Written questions by Dalton.

What recent progress her Department has made on increasing its capacity to clear the backlog of asylum applications.

The Home Secretary has removed the retrospective application of the Illegal Migration Act. This allows asylum claims from individuals who have arrived in the UK since 7 March 2023 to be considered against the existing legislative regime under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, enabling decision-makers to progress the cases that had been put on hold.The Home Office continues to invest in a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives to speed up and simplify decision making, reduce the time people spend in the asylum system and decrease the number of people who are awaiting an interview or decision.This will enable the department to maximise our capacity and progress cases in a more efficient and cost-effective way, in order to reduce the asylum backlog and cut the costs of asylum accommodation.

What recent steps she has taken to tackle rural crime in Lancashire.

Rural crime can have devastating consequences for communities. That is why this Government is committed to cracking down on crime and disorder in rural areas, with tougher powers for the police to tackle antisocial behaviour, and to prevent farm theft and fly-tipping.The National Rural Crime Unit, takes the lead on improving co-ordination and partnership working, which provides police forces with specialist operational support in their responses to rural crime, such as the theft of farming or construction machinery.We are also committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, which aims to prevent the theft and re-sale of high-value equipment, particularly for use in an agricultural setting.