Written questions by Rosindell.

What steps she has taken to help increase the regularity of police patrols in (a) England and (b) Romford.

The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee (NPG) is now being delivered across England and Wales to ensure consistent and high-quality neighbourhood policing.As a result of the NPG, communities are now benefitting from more visible patrols, and stronger engagement. Officers are working closely with residents and businesses to tackle issues such as anti-social behaviour, shop theft, vandalism.Neighbourhood policing teams are spending the majority of their time within their communities, delivering visible patrols and actively engaging with residents and businesses.As part of the NPG the Government has made £200 million available in FY 25/26 to support the first steps of delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel across England and Wales by the end of this Parliament, including up to 3000 additional neighbourhood officers by March 2026.As a result of the Neighbourhood Policing Grant the Metropolitan Police Service are projected to grow by 470 neighbourhood officers in 2025-26.

What her Department’s policy is on housing of asylum seekers in houses of multiple occupancy.

The government is committed to reducing reliance on hotels by expanding the overall supply of dispersal and temporary accommodation, including through the private sector. Local authorities are consulted on all dispersed accommodation before it is procured, including for HMOs. This is a necessary step to meet our legal obligations while being cognisant of local pressures.

What recent steps she has taken to prevent people that illegally enter the UK from being able to work.

The Government is leading a UK-wide crackdown on illegal working as part of a whole system approach to tackle illegal migration from every angle.The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill introduces tough new laws to clamp down on illegal working.  This means that for the very first time, right to work checks will be extended to cover businesses hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers in sectors like construction, food delivery, beauty salons, courier services and warehousing.Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams are intensifying operational activity across the UK to stop businesses hiring people to work illegally.  Since this government came into power, there have been 10,031 illegal working visits to premises and 7,130 arrests have been made, an increase of 48% and 51% compared to the year before (5 July 2023 to 28 June 2024).  In that time, 2,105 civil penalty notices have been issued.Alongside the Department for Business and Trade, the Home Office is working closely with the major food delivery platforms, including Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat, to ensure they understand their responsibilities in using riders who have the right to work in the UK.Last month the Home Office commenced data sharing with leading food delivery firms. The agreement enables the Home Office to share sensitive location data of the locations of asylum hotels with the firms helping the companies detect and suspend accounts suspected of illegal working, particularly where delivery riders may be sharing accounts with individuals who do not have the legal right to work in the UK.Finally, the Government has announced the introduction of digital ID this parliament. It is clear that offering access to the UK labour market is part of the approach taken by unscrupulous criminals to profit from facilitating illegal migration. Providing a single system to prove a right to work, will simplify the process and drive-up compliance.

What steps she has taken to reduce the number of asylum seekers living in houses of multiple occupancy.

We’re taking decisive action to reduce the asylum backlog, close hotels, and return control of sites to local areas. Our strategy is focused on restoring order and fairness to the system while protecting public safety. The Immigration White Paper sets our measures to reduce inflow to the asylum system, ultimately reducing reliance on accommodation.

If her Department will consider designating the Cartel of the Suns as a Terrorist Organisation.

While the UK Government keeps the list of proscribed organisations under review, we do not routinely comment on whether an organisation is or is not being considered for proscription.

If she will take steps to deport immigrants found guilty of violent crimes.

Foreign nationals who commit serious crimes in our country will face the full force of the law and be deported at the earliest opportunity.This government has already removed almost 5,200 foreign national offenders in its first year of office, a 14 per cent increase on the previous twelve months (5 July 2024 to 4 July 2025) and we will continue to crack down on any foreign nationals who come to this country and break our rules.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the efficacy of enforcement provisions in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, in the context of the recent BBC investigation into the illicit tobacco market.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers selling illegal and unregulated tobacco and vape products to children and young people. The Bill introduces new £200 fixed penalty notices in England and Wales for certain tobacco and vape offences, including underage sales, and enables the introduction of a retail licensing scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and a new registration scheme for tobacco, vape and nicotine products sold on the UK market.Alongside the Bill, we are investing £30 million of new funding for enforcement agencies in 2025/26, including Trading Standards, HMRC and Border Force. This funding is being used to support the enforcement of illicit and underage tobacco and vape sales in England, and the implementation of the measures in the Bill.

