Every parliamentary written question tabled by Peter Bedford this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 60 · Home Office
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of abolishing non-departmental public bodies on (a) her Department's costs and (b) democratic accountability.
We keep all bodies sponsored and funded by the Home Office under review, to ensure they are delivering public outcomes efficiently and effectively.
Whether they have made an estimate of the potential impact of abolishing diversity, equity and inclusion roles in their Department on annual staffing costs.
No such estimate has been made, but I would refer the Hon Member to the Cabinet Office guidance on the Civil Service Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Expenditure, published under the previous government in May 2024, which states:Internal Efficiency Measures18. Internal measures are important to promote efficient and effective EDI practice, which aligns to Government priorities. To ensure EDI spend in the Civil Service is commensurate with agreed organisational priorities the following measures must be considered:c. Incorporate standalone EDI staffing roles into broader HR: The responsibility for EDI delivery should be embedded into HR professionals’ broader accountabilities. The CS D&I Strategy frames an approach where diversity and inclusion is not an end in itself, but an integral means of delivering better outcomes for our citizens. To deliver this, and move away from tokenistic, albeit well-intentioned actions, to produce truly transformative delivery our HR professionals are required to take ownership of EDI and focus the approach against the key areas of an employee lifecycle that make the biggest impact for all our people: recruitment, talent management, learning & development, leadership, culture and tackling bullying harassment and discrimination when it occurs.
Whether her Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.
No, Home Office has not used AI software to respond to written parliamentary questions..
What estimate his Department has made of the number of irregular migrants that will enter the UK via the English Channel in each of the next five years following the passing of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.
An impact assessment of the Bill is published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/border-security-asylum-and-immigration-bill-2025-impact-assessment. This includes analysis of how the new powers in the Bill could achieve the intended impacts, including by leading to more effective interventions in disrupting and prosecuting those who seek to facilitate irregular migration to the UK. The Home Office will continue to monitor and evaluate measures within the Bill once they have been implemented, subject to Parliament’s approval.
If she will make an estimate of the number of illegal migrants arrested by the Border Force in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Leicestershire and (c) Mid Leicestershire constituency in the last 12 months.
The requested information is not available in our published data, but our published national data on enforcement is available at the following link and includes data on detected irregular arrivals to the UK: Immigration system statistics, year ending September 2024 - GOV.UK
What information her Department holds on the number of people entering the country via routes other than small boat crossings in the last 12 months.
The information you have requested is published in the Immigration system statistics quarterly release.Data on detected irregular arrivals by method of entry is published in table Irr_01 of the Irregular migration summary tables. Data on passenger arrivals to the UK is published in table Arr_01 of the Passenger arrivals dataset. Data on Safe and Legal routes are published in table Asy_11 of the Asylum and resettlement summary tables. Data on entry clearance visas is published in table Vis_D02 of the detailed entry clearance dataset. A visa issued does not necessarily mean the person has entered the country.The latest data goes up to the end of September 2024. Data up to the end of December 2024 is due to be published on 27 February 2025. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ pages of the workbooks.
What information her Department holds on the number of mobile phones confiscated from people crossing the English Channel illegally since 5 July 2024.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.From 5 July 2024 to 11 February 2025 Home Office Immigration Enforcement have arrested 58 individuals identified as small boat pilots using offences set out in the Immigration Act 1971, as amended by the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. The numbers arrested are set out in the table below:DateNumber of individuals arrested having been identified as small boat pilots1 January 2020 to 31 December 20201061 January 2021 to 31 December 2021541 January 2022 to 31 December 20221171 January 2023 to 31 December 2023941 January 2024 to 31 December 2024101
What information her Department holds on the number of small boat pilots arrested since 5 July 2024.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.From 5 July 2024 to 11 February 2025 Home Office Immigration Enforcement have arrested 58 individuals identified as small boat pilots using offences set out in the Immigration Act 1971, as amended by the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. The numbers arrested are set out in the table below:DateNumber of individuals arrested having been identified as small boat pilots1 January 2020 to 31 December 20201061 January 2021 to 31 December 2021541 January 2022 to 31 December 20221171 January 2023 to 31 December 2023941 January 2024 to 31 December 2024101
How many small boat pilots have been arrested in each of the last five years.
The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.From 5 July 2024 to 11 February 2025 Home Office Immigration Enforcement have arrested 58 individuals identified as small boat pilots using offences set out in the Immigration Act 1971, as amended by the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. The numbers arrested are set out in the table below:DateNumber of individuals arrested having been identified as small boat pilots1 January 2020 to 31 December 20201061 January 2021 to 31 December 2021541 January 2022 to 31 December 20221171 January 2023 to 31 December 2023941 January 2024 to 31 December 2024101
How many non-hate crime incidents have been recorded in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Leicestershire and (c) Mid Leicestershire constituency since 5 July 2004.
