Topical Questions

Question

I am concerned about the impact of illegal migration on Lancaster and the rest of the UK, facilitated by people smugglers and foreign criminals. I met directors of the Lancaster business improvement district who are funding a BID warden to support police in reducing antisocial behaviour. Will you visit Lancaster to meet them?

Question

Over 70,000 Ukrainian refugees have received visas in the UK under our commitment. Along with military support and economic sanctions, this demonstrates unwavering support to Ukraine during its time of need.

Question

I have been contacted about a pensioner who found nothing was done about serious harassment; shop owners whose windows were repeatedly smashed with no action taken; a burglary victim given only a crime number; and a rape victim investigated instead of the rapist until the case was dropped. These are just examples of victims being let down by the system. Despite more crimes being reported, arrests and prosecutions have gone down sharply. Why is this happening?

Question

Overall crime is up by 14%, arrests and prosecutions have sharply declined. Since 2015, arrests are down by a third, charge rates are down by nearly two-thirds, and cautions and community penalties have dropped more than half. Despite rhetoric, the reality is that hundreds of thousands more criminals are getting away with their crimes.

Question

Since Putin's invasion, Poland has provided refuge to over 2 million Ukrainians. Recently, the British Group of the IPU met with Polish counterparts who proposed setting up mayor-to-mayor twinning links between towns in Britain and Poland. Does the Home Secretary welcome this initiative?

Question

In 2017, the UK Government introduced a visa concession for offshore wind farm workers that allows companies to undercut the pay and conditions of British seafarers and exploit overseas workers. The Prime Minister committed to expanding offshore wind farms. Given P&O Ferries' decision to sack 786 British seafarers and replace them with foreign labour, will the Home Office commit to ending this visa concession?

Question

In recent months, we have seen an increase in totally unacceptable antisocial behaviour in Burnley and Padiham town centres, as well as dirt bikes racing up and down the Padiham Greenway. Will the Home Secretary meet me in Padiham to talk to businesses and residents about what more we can do to tackle that issue?

Question

I am getting sick and tired of the fact that every time any Opposition Member talks about our disgust with the “abandon people in Rwanda” scheme, Government Members start shouting, “What are your plans?” If they had paid any attention during the six full weeks of debate on the Nationality and Borders Bill or had read up on the multiple amendments that we tabled, which Conservative Members voted down, they would know what our plans are—

Question

People smugglers are evil. People have been exploited, beaten, robbed, raped and have even died, and we need to do everything that we can to stamp out this evil trade. Does my right hon. Friend agree with me and the vast majority of Rother Valley residents that the Rwanda plan is not only the right thing to do, because it will cut down on illegal immigration and reduce pressure on public services, but will ultimately save lives?

Question

On 31 March, Lord Harrington had to apologise for inadvertently misleading the other place when he said that a drop-down arrow was available on the form for Ukrainian refugees in the Ukrainian language. When he apologised, he said that that was “in train”. Will the Home Secretary 'fess up and confirm that it is Home Office policy not to have a translated version of the form, or if it is, where is Lord Harrington's severely delayed train?

Question

I very much welcome the fact that dozens of visas have already been granted by this United Kingdom Government for Ukrainians to come to the Scottish Borders in my constituency. Will the Home Secretary work with me to iron out the last remaining issues for some of my constituents with processing the applications, to ensure that more Ukrainians can come to the Scottish Borders?

Question

Today, my constituent Graham Hughes is doing his latest humanitarian run to Poland. He hopes to return with a Ukrainian refugee and her 11-year-old daughter, who recently managed to escape the horrors of Mariupol shortly before the evacuation routes closed but are now waiting anxiously in Lviv. Despite Graham and his partner having applied to sponsor them nearly a month ago, they have yet to be granted passage to the UK. Graham and Katherine are ready to bring these people to safety in Durham. Will the Home Secretary do everything possible to expedite that?

Question

Will my right hon. Friend join me in congratulating Nottinghamshire police on hitting their recruitment uplift target a year ahead of schedule, so we now have more police officers in Nottinghamshire than at any time in the past 10 years? Can she commit to a date when the long-promised police funding formula review will start?

Question

One mother from Barnsley submitted her daughter's passport application in January, five months in advance of their holiday next week, but she is yet to receive it. My office has had to wait two hours to speak to someone at the Home Office today. What is the Home Secretary doing to address the unacceptable delays in passport applications?

Question

Now then: the world-class Rwanda plan has been welcomed by anybody who actually lives in the real world, because it saves lives in the channel. Unfortunately, that lot opposite do not live in the real world. Does the Home Secretary agree that the Labour party now has a chance to either back the plan or back the criminals?

Question

I am extremely concerned about the safeguarding of our young people at outdoor music festivals, which attract more than 7.1 million people, many of whom are under 18. There is currently more licensing provision for the recycling of a plastic cup than for our young people, who have suffered serious sexual assault, including rape, by spiking. Will the Minister work with me and others to create a gold standard of licensing for these events in order to protect our young people?

Question

I have been alarmed to hear of large-scale and dangerous hare coursing in my constituency. Heavily armed people are coming on to farmers' land and then livestreaming the chases to China, where they are the subject of heavy betting. Will my right hon. Friend support Thames Valley police in their efforts to tackle this appalling offence, and reassure farmers in Buckinghamshire that rural crime will always be taken seriously by this Government?