Written questions by Jogee.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the High Streets Organised Crime Unit on tackling crime in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to help improve the quality of community policing on the streets of a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

The Government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee makes sure that every neighbourhood, including those across Staffordshire, has named and contactable officers dedicated to tackling the issues facing their communities. By the end of this Parliament there ...

What steps she is taking to tackle national security threats from China.

China poses a range of security threats to the UK. The Government will continue to tackle activity that threatens our national security and infringes on sovereign affairs.Where there are individuals who pose a threat to our national security, we are commi...

What recent progress she has made in strengthening national security.

National security remains the first duty of Government, and as the world continues to evolve, so too must our response. We face increasing challenges across a broad waterfront of threats, including states, terrorists and criminal actors, which the Governm...

What recent steps she has taken to reduce factors that encourage migrants to arrive illegally.

The Government is clear that there are no simple “pull factors” driving irregular migration; rather, flows are driven by complex global pressures including conflict, persecution and smuggling networks. Nonetheless, we are acting decisively to reduce incen...

What steps she has taken to support the Police, Crime and Fire Commissioner in Staffordshire.

The Home Office works with all Police and Crime Commissioners and Police, Fire and Crime Commissioners, both directly and through the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, to support them in their work and to further police reform.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the powers available to Staffordshire Police to seize dangerous dogs.

The police have appropriate powers to seize dangerous dogs, including under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and the general seizure power in section 19 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. The exercise of these powers is an operational decision for the police, who must take account of the circumstances of each case. We keep police powers under regular review to ensure the police have the necessary tools to respond quickly and effectively to tackle crime and protect the public.

How many police front desks were open 24 hour in Staffordshire in each year between 2019 and 2024; and their locations.

The Home Office does not collect information on police front desks.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact on the a) effectiveness and b) future of the Common Travel Area between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland of airlines insisting that passengers travelling between both countries now require valid passports.

There are no routine immigration controls on Common Travel Area (CTA) journeys, and none whatsoever on the Ireland-Northern Ireland land border. There are no specific travel document requirements for British and Irish citizens on intra CTA journeys. British and Irish citizens on journeys to the UK from Ireland are able to use a variety of documents to confirm their identity and nationality if they are asked by a Border Force Officer; this does not have to be a passport or passport card, but they may use one if they wish.It is the case that many air and sea carriers require some form of identification in order to use their services. Some carriers regard a passport as the only valid form of identification.

What recent steps her Department has taken to help tackle rural crime in Staffordshire.

We are supporting forces across the UK, including Staffordshire Police, to tackle the crimes that particularly affect rural communities.We have given £365,000 in funding to the National Rural Crime Unit, a further £450,000 to the National Wildlife Crime Unit, and we have worked closely with the NPCC to deliver their Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy which was launched recently.

What steps she is taking to improve public access to police officers in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

Decisions regarding the police estate, including the availability of front counters at police stations, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, or equivalents. They are best placed to make these decisions based on their knowledge of local need and their experience.A key part of the Government’s Safer Streets Mission is focused on restoring neighbourhood policing, and rebuilding trust and confidence in policing. As such, all forces including Staffordshire, now have named and contactable neighbourhood officers dedicated to addressing the issues that matter most to their communities. We have also provided £200 million in FY 2025/26 to support the first steps of delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel across England and Wales by the end of the Parliament. This increase in neighbourhood policing, alongside the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, will strengthen the connections between the police and the communities they serve.

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the access to a police front counter for people (a) living, (b) working and (c) learning in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Decisions regarding the police estate, including the availability of front counters at police stations, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, or equivalents. They are best placed to make these decisions based on their knowledge of local need and their experience.A key part of the Government’s Safer Streets Mission is focused on restoring neighbourhood policing, and rebuilding trust and confidence in policing. As such, all forces including Staffordshire, now have named and contactable neighbourhood officers dedicated to addressing the issues that matter most to their communities. We have also provided £200 million in FY 2025/26 to support the first steps of delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel across England and Wales by the end of the Parliament. This increase in neighbourhood policing, alongside the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, will strengthen the connections between the police and the communities they serve.

What steps she is taking to deliver clearer, cheaper and more accountable local police oversight in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

The Government announced on 13 November that it plans to abolish Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) at the end of their current term of office in May 2028, subject to legislation.PCC functions will transfer to Mayors of Combined Authorities, where possible, and to elected council leaders where it is not. Where there are no confirmed plans for a Mayor, as is the case in Staffordshire, we will create new Policing and Crime Boards to bring local council leaders together to oversee the force in their area, supported by an appointed day to day Policing and Crime lead.We estimate that at around £100m will be saved in this Parliament as a result of these governance reforms. Once delivered, we expect they will achieve savings to the Home Office of around £20m a year, enough to fund around 320 extra police constables.

What steps she has taken to help reduce the number of small boat crossings since her appointment.

