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 141–160 of 2,391 · this parliament
What estimate her Department has made of the potential cost to the public purse of (a) maintaining, (b) reviewing and (c) administering the Alternative Student Finance model, including advisory services, system maintenance, compliance monitoring and equivalence assurance.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
What contingency plans her Department has to ensure repayments for standard student loans and the Alternative Student Finance model remain equivalent if repayment outcomes diverge.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Which men’s or fathers’ organisations Cafcass has consulted in the development of its domestic‑abuse guidance, safeguarding practice, and private‑law policy frameworks; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the balance of stakeholder representation in that engagement.
Over the last two years as Cafcass has been developing its domestic abuse policy and updating its guidance, it has worked with key partners, including fathers’ groups.In addition to this, Cafcass works with external organisations to support the development of its domestic abuse policy and the child impact and assessment framework. This includes engagement through the Domestic Abuse Practice Reference Group. This group, established in November 2023, includes specialist domestic abuse expertise and individuals with lived experience. The group is co‑chaired by the Family Justice Young People’s Board and the domestic abuse charity SafeLives. SafeLives is a charity focused on survivors of domestic abuse regardless of the gender of either the victim or the perpetrator.Cafcass works in partnership with SafeLives, including through seconded specialist advisers, to inform ongoing practice improvement. The Government has not undertaken an assessment of the adequacy of the balance of Cafcass’ stakeholder representation.Senior leaders engage regularly with the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and her team. As part of its commitment to learning from practice, Cafcass managers and leaders will meet with adults and children in proceedings if it is considered appropriate. This could include as part of complaints resolution, audit feedback and/or in response to an incident where the quality of practice is considered to have been less than good.Neither Cafcass nor the Ministry of Justice has entered into any contracts, awarded grants, or commissioned research projects in connection with the revision of domestic abuse practice frameworks since 2016.
What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of talking-therapy-based interventions for young people previously charged with violent offences involving (a) weapons and (b) bladed articles known to (i) mental health and (ii) youth justice services as presenting a risk of serious violence.
The Department recognises the importance of ensuring that effective, evidence-based support is available for young people with mental health needs who present a risk of serious violence.The Department has not made a separate or specific assessment of the effectiveness of talking therapies for the highly specific cohort described. However, there is strong evidence that talking-therapy-based interventions, including cognitive behavioural therapy, are effective in improving mental health outcomes for children and young people. In the first 12 months of the Government, nearly 40,000 more children and young people received mental health support compared to the previous 12 months. We are also rolling out Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges in England to reach full national coverage by 2029.Where someone has a mental disorder and there is a risk of harm to themselves or others, the triaging of their need will result in prioritised access to assessment and treatment. If a person with a mental disorder is seen as a significant risk of violence to others, this would increase the priority given. NHS England has shared new draft guidance with systems, the Mental Health Personalised Care Framework, which sets out how services must effectively assess, plan, and manage people's care in collaboration with all relevant teams, including how they assess safety and risks of harm.
If she will review the immigration status, including eligibility for indefinite leave to remain, of non‑UK nationals granted leave on asylum, refugee, humanitarian protection, discretionary leave, resettlement and other non‑standard and exceptional protection routes, who do not engage with statutory support, safeguarding and risk‑management interventions offered by public authorities.
The Government has set out significant reforms to the asylum system, which are designed to restore control, fairness and public confidence, while ensuring those in genuine need of protection receive that protection.The new core protection model carries clear expectations around integration, lawful behaviour and compliance. Protection status granted through the asylum system, including refugee status and humanitarian protection, will be limited to 30 months, subject to review and will be conditional as opposed to leading automatically to settlement. Decisions on any future grant of indefinite leave to remain under a protection route will take account of an individual’s conduct, compliance with the conditions of their leave, and engagement with the UK’s laws and institutions, in line with the Immigration Rules.The Home Office already has powers to review and, where appropriate, curtail leave where individuals breach conditions or fail to comply with requirements placed upon them. Protection status will be revoked where evidence emerges that it was obtained by deception; where protection is no longer needed such that they cease to qualify for refugee status or humanitarian protection; or where an individual commits a serious crime or represents a threat to our national security. These powers will continue to be used on a case‑by‑case basis, taking account of safeguarding responsibilities and the United Kingdom’s international obligations.The Government keeps the operation of the immigration system under continual review and will ensure that the new framework supports integration, protects the public, and maintains the integrity of the asylum system.
