Written questions by McMurdock.

Pursuant of Answer of 22 December 2025 to Question 99417: Undocumented Migrants, what steps she is taking to strengthen sanctions against illegal migrants once they have been relocated and detained.

Where an absconder is located, they may be arrested and detained for the purposes of removal. It is generally in the public interest to pursue the removal of those with no permission to be in the UK.Where detention is not appropriate, a person may be released on immigration bail as an alternative to detention, allowing the Home Office to maintain contact with those who require permission to be in the UK but do not have it whilst a decision is made on their case or pending their removal or deportation.A person who is subject to immigration bail is required to comply with one or more bail conditions. Conditions may include a requirement to report regularly to the Home Office, to reside at a specific location, to be electronically monitored and a restriction on work. The number and type of immigration bail conditions imposed will vary depending on the circumstances of the individual case. A person who has previously absconded is likely to have more stringent bail conditions imposed.Where someone fails to comply with their bail conditions, they may be arrested, detained, have their bail conditions varied to be more stringent, or they can be arrested for the criminal offence, which is punishable by a fine or term of imprisonment.

Whether digital ID was discussed at the Citizens’ Rights Specialised Committee meeting on 18 December 2025.

Information on matters discussed at the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights is available here: Citizens’ Rights Specialised Committee meeting, 18 December 2025: joint statement - GOV.UK. The UK and the EU are committed to working cooperatively to ensure full and faithful implementation of the citizens’ rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement.

What follow‑up actions the Government will take following the Citizens’ Rights Specialised Committee meeting on 18 December 2025.

Information on matters discussed at the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights is available here: Citizens’ Rights Specialised Committee meeting, 18 December 2025: joint statement - GOV.UK. The UK and the EU are committed to working cooperatively to ensure full and faithful implementation of the citizens’ rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement.

How many people were deported to Germany in each year since 2020.

The Home Office publishes data on returns in the ‘Immigration System Statistics quarterly release’. Data on returns by return type and destination can be found in Ret_D02 of the ‘Returns detailed datasets’. Data on returns of FNOs by destination can be found in Ret_D04 of the same file. This data covers the period 2004 to September 2025. For future publication dates, please see the release calendar.Deportations are a subset of published FNO returns relating to the removal of those who are subject to a Deportation order. FNO returns that are not deportations will generally be cases where a person is being returned for a breach of UK immigration laws or for not being able to demonstrate any lawful basis to remain in the UK.

Whether her Department has assessed the potential effectiveness of recent German legislation targeted at people smugglers; and whether she has had discussions with her German counterpart on this matter.

The recent change to German legislation is a key part of the Government's efforts to crack down on small boat crossings and secure UK borders. This change was agreed as part of the UK-Germany Joint Action Plan (JAP) and demonstrates the strength of our international partnerships, continuing close UK-Ger cooperation and the value of the JAP.Under the new legislation, people smuggling gangs storing boats and engines in Germany, for use in Channel crossings, will face 10 years in prison. This change gives UK and German law enforcement agencies stronger powers to dismantle criminal networks and tackle the supply and storage of small boat equipment. The legislation also strengthens sharing of information between UK and German law enforcement, which will lead to more people smugglers being brought to justice.The UK and Germany judge that this legislation change is necessary and will make a difference. Law enforcement agencies continue to work closely, with both systems working to support effective implementation and monitor its operational impact.The Home Secretary has spoken with her German counterpart, Interior Minister Dobrindt, about the importance of this legislative change and our continued close cooperation in the fight against people smuggling.The Home Office and German Ministry of the Interior closely monitor delivery of the JAP on an ongoing basis, including through the UK-Germany Home Affairs Dialogue, as well as via frequent operational engagement. A formal assessment of the impact of the plan in its entirety has not yet been undertaken. However, operational outcomes are routinely monitored.The UK and Germany are cooperating closely and at pace to ensure the criminal gangs undermining both countries’ respective border security face justice.

What recent estimate she has made of the number of illegal migrants residing within the UK.

By its very nature, it is not possible to know the exact size of the illegal population, or the number of people who arrive illegally, and so we do not seek to make any official or internal estimates of the illegal population. The latest position on this from the Home Office and ONS is outlined in this statement: Measuring illegal migration: our current view - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk).

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 December 2025 to Question 99417 on Undocumented Migrants, what steps she is taking to recover individuals who go out of contact with her Department.

The Home Office has a dedicated tracing capability that works in partnership with the police, other government agencies, and commercial companies to help identify information on a person. Where tracing checks are successful, we will consider the most appropriate intervention, including whether to task an enforcement team to conduct a visit or to set up a suitable immigration reporting regime.Tracing is just one of the ways in which contact can be re-established. Individuals are also encountered through routine Immigration Enforcement and police activity. In all cases we will consider the most appropriate action, including arrest and detention and possible removal from the United Kingdom. Many individuals who are out of contact may also re-engage with the department voluntarily or decide to leave the UK.We are committed to improving data quality for illegal migrants to ensure that we restore order and control to our borders. We have already set up teams to review existing areas to streamline processes, improve training and ensure join-up across systems across illegal migration to get the data right first time.

