Topical Questions 2025-01-13
2025-01-13
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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The MP chaired a roundtable in her constituency with local leaders, police, schools, and voluntary organisations discussing the issue of knife crime.
Knife crime continues to have a devastating impact on all too many lives in Sheffield. I recently chaired a roundtable in my constituency which brought together local leaders, police, schools and voluntary organizations that are all on the frontline. Does the Secretary of State agree that it is vital to work together with key stakeholders so that we can build a collaborative approach to ending knife crime once and for all?
I agree with my hon. Friend. That is why we have set up the coalition to tackle knife crime and a knife-enabled robbery taskforce working with chief constables. At local level, we are discussing setting out prevention partnerships—part of the Young Futures programme—to ensure all organisations can come together in a mission to halve knife crime over the next 10 years.
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Q2
Direct Answer
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The MP highlights the need for a proper national public inquiry following a local inquiry that did not have the legal powers to compel evidence production.
I know that the thoughts of the whole House will be with the victims of the grooming and rape gangs. Will the Home Secretary agree with the Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and the hon. Member for Liverpool Walton (Dan Carden)—a Labour MP—that we need a proper national public inquiry?
These are horrendous crimes involving rape, sadistic violence and cruelty, exploitation, intimidation and coercion. We support further investigations, inquiries and action into child sexual exploitation and grooming gangs, including new action to get police reporting evidence on the scale of grooming gangs, including on ethnicity.
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Q3
Direct Answer
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The MP raises concerns about the rise in disinformation and intimidation at home and interference from abroad, highlighting the importance of standing up for British democracy.
With a rise in disinformation and intimidation at home and interference from abroad, it has never been more important to stand up for our British democracy. Will the Minister therefore give us an update on the defending democracy taskforce?
It is a top priority to protect our country and our elected representatives from interference, intimidation and harassment. The defending democracy taskforce brings together a cross-Government response to these threats and we will use all the tools at our disposal to protect our democratic security and resilience.
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Q4
Direct Answer
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The Scottish Parliament has passed a motion calling for action on immigration to address the needs of Scotland's employers, communities, and public services.
Last week, the Scottish Parliament passed a motion calling for action on immigration to address the needs of Scotland’s employers, communities and public services. As the Secretary of State knows, every sector in Scotland is crying out for Scottish solutions to distinct Scottish issues and problems. What is her response to that democratically passed motion other than not being interested?
I will shortly be visiting Scotland to discuss these issues. The hon. Member should know that we will not be introducing a Scottish visa scheme or devolving control of immigration policy, and the Migration Advisory Committee has found that labour market needs are similar across the UK.
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Q5
Direct Answer
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The MP raises concerns about Ukrainian refugees facing issues securing tenancies, jobs, and university courses due to an 18-month limit on their permission to remain.
The brilliant Adur Ukraine Support Association has raised concerns with me that the 18-month limit on the extension of Ukrainians’ permission to remain in the UK is causing issues in securing tenancies, jobs and undergraduate university courses. Will the Minister meet me to discuss that issue facing Ukrainians in my constituency?
The UK’s support for Ukraine remains steadfast. The scheme will provide an additional 18 months’ temporary permission to Ukrainians here under one of the existing Ukraine schemes. When a person’s leave expires during their course and they are granted further leave to remain—for example, on a student visa—they will continue to be able to complete their studies. I am happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss that issue further.
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Q6
Direct Answer
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The MP highlights that his constituency, which operates across more than 1,000 square miles, receives less money under the current funding settlement compared to urban areas with similar crime rates operating over smaller geographies.
Dorset police operates across more than 1,000 square miles, yet under the current funding settlement it receives far less money than urban areas with similar crime rates operating over smaller geographies. Will the Government commit to reviewing the funding settlement to ensure that rural areas such as West Dorset get a fairer settlement?
Of course, the hon. Gentleman’s force area is getting more money in the settlement announced just before Christmas. Clearly, we keep all formulas under consideration and, as the hon. Gentleman knows, we are going to go through a police reform package and programme with finance being part of it.
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Q7
Direct Answer
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The MP expresses satisfaction with the new Labour Government's enforcement of the return of over 2,500 foreign criminals since the last election.
Under the last Government, my constituents had completely lost faith that foreign national offenders with no right to remain in this country would be swiftly removed. I am glad that, since the last election, our new Labour Government have enforced the return of over 2,500 foreign criminals, including serious and violent offenders—a 23% increase since last year. Can the Minister reassure my constituents that this Government will not be taking their foot off the gas and will continue taking strong action?
Immigration asylum rules need to be respected and enforced, with 16,400 individuals successfully returned in the first six months of this Government—the highest level of returns over a six-month period since 2018. We will continue to ramp up removals for those who have no right to be in the UK.
