Every parliamentary written question tabled by Rupert Lowe this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1,361–1,380 of 2,390 · this parliament
If he will make an estimate of the proportion of halal food served in prisons.
Information on the quantity and proportion of halal food served in prisons is not collected centrally. To obtain the requested information, it would therefore be necessary to consult each of the 122 prisons in England and Wales individually, and this could not be done without incurring disproportionate cost.
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an immigration red list of countries posing high (a) immigration, (b) security and (c) compliance risks.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.
What exemptions from security measures on religious grounds exist in prisons.
No prisoners are exempt from searches by sniffer dogs.During a cell search, care must be taken when handling religious artefacts, and search dogs must not come into contact with religious artefacts or holy books. Prisoners must be asked to point these out before the search, so that staff can search them by hand before the dog enters the cell.Any request by a prisoner in the men’s estate for exemption from being searched by a female member of staff, on religious or philosophical grounds, must be made formally and considered as quickly as possible. The prisoner should not be searched by female staff in the intervening period.
What exemptions exist in prisons for Muslims not to be searched by sniffer dogs on religious grounds.
No prisoners are exempt from searches by sniffer dogs.During a cell search, care must be taken when handling religious artefacts, and search dogs must not come into contact with religious artefacts or holy books. Prisoners must be asked to point these out before the search, so that staff can search them by hand before the dog enters the cell.Any request by a prisoner in the men’s estate for exemption from being searched by a female member of staff, on religious or philosophical grounds, must be made formally and considered as quickly as possible. The prisoner should not be searched by female staff in the intervening period.
If she will hold discussions with the Lord Chancellor on the potential merits of limiting the availability of public funds for people who have challenged immigration enforcement through the courts more than once.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders.
If he will make an estimate of the proportion of halal food served in hospitals.
Data on the amount of halal food served in the National Health Service is not collected centrally. No estimate has been made of the proportion of halal food served in hospitals.
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of using remittance sanctions to increase deportation compliance by foreign governments.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing a list of countries whose citizens exhibit high levels of UK visa (a) overstays, (b) fraud and (c) other abuses of process.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.
Whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on building (a) dedicated runways and (b) transit facilities for mass deportation operations.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders.
If she will take legislative steps to fast-track the removal of people who have been denied the right to stay in the UK and make vexatious appeals from the tribunal.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.
If she will make an estimate of the cost of (a) hiring and (b) training staff to support large-scale deportation operations.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders.
Whether she has considered the use of chartered sea vessels to support mass deportation of illegal migrants.
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders.
What assessment he has made of the Royal Navy’s capacity to intercept small boats in the Channel carrying people seeking unlawful entry to the UK.
The Home Office is the lead gGvernment department responsible for border security and migration. It has established the Border Security Command to strengthen global partnerships and enhance the UK’s efforts to investigate, arrest, and prosecute people smugglers profiting from the dangerous movement of people across the channel. Defence assets are procured for Defence tasks.
If she will make an estimate of the proportion of halal food served in schools.
The department does not collect information on the proportion of halal food served in schools.The government sets out required minimum standards for school food in the School Food Standards. The standards do not specify food requirements in terms of cultural and religious needs. Headteachers, governors and their caterers are best placed to make decisions about their school food policies, taking into account cultural, religious and special dietary needs and by working with parents.
If he will take steps to review the adequacy of each Department's policies in relation to gender, in the context of the Supreme Court's ruling on For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.
The Supreme Court’s ruling has brought clarity and confidence for women and single-sex services providers. The Government will work closely with the EHRC as they develop definitive guidance. All government departments should follow the clarity the ruling provides.
Pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 40687 on Schools: Meat, if she will take steps to ensure that parents are informed of whether meat served in school meals is halal.
The government respects religious freedoms and expects schools to provide parents with all the information they need to make informed choices around school meals. Headteachers, governors and their caterers are best placed to make decisions about their school food policies, taking into account cultural, religious and special dietary needs. The department would expect any significant changes to school food to be discussed with parents.
Whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within their Department’s remit following the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling. It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should have access to services they need but in keeping with the ruling.The Equality & Human Rights Commission, as Britain’s Equalities watchdog, is developing updated guidance to support service providers. Ministers will consider the EHRC’s updated draft once they have submitted it following further work in light of this ruling.The Government is considering the implications of the Court’s judgment, including what this means for Government buildings.
Media and Sport, whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within their Department’s remit following the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling.It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should have access to services they need but in keeping with the ruling.The Equality & Human Rights Commission, as Britain’s Equalities watchdog, is developing updated guidance to support service providers. Ministers will consider the EHRC’s updated draft once they have submitted it following further work in light of this ruling.The Government is considering the implications of the Court’s judgment, including what this means for Government buildings.
Whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within their Department’s remit following the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling. It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should have access to services they need but in keeping with the ruling. The Equality & Human Rights Commission, as Britain’s Equalities watchdog, is developing updated guidance to support service providers. Ministers will consider the EHRC’s updated draft once they have submitted it following further work in light of this ruling. The Government is considering the implications of the Court’s judgment, including what this means for Government buildings.
Whether their Department plans to amend its policies on access to (a) toilets, (b) changing facilities and (c) other single-sex spaces in (i) Departmental buildings and (ii) other buildings within their Department’s remit following the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers should note and follow the ruling.It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should have access to services they need but in keeping with the ruling.The Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC), as Britain’s Equalities watchdog, is developing updated guidance to support service providers. Ministers will consider the EHRC’s updated draft once they have submitted it following further work in light of this ruling.The Government is considering the implications of the Court’s judgment, including what this means for Government buildings.