Written questions by Lowe.

Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure that the Norfolk County Council elections take place on 1 May 2025.

As set out in my letter of 16 December to all councils in two-tier areas and neighbouring small unitaries, I will consider requests to postpone local elections where it is clear that postponement will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe. I am currently considering such a request from Norfolk County Council for their election scheduled in May 2025 to be postponed for one year. I will announce my decision on this request in due course, recognising the need to give confirmation as soon as practically possible.My letter and a list of local authorities who have made requests that involve postponing their election from 2025 to 2026 can be found here.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on returning people from that country convicted for involvement in grooming gangs.

The UK has regular constructive discussions with Pakistani authorities on a range of topics of vital mutual interest, including criminal justice. Despite the complex challenges when seeking to return foreign national offenders, this government is fully committed to making our communities safer by deporting those who break our laws. I raised these issues with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi during my visit to Pakistan in November.

Communities and Local Government, what impact the Devolution Priority Programme will have on elections to Norfolk County Council.

As set out in my letter of 16 December to all councils in two-tier areas and neighbouring small unitaries, I will consider requests to postpone local elections where it is clear that postponement will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe. I am currently considering such a request from Norfolk County Council for their election scheduled in May 2025 to be postponed for one year. I will announce my decision on this request in due course, recognising the need to give confirmation as soon as practically possible.My letter and a list of local authorities who have made requests that involve postponing their election from 2025 to 2026 can be found here.

Communities and Local Government, when a final decision on elections to Norfolk County Council will be made.

As set out in my letter of 16 December to all councils in two-tier areas and neighbouring small unitaries, I will consider requests to postpone local elections where it is clear that postponement will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe. I am currently considering such a request from Norfolk County Council for their election scheduled in May 2025 to be postponed for one year. I will announce my decision on this request in due course, recognising the need to give confirmation as soon as practically possible.My letter and a list of local authorities who have made requests that involve postponing their election from 2025 to 2026 can be found here.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing an alternative title for county councillors who remain in office after 1 May 2025 due to their authority’s participation in the devolution priority programme.

There are no plans to provide an alternative title for county councillors whose authority participates in the devolution priority programme.

What information her Department holds on how many (a) police officers, (b) officials of local authorities and (c) social workers who were found to have had knowledge at the time of grooming by Pakistani heritage grooming gangs are in positions with a duty of care towards girls.

The Government is actively working to ensure that all institutions and individuals remain responsible and accountable in protecting children from all forms of child sexual abuse. This includes compliance with existing statutory safeguarding duties, and the introduction of a new mandatory reporting duty, which will introduce criminal sanctions to drive greater accountability.In addition, the Home Secretary announced to Parliament on 16 January 2025 the further steps that the Government is taking to ensure proper accountability for those institutions and individuals who failed to take the necessary action to prevent group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation in the past, including through additional nationally supported local inquiries.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging council tax discounts for residents in authorities without elections on 1 May 2025 due to participation in the Devolution Priority Programme.

The assumption is that elections in most places where scheduled will take place as planned. Where I take a decision to postpone elections scheduled for May 2025, this will be where the councils concerned have requested it alongside a clear commitment to delivering both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe. This is a high bar to reach and it is not expected that all councils who have applied to be on the priority programme will go forward as a result.The terms of sitting councillors whose seats would otherwise have been up for election will be extended accordingly and they will remain in post, representing their community and taking decisions as members of their authority. Further, council services will continue as usual delivering hundreds of vital local public services every day. It is for councils to set the level of council tax in their area.

What recent estimate her Department has made of how many girls have been victims of Pakistani heritage grooming gangs.

The Government is working to ensure that perpetrators are pursued and brought to justice, and victims and survivors of all forms of child sexual abuse are protected and supported.The Government continues to fund the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce, which has brought together the best police data that is available on group-based offending and was published in November 2024. In this context group-based offending includes any offence with two or more perpetrators. That data is available publicly online via: https://www.hydrantprogramme.co.uk/publications/hydrant-publications#LatestNews. We will work further with the Taskforce to improve the accuracy and robustness of the data and analysis.Investigation and prosecution decisions are independent matters for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service. Anyone who has been incorrectly reprimanded as a result of blowing the whistle should be raising their concerns with the appropriate authority for consideration and action. Under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA), workers who blow the whistle are entitled to certain protections, including protection from detriment or dismissal as a result of blowing the whistle, and a route of redress through the Employment Tribunals if these protections are infringed.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a police task force to (a) identify and (b) investigate (i) local and (ii) national officials that had knowledge of and failed to act against Pakistani heritage grooming gangs.

This Government is focused on delivering meaningful change for victims and survivors impacted by these horrendous crimes, safeguarding children, and ensuring law enforcement have the tools and capabilities to pursue and bring offenders to justice.This includes continuing to fund the work of the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce, which is working to give practical, expert, and on the ground support for local forces investigating child sexual abuse, with a focus on complex and organised child sexual exploitation. The Taskforce has brought together the best police data that is available on group-based offending which was published in November 2024. In this context group-based offending includes any offence with two or more perpetrators. That data is available publicly online via https://www.hydrantprogramme.co.uk/publications/hydrant-publications#LatestNews). We will work further with the Taskforce to improve the accuracy and robustness of the data and analysis.The Home Office also collects and publishes data annually on police misconduct cases finalised during a financial year period in the ‘Police misconduct, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin. This data is broken down by allegation category but does not cover the specific circumstances of individual allegations such as those described.Launching any investigation is a decision for the police to make. But the Government will continue to ensure that all institutions and individuals remain responsible and accountable for protecting children against this vile abuse. An important part of this includes delivering on the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse recommendation of a mandatory reporting duty, which we will deliver through the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill.The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 already protects workers who wish to make disclosures about child protection or welfare concerns. In 2015 the Home Office commissioned the NSPCC Whistleblowing Advice Line, which serves as a national single point of contact for child abuse-related whistleblowing reports.

