theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-15)

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Mims Davies:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of section 158 of the Equality Act 2010 in the context of access to internship opportunities for white, working-class boys. \p Anneliese Dodds: Section 158 of the Equality Act 2010 permits the use of positive action measures to alleviate disadvantage experienced by people who share a protected characteristic, reduce their under-representation in relation to particular activities, and meet their particular needs. It allows measures to be targeted to particular groups, including internships and training, to enable them to gain employment.

Section 159 permits an employer to take a protected characteristic into consideration when deciding whom to recruit or promote, where people who hold the protected characteristic are at a disadvantage or are under-represented. This can only be done where the candidates are as qualified as each other. The question of whether one person is as qualified as another is not a matter only of academic qualification, but a judgement based on the criteria the employer uses to establish who is best for the job. This could include matters such as suitability, competence and professional performance. Section 159 does not allow employers to have a policy or practice of automatically treating people who share a protected characteristic more favourably than those who do not have it in these circumstances; each case must be considered on its merits.

Any action taken in light of either Section 158 or 159 must be a proportionate means of addressing such disadvantage or under-representation. The Equality Act 2010 provides protections for people from discrimination in the workplace and in society which make it unlawful to treat someone unfairly or discriminate against anyone based on certain personal characteristics. This includes race and ethnicity. Guidance to help employers understand the difference between positive action and positive discrimination is available on gov.uk at www.gov.uk/government/publications/positive-action-in-the-workplace-guidance-for-employers. There are currently no plans to issue further guidance on positive action.

The Department for Education is working on a number of initiatives and schemes to provide young people with a clear progression into further work-based training and employment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-15)

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Kirsty Blackman:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps her Department is taking to measure links between differences in pay and the socioeconomic background of employees. \p Anneliese Dodds: We are committed to delivering better life chances for all - breaking the link between background and success.

At the Budget, the Chancellor announced increases to both the National Minimum Wage (16.3% for those aged 18-20) and the National Living Wage (6.7% for those 21 and over), as well as a £240 million Get Britain Working package to improve support for people who want to develop their careers (as well as for those who are economically inactive or unemployed).Through our Mission-driven Government, we will build the skills people need for opportunity and growth.

The Government will continue to draw on the work of the Office for National Statistics and others, such as the independent Social Mobility Commission, to understand the links between pay and socio-economic background.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Honours and Appointments Secretariat last updated the guidance on involvement of Ministers in the Honours System; and if he will place a copy of the current guidance in the Library. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: Ministerial guidance on their involvement in the Honours System was last issued by the Prime Minister's Office in June 2022.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's press notice on start-ups published on 9 December 2024, how will the new secondment scheme differ from previous secondment schemes. \p Georgia Gould: The scheme will be an inward secondment programme into the Public Sector Reform, Test & Learn team, for public service delivery experts, working near the frontline to help drive public service reform in their field. The scheme will be flexible in terms of duration and location, and specifically for those with experience relevant to the public service reform project. In addition, the Government is encouraging people from startups and tech companies to enter Government for six to twelve month “Tours of Duty”, putting their skills to use tackling big challenges such as criminal justice or healthcare reform in the next phase of the No 10 Innovation Fellows Programme.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2025 to Question 21403 on Cabinet Office: Pay, whether the mean salary of civil servants in the (a) Women's Equality Unit, (b) Race Disparity Unit and (c) Disability Unit will be included in the Government's transparency reporting. \p Georgia Gould: Details of Cabinet Office structure and salaries are due to be published by the end of January 2025 as part of regular transparency reporting. This will include the Office for Equality and Opportunities and within it the sub units of: Women’s Equality Unit, Race Disparity Unit, and Disability Unit. As was the case under the previous administration, the Cabinet Office does not specifically publish the mean salaries of these civil servants.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what Key Performance Indicators have been set to evaluate the success of the test-and-learn programme during its (a) initial wave and for (b) planned expansion. \p Georgia Gould: The Evaluation Taskforce is working to ensure a robust framework for evaluation, supporting understanding of impact and assessing potential to scale learning across public services. The outcomes for the programme will support delivery of the Government’s missions, supporting new service models and interventions that reduce pressure on public services, drive efficiency, and improve experience for citizens.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled Plan for Change, published on 5 December 2024, CP1210, if he will make it his policy to publish minutes of cross-departmental delivery board meetings to monitor the implementation of the plan’s milestones. \p Ellie Reeves: I refer to The Right Hon. Member to the answer I gave to PQ7447 on 14 October 2024.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 20229 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, for what reason the readout does not include reference to discussions on the Chinese Embassy. \p Ms Abena Oppong-Asare: There is nothing further to add to my answer of 19 December, Official Report, PQ 20229
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who are the members of the Civil Service Board; how often does it meet; and where does it meet. \p Georgia Gould: The members of the Civil Service Board are listed on the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/civil-service/about/our-governance

The Civil Service Board meets approximately 10 times per year. Meetings are generally held at 70 Whitehall, London and virtually.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 13 November 2024 to Question HL2210 on Government Departments: Communication, which communications campaigns have been (a) downsized and (b) ended following the review. \p Georgia Gould: I refer the Honourable Member to the answer provided by HMT to Question 20957 on 10 January 2025.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2024 to Question 14352 on Government Departments: X Corp and with reference to the SAFE Framework for HMG Brand Safety, how many instances have been recorded where HM Government advertising appeared alongside content later deemed unsuitable since 5 July 2024; and what corrective actions were taken in each case. \p Georgia Gould: Our third party supplier uses verification technology to check that advertising only appears next to appropriate content online. This happens automatically on all our campaigns.

They also continue to monitor after delivery. If they find an issue, we immediately pause the advertising campaign until the issue is addressed, and we can be sure it is safe.

We have not had any reported issues between 5 July 2024 and present.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 18218 on Ministers: Convictions, whether the established process for appointing Ministers involves the Cabinet Office Ethics and Propriety Team asking if an appointee has previous criminal convictions. \p Georgia Gould: Appointees have a declaration of interests conversation with the Propriety and Ethics Team on appointment, the details of which are confidential. All ministers are expected to adhere to the high standards of conduct set out in the Ministerial Code.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the new Cabinet Secretary has recused himself from any policy areas. \p Georgia Gould: Any relevant outside interests for the new Cabinet Secretary will be published in the usual way.

The Cabinet Secretary has previously recused himself from aspects related to Infected Blood issues and this remains the case in his current role.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance, published on 14 May 2024, who is responsible for authorising external equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in his Department. \p Georgia Gould: The Cabinet Office complies with the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure guidance published on 14 May 2024, where approval of any external spend is signed off by a Minster or delegated to the Permanent Secretary.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether agreement is required from a Minister in his Department before departments employ recruitment consultants for use in public appointment campaigns. \p Georgia Gould: The Governance Code on Public Appointments sets out the process for departments to follow when considering the use of recruitment consultants for public appointment campaigns.

The Governance Code requires departments to seek ministerial agreement on the use of recruitment consultants. It also requires the Cabinet Office to be consulted.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 60 of the Government response to the 17th Report of Session 2022-23 of the House of Lords Constitution Committee, Permanent Secretaries: their appointment and removal, HL 258, published on 20 October 2023, what recent progress his Department has made on preparing guidance on best practice; whether that guidance will apply to civil servants in the devolved administrations on areas relating to reserved matters; and when he plans to publish that guidance. \p Georgia Gould: I refer to the answer to PQ 14099.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many members of the senior civil service in his Department have been in post on an interim basis for more than 12 months. \p Georgia Gould: There are 13 Senior Civil Servants in the Cabinet Office who have been in post on a temporary promotion for more than 12 months as of the 31st of December 2024.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2024 to Question 14113 on the Permanent Secretary Remuneration Committee, whether decisions on Permanent Secretary remuneration are subject to ministerial (a) review and (b) approval. \p Georgia Gould: The Prime Minister makes the final decisions on Permanent Secretary remuneration following recommendations made by the Permanent Secretary Remuneration Committee.
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Emily Thornberry:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 9833 on Cabinet Office: Ministers' Private Offices, how much was spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices in his Department between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024; and on what items this was spent. \p Georgia Gould: The Government Property Agency confirmed £33,315.61 excluding VAT was spent during the period 4th July 2022 to 4th July 2024 on new furniture and fittings plus other refurbishment (including moves). This is broken down as follows;

New furniture and fittings - £0

Other refurbishment of ministerial offices including moves - £33,315.61

The full itemised list can be found below:

Date: 04/2023

What: The ministerial offices in 70 Whitehall, redecorated due to water damage.

How much: £19,956.50 ex VAT.

Date: 11/2023

What: The redecoration of the ministerial waiting room in 70 Whitehall with furniture alterations, partly due to health and safety concerns.

How much: £13,359.11 ex VAT.
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Brian Leishman:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has (a) shared F-35 flight mission data files with the Israeli air force and (b) received such files from that air force since October 2023. \p Luke Pollard: No.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December to Question 16717 on Armed Forces: Cadets, what external organisations other than (a) existing cadets and (b) adult volunteers he is consulting to help expand numbers. \p Al Carns: A discussion held in December 2024 canvassed opinion from a wide range of existing cadet advocates, including senior military leaders, Honorary Colonels, Lord Lieutenants, council leaders and representatives from education and academia, as to what activity and governance would be required to enable the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to expand cadets. Representation included all branches of MOD cadets (Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force) as expansion was considered for all.

I, myself met with Honorary Colonels before Christmas, and just last week with a leading academic in this field, who led the team who published the University of Northampton study on the social and economic benefit of cadets. We have discussed how to work together to best advocate for our cadets, and I am committed to their expansion.
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Rebecca Paul:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of losses in (a) personnel and (b) ships on the capability of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. \p Al Carns: Recruitment and retention of Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) personnel remains a priority. We welcome the recent agreement between the Government and the Maritime Trade Unions of a pay award for the RFA, which is a significant step forward in the plan for RFA reforms. These reforms will improve the wider employee offer for those serving in the RFA and ensure that it can continue to perform its vital role supporting the Royal Navy and our allies.

The retirement of RFA Wave Knight and RFA Wave Ruler will have no impact on the RFA. Neither tanker was due to go to sea again and nor had they been to sea in years. The RFA continues to operate the newer Tide class tankers and is preparing for the introduction of all three Fleet Solid Support ships by 2032.
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Rebecca Paul:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to (a) retain and (b) recruit personnel into the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. \p Al Carns: The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) are highly valued, specialist personnel. We welcome the recent agreement of a pay award for the RFA and thank the Maritime Trade Unions for their support in reaching this resolution.

This agreement is a significant step in a plan to reform the RFA. These reforms will improve the wider employee offer for those serving and ensure the RFA can continue to perform its vital role supporting the Royal Navy and our allies.
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Rebecca Paul:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of his Department's procurement contracts have been awarded to UK-based manufacturers in the last 12 months; and what steps he is taking to promote the growth of domestic defence manufacturing. \p Maria Eagle: The Department does not record within our systems directly where a contract is manufactured or the location of the supplier manufacturing. The Department do however collect the prime location of the contract as marked by the contact owner on Contract Purchasing and Finance system (CP&F) when the contract is first created.

Between 16 Dec 2023 to 15 Dec 2024 there have been 2,266 contracts created on the Mkinistry of Defence's CP&F commercial system.

Of these contracts 583 (26%) have been marked with a known location for the contract.

Of these 583 contacts, 531 (91%) have a prime contract location of the UK, while 52 (9%) are marked as a foreign country.

By contract value this works out as £3.85 billion of £20.68 billion (19%) having a known location.

This equates to 78% of the total contract spend with a prime contract location of UK (£2.99 billion UK vs £0.85 billion foreign country).

The UK’s defence manufacturing industry is vital not only to our national security but to our prosperity and economic growth. The Government’s new Defence Industrial Strategy will aim to align the imperatives of national security and a high growth economy.
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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21267 on Defence: Procurement, when he plans full implementation of the NATO test across all his Department's procurement decisions. \p Maria Eagle: Implementation work is ongoing and will conclude as soon as possible. The detail on metrics or evaluation remains under active consideration, but the work overall is being conducted under close oversight by the Permanent Secretary and Ministers, including through regular updates to the Defence Board. This will continue throughout, and after implementation, to ensure the process meets our objectives and remains effective.
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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21267 on Defence: Procurement, what plans he has to review the effectiveness of the NATO test once implemented; and with what metrics. \p Maria Eagle: Implementation work is ongoing and will conclude as soon as possible. The detail on metrics or evaluation remains under active consideration, but the work overall is being conducted under close oversight by the Permanent Secretary and Ministers, including through regular updates to the Defence Board. This will continue throughout, and after implementation, to ensure the process meets our objectives and remains effective.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the UK’s contribution to the cost of Chagos settlement will be funded from his Department’s budget. \p Luke Pollard: As a former Defence Minister, the hon. Member will be familiar with the spending processes in the Ministry of Defence. Spending decisions will be taken in the usual way in due course.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many meetings he has held with the incoming US administration on the terms of the Diego Garcia military base as part of the Chagos settlement. \p Luke Pollard: The Defence Secretary is regularly in touch with the US on a range of matters including the British Indian Ocean Territory/Chagos Archipelago. We look forward to discussing these matters with the incoming Administration in the usual way.
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Dr Allison Gardner:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to increase recruitment of firefighters in Stoke-on-Trent South. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Firefighters play a vital role in keeping the public safe and we are grateful for the work undertaken by fire and rescue services across the country in support of their local communities.

The Government is committed to ensuring fire and rescue services have the resources they need to do their important work. Overall, fire and rescue authorities will receive around £2.87 billion during 2024/25. Standalone FRAs will see an increase in core spending power of £95.4m during 2024/25. This is an increase of 5.6 per cent in cash terms compared to 2023/24.

Individual fire and rescue authorities are responsible for ensuring that fire and rescue services are meeting the needs of their local community and will direct resources where they are needed most.
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David Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to improve enforcement on people riding e-scooters illegally. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission. The Government will give police the powers they need to take illegal, dangerous and antisocial vehicles off the streets for good by more quickly seizing vehicles from offenders. We will set out more information in due course.

Enforcement of road traffic law, including in relation to the illegal use of e-scooters, is an operational matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners to decide how to deploy available resources, taking into account any specific local problems and demands.
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James Asser:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle anti-social behaviour in (a) England, (b) London, and (c) West Ham & Beckton constituency. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.

The Government’s Plan for Change, announced by the Prime Minister on 5 December, committed to a zero-tolerance approach to ASB. This will include a dedicated lead officer in every force working with communities to develop a local anti-social behaviour action plan. We will also put 13,000 neighbourhood police and community support officers into local communities so that residents have a named officer they can turn to when things go wrong.

This Government will strengthen the powers available to relevant agencies to tackle ASB. We recently announced Respect Orders, which will be introduced in the forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill. Respect Orders can be applied for by police and local councils and are issued by the courts. They will enable courts to place wide-ranging restrictions on the behaviour of the most persistent and disruptive ASB offenders. Breach will be a criminal offence meaning officers can arrest and take action quickly to disrupt ongoing ASB. Breaches will be heard in the criminal courts who will have a wide range of sentencing options, including community orders, unlimited fines and, for the most severe cases, up to two years’ imprisonment.
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Nadia Whittome:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will embed youth work in A&Es. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Halving knife crime over the next decade is a key part of the Government’s Safe Streets mission. We are taking a range of steps to realise this ambition, including creating a new Young Futures Programme to intervene earlier to stop young people being drawn into violent crime. It is vital we have a system that can identify and support those young people who need it most.

