Every parliamentary written question tabled by Ben Obese-Jecty this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 181–200 of 594 · Home Office
What the scope is of the Future Asylum Contract Transformation project.
The focus of the Future Asylum Contract Transformation Project is scoping potential procurement and implementation of a new delivery model, to replace the current Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts, due to expire in 2029, the Advice Issue Reporting and Eligibility (AIRE) and Asylum Support Payments contract.
How many murders have been committed by asylum seekers in each year since 2020.
The information you have requested is not available from published statistics. Work is currently underway to improve the quality of information held by the department on foreign national offenders (FNOs). If this work progresses as planned, the Home Office intend to publish more detailed information on FNOs subject to deportation. Further information on this work can be found at: Statistics on foreign national offenders and the immigration system - GOV.UK. We are committed to delivering justice for victims and safer streets for our communities. Foreign nationals who commit serious crimes 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.
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including (a) military service and (b) the military service of a (i) partner and (ii) parent in the contribution criteria for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
We will be consulting on the new earned settlement rules later this year.The Government remains committed to supporting current and former serving personnel and their families; ensuring that they do not face any disadvantage due to their service.
Pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2025 to Question 75431 on Undocumented Migrants: English Channel, how many migrants were (a) exchanged with France and (b) prevented from illegally entering the UK from France between 11 June 2025 and 11 October 2025.
As of 20 October 2025, 42 individuals have been returned to France and 23 have been brought to the UK via the new safe and legal route. Between the two dates specified, a total of 9,686 of these dangerous and unnecessary crossing attempts were prevented as a result of our joint work with France.
With reference to the press notice entitled Record number of gang leaders charged for county lines offences, published on 8 October 2025, how much and what proportion of the funding provided through the County Lines Programme will be spent in (a) Cambridgeshire and (b) Huntingdon constituency.
County Lines is the most violent model of drug supply and a harmful form of child criminal exploitation. Through the County Lines Programme, we are targeting exploitative drug dealing gangs while breaking the organised crime groups behind this trade.Between July 2024 and June 2025, law enforcement activity through the County Lines Programme taskforces has resulted in more than 2,300 deal lines closed, 6,200 arrests (including the arrest and subsequent charge of over 1,100 deal line holders), 3,200 safeguarding referrals of children and vulnerable people, and 600 knives seized.While the majority of county lines originate from the areas covered by the Metropolitan Police Service, West Midlands Police, Merseyside Police, Greater Manchester Police and West Yorkshire Police, we recognise that this is a national issue which affects all forces, which is why we fund the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC) to monitor the intelligence picture and co-ordinate a national law enforcement response.NCLCC’s most recent Strategic Assessment found that Cambridgeshire was one of the top five importing areas for county lines in 2023/24. County Lines Programme taskforces regularly conduct joint operations with importer forces such as Cambridgeshire Constabulary. We also have a dedicated fund which provides local forces, including Cambridgeshire Constabulary, with additional funding to tackle county lines.
Whether her Department's proposed change in the point of eligibility for Indefinite Leave to Remain would apply to (a) current and (b) former non-UK armed forces (i) personnel and (ii) their families.
We will be consulting on the new earned settlement rules later this year.The Government remains committed to supporting current and former serving personnel and their families; ensuring that they do not face any disadvantage due to their service.
What critical national infrastructure sites there are within Huntingdon constituency.
County Lines is the most violent model of drug supply and a harmful form of child criminal exploitation. Through the County Lines Programme, we are targeting exploitative drug dealing gangs while breaking the organised crime groups behind this trade.Between July 2024 and June 2025, law enforcement activity through the County Lines Programme taskforces has resulted in more than 2,300 deal lines closed, 6,200 arrests (including the arrest and subsequent charge of over 1,100 deal line holders), 3,200 safeguarding referrals of children and vulnerable people, and 600 knives seized.While the majority of county lines originate from the areas covered by the Metropolitan Police Service, West Midlands Police, Merseyside Police, Greater Manchester Police and West Yorkshire Police, we recognise that this is a national issue which affects all forces, which is why we fund the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC) to monitor the intelligence picture and co-ordinate a national law enforcement response.NCLCC’s most recent Strategic Assessment found that Cambridgeshire was one of the top five importing areas for county lines in 2023/24. County Lines Programme taskforces regularly conduct joint operations with importer forces such as Cambridgeshire Constabulary. We also have a dedicated fund which provides local forces, including Cambridgeshire Constabulary, with additional funding to tackle county lines.