What proportion of people convicted for their involvement in Pakistani heritage grooming gangs were in receipt of (a) Universal Credit and (b) another benefit when they committed their crimes.

The requested information is not held.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) restricting foreign aid, (b) restricting visas and (c) using other punitive international measures to encourage the Government of Pakistan to accept the return of people sentenced in the UK for their involvement in Pakistani heritage grooming gangs.

We recognise and appreciate the great contribution of Pakistani people to the diverse culture of the UK. The UK has transitioned from a traditional aid relationship with Pakistan to a mutually beneficial partnership which underpins UK national interests, and we have regular constructive discussions with Pakistani authorities on a range of topics of vital mutual interest, including criminal justice. Despite significant and complex challenges when seeking to return foreign national offenders, this government is fully committed to making our communities safer by deporting those who break our laws. I raised these issues with Senior Ministers during my visit to Pakistan in November.

If the Minister will make an assessment of the potential merits of immediately releasing of all court transcripts related to the Pakistani heritage grooming gangs.

The release of court transcripts to interested parties in relation to individual court cases is a matter for the trial judge to consider. There is a standard process all applicants must follow to request and access a Crown Court transcript. An application form must be submitted to the court where the trial took place, and it is then considered by the judge. The provision of transcripts is also subject to payment of the relevant charge to cover the cost of transcription. Additionally, in certain high-profile cases, the judge’s sentencing remarks are published online on judiciary.uk.

If she will publish the nationality of people convicted for their involvement in grooming gangs.

Information on whether individuals are part of ‘Pakistani heritage grooming gangs’ is not centrally identified in the data systems relevant to these questions. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the specific information requested.It is also not possible to identify an offender’s nationality from the centrally collated convictions data. This information may be held on court records: however, to identify the nationality of people convicted of specific crimes would require the examination of individual court records. This would incur disproportionate costs.

How many foreign national offenders convicted for their involvement in the grooming gangs scandal were deported; how many deportation orders failed; and for what reason.

The crimes committed by child sexual offenders, who prey on the young and vulnerable, are appalling. It is well-documented that some of those involved in grooming in the UK have been foreign nationals and others have been dual nationals against whom action has been taken to deprive them of their British citizenship in accordance with the British Nationality Act 1981.One of the Home Office’s key objectives is to protect the public by ensuring that foreign nationals who commit criminal offences are deported from the UK wherever it is lawful and practical to do so. We do this by pursuing deportation against foreign offenders (FNOs) who have committed criminal offences, managing each case through the legal process, and negotiating barriers to removal.The Home Office published statistics on immigration enforcement activity between 05 July 2024 and 07 December 2024. This can be accessed on GOV.UK on this link: Returns from the UK and illegal working activity since 5 July 2024 - GOV.UKThe Home Office often faces significant and complex challenges when seeking to return those individuals to their country of origin or lawful place of return. Despite these barriers, we are fully committed to making our communities safer by deporting those who break our laws.The Government will continue to pursue all legal options to act against the perpetrators of these appalling crimes, and to deliver justice for their victims.

How many visa applications from people with Pakistani nationality have been rejected because of their criminal record in each of the last five years.

Individuals with criminal records may automatically be denied a visa, depending on the circumstances of each case. All guidance on the use of criminality on the grounds for release can be found at: Grounds for refusal: criminality (accessible) - GOV.UK.

How many and what proportion of people convicted for their involvement in Pakistani heritage grooming gangs (a) had previous convictions and (b) have reoffended.

Information on whether individuals are part of ‘Pakistani heritage grooming gangs’ is not centrally identified in the data systems relevant to these questions. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the specific information requested.It is also not possible to identify an offender’s nationality from the centrally collated convictions data. This information may be held on court records: however, to identify the nationality of people convicted of specific crimes would require the examination of individual court records. This would incur disproportionate costs.

How many people deported as a result of a conviction for involvement in a Pakistani heritage grooming gang benefited from her Department's Reintegration Programme.

Any foreign national who commits serious crimes in our country should be in no doubt that we will do everything possible to ensure their deportation from the UK, so that they can no longer represent an ongoing risk to our communities or an ongoing burden to our taxpayers.The specific information requested is not readily available from published statistics, and could only be obtained for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

What the cost to the public purse of her Department's Reintegration Programme was in the last ten years; and how many people of what countries of origin benefited from that Programme in that period.

Any foreign national who commits serious crimes in our country should be in no doubt that we will do everything possible to ensure their deportation from the UK, so that they can no longer represent an ongoing risk to our communities or an ongoing burden to our taxpayers.The specific information requested is not readily available from published statistics, and could only be obtained for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

How many of those convicted for their involvement in Pakistani heritage grooming gangs (a) are still in prison, (b) have been deported, (c) have been released back into the same community and (d) did not serve a custodial sentence.

Information on whether individuals are part of ‘Pakistani heritage grooming gangs’ is not centrally identified in the data systems relevant to these questions. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the specific information requested.It is also not possible to identify an offender’s nationality from the centrally collated convictions data. This information may be held on court records: however, to identify the nationality of people convicted of specific crimes would require the examination of individual court records. This would incur disproportionate costs.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a confidential government process for whistleblowers to safely raise concerns over foreign rape gangs.

Launching any investigation is a decision for the police to make. But the Government will continue to ensure that all institutions and individuals remain responsible and accountable for protecting children against this vile abuse. An important part of this includes delivering on the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse recommendation of a mandatory reporting duty, which we will deliver through the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill.