Written questions by Rosindell.

How many offensive weapons were seized by the Metropolitan Police in Romford constituency in 2024.

The Home Office does not hold the information requested.The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of stop and searches that resulted in an offensive weapon or firearm being found in each Police Force Area, as part of the annual Stop and search, arrests and mental health detentions’ statistical publication.The latest data, covering the period up to the end of March 2024, can be found in table SS_45:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66f2e4a17da73f17177640ed/stop-search-data-tables-summary-mar24.odsHowever, this dataset only covers weapons found through stop and search, so should not be used to infer the total number of weapons seized by the Metropolitan Police.

What steps she is taking to work with relevant authorities to tackle the illegal (a) sale, (b) distribution and (c) use of fentanyl in England.

The Government takes seriously the threat from potent synthetic drugs, including synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and nitazenes, including protonitazene, and is taking action. Reducing drug harms has important benefits for the Government’s mission to deliver safer streets, improve health outcomes and break down barriers to opportunity.The HMG Synthetic Opioids Taskforce is working with partner agencies such as the National Crime Agency (NCA), the Department for Health and Social Care and the National Police Chiefs Council to counter the distribution and use of these dangerous substances.To stem the supply of illicit synthetic opioids to and within the UK, the NCA, Police and Border Force are working together to ensure all lines of enquiry are prioritised and vigorously pursued. This involves mapping and targeting key offenders, including those operating within dark web markets, as well as training Border Force dogs to detect a range of nitazenes and fentanyl to stop these substances entering the country in the first place.Fentanyl and protonitazene are both listed as Class A drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (MDA 1971). This means that the supply of these drugs carries a maximum penalty of up to life in prison, an unlimited fine or both. Possession carries a maximum penalty of up to 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both.The Government has recently introduced a generic control for nitazenes which is intended to reduce the likelihood that criminals can circumvent existing controls by making minor alterations to the chemical structure of nitazenes that are already controlled as Class A drugs under the MDA 1971. This legislation came into force on 15 January.Additionally, the unlawful sale of controlled drugs online is listed as a priority offence in the Online Safety Act, meaning that under this legislation technology companies must proactively remove this type of content from their platforms and use proportionate systems designed to minimise the risk of users from encountering such content. Law enforcement agencies continue to work with internet service providers to shut down UK-based websites found to be committing offences such as sale of illicit substances, this includes those operating on the dark web.Further, to support people with drug dependency who may be at risk of synthetic opioid harm, £267 million has been invested in drug and alcohol treatment this year, improving the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol treatment services in England.

What steps she is taking to tackle the illegal (a) sale, (b) distribution and (c) use of protonitazene.

The Government takes seriously the threat from potent synthetic drugs, including synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and nitazenes, including protonitazene, and is taking action. Reducing drug harms has important benefits for the Government’s mission to deliver safer streets, improve health outcomes and break down barriers to opportunity.The HMG Synthetic Opioids Taskforce is working with partner agencies such as the National Crime Agency (NCA), the Department for Health and Social Care and the National Police Chiefs Council to counter the distribution and use of these dangerous substances.To stem the supply of illicit synthetic opioids to and within the UK, the NCA, Police and Border Force are working together to ensure all lines of enquiry are prioritised and vigorously pursued. This involves mapping and targeting key offenders, including those operating within dark web markets, as well as training Border Force dogs to detect a range of nitazenes and fentanyl to stop these substances entering the country in the first place.Fentanyl and protonitazene are both listed as Class A drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (MDA 1971). This means that the supply of these drugs carries a maximum penalty of up to life in prison, an unlimited fine or both. Possession carries a maximum penalty of up to 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both.The Government has recently introduced a generic control for nitazenes which is intended to reduce the likelihood that criminals can circumvent existing controls by making minor alterations to the chemical structure of nitazenes that are already controlled as Class A drugs under the MDA 1971. This legislation came into force on 15 January.Additionally, the unlawful sale of controlled drugs online is listed as a priority offence in the Online Safety Act, meaning that under this legislation technology companies must proactively remove this type of content from their platforms and use proportionate systems designed to minimise the risk of users from encountering such content. Law enforcement agencies continue to work with internet service providers to shut down UK-based websites found to be committing offences such as sale of illicit substances, this includes those operating on the dark web.Further, to support people with drug dependency who may be at risk of synthetic opioid harm, £267 million has been invested in drug and alcohol treatment this year, improving the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol treatment services in England.

