Written questions by Lowe.

How many British citizenships were removed; what other citizenships were held by people impacted; and what the reason was for removal in each of the last five years.

Detail on the numbers of conducive deprivation orders made under Section 40(2) of the 1981 British Nationality Act, are published in the Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Eight reports have been published to date providing the number of deprivations of citizenship orders made up until the end of 2023 and can be found at the below links:2015 - HM government transparency report 2015: disruptive and investigatory powers2017 - Disruptive and investigatory powers: HM government transparency report - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)2018 - Disruptive and investigatory powers: transparency report 2018 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)2018/19 - Transparency report: disruptive powers 2018 to 2019 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)2020 - Disruptive powers 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)2021 - Counter-terrorism disruptive powers report 2021 - GOV.UK2022 - Counter-terrorism disruptive powers report 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)2023 - Counter-terrorism disruptive powers report 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)More recent data will be published in future publications in relation to deprivation of British citizenship 40(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981.The published data as referenced above does not include information on other citizenships held by those impacted or on the specific reasons for deprivation. To obtain that information would involve a manual interrogation of case files at a disproportionate cost.

With reference to her oral statement on Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of 16 January 2024, Official Report, column 560, how the £10 million will be spent.

The information previously requested by the Rt Hon Member is not held by the Department. The Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce currently holds the best data available on police-recorded child sexual abuse and exploitation crimes, including group-based offending. And the Government has committed to improving our understanding of this offending, including on the data collected and published.The £10million funding announced by the Home Secretary in her 16 January statement to Parliament will contribute to taking forward our strengthened response to child sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as driving change at a local level. We are providing stronger national support for local inquiries, by providing £5million of funding to help local councils set up their own reviews. Funding will be made available to support Oldham and four other areas to pilot new approaches and conduct their own reviews. £2.5m will enable the increase of investigations, including through the Child Sexual Abuse Police Taskforce, and £2.5m will contribute to the implementation of the Home Secretary's other announcements, including the new Victims and Survivor Panel, and the Baroness Casey audit.We will continue to work at pace to prioritise protecting more children, finding more criminals, and getting justice for more victims and survivors.

If she will make an assessment of the potential lessons that could be learned for (a) her Department and (b) other Departments from the policies of the Javier Milei administration in Argentina in the context of trends in the level of (a) economic growth and (b) inflation in that country; and if she will hold discussions with her Argentinian counterpart on economic policy.

The UK Government continually monitors international economic developments and is aware of the domestic reforms that the administration of Javier Milei is undertaking to reduce inflation and restore economic growth. The UK regularly engages with Argentina on international economic issues, both bilaterally and through various multilateral fora including the G20. In the last six months, the Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for Business and Trade have met their Argentine counterparts to discuss how to further deepen the trading and investment relationship. UK-Argentina trade was worth £2bn in the four quarters to the end of Q2 2024. The UK will continue to work with the Milei administration to further strengthen our economic relationship in areas of mutual interest.

What discussions she has had with stakeholders on the potential impact of changes to Business Property Relief.

The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms. The Government takes into account all representations, and HM Treasury officials and Ministers meet with stakeholders on a regular basis.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will list all meetings (a) Ministers and (b) senior officials in his Department have had on the transfer of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

Negotiations with Mauritius on sovereignty of BIOT / the Chagos Archipelago began in November 2022. Since then, there have been 13 rounds of negotiations, including two rounds under the current UK Government. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary met the then Mauritian Prime Minister in London on 23 July, and negotiating rounds led to political agreement between the Prime Minister and then Mauritian Prime Minister on 3 October. The then Prime Minister's Special Envoy for BIOT negotiations, Jonathan Powell, and PM Ramgoolam met on 25 November. I and the Attorney General met with the Mauritian Attorney General on 16 January. This engagement has been supplemented by numerous official level meetings, and joint statements from the UK and Mauritian governments were issued on 20 December and 13 January.

What the is value is of (a) Bitcoin and (b) other cryptocurrency held by the Government.

The Government does not hold any cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin.The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) contains powers to deprive criminals of their money, or other property connected to criminal activity, and recover the proceeds of crime, including cryptocurrencies. As with all assets, action to seize, recover and manage cryptoassets is for independent law enforcement bodies and the courts to consider.We do not routinely publish the amount recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 by asset type. We publish annual statistics on the amount of proceeds of crime confiscated and recovered as detailed on GOV.UK Asset recovery statistics: financial years ending 2019 to 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

What proportion of asylum casework interviews are conducted remotely.

