Written questions by Bedford.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of lowering the age for alcohol purchasing to 16.

The Government has no plans to lower the legal age for purchasing alcohol from 18 in England and Wales.This is consistent with the Licensing Act 2003 objective of protecting children from harm.It remains an offence to sell alcohol to under-18s and licensed premises must operate robust age-verification policies, as set out in the mandatory licensing conditions and statutory guidance.

What information her Department holds on whether anyone that has been removed from the UK in 2026 has subsequently re-entered the country via small boat.

This specific information is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant date could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.Statistics on daily small boat arrivals to the UK are published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/migrants-detected-crossing-the-english-channel-in-small-boats and information and statistics on returns can be read at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-december-2025/how-many-people-are-returned-from-the-uk.These show a 21% increase in enforced returns and a 23% increase in asylum‑related returns in 2025 compared with the previous year. Individuals who subsequently attempt to re-enter the UK illegally will be subject to enforcement action in line with existing immigration laws and their case will be considered for expediated return.

What steps she is taking to ensure that organisations that hold licenses to use animals in science provide those animals with access to food and water; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the sanction given to people who fail to provide access to food and water.

All licensed establishments must fully uphold the required standards for animal welfare as set out in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) and the Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Animals Bred, Supplied or Used for Scientific Purposes. This includes clear duties on ensuring animals have access to food and water.The Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) audits establishments to assure compliance with these requirements and takes any potential non-compliance very seriously.Where incidents relating to access to food or water have occurred, ASRU has investigated them in line with its published Compliance Policy Framework, which sets out how potential non-compliance is identified, investigated, and addressed (www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-testing-and-research-compliance-with-aspa).All cases are thoroughly investigated and ASRU applies the most suitable remedy based on the severity of the incident. A broad range of sanctions are available, and outcomes are published in ASRU’s Annual Report to support learning and ensure transparency. Through consistent delivery of the compliance policy the Regulator aims to drive up standards of welfare.

Whether her department holds an estimate of the number of criminals in the UK that arrived in the country by irregular means.

The information you have requested regarding the number of foreign criminals in the UK who arrived by irregular means is not available from published statistics.However, foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and, where appropriate, we will pursue their deportation.The latest published information shows that in the year-ending October 2025, 5,430 foreign national offenders (FNOs) were returned, which is an increase of 12% compared to the number of FNO returns in the same period 12 months prior.

How many migrants that possess a criminal record (a) in the UK and (b) abroad were previously thought by her Department to not hold a criminal record since July 2024.

The information requested is not readily available, requiring manual scrutiny of systems and matching of individual records, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

What information her Department holds on the number of migrants that arrived in the UK by small boat that possess a criminal record either in the UK or abroad.

The Home Office conducts mandatory identity and security checks on all small boat arrivals.As part of this process, the Home Office collects biometric data—such as facial images and fingerprints—to verify identity. These biometrics are checked against Home Office systems and other law enforcement databases, including Interpol’s wanted list. This enables us to identify individuals, assess whether they pose a risk to public safety, and determine any breaches of immigration law. These checks are essential to maintaining a secure, fair, and effective immigration system.Under previous legislation anyone convicted of a serious crime with a conviction of 12 months or more and are considered a danger to the UK, will be denied asylum and will be considered for removal from the UK. This Government has gone further under the new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act to ensure anyone convicted of any offence under Schedule 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 will be excluded from the protection of the Refugee Convention.Those refused protection status who cannot be removed will be subject to regular review until they can be removed at the earliest opportunity.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing asylum expenditure data by constituency.

The department publishes asylum expenditure data at national or regional level, which is more robust and meaningful for policy and operational purposes.All available information on asylum expenditure is published in the Home Office Annual Report and accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK (opens in a new tab). Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, and by local authority can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (opens in a new tab).

If her department monitors the whereabouts of people in the UK who overstay their visa.

We expect people with no right to be here to leave the country voluntarily but, where they do not, Immigration Enforcement will seek to enforce their departure.The Home Office does not routinely categorise immigration offenders by the manner in which they became irregular. The Home Office monitors those individuals in the UK that are here on a temporary visa and, where we know or suspect that they have overstayed, they become liable for enforcement action.

Whether her Department holds information on the number of immigrants granted asylum or indefinite leave to remain that have a criminal record either in the UK or abroad.

The requested information is not in a reportable format and can only be collated at disproportionate cost.As explained in this note published in April 2025, systems for collecting and compiling data related to foreign national offenders in the immigration system are currently undergoing a transition to improve the quality of information held by the department. The Home Office proposes to publish more detailed statistical reporting on FNOs subject to deportation and those returned to countries outside of the UK once system developments are complete.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. These reviews allow us to balance the production of our regular statistics whilst developing new statistics for future release.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the use of MOD Garats Hay to house asylum seekers.

As part of our commitment to close all asylum hotels, we are working across government to consider a range of more appropriate sites including ex-military sites to reduce the impact on communities.The Prime Minister has instructed the Home Office and Ministry of Defence to accelerate work on identifying appropriate sites, with results expected in the coming weeks and months.