With reference to the press notice entitled New police powers to protect communities from disruption caused by protests, published on 5 October 2025, what assessment she made of the potential impact of the use of these powers on the removal of the protest site at MBR Acres.
On 5 October, the Home Secretary announced that police forces will be granted new powers to put conditions on repeat protests. If a protest has taken place at the same site for weeks on end, and caused repeated disorder, the police will have the authority to instruct organisers to hold the event somewhere else. Anyone who breaches the conditions will risk arrest and prosecution.Whether these offences apply in any given circumstance is a decision for the police. The use of these powers and the management of demonstrations are an operational matter for the police.
With reference to the press notice entitled Record number of gang leaders charged for county lines offences, published on 8 October 2025, how many of the deal lines were in (a) Cambridgeshire and (b) Huntingdon constituency.
County Lines is the most violent model of drug supply and a harmful form of child criminal exploitation. Through the County Lines Programme, we are targeting exploitative drug dealing gangs while breaking the organised crime groups behind this trade.Between July 2024 and June 2025, law enforcement activity through the County Lines Programme taskforces has resulted in more than 2,300 deal lines closed, 6,200 arrests (including the arrest and subsequent charge of over 1,100 deal line holders), 3,200 safeguarding referrals of children and vulnerable people, and 600 knives seized.While the majority of county lines originate from the areas covered by the Metropolitan Police Service, West Midlands Police, Merseyside Police, Greater Manchester Police and West Yorkshire Police, we recognise that this is a national issue which affects all forces, which is why we fund the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC) to monitor the intelligence picture and co-ordinate a national law enforcement response.NCLCC’s most recent Strategic Assessment found that Cambridgeshire was one of the top five importing areas for county lines in 2023/24. County Lines Programme taskforces regularly conduct joint operations with importer forces such as Cambridgeshire Constabulary. We also have a dedicated fund which provides local forces, including Cambridgeshire Constabulary, with additional funding to tackle county lines.
With reference to her Department's press release entitled First small boat migrant returned under new UK-France agreement, published on 18 September 2025, what the terms of the contract are under which the man was removed.
Details of changes to the Immigration Rules covering the UK-France Treaty are published on gov.uk in an explanatory memorandum here.It means that those who use dangerous small boats crossings to enter the UK can be returned to France. The Home Office uses existing legislative provisions, guidance and operational processes including the inadmissibility guidance to facilitate the readmission process under the pilot. These powers enable the UK to declare an asylum claim as inadmissible and not substantially consider the claim, where the individual has a connection to a safe third country such as France.Further details on inadmissible claims are published here on gov.uk.
With reference to the press release entitled Foreign Influence Registration Scheme to come fully into effect, published on 30 September 2025, what criteria is used to assess whether a country poses an elevated national security risk, qualifying it for the enhanced tier.
As set out in the National Security Act 2023, the Secretary of State may make a specification under the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) where they consider it is reasonably necessary to do so to protect the safety or interests of the United Kingdom.The Secretary of State will consider a broad range of UK interests when deciding if a country should be specified, and the nature and scope of any such specification. This will include how a specification would support the UK’s national security and the Government’s long-term, strategic approach to the country under consideration
With reference to the press release entitled Foreign Influence Registration Scheme to come fully into effect, published on 30 September 2025, on what date the FIRS Case Management Team became fully operational.
The FIRS Case Management Team were fully operational on 1 July, when the scheme went live. Staff were in post ahead of that date, supporting the scheme’s implementation prior to go-live.
Pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2025 to Question 71964 on Asylum: Finance, what criteria qualifies a person for (a) Section 4 and (b) Section 95 Asylum Support.