As part of this, the Government’s manifesto committed to offering young people a pathway out of violence by placing youth workers and mentors in A&E units and Alternative Provision Schools (formally called Pupil Referral units).

A&E navigator programmes are currently funded in all 20 VRU areas. These programmes place navigators, such as youth workers, in hospital emergency rooms to support children and young people with a violence-related injury and offer a pathway out of violence. The proposed Police Settlement for 2025/26 includes £49.7m for the continuation of the VRU programme. We will continue to build on, and learn from, the work already underway.
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Abtisam Mohamed:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to bring forward legislation to make all hate crime an aggravated offence. \p Dame Diana Johnson: This Government is determined to tackle all forms of hate crime. We have committed to changing hate crime legislation to bring parity of protection for LGBT+ and disabled people under the aggravated offences and we are currently considering how best to implement this.
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Paul Waugh:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects (a) Adil Khan and (b) Qari Abdul Rauf, convicted for their part in a Rochdale grooming gang, to be deported. \p Jess Phillips: The crimes committed by the Rochdale child sexual exploitation group are appalling and this Government is determined to take whatever action is available to us within the law to act against the perpetrators and protect the victims of their crimes.

As part of our commitment to deliver justice for victims and safer streets for our communities, we have also made clear that any foreign nationals who commit these kinds of appalling crimes should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and, where it is lawful and possible to do so, we will always pursue their deportation with the upmost vigour.

The Hon Member will be aware that it is a longstanding Government policy not to comment publicly on individual cases, but I am happy to meet with him to discuss the action being taken in these and other cases related to the Rochdale child exploitation group.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 14029 on British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Act 2024, when the operational changes to implement the new route will be completed. \p Seema Malhotra: The British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Act 2024 will come into force on a date that is set out in future regulations made by the Secretary of State, as allowed for by Clause 2(3) of the Act. We continue to work on the operational changes for implementation, and the Home Office will notify interested Members once a prospective timeline for commencement has been agreed.
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Dr Rosena Allin-Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to increase awareness of e-visas in other countries. \p Seema Malhotra: The Home Office is developing a border and immigration system that is more digital and streamlined. eVisas - which over 6 million people have been successfully using for several years - are a key part of this transformation and will enhance people's experience and increase the immigration system's security and efficiency.

We continue to deliver a wide range of communications activity to raise awareness of eVisas, both in the UK and overseas.

We have undertaken extensive engagement with foreign governments in conjunction with the FCDO to raise awareness of the transition to eVisas and the phasing out of physical immigration documents. Our Engagement Team have met with Embassies and High Commissions and produced communication materials to assist with this transition.

We have also delivered a significant eVisa communications campaign, which has encouraged holders of physical immigration documents to take action to access their eVisa, and key elements of this have sought to reach an international audience. At key points in eVisa delivery throughout 2024, the Home Office communications team issued eVisa announcement press notices to diaspora media and international journalists, and held three press briefings to which international media were invited. This activity resulted in wide-ranging international eVisa media coverage.