What assessment she has made of the impact of pandemic-related delays on asylum seekers’ eligibility for Indefinite Leave to Remain; and whether transitional provisions will be introduced to ensure that people affected by administrative delays between 2019 and 2022 are not disadvantaged under proposed changes to immigration legislation.

We have a proud history of providing protection to those who need it, for as long as it is needed, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention. Settlement applications are determined based on length of residence following a grant of permission to stay, rather than date of initial application. We will be holding a public consultation on the new settlement rules later this year.

What discussions her Department has had with police forces on ensuring consistent implementation of the Retail Crime Action Plan (a) across all police forces and (b) in Mid Leicestershire constituency.

The government is supporting a new strategy, Tackling Retail Crime Together, published by policing, retail sector representatives and industry as part of collective efforts to combat shop theft. The strategy builds on previous progress made by police and retailers via the Retail Crime Action Plan but provides a more comprehensive and intelligence-led approach to tackle all perpetrators of shop theft – not just organised criminal gangs. We are investing £2 million over the next three years in the National Business Crime Centre which provides a resource for both police and businesses to learn, share and support each other to prevent and combat crime.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure the consistent implementation of the Retail Crime Action Plan across police forces, in the context of recent trends in levels of violence and abuse against retail workers in Mid Leicestershire constituency.

The government is supporting a new strategy, Tackling Retail Crime Together, published by policing, retail sector representatives and industry as part of collective efforts to combat shop theft. The strategy builds on previous progress made by police and retailers via the Retail Crime Action Plan but provides a more comprehensive and intelligence-led approach to tackle all perpetrators of shop theft – not just organised criminal gangs. We are investing £2 million over the next three years in the National Business Crime Centre which provides a resource for both police and businesses to learn, share and support each other to prevent and combat crime.

With reference to her Department's guidance entitled Firearms licensing: statutory guidance for chief officers of police, updated on 5 August 2025, what assessment she has made with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care of the potential impact of the requirement to undertake a medical assessment every six months on the (a) financial cost and (b) bureaucratic burden to people when renewing a firearms license.

The Statutory Guidance does not require medical assessments for firearms certificate holders every six months. When applying for a certificate, or making a renewal every five years, an applicant is required to supply a medical report from their GP or another doctor. Subsequently, certificate holders must advise the police if they are diagnosed with, or treated for, a relevant medical condition.In addition, and as part of the medical arrangements for firearms licensing, GPs are asked to place a marker on the medical records of those who hold a firearms certificate. This marker prompts the GP to alert the police if the certificate holder is diagnosed with a relevant medical condition at any time during the validity the certificate.

What information she holds on the (a) ethnic background and (b) religious belief of civil servants in her Department in (i) 2022-23, (ii) 2023-24 and (iii) 2024-25.

Information on ethnic background and religious belief of Civil Servants in the Home Office is published in both the Departments annual workforce diversity statistics and Civil Service statistics based on the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (ASCES). The data for 24-25 will be published soon in Civil Service statistics and the Home Office annual diversity publication for 24-25 will be released in Q1 2026.Home Office workforce diversity statistics - GOV.UKCivil Service statistics - GOV.UK

Whether her Department is taking steps to prevent criminals in India from scamming UK citizens.

With over 70% of fraud estimated to have an overseas element, international collaboration is a vital part of the Government’s work to protect UK citizens from that threat.The UK is driving global action on tackling fraud, working with individual countries as well as multilateral bodies to develop an expanded programme of upstream international work to stop fraud before it reaches our shores.In October 2024, the first ever UN Resolution on Fraud was passed at the 12th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Transnational Organized Crime. This marked a significant advancement in the global fight against fraud and the UK played a leading role in supporting these efforts. The UK is also supporting the next Global Fraud Summit (after the first in London in 2024), at the UN in Vienna, to further raise fraud as a priority in Member States.We will build on this progress through the new Fraud Strategy, where a key priority will be expanding our international work to tackle fraud at source.

How many permanent civil servants in her Department had their contract of employment terminated as a result of poor performance in the (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25 financial years.

In 2024-25, 24 Home Office employees were dismissed for poor performance.Prior to April 2024 dismissals for poor performance were included for data collection purposes in a broader category of efficiency dismissals, so figures for poor performance dismissals are not available prior to that date.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of disapplying the Human Rights Act on the removal of foreign national offenders from British prisons.

The Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including the removal of foreign national offenders, further details of which will be set out in due course.

Which hotels are being used to house asylum seekers in Mid Leicestershire constituency; and how many asylum seekers there are in each hotel.

I refer the Hon Member to the Answer he received on the 14 January 2025 to UIN 22515.

What steps she is taking to deport people who have been living in the UK illegally for more than five years.

This government pledged to deliver the highest rate of removals since 2018 and this has been surpassed, with a surge in returns activity leading to over 24,000 people with no right to be in the UK being removed in the first nine months after the election.