If she will make an estimate of the number of assaults on (a) men and (b) boys in 2024; and what steps she is taking to reduce this.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes estimates, from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), on the population aged 16 years and over who had been victims of violent crime broken down by the age and sex of victims in its annual nature of violent crime statistical release. The latest information can be found here:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/thenatureofviolentcrimeinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2024The CSEW does not include children aged below 16 years in its main survey from which the headline estimates are derived.This Government has put prevention front and centre of our plans to improve the lives of people across the United Kingdom and is taking ambitious action to reduce violent crime. This includes a commitment to halve national levels of knife crime over the next decade as part of the delivery of our mission to make our streets safer.The Safer Streets Mission is one of five key missions the Government has committed to. It is the vehicle to drive delivery across Government to halve violence against women and girls, halve knife crime, tackle ASB, address the criminal exploitation of children and restore confidence in the policing and justice system.

If she will make an estimate of the number of assaults on pensioners in 2024; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce this.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes estimates, from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), on the population aged 16 years and over who had been victims of violent crime broken down by the age and sex of victims in its annual nature of violent crime statistical release. The latest information can be found here:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/thenatureofviolentcrimeinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2024The CSEW does not include children aged below 16 years in its main survey from which the headline estimates are derived.This Government has put prevention front and centre of our plans to improve the lives of people across the United Kingdom and is taking ambitious action to reduce violent crime. This includes a commitment to halve national levels of knife crime over the next decade as part of the delivery of our mission to make our streets safer.The Safer Streets Mission is one of five key missions the Government has committed to. It is the vehicle to drive delivery across Government to halve violence against women and girls, halve knife crime, tackle ASB, address the criminal exploitation of children and restore confidence in the policing and justice system.

What steps her Department is taking to tackle shoplifting.

In the last year of the previous government, shop theft soared to a twenty-year high, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers. We will not stand for this.Everybody has a right to feel safe at their place of work and the Government is committed to tackling retail crime.We will introduce a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores. We will also end the effective immunity, introduced by the previous Government, granted to shop theft of goods of and under £200. This will remove any perception that offenders will escape punishment.We will provide £100k additional funding next financial year for the National Police Chiefs' Council to give further training to police and retailers on prevention tactics.We will continue to crack down on the organised gangs targeting retailers. We will provide £5 million over the next three years to continue to fund a specialist analysis team within Opal, the National Policing Intelligence Unit for serious organised acquisitive crime.We will also invest £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.

What steps she is taking to tackle fraud within the private publishing sector.

We recognise that all businesses, including publishing houses, are a target for fraudsters. Government supports businesses through a number of measures including the Confirmation of Payee checks, which allow customers, including businesses, to confirm the name of a recipient before transferring money to them.We have also helped business to protect themselves against cyber threats, including cyber enabled fraud, through the National Cyber Security Centre and the ten regional resilience centres across England and Wales and the Police Cyber Alarm. The Stop! Think Fraud campaign also included advice for businesses on how to protect themselves from fraud.Further, an Economic Crime Survey is being conducted to find out more about the prevalence and impacts of economic crime (including fraud) against business. We expect the results to be published in mid-2025.

What steps she is taking to increase the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of UKBA officers.

Regarding the recruitment of Border Force officers, the latest published staffing and finance figures can be found in the Home Office Annual Reports: Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK.However, Border Force workforce planning reflects our evolving requirements and comprises of multiple resourcing options with decisions being assessed against several factors including the potential impacts they may have. As well as having an existing group of highly trained officers, Border Force has run several fair and open competition recruitment campaigns over the last few months – including alternative working options – which were open to anyone interested in working for Border Force.On the issue of retention, we recognise that being a Border Force officer is a demanding role. That is why we have introduced additional mental health support to ensure our officers are supported if needed. Additionally, as a key recommendation of the Alexander Downer Review published in 2022, Border Force recognised the need to build on and improve their learning offer for staff at all levels of the organisation.A comprehensive programme of modernisation and development is currently underway within Border Force L&D in support of delivering these recommendations and wider strategic priorities. Our primary aim is the development of the capabilities required across operational and non-operational areas, and ensuring leaders and managers have the skills required to manage staff and develop their talent.

What steps she is taking to prevent the export of stolen mobile devices out of the United Kingdom.

Set against soaring levels of snatch thefts and pickpocketing, crimes which commonly involve the theft of mobile phones, a series of meetings have already been held, and we will shortly be holding a Home Office Mobile Phone Theft Summit, drawing together representatives from the mobile phone industry, including tech companies, the Metropolitan Police and other law enforcement agencies to see what more can collectively be done to break the business model of mobile phone thieves.As part of our Safer Streets Mission, this government is determined to crack down on theft and other crimes that make people feel unsafe in our communities, including tackling anti-social behaviour and restoring public confidence. We are also committed to strengthening neighbourhood policing and through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, there will be thousands of additional police officers, police community support officers and Special Constables.

What steps she is taking to increase police officer (a) recruitment and (b) retention within Greater London.

The Government is committed to ensuring police forces are supported to effectively tackle crime. We are clear that visible policing is essential to restoring public confidence in the police. As a result, our expectation is that officer numbers must be protected.We expect the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to do all it can to halt the decline in officer numbers and prioritise frontline policing.The Government is supporting the MPS by providing the force with £3.8 billion of funding in the 2025/26 police settlement. This is a £226.9 million increase when compared with the 2024/25 settlement, equating to a 6.4% cash increase and 3.9% real terms. In addition for 2025/26, we have transferred some ringfenced funding to the core grant, of which the MPS will receive its funding formula share.We will work with the MPS and Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) to fully understand the force’s recruitment challenges. The MPS must ensure that they are taking every step available to put in place recruitment and retention plans that prevent further reductions in headcount and protect officer numbers.

What steps she is taking to prevent the export of stolen vehicles out of the United Kingdom.

This Government is determined to drive down vehicle crime and we are working with the automotive industry and police to ensure our response is as strong as it can be. I met the NPCC Vehicle Crime lead, ACC Jenny Sims, in November and discussed this matter.We are providing £250,000 funding this financial year to help support enforcement at ports to prevent stolen vehicles and vehicle parts being shipped abroad, including additional staff and specialist equipment.There are also intelligence teams that support work to tackle vehicle crime, including Opal, the police national intelligence unit for serious acquisitive crime, and the National Vehicle Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), a policing unit funded by industry, including finance and leasing companies, insurers and hauliers, to provide dedicated specialist intelligence and enforcement.We are continuing to work closely with the police-led National Vehicle Crime Working Group; through this group a network of vehicle crime specialists has been established, involving every police force in England and Wales, to ensure forces can share information about emerging trends in vehicle crime and better tackle regional issues.In autumn 2024, driven by the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime, the National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership began work, bringing together the police, Home Office and manufacturers.

What recent steps she has taken to tackle mobile phone theft Greater London.

Set against soaring levels of snatch thefts and pickpocketing, crimes which commonly involve the theft of mobile phones, a series of meetings have already been held, and we will shortly be holding a Home Office Mobile Phone Theft Summit, drawing together representatives from the mobile phone industry, including tech companies, the Metropolitan Police and other law enforcement agencies to see what more can collectively be done to break the business model of mobile phone thieves.As part of our Safer Streets Mission, this government is determined to crack down on theft and other crimes that make people feel unsafe in our communities, including tackling anti-social behaviour and restoring public confidence. We are also committed to strengthening neighbourhood policing and through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, there will be thousands of additional police officers, police community support officers and Special Constables.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of requiring Electronic Travel Authorisation on (a) BN(O) and (b) Hong Kong passport holders seeking sanctuary.

Electronic travel authorisations (ETAs) have been introduced to enhance our ability to screen travellers upstream and stop those who pose a threat from travelling to the UK.ETAs were expanded to BN(O) passport holders on 27 November 2024 and are currently a requirement for this population when travelling to the UK. But this aspect of the policy remains under review, and we will update the House on any changes in due course.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Prevent programme.