The Home Office does not currently centrally collate information on the number of non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs) recorded by individual police forces – this data is held by individual forces.The Home Secretary has been clear that a consistent and common-sense approach must be taken with NCHIs. The Government has also been clear that its top priority for policing is delivering on the safer streets mission to rebuild neighbourhood policing, restore public confidence, and make progress on the ambition to halve knife crime and violence against women and girls.The Home Office has agreed that the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), supported by the College of Policing, will conduct a review on the use and effectiveness of NCHIs, which is currently underway.The Government welcomes this review and will work closely with the NPCC and the College as they develop their findings and any proposals on this issue.
How many legal migrants have come to the UK since 5 July 2024; and from which countries.
The Home Office publishes statistics on people coming to the UK on different routes, in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. The ‘How many people come to the UK each year?’ chapter gives an overview.The Office for National Statistics publish information on International migration, including the number of long-term migrants coming to the UK.Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.
How many illegal migrants have been deported since 5 July 2024.
We pledged to deliver the highest rate of removals since 2018 and this has been surpassed, with a surge in returns activity since the election leading to nearly 19,000 people with no right to be in the UK being removed. Of the total returns since 5 July 2024, 2,925 have been of foreign national offenders (FNOs), an increase of 21% compared to the same period 12 months prior.
With reference to her Department's report entitled Animals in Science Regulation Unit: Annual report 2023, published on 17 December 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the level of cases of failing to provide adequate (a) food and (b) water to animals.
The Home Office takes non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 very seriously. The Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) has published its compliance framework (www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-testing-and-research-compliance-with-aspa) which explains how it identifies and investigates potential incidents of non-compliance and decides on appropriate and proportionate measures and remedies where non-compliance has been found to occur. The Regulator’s published compliance policy aims to reduce the risk of future non-compliance.All cases of non-compliance are thoroughly investigated, and the outcomes are published in ASRU’s annual report.Data regarding types of non-compliance is used to inform the risk-based audit programme, as well as targeting educational communications to establishments, to promote compliance. The Regulator has provided recommendations to licensed establishments at p30 of the report (www.gov.uk/government/publications/animals-in-science-regulation-unit-annual-report-2023).For cases of non-compliance where animals experienced adverse welfare outcomes cases there was a 48% reduction in 2023 compared to 2022
How many migrants residing in Mid Leicestershire constituency have committed crimes in each of the last five years.
The specific data requested is not available from published statistics and could only be obtained for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost. However, nobody should be in any doubt regarding this Government's determination to crack down on crime, including that committed by foreign nationals, and where appropriate - to pursue the deportation of those foreign nationals.
With reference to the Animals in Science Regulation Unit annual report 2023, published on 17 December 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's polices of case in which seven birds were caught in bags, accidentally not released and found dead four days later; and what steps she plans to take to help prevent such instances in future.
The Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) has published its compliance framework (www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-testing-and-research-compliance-with-aspa) which explains how it identifies and investigates potential incidents of non-compliance and decides on appropriate and proportionate measures and remedies where non-compliance has been found to occur. The Regulator’s published compliance policy aims to reduce the risk of future non-compliance.For this particular case, two letters of reprimand were issued to the establishment.All cases of non-compliance are thoroughly investigated, and the outcomes are published in ASRU’s annual report. No further assessment has been made.
What steps her Department is taking to inform local communities before migrants are housed in hotel accommodation in that area.
The Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and subsistence support whilst their application for asylum is being considered.The Home Office liaises with statutory partners, including local authorities, through Multi Agency Forums and Regional Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMP) on matters relating to its asylum accommodation footprint. SMPs are Local Government led partnerships funded by, but independent of, the Home Office, whose role is to coordinate and support delivery of national programmes in asylum and refugee schemes as well as agreed regional and devolved migration priorities.
How many and which hotels are being used to house asylum seekers in Mid Leicestershire constituency; and how many asylum seekers there are in each hotel.
For the safety and security of residents and staff at its accommodation sites, the Home Office does not publish details of sites in use.However, 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.
How many employee settlement agreements there were in her Department in each year since 2020; and what the total value of such agreements is.
This information can only be obtained for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
How many Albanian nationals have been deported in 2024; and whether any individuals deported in 2024 have since re-entered the UK.
Available statistics on the returns of foreign national offenders (FNOs) and their nationality are published on a quarterly basis in the Returns Detailed Datasets, which are available at: Immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK (www.gov.u...
How many asylum applicants are resident in hotels in Mid Leicestershire constituency.
Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation is published by the Government in table ASY D_11 here: Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).