What steps she is taking to help improve the mental health of police officers.

This Government is committed to supporting the mental and physical wellbeing of all our police.This includes providing ongoing funding to the National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS), which provides evidence-based guidance, advice, tools and resources which can be accessed by forces. This helps Chief Constables in their duty to ensure the wellbeing of their workforce. In particular, the Service is helping forces to identify where there is most risk of impacts on mental health, and developing work around building resilience, as well as putting in place support for those who need it in response to traumatic events.The Police Covenant has already helped deliver pre-deployment mental health training for new recruits and improved occupational health standards for officers in service.A new National Police Health and Wellbeing Strategy was launched in June 2025 by NPWS. Workforce Prioritisation Guidance has been published alongside this, which provides clarity and guidance to forces on how to implement and invest in evidence-based and scalable health and wellbeing solutions locally.

What discussions he has had with his Irish counterpart on illegal immigration to the United Kingdom via that country.

The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative working relationship on a range of issues, including migration and border security. That collaboration includes a joint commitment to protect the Common Travel Area (CTA) from abuse while preserving the rights of British and Irish citizens.Everyone entering the UK, regardless of where they enter from, is required to meet UK’s immigration requirements. Anyone identified attempting to circumvent UK border controls is liable to be detained and, if they are not lawfully present within the UK, removed.

What steps she has taken to help reduce illegal immigration to the United Kingdom via the Republic of Ireland.

The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative working relationship on a range of issues, including migration and border security. That collaboration includes a joint commitment to protect the Common Travel Area (CTA) from abuse while preserving the rights of British and Irish citizens.Everyone entering the UK, regardless of where they enter from, is required to meet UK’s immigration requirements. Anyone identified attempting to circumvent UK border controls is liable to be detained and, if they are not lawfully present within the UK, removed.

How many people have been charged under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 in each year since 2021.

The Home Office publishes information on the number of charges for modern slavery in England and Wales. The number of individuals charged or summonsed for modern slavery offences was 226 in 2021, 192 in 2022, 167 in 2023 and 209 in 2024.More information on the latest police recorded crime data can be accessed here: Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables - GOV.UKWhere a charge outcome has been recorded for a modern slavery crime it is not necessarily always a charge under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

What steps her Department is taking to help protect Hong Kong democracy activists in the UK who have bounties placed on them by the Hong Kong government.

While it is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on security matters, where we identify individuals at heightened risk, we are front footed in deploying protective security measures as appropriate.The Government has developed new guidance which can be found on GOV.UK providing those who believe themselves to be at-risk of transnational repression with practical advice for their safety both physically and online.

What criteria were used to determine the re-imposition of visit visa requirements for Colombia; and what determination he made using those criteria for other Latin American countries.

Full details were provided in the explanatory memorandum accompanying the changes to the Immigration Rules: Explanatory Memorandum to the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules Presented to Parliament on 26 November 2024.

What plans her Department has to review the current proscription of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) under the Terrorism Act 2000; and what criteria will be used to determine whether (a) HTS and (b) HTS's affiliates continue to pose a threat to national security.

As a matter of long-standing policy, the Government does not comment on proscription matters in respect of individual organisations.

What steps she has taken to work with relevant authorities to reduce instances of car theft in (a) England and (b) Romford.