We recognise that the transition to eVisas may affect some countries’ internal processes where verification of UK immigration status may be required. We have informed other Governments that a person can do this through a share code, a physical document confirming their UK status or permission, a screen from a person’s UKVI account, or a copy of a letter or email sent to the person when their status or permission was granted. It is a matter for individual countries to set their own policies but we have engaged with them, through FCDO, about what the transition to eVisa means, and continue to do so. We advise that people check what individual countries’ requirements are before travelling or applying for a visa.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_68

Ian Roome:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Migration Advisory Committee will conduct the next review of the Skilled Worker visa: immigration salary list. \p Seema Malhotra: The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) are currently undertaking a number of reviews. Their current review of shortages in IT and engineering occupations includes scope to consider whether the Immigration Salary List should remain in its current form. We will consider future reviews of the list once this review has been concluded.
wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_69
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_69

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many visa applications from people with Pakistani nationality have been rejected because of their criminal record in each of the last five years. \p Seema Malhotra: Individuals with criminal records may automatically be denied a visa, depending on the circumstances of each case. All guidance on the use of criminality on the grounds for release can be found at: Grounds for refusal: criminality (accessible) - GOV.UK.
wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_70
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_70

Clive Efford:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to update the technology required to read (a) diacritical characters and (b) accents marks in the biographical information of UK passport holders. \p Seema Malhotra: British passports meet the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). While these standards permit the use of either diacritic marks or their transliteration, the number of countries that have adopted use of diacritics in their passport is very low.

There are currently no plans to introduce the inclusion of diacritic marks in the British passport. However, this will remain a consideration ahead of any future system developments.
wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_71
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_71

Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) workers and (b) temporary workers each of the sponsors on the register of licensed sponsors sponsored in each year for which data is available. \p Seema Malhotra: The Home Office does not routinely publish data on sponsorship numbers broken down by each individual sponsor.
wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_72
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_72

Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the level of net migration in the last five years. \p Seema Malhotra: Under the previous government, between 2019 and 2023, net migration more than quadrupled, heavily driven by a big increase in overseas recruitment.

This Government is clear that net migration must come down and is committed to tackling skills shortages and labour market failures here in the UK.

We have already set out a new approach to end the over reliance on international recruitment and boost economic growth to link the UK’s immigration, labour market, and skills systems to train up our homegrown workforce

We have also commissioned the independent Migration Advisory Committee to review key sectors, and our long-term plan will see departments working across government, alongside other agencies and experts, to build our skills base and reduce our reliance on migration.

Furthermore, following the Prime Minister’s speech on migration on 28th November 2024 - the Government will publish a White Paper later this year setting out measures to reduce net migration and link the points-based system with requirements for training in the UK.
wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_73
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_73

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to tackle the use of artificial intelligence in the creation of images for online child sexual exploitation. \p Jess Phillips: The Government remains firmly committed to tackling all forms of child sexual abuse online and in our communities across the UK and internationally. This includes working to safeguard children, provide support to victims and survivors, and pursuing offenders and bringing them to justice.

UK law is crystal clear – AI generated child sexual abuse images are illegal material. It is an offence to produce, store or share any material that contains or depicts child sexual abuse, regardless of whether the material depicts a “real” child or not.

We are committed to continuing to make sure law enforcement have the right powers to tackle this crime. That is why we will be bringing forward new legislative measures to tackle AI generated child sexual abuse material in this parliament.

Home Office investment also supports the National Crime Agency to use its unique capabilities to disrupt the highest harm offenders, safeguard children and remove the most horrific child sexual abuse material from the internet, including on the dark web.

The Online Safety Act places new duties on these services to address priority illegal content, which includes child sexual exploitation and abuse, whether it is AI generated or not. The Act applies to companies that provide user-to-user services and search services.

This Government is fully committed to tackling the creation of child sexual abuse online and will use every lever possible to continue to do so.
wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_74
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_74

Paula Barker:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of women murdered by domestic abusers in (a) England and Wales and (b) Merseyside in each of the last five years. \p Jess Phillips: The latest published data on the number domestic homicides between 2018/19 and 2022/23 in (a) England and Wales and (b) Merseyside can be found in the table below.

Table: Number of domestic homicides of women aged 16 and over, Merseyside and England and Wales, 2018/19 to 2022/23

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

Merseyside

3

3

3

2

4

England and Wales

110

88

78

83

70

The scale of violence against women and girls is intolerable and this Government will treat it as the national emergency that it is. The Government has made it our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, and tackling domestic homicide is a key part of that mission.