Most asylum interviews are now conducted remotely using video conference facilities outside of Home Office locations.This has enabled the Home Office to increase the availability of interview locations, interpreters and decision makers, and often reduce travel requirements for claimants, enabling the department to progress cases in a more efficient and cost-effective way.Further information regarding the conduct of asylum interviews is available on gov.uk at: Conducting asylum interviews: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK.

What role NHS Trusts have in (a) identifying and (b) reporting suspected incidences of child grooming by organised gangs.

Every National Health Service trust has a contractual obligation to adhere to the NHS Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance Framework 2024, which includes the protection of children from abuse, harm, or violence.In addition, every registered health professional working across the NHS has a professional duty of care to protect children from abuse, harm, or violence.The data on reported grooming by gangs is not captured by NHS England but would be held confidentially between each NHS trust and the local police.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking an analysis of the fiscal contribution of migrants by their country of origin.

The OBR produces economic and fiscal forecasts. Box 4.5 of the OBR’s published Economic and Fiscal Outlook in March 2024 sets out estimated impacts of migration on the fiscal forecast. This looks at the fiscal impact of migration scenarios and is a function of four components: specific fees and charges, general taxes, welfare benefits and public services spending.OBR analysis does not break down fiscal implications of migration by nationality.

How data on suspected victims of grooming gangs in schools is (a) collected and (b) shared with (i) law enforcement and (ii) child protection services.

The department can confirm that the statutory safeguarding guidance, ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE), provides clear and robust guidance on how schools and colleges must report all safeguarding concerns.It covers issues such as grooming, sexual abuse, and child sexual exploitation, ensuring that schools and colleges have the tools and guidance needed to manage safeguarding effectively.KCSIE makes clear that all concerns, discussions, decisions made, and the reasons for those decisions must be documented in writing.Where staff have concerns about a child, they must follow their school or college’s child protection policy and report concerns to the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) without delay. Ordinarily, it is the DSL who is then responsible for referring these concerns to the relevant local authority children’s social care team and, where appropriate, the police. When such referrals are made into children's social care, and the police, data will be captured and recorded by those agencies.KCSIE is designed to ensure that all concerns are dealt with swiftly, effectively, and in line with local safeguarding protocols. Schools and colleges must also engage with their local safeguarding partners to ensure these processes are consistently implemented.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a study of the impact of rape gang grooming on the long-term (a) physical and (b) mental health of victims.

We know that children who experience violence or abuse can suffer from a range of physical and mental health issues over the course of their lifetime, and some may go on to become perpetrators themselves.The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It funds a range of research related to the health and social care needs of survivors of sexual violence and abuse. It also funds the infrastructure of the James Lind Alliance. The alliance works with survivors of sexual abuse as well as health and social care professionals to identify urgent research priorities in the area. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of health and care, including the impact of grooming and sexual exploitation.

What protocols are in place for schools to report suspected grooming gang activities involving students.

The department can confirm that the statutory safeguarding guidance, ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE), provides clear and robust guidance on how schools and colleges must report all safeguarding concerns.It covers issues such as grooming, sexual abuse, and child sexual exploitation, ensuring that schools and colleges have the tools and guidance needed to manage safeguarding effectively.KCSIE makes clear that all concerns, discussions, decisions made, and the reasons for those decisions must be documented in writing.Where staff have concerns about a child, they must follow their school or college’s child protection policy and report concerns to the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) without delay. Ordinarily, it is the DSL who is then responsible for referring these concerns to the relevant local authority children’s social care team and, where appropriate, the police. When such referrals are made into children's social care, and the police, data will be captured and recorded by those agencies.KCSIE is designed to ensure that all concerns are dealt with swiftly, effectively, and in line with local safeguarding protocols. Schools and colleges must also engage with their local safeguarding partners to ensure these processes are consistently implemented.

What data her Department collects on child grooming activities online.

The Home Office has access to a variety of data sources on child sexual abuse, which covers grooming both offline and online.ONS publishes information on the number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in England and Wales, on a quarterly basis, which can be accessed here: Crime in England and Wales: Appendix tables - Office for National Statistics.Police recorded crime covers a range of offences that are classed as child sexual abuse and exploitation. Child grooming offences could be recorded against several offence codes such as grooming; abuse of children through sexual exploitation; and obscene publications offences which include indecent images of children offences.

Whether his Department has allocated funding for victims of grooming gangs.