Whether her Department plans to publish annual data comparing repayment outcomes under the Alternative Student Finance model and the standard student loan system; and if she will make an estimate of the cost of producing such data.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
If she will consider bringing forward legislation jointly with the Secretary of State for Justice to help tackle cases in which parents or carers knowingly conceal from law-enforcement authorities a child’s procurement or possession of knives or other prohibited weapons.
There is no existing standalone legal duty to compel a parent, carer or any other bystander to report any criminality, including the procurement or possession of knives and weapons.Where parents are unable or unwilling to respond to potential safeguarding risk relating to knives, the strength of the system around the child (including schools, children’s services, police and youth justice) is vital in spotting concerns and linking children to support.The Government keeps legislation around knives under constant review. We are clear that knives should not be sold to those under 18 and measures in the Crime and Policing Bill (currently going through Parliament) are strengthening the legislation in this area by introducing a new two-step age verification process for online sale and delivery of knives. This will require buyers to provide a copy of their identification document, alongside a current photo, which will be verified at the point of sale and on delivery. It will be unlawful to deliver a parcel containing a knife to anyone except the verified buyer or to leave it on the doorstep or with a neighbour.We are also creating a new offence of possessing a knife with the intention to commit unlawful violence, a duty on sellers to report bulk sales, and giving the police a new power to seize knives when they believe they are likely to be used in connection with unlawful violence. Additionally, measures are being introduced to provide the police with the power to require social media, marketplaces, and search services to take down content about illegal knives and offensive weapons.In relation to bringing forward new legislation, the Chair of the Southport Inquiry recommended that the Law Commission review the merits of legal reform to introduce a legal duty on specified categories of person to report the criminality of another person. The Government will provide a full response to the recommendations from the Phase 1 report by the summer 2026.
Whether her Department plans to maintain ongoing engagement with Islamic finance advisory bodies to review the continued sharia compliance of the Alternative Student Finance model.
Details of the department's previous engagements may be accessed on GOV.UK’s ‘Contracts Finder’ tool, which is available at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.Details of any future commercial engagements, including contracts, will be published on GOV.UK in line with standard arrangements.
If she will (a) make an assessment of the adequacy of the statutory framework for agencies to investigate and respond where parents and carers actively hinder, obstruct and decline to engage with safeguarding and youth justice processes in cases involving credible ongoing risk and (b) bring forward legislative proposals to strengthen oversight and investigatory powers in such circumstances.
Where existing statutory frameworks underpin safeguarding processes, there is no requirement for parents or carers to co-operate. However, parental or carer consent is not required for agencies to share information relating to safeguarding and child protection. This is set out in Department for Education guidance on information sharing for safeguarding practitioners.Government is making this even clearer through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which includes a new Information Sharing Duty for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and will be accompanied by statutory guidance to support frontline practitioners to understand their responsibilities.Where a safeguarding concern has been identified relating to a child or young person, or there is suspected criminality relating to knife-related violence, multi-agency and law-enforcement partners can share information and conduct investigations without the consent of the relevant parent or guardian.In relation to Youth Justice processes, there are legal obligations that can be placed on parents and carers, to ensure that any risk relating to a minor can be appropriately managed. A court can issue a Parenting Order in a number of different circumstances, where children are engaged in criminal or antisocial behaviour. Parenting Orders require the parent or guardian to attend counselling or parenting support sessions and comply with other requirements the court considers necessary. Non-compliance can lead to breach proceedings in court and is punishable with a fine.Criminal orders that are placed on a child or young person themselves are applied by the court and generally (with few exceptions) parental or carer consent is not required.Where there are concerns that a child or young person is involved in criminality, and to protect public safety and prevent harm, the police will take forward their enquiries as appropriate, and parental or carer cooperation is not required to share information, conduct an investigation, place a minor under caution, or charge a minor with a criminal offence.The law already provides significant stop and search and wider enforcement powers, enabling police to disrupt immediate risk and remove weapons from the streets, including without the need for reasonable suspicion. Police can also arrest suspects, seize weapons, and evidence, and conduct searches of persons and premises where legal thresholds are met. These powers apply to children as well as adults. Where these powers are used on children, they are subject to additional statutory safeguards under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and its Codes of Practice to protect welfare and ensure proportionality.The Southport Inquiry Phase 1 report, published on 13 April, considers in detail the actions of the perpetrator’s parents and many of the issues raised here. The Chair has rightly raised the challenging question of how to minimise the risk that parents may choose not to co-operate or report concerns to safeguarding agencies such as social care or healthcare, or the police about their child having knives or other weapons, and has made two recommendations relevant to parents.In relation to future changes to strengthen oversight and powers, Government is considering these recommendations alongside the others in the report and will respond by summer 2026.
