Written questions by Cadbury.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce the use of forged shotgun licences in England.

Data on the number of forged firearms certificates used to purchase shotguns in England is not collected centrally. The law is clear on the sales of shotguns that a purchaser must hold the appropriate firearms certificate and transactions must comply with the relevant legal requirements and police procedures in place. The Government is considering what further action may be needed to strengthen the controls on the private sale of firearms and shotguns by licence holders.

What estimate she has made of the number of forged shotgun licences used to purchase shotguns in England in the last five years.

Data on the number of forged firearms certificates used to purchase shotguns in England is not collected centrally. The law is clear on the sales of shotguns that a purchaser must hold the appropriate firearms certificate and transactions must comply with the relevant legal requirements and police procedures in place. The Government is considering what further action may be needed to strengthen the controls on the private sale of firearms and shotguns by licence holders.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the existing rights for individuals holding British Overseas Citizen status.

British Overseas Citizenship (BOC) is a form of British nationality defined in the British Nationality Act 1981. Those who hold BOC status are British nationals and are entitled to hold a British passport and to receive consular assistance overseas.BOCs d...

When her Department plans to publish their response to the Extending the Right to Work Scheme consultation.

The Government intends to publish the response to the 'Consultation on the prevention of illegal working: Extending the Right to Work Scheme to other working arrangements' alongside updated guidance and statutory codes of practice in June. Officials will continue to discuss the responses and the updated guidance with stakeholders in advance of June to support business preparations.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of her Department's average response time for priority visa applications.

UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) are currently processing Priority Visa (PV) applications within published customer service standards for straightforward applications. Information on applicable routes and processing times is available at: Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application: Applying for a faster decision - GOV.UKIt may however take longer to process an application if:the information in the application is not accurate or needs more considerationfurther evidence needs to be provided, for example evidence of fundssupporting documents need to be verifiedan interview is requiredwe need more information on personal circumstances (for example if there is a criminal conviction)The UKVI Customer Service Standard performance can be found on the GOV.UK website, including PV applications: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK

What steps she is taking to reduce the average time taken to reach a decision on priority visa applications.

UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) are currently processing Priority Visa (PV) applications within published customer service standards for straightforward applications. Information on applicable routes and processing times is available at: Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application: Applying for a faster decision - GOV.UKIt may however take longer to process an application if:the information in the application is not accurate or needs more considerationfurther evidence needs to be provided, for example evidence of fundssupporting documents need to be verifiedan interview is requiredwe need more information on personal circumstances (for example if there is a criminal conviction)The UKVI Customer Service Standard performance can be found on the GOV.UK website, including PV applications: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of police powers to tackle bike thefts.

As part of this Government’s Plan for Change, our Safer Streets Mission is determined to clamp down on the crime that damages our communities, and affects people’s lives, and tackling theft – including bike theft - is a crucial part of that work.We are delivering on our commitment to restore and strengthen neighbourhood policing, recruiting 13,000 additional police personnel into neighbourhood roles by the end of the Parliament and ensuring every community has named, contactable officers to turn to on local issues.As a part of this pledge, the Metropolitan Police Service have been allocated £45,639,456 funding in 2025/26 to bolster their neighbourhood policing teams. Based on their funding allocation, the Metropolitan Police Service’s projected growth over 2025 to 2026 will be 420 police officers (FTE) and 50 Police Community Support Officers (FTE).The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced to the House of Lords on 19 June 2025, will amend the Theft Act 1968 to give police new powers. Officers will be able to enter and search premises where stolen items – such as GPS-tracked bicycles – are reasonably believed to have been stolen and located, and where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a court warrant. This will significantly enhance the ability of the police to act swiftly and effectively in recovering stolen property.

When she plans to publish the immigration fees for an Irish citizen seeking to gain British Citizenship through the British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Act 2024.

The fee for an Irish citizen seeking to gain British Citizenship through the British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Act 2024 is currently under consideration and we will provide an update in due course.

With reference to Q59 of the oral evidence given by the Strategy, Policy and Communications Director of the DVLA to the Transport Select Committee on 5 July 2023, HC 816, whether the research commissioned by her Department on number plate cloning has been completed; and if she will publish that research.

The results of this research are held by NPCC not the Home Office, and the Home Office understands it is not intended that this will be published.

What discussions her Department has had with the National Police Chief Councils on the effectiveness of powers to arrest people suspected of driving under the influence of drugs.

Ministers and officials meet with representatives of the NPCC on a regular basis and discuss a wide range of topics.The police have the power under section 10 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to arrest and detain an individual if they have provided a specimen of breath, blood or urine that exceeds the prescribed drink or drug driving limit or the individual’s ability to drive properly is impaired. How the police decide to use these powers is an operational matter for their discretion.The Government will continue to support the police to ensure that they have the tools needed to enforce road traffic legislation.The information requested on how many arrests there were for driving under the influence of drugs in each year since 2018 is not held centrally by the Home Office. Drug driving offences are not among the list of offences for which police forces are currently required to notify the Home Office of data on arrests, charges and outcomes.

How many arrests there were for driving under the influence of drugs in each year since 2018.

Ministers and officials meet with representatives of the NPCC on a regular basis and discuss a wide range of topics.The police have the power under section 10 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to arrest and detain an individual if they have provided a specimen of breath, blood or urine that exceeds the prescribed drink or drug driving limit or the individual’s ability to drive properly is impaired. How the police decide to use these powers is an operational matter for their discretion.The Government will continue to support the police to ensure that they have the tools needed to enforce road traffic legislation.The information requested on how many arrests there were for driving under the influence of drugs in each year since 2018 is not held centrally by the Home Office. Drug driving offences are not among the list of offences for which police forces are currently required to notify the Home Office of data on arrests, charges and outcomes.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of time spent by police officers completing paperwork as part of the requirements set out in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

It is important for the investigation of offences, as well as for ensuring transparency and accountability in policing, that effective records are kept, and data is recorded. But it is vital that these processes are proportionate and do not get in the way...

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the existing rights for individuals holding British Overseas Citizen status.

British overseas citizens (BOCs) are subject to UK immigration control, but are eligible for British passports and other consular services.Many BOCs will have rights, including of residence and travel, that stem from the other nationalities that they hold...

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the roll-out of Electronic Travel Authorisation requirements for non-UK passengers transiting through UK airports on (a) passenger experience an

The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme was launched to secure our borders and make the UK safer, by enhancing our ability to screen travellers upstream. The scheme will apply to passengers from eligible countries who are transiting the UK. ET...

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the roll-out of Electronic Travel Authorisation requirements on (a) processing times for non-UK based passengers transiting through airports in

The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme was launched to secure our borders and make the UK safer, by enhancing our ability to screen travellers upstream. The scheme will apply to passengers from eligible countries who are transiting the UK. ET...

How many people hold British Overseas Citizen status.

The Home Office does not hold data on the number of people who hold a British Overseas Citizenship status.