NHS England and the police and crime commissioners jointly commission 48 sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) for victims of sexual assault and abuse. SARCs provide crisis care, medical and forensic examinations, emergency contraception, and testing for sexually transmitted infections. They can also arrange access to an independent sexual assault advisor, as well as referrals to mental health support services.NHS England has established local pathfinder projects for enhanced trauma-informed mental health support for sexual abuse victims and survivors with the most complex needs. There is now dedicated enhanced mental health support in five of the seven commissioning regions. The final two regions are considering delivery model options.

If her Department will make an estimate of the number of Sharia Courts there are in the UK.

I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on 18 December to Question 18879: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-12-10/18879.Sharia Councils are not part of the judicial system.

What the (a) nationality, (b) ethnicity, (c) gender and (d) age is of the victims of Pakistani heritage grooming gangs.

The Government continues to invest in a range of work to strengthen law enforcement capacity and capability to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, including group-based offending. We support the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce, which has a continuous professional development offer for police forces, aiming to upskill forces and improve the investigative response to child sexual exploitation, including group-based offending. We also invest in the Prevention Programme, delivered by The Children’s Society, which works to raise awareness of child exploitation, including child sexual exploitation, through upskilling safeguarding staff at all levels and improving local system responses to child exploitation. This includes working closely with local policing partners.The Government also remains committed to continuing close collaboration with international partners to establish common global standards, share best practice and insights, and build international capacity to combat these horrific crimes.To preserve the independence of the judiciary, the Lord Chief Justice (LCJ), the Senior President of Tribunals, and the Chief Coroner have statutory responsibility for judicial training, under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, and Coroners and Justice Act 2009 respectively. These responsibilities are exercised through the Judicial College.Further to my previous response, the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce has brought together the best police data that is currently available on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, in its publication of November 2024.I refer the Rt Hon Member to The Home Secretary’s statement on 16 January, which set out the actions the Government is taking forward to improve our response to and understand of child sexual exploitation and abuse that is committed by Pakistani heritage grooming gangs. This includes improving the data available on the perpetration of these crimes, as part of which the Home Secretary has asked the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce to expand the ethnicity data it collects and publishes – in particular by gathering data from the end of the investigation when a fuller picture is available.The Home Secretary is also appointing Baroness Louise Casey to lead a rapid three-month audit to improve our understanding of the scale, nature and drivers of group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse at a national and local level, including what is known about the demographics of perpetrators and victims, and to make recommendations on what additional action is needed to improve our response.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an awareness programme to protect primary and secondary school children from rape gang abuse.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. The department has an established robust safeguarding framework in place in the form of ‘Keeping children safe in education’, which is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to. Part 1 of this guidance, which should be read by all staff who work directly with children, not only sets out the different types of abuse and harm but also makes clear that all staff should receive safeguarding training, know how to recognise abuse and know what to do if they have any concerns about a child. The department keeps the guidance under regular review to see where it needs strengthening and to ensure it is reflective of emerging risks and issues in safeguarding. Pupils are taught about rape, exploitation and abuse as part of compulsory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). The RSHE statutory guidance is also clear that schools should provide pupils with the knowledge they need to recognise and report abuse, including emotional, physical and sexual abuse. The department is currently reviewing the statutory RSHE curriculum to ensure it covers all relevant content relating to sexual violence.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the operation of Sharia courts on the legal system.

I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on 18 December to Question 18879: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-12-10/18879.Sharia Councils are not part of the judicial system.

If she will make it her policy to close all Sharia courts in the UK.

I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on 18 December to Question 18879: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-12-10/18879.Sharia Councils are not part of the judicial system.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation to require more (a) frequent and (b) detailed checks on the immigration status of licenced taxi drivers.

The Government sets the regulatory structure within which local licensing authorities license the private hire vehicle (PHV) and taxi sector. The primary function of licensing authorities is to ensure that the sector is safe, including defining the criteria that must be met when deciding whether a person is 'fit and proper' to hold a licence.The Immigration Act 2016 introduced a legal responsibility on licensing authorities not to issue licences in the PHV and taxi sector to those individuals who are disqualified from holding a licence due to their immigration status. Therefore, all licensing authorities in the UK are required to carry out right to work checks during the licence application process to ensure applicants are not disqualified from holding a licence due to their immigration status. The check must be performed when the applicant applies for a licence, or applies to renew or extend their licence, whether for the full statutory term or for a lesser period.