Food and Rural Affairs, what cost‑benefit assessments have been undertaken to support decisions on managed realignment for the Winterton‑on‑Sea to Scratby section of Shoreline Management Plan 6.
The Kelling Hard to Lowestoft Shoreline Management Plan (SMP6), covering Winterton-on-Sea to Scratby, was adopted by Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) in 2012. The plan was developed by a partnership led by North Norfolk District Council, with GYBC, Waveney District Council (now East Suffolk), the Environment Agency (EA) and Natural England. High-level economic appraisal informed policy development and is published within the plan and Appendix H. GYBC is the Risk Management Authority for the erodible coast between Winterton-on-Sea and Scratby, including Hemsby, and is best placed to carry out detailed assessments of coastal risk management options, costs and benefits using local knowledge and data. In 2018, GYBC published a high-level review of options for managing coastal erosion at Hemsby. The EA recognises the technical and economic challenges associated with providing coastal protection at Hemsby.
What estimate her Department has made of the future cost to the public purse of maintaining, reviewing, and administering the Alternative Student Finance model, including advisory services, system maintenance, compliance monitoring, and equivalence assurance.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
What contracts, memoranda of understanding, or advisory agreements her Department or the Student Loans Company have entered into with Islamic finance advisory organisations in relation to the Alternative Student Finance model; and what the total projected cost of those agreements is over the next five years.
Details of the department's previous engagements may be accessed on GOV.UK’s ‘Contracts Finder’ tool, which is available at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.Details of any future commercial engagements, including contracts, will be published on GOV.UK in line with standard arrangements.
What contingency plans her Department has in place should repayment outcomes under the Alternative Student Finance model diverge from those under the standard student loan system; and whether any such contingency measures would require additional public expenditure.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Whether his Department will publish details of any contracts, consultancy arrangements, training programmes, or formal partnerships between Women’s Aid and (a) Cafcass and (b) the family courts.
The Ministry of Justice will be investing £550 million in victim support services over the next three years – the biggest investment into victim support services to date. This includes funding for the 42 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) across England and Wales to commission local practical, emotional and therapeutic support services for victims of all crime types. This includes:‘Core’ funding, which is for PCCs to allocate at their discretion, based on their assessment of local need.Funding that is ringfenced for sexual violence and domestic abuse services.PCCs are best placed to understand their local communities and providers, and to commission appropriate support to meet the need of victims in their area. Many PCCs across England and Wales provide funding to local Women’s Aid centres to deliver vital victim support services within their area.We do not routinely publish the full Ministry of Jusice budget or details of grant agreements or contracts for victim and witness support services. The budgets for individual PCC areas are published on each area’s website. A breakdown of grant funding for the previous financial year is published on an annual basis on the Government Grants Information System.Turning specifically to the Family Courts, since 13 January 2025, a process has operated that allows court staff to ensure the safe service of court documents to those who are residing at a refuge. This service ensures that courts can protect the individual’s safety (and that of everyone living in the refuge) while also supporting the right to a fair trial for all parties. Practice Direction 6D makes provision for this service.The Ministry of Justice awarded a grant to Women's Aid Federation of England and Welsh Women's Aid to develop and deliver this service. Details of this will be published as part of the Government Grants publication which can be found here: Government grants data and statistics - GOV.UK. Routine funding is now provided to both organisations to continue its operation.Cafcass does not hold any contracts, service agreements, training arrangements or other formal partnership arrangements with Women’s Aid.
What proportion of recorded sexual offences and violent offences against women in the Great Yarmouth local authority area in each of the last five years involved suspects who were foreign nationals, broken down by offence type and immigration status at the time of arrest.