Asylum seekers and their dependents who would otherwise be destitute can obtain support under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. The destitution threshold is the minimum an individual needs to enable them to obtain adequate accommodation and meet other essential needs. The guidance used to assess and calculate destitution for those applying for support is set out at: Assessing destitution: caseworker guidance - GOV.UKTo be eligible for support under section 4, a person must be a failed or inadmissible asylum seeker or the dependant of a failed or inadmissible asylum seeker, appear to the Secretary of State to be destitute, and meet at least one of the five conditions set out in Regulation 3(2) of the Immigration and Asylum (Provision of Accommodation to Failed Asylum Seekers) Regulations 2005.The exception to this is families – where an asylum-seeker’s household includes a child dependant under the age of 18, they will remain eligible for support under section 95 of the 1999 Act after their asylum claim is refused or declared inadmissible.
What discussions her Department has had this year with (a) the Speaker of the House of Commons and (b) the Speaker of the House of Lords on lifting the ban on China’s Ambassador to the UK entering Parliament.
Access to Parliament is a matter for the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Speaker of the House of Lords. It would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment on any conversations with the Speakers on these matters.
What steps she has taken to ensure the removal of Fabian Henry from the UK since February 2021.
While I understand the strong public interest in this individual due to their horrific crimes, it is a longstanding government policy that we do not routinely comment on individual cases. However, I can assure the Honourable Member that the Home Office is committed to delivering justice for victims and safer streets for our communities by resolutely pursuing the deportation of foreign nationals who break our laws.Since July 2024, 5,179 foreign national offenders have been returned, an increase of 14% compared with same period 12 months prior.
With reference to her Department's news story entitled First illegal migrants returned under new UK-France agreement, published on 18 September, what was the cost of each flight.
The Home Office has made returns under the new UK-France agreement utilising both charter flights and regular scheduled flights. This approach allows the Home Office to maximise value for money and best satisfy operational requirements.We do not comment on individual charter flight costs as these are commercially sensitive arrangements that can provide an insight into pricing structure. To do otherwise could deter the private sector from entering into contracts with the Home Office.
What security checks her Department undertakes on refugees coming to the UK from Gaza.
The Government is supporting a group of Chevening Scholars and fully funded scholarship students to depart from Gaza to take up university places in the UK in Autumn for the 2025/26 academic year. The Government has also committed to evacuate a limited number of sick and injured children out of Gaza to receive specialist treatment in NHS hospitals across the UK. These individuals are not refugees and are not entering the UK using refugee resettlement routes.All visa applicants are required to provide their biographic and biometric data to enable a range of security checks to be completed, including criminality checks.Robust security checks are being undertaken on all individuals who enter the UK through this process. Biometrics are collected as part of the visa application process and prior to travel to the UK.The Home Office uses various tools to detect and disrupt travel by terrorists, by criminals and by individuals excluded from the UK; previously deported from the UK; or using lost, stolen or revoked documents and visas. This includes the use of domestic and international watchlists. The Home Office works with both law enforcement and wider government partners to ensure appropriate action is taken before travel or at the border when individuals of concern are identified. It would not be appropriate to provide further information about the nature and scope of security checks.
How many commercial flights there have been with people being removed under the UK’s migration treaty with France since 1 September 2025; and how many people have been removed under this treaty.
As published on GOV.UK on 9 October, 2 group flights saw 19 individuals returned to France. This was following the successful returns of an additional 7 individuals prior in the weeks prior to that. Further flights to France through the UK-France Agreement on the Prevention of Dangerous journeys are scheduled to take place over the coming days and weeks.
With reference to her Department's press release entitled UK-France treaty targeting illegal crossings comes into force, published on 7 August 2025, what the total capacity is of each Immigration Removal Centre.
The Home Office currently operates seven immigration removal centres (IRCs) throughout the UK, (six in England and one in Scotland). As of 13 October, the Home Office has the capacity to detain around 2,400 people in IRCs. The table below sets out the current operational capacity for each IRC: IRC NameCapacityBrook House426Colnbrook339Derwentside84Dungavel150Harmondsworth754Tinsley House198Yarl’s Wood444
With reference to her Department's press release entitled UK-France treaty targeting illegal crossings comes into force, published on 7 August 2025, how many Immigration Removal Centre there are.
The Home Office currently operates seven immigration removal centres (IRCs) throughout the UK, (six in England and one in Scotland). As of 13 October, the Home Office has the capacity to detain around 2,400 people in IRCs. The table below sets out the current operational capacity for each IRC: IRC NameCapacityBrook House426Colnbrook339Derwentside84Dungavel150Harmondsworth754Tinsley House198Yarl’s Wood444