The Border Security Command (BSC) continues to focus on tackling the organised immigration crime gangs that are facilitating small boat crossings, working with domestic partners such as the National Crime Agency and the OIC Domestic taskforce, and overseas counterparts in a range of countries, to dismantle the gangs and disrupt their supply chains. This work has already led to a number of widely publicised raids and arrests, as well as agreements with France, Germany, Italy, Iraq and other key partners which will increase enforcement activity and cooperation further over the coming months.The UK-France pilot has also been put into action meaning that anyone entering the UK on a small boat can be detained on arrival and returned to France. So far 42 individuals have been returned to France under this pilot and further flights to France are scheduled to take place over the coming days and weeks. Through our joint working with France, more than 19,000 crossing attempts have been prevented this year.The BSC is working closely with delivery partners across Whitehall who tackle organised immigration crime, collecting key data across the system such as organised immigration crime disruptions, with the ambition to track long-term impact and support the delivery of operational activity. This will support the BSC’s ability to drive cohesive delivery across the system and ensure a secure and effective border. Working collaboratively in this way will allow us to increase the number of organised immigration crime groups which we break up and subsequently reduce small boat crossings. These numbers will be monitored to ensure we make changes to our approach when needed.And as most recently as last week, the Home Secretary hosted Interior Ministers in London as part of the Western Balkans Summit. She hosted her ministerial counterparts from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia – all of which are key transit countries for people being smuggled illegally to the UK.Ensuring we have the right legislation in place to take robust, meaningful action to address these challenges is crucial. With this in mind, the UK’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, currently going through Parliament, creates new powers for law enforcement through new criminal offences, expanded data-sharing capabilities and an improved intelligence picture to identify, intercept, disrupt and prevent serious and organised crime.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for (a) Transport and (b) the Home Department on the potential impact of increases in biometric checks at borders on people travelling in the Common Travel Area between the (i) Republic of Ireland and (ii) UK.

No discussions have taken place.Journeys from Ireland to the UK are within the Common Travel Area (CTA). As part of the CTA arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls of individuals arriving in the UK by air or sea from within the CTA, and no immigration checks are undertaken at the land border with Ireland.The UK does however operate intelligence-led operational activity on CTA routes – away from the land border. If an individual is suspected to be unlawfully in the UK their biometrics maybe checked in order to ascertain their identity and status.

Whether people travelling to the UK from the Republic of Ireland are required to provide biometric data when they land at UK airports.

Journeys from Ireland to the UK are within the Common Travel Area (CTA). As part of the CTA arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls of individuals arriving in the UK by air or sea from within the CTA, and no immigration checks are undertaken at the land border with Ireland. The UK does however operate intelligence-led operational activity on CTA routes – away from the land border. If an individual is suspected to be unlawfully in the UK their biometrics maybe checked in order to ascertain their identity.

What steps she is taking to enhance the (a) security and (b) safety of worshippers at places of worship in (i) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (ii) Staffordshire.

This Government is absolutely committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion at their chosen place of worship, and to making our streets and communities safer, including providing funding through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant, the Protective Security for Mosques scheme and the Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme.

What recent steps she has taken to help reduce the number of shoplifting offences in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire

We are providing £5 million over the next three years to continue funding a specialist analysis team within Opal, the National Policing Intelligence Unit for serious organised acquisitive crime, to crack down on the organised gangs targeting retailers.We are also investing £2 million over the next three years in the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) which provides a resource for both police and businesses to learn, share and support each other to prevent and combat crime.Via the Crime and Policing Bill we will end the effective immunity for shop theft of and below £200 sending a clear message that any level of shop theft is illegal and will be taken seriously. Also included in the Bill is a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.I chair regular meetings of the Retail Crime Forum, which brings together the retail sector, security providers and law enforcement agencies to ensure we understand the needs of all retailers promote collaboration, share best practice, and work collectively to tackle the serious issue of retail crime. This includes the development of a new strategy to tackle shop theft published by policing, retail sector representatives and industry as part of collective efforts to combat shop theft – Tackling Retail Crime Together.The strategy builds on previous progress made by police and retailers but provides a more comprehensive and intelligence-led approach to tackle all perpetrators of shop theft – not just organised criminal gangs.

If she will meet with the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme to discuss the potential merits of a police station providing a 24-hour public reception in Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency.

Decisions about local resourcing and the police force estate, including police stations and their opening hours, are a matter for Chief Constables and directly elected, independent Police and Crime Commissioners (or equivalents). They are best placed to make these decisions based on their knowledge of local need and experience.

What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on improving homeland security.

The Plan for Change emphasises that national security is the first duty of Government. The Secretary of State for the Home Department therefore engages in regular and ongoing discussions with Cabinet colleagues to ensure a coordinated and robust approach to improving homeland security. These discussions have been integral to shaping the UK's forthcoming National Security Strategy 2025 and the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025.The Home Secretary is also a member of the National Security Council, which regularly discusses homeland security and how we make the country safer, more secure and increasingly resilient against these interconnected threats.