The Independent Review of Prevent, published on 8 February 2023, was conducted by Sir William Shawcross. 33 of the 34 recommendations have now been implemented. This has included strengthening guidance and training, regionalising Prevent delivery, and improving case management. This includes introducing a new risk assessment tool for all referrals that will be evaluated in 2025.The Home Office has commissioned an independent evaluation of Channel that will assess whether Channel is effective at reducing individuals’ susceptibility to radicalisation. It will also explore how well Channel interventions are being delivered and how the programme could be improved. The evaluation is expected to report findings in 2025.In addition, the Desistance and Disengagement Programme, which helps to manage the risk of individuals who have already been involved in terrorism or terrorism related activity, has been independently evaluated. Most recommendations from that evaluation have been implemented.The Prevent Standards and Compliance Unit, which sits within the Commission for Countering Extremism, fulfils a crucial oversight function of Prevent, providing a route for the public and Prevent duty partners to register complaints or concerns, and ensuring Prevent is being delivered properly within the direction set by ministers.

How many and what proportion of people referred to the Prevent programme went on to commit acts of (a) terrorism and (b) violent crime in each of the last five years for which data is available.

The first priority of Government is to keep its citizens safe. Prevent is a vital part of that. We must try and divert people away from radicalisation and violent ideologies.Between 2019 and 2024, there have sadly, been 4 instances where somebody who had previously been referred to Prevent for early intervention support went on to commit a terrorist attack. This is a very small, but tragic number compared to the 2,800 individuals that have been supported through the Channel multi-agency programme since 1 April 2019. We have looked very closely at each of these 4 cases to identify lessons and then to deliver improvements to ensure that the Prevent programme does all it can to identify and support those susceptible to radicalisation.The Home Office does not hold a comprehensive dataset on those individuals that have been referred into Prevent and have subsequently committed a violent crime. We are working with regional police forces and CT Police to strengthen this dataset and learn from any such incidents.

What steps she is taking to support the London Fire Brigade with fire prevention activities and operational training.

The Home Office’s Fire Kills campaign promotes fire safety messages at the national level and supports fire prevention activities undertaken by individual fire and rescue services (FRSs). Campaign plans and promotional materials are developed in partnership with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and designed to support local delivery. Regular engagement with FRSs, including with the London Fire Brigade, ensures this support is fit for purpose and aligns with local priorities.We are working closely with both the London Fire Brigade and the NFCC to consider the recommendation from the second phase of the Grenfell Tower public inquiry on how the London Fire Brigade, and FRSs nationally, can implement lessons learned from previous incidents, inquests and investigations. It is something we take extremely seriously and the Government will carefully consider all recommendations from the public inquiry to ensure that such a tragedy can never occur again.

How much funding her Department has provided to neighbourhood watch organisations in each of the last five years.

This Government hugely values the work of local Neighbourhood Watch groups and the role they play in making our communities feel safe.The Home Office has provided funding for Neighbourhood Watch for the last 20 years, including providing £280,000 in funding per year in each of the last five years.

What steps she is taking to support existing neighbourhood watch organisations.

This Government hugely values the work of local Neighbourhood Watch groups and the role they play in making our communities feel safe.The Home Office has provided funding for Neighbourhood Watch for the last 20 years, including providing £280,000 in funding per year in each of the last five years.

What recent discussions she has had with the Metropolitan Police on investigating shoplifting offences where the value of goods stolen is less than £200.

Shoplifting is a damaging crime, which soared under the previous government, and we are determined to remove any perception that offenders will escape punishment.To that end, this Government will end the effective immunity, introduced by the previous Government, granted to shoplifting of goods under £200.This Government regularly engages with National Police Chiefs' Council retail crime leads, ensuring effective collaboration to help combat retail crime.Operational commitments were made by the police in its October 2023 Retail Crime Action Plan. The plan contains a commitment for police across England and Wales to prioritise attendance where violence has been used towards shop staff, where an offender has been detained by store security, and where evidence needs to be secured by police personnel.This Government will also introduce a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.

What recent discussions she has had with her US counterpart on establishing US pre-clearance facilities at London Heathrow Airport.

A decision to explore US pre-clearance is primarily a commercial decision for airport operators. An outline commercial agreement between the airport operator and US authorities would be required before any formal discussions between the UK and US government could take place.