SNP)
T7. I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’
Financial Interests. Last Wednesday, it was a pleasure to meet
Home Office staff who were out on strike over pay and to protect
their pensions. What interventions is the Secretary of State
making to resolve that dispute, so that Home Office staff can
process their many asylum applications, which have been mentioned
today?(903509)
The hon. Gentleman is talking about industrial action, and there
were instances of that by Border Force officers in the run-up to
the new year. I was very grateful for the preparation and
planning by Border Force management, and for the incredible
support from members of the military to enable swift operations
at the border, despite the industrial action.
(Erewash) (Con)
T9. Does the Minister agree that in addition to funding for town
centre improvements, there is the safer streets fund, which plays
a vital role in levelling up places such as Ilkeston and
Cotmanhay? They will benefit from more than £400,000 of safer
streets funding to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour, which
far too often blight our communities.(903511)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home
Department ( )
My hon. Friend represents a seat in an interesting county, and I
know that she works hard on this issue. I believe that there are
three projects of the kind that she mentions in Derbyshire, on
which more than £1.5 million has been spent. These projects do
level up, and they include spending on measures such as closed
circuit television and street lighting. Crime has fallen in her
constituency, and that is partly due to her work with the
outstanding Conservative police and crime commissioner, . I urge my hon. Friend to
continue that work.
(Warrington North)
(Lab)
Following the news this week that Australia’s medical regulator,
the Therapeutic Goods Administration, has moved to reschedule
psilocybin for medicinal use from 1 July, when can we expect the
Home Office to finally reschedule psilocybin, so that people with
conditions such as treatment-resistant depression and
post-traumatic stress disorder do not have to travel to Europe,
the United States or, now, Australia for psychedelic therapy
treatment that they should be able to access safely, where
appropriate, here?
The hon. Lady is raising an important and reasonable point. I
have carefully read her moving letter on this issue. We are
getting advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs,
and will act on this as soon as we can.
(Bromley and Chislehurst)
(Con)
T10. I have been contacted by a number of medical professionals
working for us in the NHS who are trying to get extensions to
their skilled worker visas. They have waited for months, but
emails and telephone calls to the Home Office are going
completely unacknowledged and unanswered. Surely people who are
doing a service to this country should at least have a dedicated
hotline, so that they know where they stand.(903512)
The Minister for Immigration ()
We introduced the health and social care visa to make it easier
for the NHS to recruit internationally. A benefit is that there
is an enhanced service standard of 15 working days for extensions
to those visas. That is being met at present. If my hon. Friend
has concerns, I would be happy to look into them.
(Weaver Vale) (Lab)
Will the Minister meet me to discuss the continued pressures
arising from the use of hotel accommodation in my constituency
and others across the Liverpool city region?
I would be happy to. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will support
our legislation in due course, which will tackle the root cause
of the issue.
(Southend West) (Con)
Over Christmas, a 17-year-old boy in Leigh-on-Sea was able to buy
a terrifying 2-foot “zombie knife” machete online and have it
delivered directly to his door. Does the Minister agree that we
need to close the loophole regarding the definition of zombie
knives, and get them out of circulation once and for all?
Yes, I entirely agree. I thank my hon. Friend for drawing this
issue to my attention a few weeks ago. We are looking to consult
in the very near future to make sure that the law prohibits
dangerous weapons where necessary.
(Walsall South) (Lab)
A man was stabbed to death outside Asda in Walsall town centre,
and an 18-year-old was stabbed to death in Cook Street,
Darlaston. What discussions has the Home Secretary had with the
new chief constable about reducing serious violent crime in
Walsall?
Violent crime is devastating, which is why we need to get knives
and other offensive weapons off our streets. I am pleased with
the targeted interventions made through violence reduction units,
hotspot policing and, of course, increased police resources,
which are all working towards a reduction in knife crime and
violent crime.
(South Basildon and East
Thurrock) (Con)
Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is quite extraordinary
that Members of this House complain about the number of asylum
seekers, but oppose all measures that the Government bring
forward to tackle them coming here illegally? Will she therefore
join me in encouraging all Members to back our plans to stop
small boats, which is what my constituents and the British public
so manifestly want to happen, so that we can save lives and break
the model used by illegal people traffickers?
My hon. Friend puts it incredibly well. The tragedy is that
Labour Members have opposed every measure that we have proposed.