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Q8
Direct Answer
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Residents of Didcot, Wallingford, and Wantage are concerned about increased antisocial behaviour such as pickpocketing and shoplifting.
In my Oxfordshire constituency, residents are concerned about increased antisocial behaviour, particularly pickpocketing and shoplifting in our towns. Given that the last Conservative Government cut the number of police community support officers (PCSOs) in the Thames valley area by more than half since 2015, what steps will the Minister be taking to ensure that the police are able to improve community policing in Oxfordshire towns such as Wallingford, Wantage and Didcot?
We want to see an increase in neighbourhood policing right across the country. That is why we set out £100 million as part of the police settlement for next year to kick-start and increase recruitment of neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs, alongside stronger powers to tackle neighbourhood crime.
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Q9
Direct Answer
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Carney’s Community in Battersea is delivering targeted services to young people, including mentoring and life skills training.
I welcome the Government’s plans to tackle youth violence, but also to prioritise early intervention. In Battersea, brilliant organisations such as Carney’s Community are delivering targeted services to young people—from mentoring and life skills, to boxing and fitness. Does the Minister agree that organisations such as Carney’s need our support? Will she agree to visit it so that she can hear at first hand about its approach to tackling youth violence?
I would be delighted to visit.
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Q10
Direct Answer
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A constituent has been separated from her husband, who is a Palestinian citizen of Israel, since October 2023. The case has not received replies to representations made.
Since October 2023, my constituent has been separated from her husband and the father of her children, who is a Palestinian citizen of the state of Israel. I have deep concerns about the Home Office’s handling of this case, and it has not replied to my last two representations. Will the Minister agree to look into this case?
I thank my hon. Friend for raising that case, and I am very happy to meet him to discuss the issues he has raised.
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Q11
Direct Answer
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The owner of social media site X has used his platform to undermine the democratic result of last July’s general election, stirring up hatred towards Jess Phillips.
Recently, the owner of social media site X has used his sizeable platform to undermine the democratic result of last July’s general election; has stirred up hatred towards my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Yardley (Jess Phillips), putting her safety at risk; and has sought mechanisms to depose the Prime Minister. Can the Minister say what actions the Defending Democracy Taskforce is taking to prevent this kind of foreign interference in British politics?
I thank my hon. Friend for that important question. The Government consider this work to be urgent. We have seen some utterly unacceptable activity, both during and beyond the general election. I hope that work to address this issue will be a shared endeavour right across the House, but the Government are working at pace to address it.
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Q12
Direct Answer
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A 17-year-old, Thomas Taylor, was fatally stabbed in Bedford last week. Bedfordshire has some of the highest knife crime rates in the country.
My deepest condolences go to the family and friends of 17-year-old Thomas Taylor, who was fatally stabbed in Bedford last week. Bedfordshire has some of the highest knife crime rates in the country. While I welcome the increased funding for the force and the progress made on tackling knife crime in the region, will the Secretary of State ensure that the special grants awarded to Bedfordshire police in recognition of the high level of serious and violent crimes in the region are maintained? Will she outline what further steps are being taken to deter young people from carrying lethal weapons?
I think the thoughts of all of us will be with the family and friends of Thomas Taylor, who was a constituent of my hon. Friend. He is right to say that we need comprehensive work to prevent knife crime and to prevent young people from carrying knives in the first place, but also to make sure that there is swift action where crimes take place.
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Q13
Direct Answer
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Several constituents in South Oxhey have been victims of burglary or attempted burglary.
Several of my constituents in South Oxhey have unfortunately been the victims of burglary or attempted burglary. Will the Home Secretary outline the measures her Department is taking to allow the police to invest in technologies such as live facial recognition, which can make crimes such as burglary easier to solve?
We are currently looking into whether there is a need for more regulation of live facial recognition, but I recognise that it is a very important tool to which the police should have access. I am having a series of stakeholder meetings with various groups to discuss how we take this forward, but I do recognise how important the technology is and how it can be a really positive way of identifying people and solving crimes.
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Q14
Direct Answer
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A recent Durham University report highlights the growing link between rural crime and serious organised crime, particularly targeting areas where criminals believe they can operate with less scrutiny.
Is the Home Secretary aware of the growing link, as highlighted by a recent Durham University report, between rural crime and serious organised crime? If not, could she ask her officials to bring it to her attention? Given the transnational element to this serious organised crime, could the National Crime Agency start to take a closer look at rural crime?
I am aware of this, and I think there is a very serious issue about how serious and organised crime has increasingly been targeting rural areas and things such as the GPS equipment used by farmers. The point about those involved in serious and organised crime is that they will always target areas where they think they can get away with it. That is why the issue is partly about the work of the National Crime Agency, but also about the work of police forces across the country and the work we need to do to take forward a rural crime strategy with the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
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