Pursuant to Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 84090: Asylum, whether those charities are consulted on the development of immigration policy.

The Home Office maintains regular engagement with a wide range of stakeholders on asylum and immigration matters. Their input is valued; however, external advice is considered advisory and does not determine policy.Ministers are responsible for setting Home Office policy.

Whether the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum is consulted on the development of immigration and asylum policy.

The Home Office maintains regular engagement with a wide range of stakeholders on asylum and immigration matters. Their input is valued; however, external advice is considered advisory and does not determine policy.Ministers are responsible for setting Home Office policy.

With reference to her Department's news story entitled UK-France treaty targeting illegal crossings comes into force, published on 4 August 2025, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the one in, one out scheme to date.

We are continuously monitoring and evaluating the agreement with France to ensure its effectiveness. There will be a full evaluation at the end of the pilot period.Any individual who re-enters the UK illegally may be detained and, where appropriate, we will seek to expedite removal.The system is working: two individuals who returned to the UK having already been removed were detected, detained, and their cases were expedited for return. We continue to work closely with our French counterparts to ensure that those who are returned under the agreement do not re-enter the UK illegally.

How many meetings she has had with a) National Asylum Stakeholder Forum and b) the Strategic Engagement Group in the last 12 months.

The National Asylum Stakeholder Forum and the Asylum Strategic Engagement Group both meet four times a year.The Home Secretary has not attended these meetings in the past 12 months. Home Office officials attend on her behalf.

With reference to her Department's policy paper entitled UK-Germany joint action plan: irregular migration, published on 10 December 2024, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the joint action plan on the level of illegal migration since December 2024.

The recent change to German legislation is a key part of the Government's efforts to crack down on small boat crossings and secure UK borders. This change was agreed as part of the UK-Germany Joint Action Plan (JAP) and demonstrates the strength of our international partnerships, continuing close UK-Ger cooperation and the value of the JAP.Under the new legislation, people smuggling gangs storing boats and engines in Germany, for use in Channel crossings, will face 10 years in prison. This change gives UK and German law enforcement agencies stronger powers to dismantle criminal networks and tackle the supply and storage of small boat equipment. The legislation also strengthens sharing of information between UK and German law enforcement, which will lead to more people smugglers being brought to justice.The UK and Germany judge that this legislation change is necessary and will make a difference. Law enforcement agencies continue to work closely, with both systems working to support effective implementation and monitor its operational impact.The Home Secretary has spoken with her German counterpart, Interior Minister Dobrindt, about the importance of this legislative change and our continued close cooperation in the fight against people smuggling.The Home Office and German Ministry of the Interior closely monitor delivery of the JAP on an ongoing basis, including through the UK-Germany Home Affairs Dialogue, as well as via frequent operational engagement. A formal assessment of the impact of the plan in its entirety has not yet been undertaken. However, operational outcomes are routinely monitored.The UK and Germany are cooperating closely and at pace to ensure the criminal gangs undermining both countries’ respective border security face justice.

What steps her Department is taking to protect UK citizens and critical infrastructure from hybrid threats from Russia.

The Russian State poses an acute and direct threat to the UK and our allies. This includes their ongoing campaign of hybrid activity in Europe in response to our continuing diplomatic support of Ukraine.The UK takes the threat from the Russian State extremely seriously and has responded to and called out Russian aggression wherever it occurs. Since 2018, this includes the expulsion of 24 Russian intelligence officers; the sanctioning of over 2,900 individuals, entities and ships; creating several new sanctions regimes; and the targeting of Russian illicit finance.The government has strengthened the UK's protective security to address vulnerabilities that expose our people and infrastructure to physical and security risks. We are working alongside the National Protective Security Authority to keep citizens safe through developing protective security advice for government and industry.Under the National Security Act 2023, the UK is an even harder target for states who seek to conduct hostile acts against the UK, steal our information for commercial advantage, or covertly interfere in our society. This will ensure our law enforcement agencies can make best use of new tools to counter sabotage and other state threats offences against our CNI.Until the Russian Government stops its destabilising activity, we will actively deter and defend against the full spectrum of threats emanating from Russia.We will continue working in partnership with our allies to bring our full capabilities to bear against those who seek to threaten our values, harm our citizens, and undermine our collective security.

Pursuant of Answer of 22 December 2025 to Question 99417: Undocumented Migrants, what steps she is taking to improve the quality of absconder data.

The Home Office has a dedicated tracing capability that works in partnership with the police, other government agencies, and commercial companies to help identify information on a person. Where tracing checks are successful, we will consider the most appropriate intervention, including whether to task an enforcement team to conduct a visit or to set up a suitable immigration reporting regime.Tracing is just one of the ways in which contact can be re-established. Individuals are also encountered through routine Immigration Enforcement and police activity. In all cases we will consider the most appropriate action, including arrest and detention and possible removal from the United Kingdom. Many individuals who are out of contact may also re-engage with the department voluntarily or decide to leave the UK.We are committed to improving data quality for illegal migrants to ensure that we restore order and control to our borders. We have already set up teams to review existing areas to streamline processes, improve training and ensure join-up across systems across illegal migration to get the data right first time.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that businesses operating in high‑risk sectors are aware of the foreign bribery indicators published by the Serious Fraud Office and Five Eyes partners.