They voted against our Bill, which would have provided tougher
penalties for people smugglers. They voted against our measures
to improve the situation. We delivered the ground-breaking
partnership with Rwanda and they would scrap it. Labour’s plan is
to invest more money in the National Crime Agency. Let me tell
Members that we are already doing that. The reality is that
Labour has no plan. It has no idea, and, frankly, it is not on
the side of the British people, because all it wants is open
borders.
(Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
(PC)
South Caernarfon Creameries is Wales’s oldest and largest dairy
co-operative. It is investing in Project Dragon, an ambitious
expansion programme that involves investing £8 million in a
factory plant from Turkish technology leaders, Gemak. Contractual
deadlines are at risk as a result of delays at the British
consulate in issuing visas for key staff who are essential to
installing and handing over the equipment. Will someone from the
Secretary of State’s Department meet me at their earliest
convenience to resolve this situation?
I would be happy to look into the matter for the right hon. Lady.
I would say, however, that the visa service is now working within
its service standards in all respects.
(Kettering) (Con)
How many Albanians last year claimed to be modern-day slaves, and
what are we doing to encourage the processing of their claims
back in their country of origin?
The published figures to September last year show that 3,400
Albanians claimed to be modern slaves. Of course, some within
this number will prove to be so, but many will not, which is why
it is right that we tackle abuse of the system. We have already
taken substantial action by increasing the reasonable grounds
threshold and reducing the minimum recovery period. If we need to
take further action, we will.
(North Down) (Alliance)
Around 40,000 people seeking asylum are stuck in hotels. However,
Home Office policy allows decisions on refugee status to be
communicated only to those who have been dispersed. Surely that
is absurd and counterproductive. When will the policy change?
We are considering this issue. The policy was put in place some
time ago, for good reason: so that those local authorities that
were bearing a disproportionate number of the individuals in
hotels and temporary accommodation did not take a corresponding
number of people were they to be granted asylum. We are looking
into that at the moment.
(Milton Keynes North)
(Con)
The skilled worker visa system simply is not working for many
businesses in Milton Keynes North. Despite having a licence,
small businesses find that it takes ages to get a decision, and
then either the visa is denied, or they pay extortionate fees for
a service that does not materialise. Can we get on this
immediately, because our businesses are crying out for skills?
Will my right hon. Friend commit to resolving these issues?
I would be happy to look into any specific cases, but overall,
the skilled worker system is operating well. We have more than
48,000 registered sponsors, mostly small and medium-sized
businesses. In the year to September last year, almost a quarter
of a million work-related visas were granted, and the standard
processing time is three weeks for those applications.
(Tiverton and Honiton)
(LD)
The graduate visa route enables international students to work in
the UK for up to two years after their study. Curtailing or
removing this route would deter international students from
studying in the UK, but their net contribution to the UK economy
is more than £25 billion per year. Does the Minister recognise
that international student fees cross-subsidise teaching fees for
British students?
We very much welcome the best and the brightest students from all
over the world to our world-leading universities. Our
points-based system was designed to enable graduates and
undergraduates to come and study at UK universities. We are
always looking at our visa routes to make sure the right balance
is struck between the resources we can provide for people coming
here and the numbers coming here. That is the same across the
board, whichever visa route we look at.
(Ipswich) (Con)
I welcome the extra funding from the safer streets fund and the
shared prosperity fund, but does the Home Secretary agree that we
also need a zero-tolerance approach to tackling antisocial
behaviour? Many of my constituents—long-term residents—are
concerned about going into our town centre because they do not
feel safe. Does she agree that it is time for a hands-on, and not
a hands-off, approach, so that where there are groups of men in
the town centre blighting the experience of most of my residents,
we clear them out?
Yes, we agree entirely. That is why my hon. Friend’s county and
his town have had safer streets funding, and why they are getting
extra police officers. The Government completely agree that zero
tolerance to ASB is exactly what we need.
Sir (Rhondda) (Lab)
The biggest criminal in Europe, with the most blood on his hands,
is Vladimir Putin. We have frozen his Russian state assets in the
UK; will the Home Secretary support my Bill tomorrow to allow us
to seize those assets and give them to the Ukrainian people, so
that they can rebuild their country?