Domestic homicide is a horrific crime that disproportionately impacts women. Every death linked to domestic abuse should be considered for a Domestic Homicide Review (DHR) to ensure that national and local agencies, local communities and society as a whole continues to learn lessons from domestic abuse related deaths and treats every death as preventable.
wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_75
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_75

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what preventative steps she is taking to reduce the number of fraud cases. \p Dan Jarvis: The Home Office has supported the rollout of the National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (NECVCU) to all 43 forces in England and Wales. The aim of NECVCU is to support victims by building their confidence, helping them recover finances, and significantly reducing the likelihood of repeat victimisation. Since its inception in 2018, NECVCU has supported 440,994 victims of fraud and since January 2021, NECVCU has also helped victims recover £3,685,201.

Additionally, the Home Office has provided funding to City of London Police to create a coordinated police Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimisation by providing consistent fraud prevention advice to the public.

The Home Office continues to engage with banks, trade organisations and third sector organisations to ensure proper advice and support for victims of fraud. Our “Stop! Think Fraud” campaign helps people spot and avoid fraud, and provides fraud prevention and recovery advice. Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams.

We are also continuing to work with individual sectors to support industry in disrupting attempts at fraud before they reach the public.

We launched the Insurance Fraud Charter in November 2024 with key insurance firms to reduce insurance fraud.

We are also developing a second telecommunications Charter to ensure the telecommunications sector takes additional steps to identify, prevent and disrupt fraud. Additionally, we are considering legislative action to ban “SIM farms”, technical devices that allow criminals to send scam texts to thousands of people at the same time.

The Online Safety Act codes of practice, which will require social media companies to take proactive measures to stop fraud originating on their platforms, will come into effect in March. The Chancellor and the Home Secretary have made clear that if insufficient action is taken in this area but those companies, the Government will consider what further steps need to be taken

Later this year, we will also publish an expanded Fraud Strategy that covers the full range of threats that our society faces from this crime.
wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_76
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_76

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign national offenders convicted for their involvement in the grooming gangs scandal were deported; how many deportation orders failed; and for what reason. \p Jess Phillips: The crimes committed by child sexual offenders, who prey on the young and vulnerable, are appalling. It is well-documented that some of those involved in grooming in the UK have been foreign nationals and others have been dual nationals against whom action has been taken to deprive them of their British citizenship in accordance with the British Nationality Act 1981.

One of the Home Office’s key objectives is to protect the public by ensuring that foreign nationals who commit criminal offences are deported from the UK wherever it is lawful and practical to do so. We do this by pursuing deportation against foreign offenders (FNOs) who have committed criminal offences, managing each case through the legal process, and negotiating barriers to removal.

The Home Office published statistics on immigration enforcement activity between 05 July 2024 and 07 December 2024. This can be accessed on GOV.UK on this link: Returns from the UK and illegal working activity since 5 July 2024 - GOV.UK

The Home Office often faces significant and complex challenges when seeking to return those individuals to their country of origin or lawful place of return. Despite these barriers, we are fully committed to making our communities safer by deporting those who break our laws.

The Government will continue to pursue all legal options to act against the perpetrators of these appalling crimes, and to deliver justice for their victims.
wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_77
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-15 conversation_77

Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Animals in Science Regulation Unit's Annual Report for 2023, published on 17 December 2024, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of (a) letters of reprimand and (b) other sanctions in response to (i) animals dying after being left without food or water and (ii) other animal welfare failings. \p Dan Jarvis: The Home Office takes non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 very seriously .

The Regulator applies proportionate sanctions in cases of non-compliance in accordance with its published compliance policy, which aims to reduce the risk of future non-compliance.

More rigorous sanctions are used in cases where animal welfare is impacted or there are significant systems failures.

For cases of non-compliance where animals experienced adverse welfare outcomes there was a 48% reduction in 2023 compared to 2022.