Written questions by McMurdock.

How much police forces spent on jobs where the primary function of the role is to provide advice on diversity, equality, and inclusion in the last 12 months.

Police forces that reflect the communities they serve are crucial to tackling crime and maintain public trust and confidence in a modern diverse society.Decisions about police recruitment and the allocation of resources are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. It is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions to make decisions based on their local knowledge and experience.The Home Office does not hold data centrally on the number of diversity, equality and inclusion roles in police forces, or on the amount spent by forces on these roles.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of using technology to assist with the reduction of crossings in the English Channel by (a) migrants and (b) people traffickers.

The Government keeps all options to tackle small boat crossings and the organised crime groups behind them under constant review, including the new and emerging technologies to do so.

If she will take steps to encourage the use of (a) steering wheel locks, (b) gear stick locks and (c) other car theft prevention measures.

This Government is determined to drive down vehicle crime. We are working with the automotive industry and police, including the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead on the issue, to ensure the strongest response possible.Via the recently established 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 the Crime and Policing Bill we have banned electronic devices used to steal vehicles, empowering the police and courts to target the criminals using, manufacturing, importing and supplying them. We also provided £250,000 funding in the financial year 2024-25 to help support work at the ports to prevent stolen vehicles and vehicle parts being shipped abroad, including providing additional staff and specialist equipment.

What steps she is taking to increase levels of police (a) visibility and (b) presence to help tackle (i) youth violence and (ii) knife crime in (A) Essex and (B) South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.

Knife crime has destroyed far too many lives. That is why, as part of the Safer Streets mission, we are working to halve knife crime within a decade.We have a comprehensive, data-led and Government-wide approach to this goal. Driving down youth-related violence across the UK, including Essex South Basildon and East Thurrock, will play a key role in meeting this ambition. To increase police visibility and presence, the Government has introduced the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which ensures neighbourhood policing teams are spending the majority of their time within their communities, delivering visible patrols and actively engaging with residents and businesses. Essex Police have also been allocated £1.63m for 2025/26 to deliver the Hotspot Action programme. This programme is a combination of increased high visibility foot patrols and funding of problem-oriented policing (POP) tactics. POP is bespoke to the local areas to tackle the underlying drivers of crime using a comprehensive menu of policing interventions, such as increased targeted knife sweeps, and licensed premises checks.

What plans her Department has to tackle (a) youth violence and (b) knife crime in (i) Essex and (ii) South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.

Halving knife crime over the next decade is a key part of the Government’s Safer Streets Mission. Driving down youth-related violence across the UK, including Essex South Basildon and East Thurrock, will play a key role in meeting this ambition.To date, we have taken action to ban zombie knives and the ban on ninja swords came into force on 1 August 2025 - it is now illegal to sell or own these weapons. We have also implemented, “Ronan’s Law”, a range of measures which will include stricter rules for online sellers of knives.Over £66 million is available to all 43 police force areas to fund the 'Hotspot Action' programme in 2025/26. This includes Essex Police who have been allocated £1.63m for 2025/26. This programme is a combination of increased high visibility foot patrols and funding of problem-oriented policing (POP) tactics. POP is bespoke to the local areas to tackle the underlying drivers of crime using a comprehensive menu of policing interventions, such as increased targeted knife sweeps, and licensed premises checks.Through the Young Futures Programme, the Government will introduce Prevention Partnerships across the country, to intervene earlier and ensure that children and young people vulnerable to being drawn into crime are identified and offered support in a more systematic way.As we design the Young Futures Programme, we will ensure that it learns from and builds on the work of the Violence Reduction Units (VRUs). VRUs bring together partners, including from the voluntary and community sector, to understand and tackle the drivers of serious violence in their area.In 2025/26 the Home Office is investing over £1.5m in grant funding to the Essex VRU, alongside £297k to continue the implementation of the Serious Violence Duty.This funding will support delivery of a range of early intervention and prevention programmes, which includes youth workers in A&E settings steering young people away from violence at a ‘teachable moment’ and education inclusion programmes.

What assessment she has made of the potential operational impact of switching to electric police vehicles on frontline officers.

The National Police Chiefs Council have begun the process of assessing the impact of transitioning from internal combustion engine to electric vehicles, which includes consideration of the operational consequences, consequences for frontline officers and budgetary impact.At the Spending Review, the Chancellor confirmed a real terms increase in police spending power. Grant allocations to police forces will be made in the usual way at the police funding settlement.

What assessment she has made of the potential relative needs of (a) urban, (b) suburban and (c) rural police stations in the context of the electrification of local police forces’ car fleets.

Decisions around the procurement and deployment of electric vehicles, as well as infrastructure to support them, is a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, or Mayoral equivalents.We would expect decisions to be made with consideration to the needs of the force, their local community, and within their existing budget allocation.

What steps she is taking to provide adequate funding to support police forces with the costs of electrifying their car fleets.

Decisions around the procurement and deployment of electric vehicles, as well as infrastructure to support them, is a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, or Mayoral equivalents.We would expect decisions to be made with consideration to the needs of the force, their local community, and within their existing budget allocation.

What guidance her Department issues to police forces on the impact of battery degradation on their electric vehicle fleets.

Decisions around the procurement and deployment of electric vehicles, as well as infrastructure to support them, is a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, or Mayoral equivalents.We would expect decisions to be made with consideration to the needs of the force, their local community, and within their existing budget allocation.

What assessment she has made of the relative adequacy of (a) electric and (b) internal combustion engine vehicles in enabling police forces to meet response time targets.

The National Police Chiefs Council have begun the process of assessing the impact of transitioning from internal combustion engine to electric vehicles, which includes consideration of the operational consequences, consequences for frontline officers and budgetary impact.At the Spending Review, the Chancellor confirmed a real terms increase in police spending power. Grant allocations to police forces will be made in the usual way at the police funding settlement.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of setting up a combined police forces electric vehicle battery replacement plan to maximise value for money.

The National Police Chiefs Council have begun the process of assessing the impact of transitioning from internal combustion engine to electric vehicles, which includes consideration of the operational consequences, consequences for frontline officers and budgetary impact.At the Spending Review, the Chancellor confirmed a real terms increase in police spending power. Grant allocations to police forces will be made in the usual way at the police funding settlement.

What financial support she intends to provide for the installation of chargers in police car parks as police car fleets are electrified.

Decisions around the procurement and deployment of electric vehicles, as well as infrastructure to support them, is a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, or Mayoral equivalents.We would expect decisions to be made with consideration to the needs of the force, their local community, and within their existing budget allocation.

What assessment she has made of the level of future requirement for (a) standard and (b) fast charging points installed in police car parks for electric police vehicles.

Decisions around the procurement and deployment of electric vehicles, as well as infrastructure to support them, is a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, or Mayoral equivalents.We would expect decisions to be made with consideration to the needs of the force, their local community, and within their existing budget allocation.

What steps she is taking to provide public charging infrastructure specifically for police officers and electric police vehicles.

Decisions around the procurement and deployment of electric vehicles, as well as infrastructure to support them, is a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, or Mayoral equivalents.We would expect decisions to be made with consideration to the needs of the force, their local community, and within their existing budget allocation.

What steps she plans to take to support (a) social and (b) cultural assimilation of legal immigrants arriving in the UK.

The Immigration White Paper, published on Monday 12 May, announced proposals on a wide range of reforms, including in the areas of community cohesion, integration and English language requirements, further details of which will be set out in due course.

What her plans are for the asylum seekers housed in hotels, in the context of the Chancellor’s recent pledge to end all hotel accommodation for asylum seekers by 2029.

The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil our statutory obligations and deliver our commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels by the end of this Parliament.

What steps her Department is taking to identify immigrants who arrive illegally on small boats.

We collect biographic and biometric data from all those arriving illegally in the UK. Checks are then run against a range of data sources to identify relevant information.

Whether she plans to take steps to help ensure that small businesses receive funding through initiatives funded by the National Business Crime Centre.

We are investing £2 million over three financial years (25/26 – 27/28) in the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) which provides a resource for both police and businesses to learn, share and support each other to prevent and combat crime. We are currently working with the NBCC to agree details of how the funding will be used.Funding will be provided through the usual Government funding process, via a grant agreement. This includes an agreed delivery plan and Key Performance Indicators, and ongoing monitoring throughout the period of the grant. An evaluation will be undertaken to ensure the aims of the funding are delivered, and it represents appropriate use of public money.

What discussions has she had with retail industry representatives on the (a) design and (b) implementation of the training funded through the National Police Chiefs' Council.

We are providing over £7 million over the next three years to support the police tackle retail crime, including continuing to fund a specialist policing team – in partnership with the retail sector - to better understand the tactics used by organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders.We work closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the College of Policing and the retail industry on the design of training funded by the Home Office, to ensure it delivers what is needed to help prevent and tackle crime and is an appropriate use of public money.Furthermore, I am committed to chairing the Retail Crime Forum which brings together the retail sector, security providers and law enforcement agencies to ensure we understand the needs of all retailers and to promote collaboration, share best practice and to work collectively to tackle the serious issue of retail crime. This includes the development of a new strategy to tackle shop theft published by policing, retail sector representatives and industry as part of collective efforts to combat shop theft – Tackling Retail Crime Together. The strategy builds on previous progress made by police and retailers but provides a more comprehensive and intelligence-led approach to tackle all perpetrators of shop theft – not just organised criminal gangs.The National Police Chiefs’ Council have an operational Retail Crime Action Plan, which has been in place since October 2023. This plan contains a commitment for police across England and Wales to prioritise attendance at the scene where violence has been used towards shop staff, where an offender has been detained by store security, and where evidence needs to be secured and can only be done by police personnel.

Whether she plans to publish annual performance metrics for the National Business Crime Centre to assess the effectiveness of additional funding.

We are investing £2 million over three financial years (25/26 – 27/28) in the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) which provides a resource for both police and businesses to learn, share and support each other to prevent and combat crime. We are currently working with the NBCC to agree details of how the funding will be used.Funding will be provided through the usual Government funding process, via a grant agreement. This includes an agreed delivery plan and Key Performance Indicators, and ongoing monitoring throughout the period of the grant. An evaluation will be undertaken to ensure the aims of the funding are delivered, and it represents appropriate use of public money.