Going from freezing to seizing, as the hon. Gentleman knows, is a
slightly difficult procedure under our laws, due to the rights
that people have. We have looked at that matter with partners,
particularly in common law jurisdictions, and I hope to have
further conversations on the subject with the United States when
I go there tomorrow.
(Bexleyheath and Crayford)
(Con)
My constituents remain concerned about the victims of
people-smuggling gangs. Can my right hon. Friend advise how many
people smugglers have been caught and arrested under the
Nationality and Borders Act 2022, and confirm that the Government
will continue to act with vigour against people smuggling and
illegal immigration?
My right hon. Friend makes an important point. We are
implementing the Nationality and Borders Act as swiftly as
possible, and it is already having a real impact, with more than
190 people having been arrested since it became law.
(Rutherglen and Hamilton
West) (Ind)
Aviation is hugely important to the UK economy, but the
Government have neglected to recognise the worker shortage in the
sector. Does the Home Secretary plan to include aviation in the
skilled worker visa shortage occupations list?
We work with the Migration Advisory Committee to keep the skilled
worker list under review. We work closely with the Department for
Transport on issues such as wet licensing, which was raised
recently. It is important to make sure that we have the correct
workforce, but we also have to crack down on abuse where we see
it.
(Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
(Con)
Is it not obvious from today’s exchanges that many of those who
oppose the UK-Rwanda migration and economic development
partnership have no idea about Rwanda, have probably never been
there, and are wholly wrong to condescend to and disparage
Rwanda? Above all, they have not the ghost of an idea how to
solve the problem of cross-channel gangs putting people at risk
at sea. The difference between the Government side and the
Opposition is that we have a plan and they do not.
My right hon. Friend puts it very well. Let me put on record my
thanks and appreciation to him for all that he has done to try to
fix this incredibly difficult problem. He is absolutely right:
the Labour party complains and sits on the sidelines,
criticising, opposing and voting against every measure that we
put forward. I urge Labour to back our Bill, back control over
our borders, and back the British people.
(East Devon) (Con)
East Devon’s farmers rely on a skilled domestic and foreign
workforce to put their fantastic produce on our tables all year
round. What reassurances can my right hon. Friend give that he
will work with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs to ensure that the seasonal agricultural worker scheme
will be extended beyond 2024?
We review the seasonal agricultural worker scheme every year,
working closely with DEFRA. We have extended it for this year, as
my hon. Friend knows, and increased the numbers permitted under
that scheme. That is quite right, but it is important to balance
that against the need to ensure that British workers find their
way into the workplace and are trained, and the need to invest in
British farming, so that we do not need to reach in the first
instance for foreign labour.
(Great Grimsby) (Con)
It is quite right that police forces are under significant
scrutiny at the moment, but I commend Humberside police force,
which has recently been assessed as “outstanding”, and, in
particular, its Grimsby-born chief constable, Lee Freeman, who
was recently awarded the King’s Police Medal. Will my right hon.
Friend outline the steps that excellent police forces such as
Humberside can take to share good practice so that every police
force across the UK can become outstanding?
I join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to Chief Constable Lee
Freeman for his rightly deserved award for excellence and
leadership in policing. Humberside police force is a great
example of how standards in policing are improving and strong
leaders are turning things around. That force’s recent
inspectorate report is testament to its excellent work.
Humberside police has been pioneering best practice when it comes
to police treatment of and resolution for victims and people with
mental health issues. Its pioneering programme of “right care,
right person” is being rolled out throughout the country and is
sought after by other forces. It is an example of excellence.
Mr Speaker
I call . Is there anybody else?
(Peterborough) (Con)
It was worth waiting for, Mr Speaker.
I have recently written to the Minister about the Great Northern
hotel in my constituency, which is being stood up to accommodate
migrants who have crossed the channel on small boats. I asked him
if he would give a timeframe for when the hotel will be stood
down. I do not expect him to give me that timeframe from the
Dispatch Box today, but can he at least guarantee that when he
responds in writing, there will be a timeframe so that we can
give certainty to the police, support services and the people of
Peterborough?
The Great Northern hotel in Peterborough is ingrained in my mind
as a result of my hon. Friend’s assiduous lobbying. That is quite
right, because we share his frustration; we want to see such
hotels returned to use by the local community and for the benefit
of the economy. I will write back to him to set out our plans—as
far as I can at this stage. I know that he will support us in all
our efforts to stop the boats.
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