This Government is determined to drive down vehicle crime and we are working with the automotive industry and police, including working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead on the issue, to ensure the strongest response possible to this damaging crime.Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced measures to ban electronic devices used to steal vehicles, empowering the police and courts to target the criminals using, manufacturing and supplying them. This will support the changes manufacturers continue to make to prevent thefts.We also provided £250,000 funding in the last financial year to help support work at the ports to prevent stolen vehicles and vehicle parts being shipped abroad.Via the National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership and the police-led National Vehicle Crime Working Group, we are focusing on prevention and deterrence of theft of and from vehicles. This includes training police officers on the methods used to steal vehicles, encouraging vehicle owners to secure their vehicles, and working with industry to address vulnerabilities in vehicles.In recent weeks, the Security Minister and I have each met vehicle manufacturers to discuss these issues. Officials also regularly engage and work with industry to discuss workable solutions to help prevent vehicle theft.

What steps she has taken to work with relevant authorities to reduce instances of arson in (a) England and (b) Romford.

We are committed to ensuring fire services have the resources they need to do their vital work and to keep the public safe from fires, including those caused by arson. However, decisions on how resources are best deployed to meet their core functions are a matter for each fire and rescue authority.As part of the National Fire Chiefs Council’s strategic role across fire and rescue services (FRSs), it supports partnership working to promote the consistent recording and investigation of deliberate fires by the Police and FRSs.

What assessment she has made of the impact of drug trafficking networks operating in and through Venezuela on the UK and its overseas territories.

Drug misuse can have a devastating impact on the safety, productivity, and health and wellbeing of our communities.The UK takes a global approach to continuously assess the impact of global drug trafficking, working with international partners to try and reduce the flow of drugs to the UK and to ensure we stay flexible and coordinated in our response.Tackling the supply of drugs and drug trafficking remains a priority for this Government and will play a critical role in making our streets safer. We are taking an end-to-end approach, including working with law enforcement partners upstream and at the UK border to tackle the gangs responsible for drug trafficking.

What steps she is taking to help increase the charge rate for vehicle thefts in London.

Vehicle theft is a truly distressing crime and this Government recognises the negative impact vehicle thefts have had on individuals, businesses and industry.In our Crime and Policing Bill, we have brought forward two new offences to criminalise the possession, importation, making, adapting, supplying or offering to supply an electronic device (such as a signal jammer) for use in theft of a vehicle or theft of anything in a vehicle.We are committed to restoring and strengthening neighbourhood policing. Through our Safer Streets Mission, our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will deliver thousands of neighbourhood police and community support officers, across England and Wales, to speed up response times and build public confidence.

How many incidents of car theft were reported to the Metropolitan Police in the London Borough of Havering in the last six months.

The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of notifiable offences, including the number of theft of motor vehicles, recorded by the police in England and Wales. This information is published as official statistics each quarter at both the Police Force Area and Community Safety Partnership level, including Havering Crime Safety Partnership area. The latest information, to the year ending September 2024, can be accessed here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tablesInformation for the year to December 2024 is due to be published on 24th April 2025.

What steps she is taking to help prevent the export of stolen mobile phones by organised criminals.

Through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee we will place thousands of additional police officers and police community support officers in neighbourhood policing roles to provide a more visible and effective service to the public, with each neighbourhood having a named, contactable officer dealing with local issues, including the theft of mobile phones, handbags and other personal items.To tackle mobile phone theft specifically, on 6 February the Home Secretary brought together police, the National Crime Agency, the Mayor of London, leading tech companies and others to drive greater collaboration in breaking the business model of mobile phone thieves. The Summit resulted in clear commitments from attendees to work in partnership, including to significantly boost the sharing of data and intelligence on mobile phone theft to build a comprehensive picture of the problem, better understand the role of organised crime networks and identify the most effective means of tackling these crimes. As part of ongoing work on this, the Policing Minister recently met with the National Crime Agency and Border Force to consider how best they may be able to contribute to efforts to tackle this criminality.In addition, the Crime and Policing Bill includes a measure to give police the power to enter and search premises for stolen property that has been electronically geo-location tracked to those premises, where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant without seriously prejudicing the entry and search purpose.