The Home Office collects and publishes recorded crime statistics from police forces in England and Wales including on sexual offences and violence against the person offences, broken down by year, and Community Safety Partnership (CSP) area, including for Great Yarmouth. These are routinely published as official statistics and can be accessed here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/police-recorded-crime-and-outcomes-open-data-tablesThe police recorded crime series does not include data on the nationality and immigration status of suspects.
How many enforcement operations or compliance visits targeting foreign national offenders at risk of reoffending were carried out in the Great Yarmouth area in each of the last five years, and what outcomes resulted from those operations.
We do not hold information related to enforcement operations and/ or compliance visits targeting foreign national offenders at risk of reoffending in Great Yarmouth.The Home Office takes reports of immigration offences very seriously and encourages reporting via the public allegations form available at: https://www.imsallegations.homeoffice.gov.uk/start.Any suggestion of sexual offences should be reported to the police immediately.Immigration Enforcement operations can only be mounted where relevant, current information and / or intelligence suggests that individuals in breach of immigration law may be found at a particular location.We work closely with Policing partners to use immigration powers to disrupt criminal activity including those who commit serious crimes including sexual offences.Where Foreign National Offenders are required to report to police (as part of their strict immigration bail conditions) are identified as being removable from the United Kingdom we will take steps to detain and enforce their removal.To intensify these efforts we have redeployed staff and expanded our detention estate to bolster our capacity for swift, firm and fair returns.The latest published statistics for the removal of Foreign National Offenders and overall enforcement visits can be found below:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-releasehttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/returns-from-the-uk-and-illegal-working-activity-since-july-2024/illegal-working-and-enforcement-activity-to-the-end-of-september-2025
Whether her Department intends to maintain ongoing engagement with Islamic finance advisory bodies to review the continued Sharia compliance of the Alternative Student Finance model; what form that engagement will take; and whether the cost of such engagement will be met from the public purse.
Details of the department's previous engagements may be accessed on GOV.UK’s ‘Contracts Finder’ tool, which is available at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.Details of any future commercial engagements, including contracts, will be published on GOV.UK in line with standard arrangements.
What the reoffending rate is for foreign national offenders convicted of sexual or violent offences against women in Great Yarmouth, compared with UK nationals convicted of comparable offences.
The Ministry of Justice does not hold data which would enable us to identify sexual or violent offences committed against women in Great Yarmouth.Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced. We refer all foreign national offenders (FNOs) in receipt of custodial sentences to the Home Office where they are considered for removal under the Early Removal Scheme (ERS). The ERS enables the removal of FNOs at an earlier point in their sentence than would otherwise be possible. It is the most effective mechanism for removing eligible FNOs as quickly as possible, freeing up prison spaces and saving taxpayer money.
How many deportations of foreign national offenders convicted of offences against women in Great Yarmouth in the last five years were delayed or prevented due to legal barriers, including outstanding appeals, asylum claims, human rights challenges, or lack of documentation.
We are fully committed to making our communities safer by returning those who break our laws. In the period between this government coming to power and January 2026, over 8,700 foreign national offenders (FNOs) have been returned from the UK. This is a 32% increase on the FNO returns recorded in the previous nineteen-month period ending June 2024, and we will continue to do everything we can to remove these vile criminals from our streets.The information that you have requested regarding FNOs in Great Yarmouth is not available from published statistics.Work is currently underway to publish more detailed information on FNOs subject to deportation. Further information on this work can be found at: Statistics on foreign national offenders and the immigration system - GOV.UK.
What the average length of time was between conviction and removal from the UK for foreign national offenders convicted of sexual or violent offences against women in Great Yarmouth in each of the last five years.
We are fully committed to making our communities safer by returning those who break our laws. In the period between this government coming to power and January 2026, over 8,700 foreign national offenders (FNOs) have been returned from the UK. This is a 32% increase on the FNO returns recorded in the previous nineteen-month period ending June 2024, and we will continue to do everything we can to remove these vile criminals from our streets.The information that you have requested regarding FNOs in Great Yarmouth is not available from published statistics.Work is currently underway to publish more detailed information on FNOs subject to deportation. Further information on this work can be found at: Statistics on foreign national offenders and the immigration system - GOV.UK.