The government takes foreign bribery risks seriously and is committed to helping businesses identify and prevent them. This is why in December 2025, this government published the new UK Anti-Corruption Strategy. The strategy seeks to bring more corrupt actors to justice, prevents them benefitting from their illicit wealth, tackles vulnerabilities to corruption at home and builds resilience overseas. It also commits to helping UK businesses to combat bribery through the Serious Fraud Office’s crime prevention capability and a new online anti bribery resource collection for small and medium-sized enterprises.The Serious Fraud Office, working with its Five Eyes partners, has published indicators to help businesses recognise potential bribery risks. These indicators are available on the Serious Fraud Office website.The Department for Business and Trade supports this work by signposting guidance to high-risk sectors and encouraging businesses to embed these indicators into their compliance and due diligence processes.The government will continue to work with enforcement agencies and international partners to raise awareness and strengthen the UK’s approach to preventing foreign bribery, in line with the OECD Working Group on Bribery recommendations.

What proportion of individuals returned to France under the reciprocal agreement are assessed as being at risk of attempting to re-enter the UK.

We are continuously monitoring and evaluating the agreement with France to ensure its effectiveness. There will be a full evaluation at the end of the pilot period.Any individual who re-enters the UK illegally may be detained and, where appropriate, we will seek to expedite removal.The system is working: two individuals who returned to the UK having already been removed were detected, detained, and their cases were expedited for return. We continue to work closely with our French counterparts to ensure that those who are returned under the agreement do not re-enter the UK illegally.

Whether she plans to consult voluntary sector organisations on the costs of immigration policy.

The earned settlement model, proposed in a Fairer Pathway to Settlement, announced that the standard qualifying period for settlement will rise from 5 to 10 years. However, we have proposed that contributions to life and work in the UK should reduce a person’s time to settlement. This includes work done in the community, such as volunteering.The earned settlement model, including how volunteering should impact a person’s time to settlement, is currently subject to a public consultation, which closes on 12 February 2026. We encourage voluntary sector organisations to participate and provide their perspective on the proposals.Wider measures contained within the “Restoring Order and Control” policy statement will be the subject of targeted engagement with relevant organisations at appropriate points during policy development.

What recent estimates her Department has for the number of crimes committed against, or on the grounds of, (a) mosques, (b) synagogues, (c) churches in England and Wales in each year since 2020.

The Home Office does not hold information on whether police recorded crimes were committed against, or on the grounds, of places of worship.

How many British citizens born (a) in the UK and (b) abroad have had their British citizenship revoked in each of the last 5 years.

The British Nationality Act 1981 provides the Secretary of State with the power to deprive an individual of their British citizenship where:The Secretary of State is satisfied that it would be conducive to the public good;The person acquired citizenship as a result of fraud, false representations or concealment of a material factThe Government considers that deprivation on ‘conducive grounds’ is an appropriate response to activities such as those involving:National security, including espionage and acts of terrorism directed at this country or an allied power;Unacceptable behaviour of the kind mentioned in the then Home Secretary’s statement of 24 August 2005 (‘glorification’ of terrorism etc);War crimes; andSerious organised crime.The Home Office publishes data relating to those deprived of British Citizenship on ‘conducive to the public good’ grounds. These are published in the Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Reports have been published up to 2024.The figures from the previous five years, of individuals who have been deprived of their British citizenship for this reason, are below:YearNumber of individuals202182022320232202412025Not yet publishedIn the interest of safeguarding national security, we do not break down these figures into sub-categories.This report also references s66 of the Immigration Act 2014, which allows the Secretary of State to deprive a person of their British citizenship on the ground it is conducive to the public good even if it would leave them stateless. To date, this power has not been used.

What assessment she has made of the difference in police response times to time-sensitive incidents such as (a) vehicle theft and (b) robberies of retail premises in (i) rural areas and (ii) urban areas.

Rural communities can be assured that visible, neighbourhood policing is returning to our communities. Our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will deliver more neighbourhood police by the end of the Parliament, whilst also ensuring each community, including rural communities, has a named, contactable officer to turn to.The Home Office will continue to work with policing colleagues on options to deliver the 13,000 neighbourhood policing personnel, including setting out further plans and funding for subsequent years shortly.The Government recognises that there can be challenges in responding to rural crime, which is why we worked closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to deliver the next iteration of their Rural and Wildlife Crime strategy and sets out operational and organisational policing priorities in respect of tackling those crimes that predominantly affect our rural communities.This financial year the Home Office has provided the first Government funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit (£365,000) as well as continuing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (£450,000). The National Rural Crime Unit assists all police forces, including Essex, with specialist operational support in their responses to rural crime.All reported crimes should be taken seriously, investigated and, where appropriate, taken through the courts and met with tough sentences. Operational decisions will continue to be a matter for individual police chiefs and their force, and it is right that each incident is looked at on a case-by-case basis, on the evidence available and in proportion to the crime.