Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

When the Police and Crime Performance Unit will be fully operational.

Since 5 December 2024, when My Rt Hon Friend, the Prime Minister, announced the Government’s Plan for Change, we have been working closely with the sector to draw up a new Police Performance Framework to ensure standards are upheld across the country. We have also been working to establish a new Unit within the Home Office, which will identify and support force-level improvements.Further details will be published in the forthcoming Police Reform White Paper.

Which private contractors work for her Department to secure private rented accommodation for asylum seekers.

Details of the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts negotiated by the previous government, including the names of the contractors and the scope of their contracts are publicly available on the Contract Finder website.

What steps she has taken to house asylum seekers who enter the country illegally with a pet; and what happens to the pet.

The Home Office has an obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and subsistence support whilst their application for asylum is being considered.  This does not extend to accommodating pet animals. Great Britain has one of the toughest pet border checking regimes in the world and we are committed to preserving the UK’s high standards of biosecurity and animal welfare. If full compliance with our import health requirements cannot be demonstrated pets will be placed in quarantine at the owner’s expense, which can be up to four months depending on the circumstances. Where an individual is unable to pay quarantine fees, this may result in the pet being rehomed. The Hon Member’s question may have been prompted by media reports on 20-21 May stating that – for the first time – a dog (reported to be an Alsatian) had been taken into quarantine at Dover after arriving with its owner by small boat. For the official record, I can clarify that this was not the first dog to arrive by small boat, but the fifth since 2021, and it was not an Alsatian but a Chihuahua. The four dogs previously recorded as arriving over that period came on 21/8/21 (Mixed Breed), 14/6/22 (Jack Russell), 11/10/22 (Pomeranian) and 24/8/23 (Yorkshire Terrier).

When she plans to have discussions with her EU counterparts on UK access to EU facial images data.

The Home Office is in regular discussions with European counterparts on a range of issues relating to law enforcement, including the exchange of data.

When the Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datasets for Quarter 1 2025 will be published.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum and resettlement in the 'Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release'. Data for the year ending March 2025 was published on Thursday 22 May 2025.Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 51561 on Electric Bicycles, how many people riding a e-cycle classed as a motor vehicle have been (a) arrested and (b) prosecuted for not having (i) legal approval, (ii) registration, (iii) compulsory insurance, (iv) an annual roadworthiness test pass, (v) an appropriate driving licence and (vi) not meeting mandatory helmet requirements.

The Home Office routinely collects and publishes data on arrests for notifiable offences, as part of the ‘Police Powers and Procedures’ statistical series. However, data is collected at offence group level only, therefore data for specific offences is not collected.Additionally, the Home Office routinely collects and published data on motoring offences that resulted in court action in England and Wales on an annual basis, as part of the ‘Police powers and procedures: Roads policing’ statistical bulletin. The most recent data, up to 2023, is available here: Police powers and procedures: Roads policing, to December 2023 - GOV.UK

What discussions she has had with her (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) international counterparts on the establishment of return hubs for illegal migrants to the UK.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range stakeholders, including other government departments.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 52026 on Hinchingbrooke Hospital, what discussions her Department has had with (a) Cambridgeshire Constabulary and (b) Hinchingbrooke Hospital on resolving the land ownership dispute.

The Home Office has had no role in these discussions between the interested parties in relation to an ongoing land ownership dispute for a new access road to Hinchingbrooke Hospital.

What level of access do Border Force staff have to the Police National Database.

Border Force does not routinely disclose operationally sensitive information, as to do so has the potential to prejudice law enforcement and the operation of immigration controls.However, Border Force continue to work closely with law enforcement partners as necessary to share intelligence and protect UK security.

How many asylum seekers are currently housed in the Huntingdon constituency.

Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation can be found within the Asy_D11 tab of our most recent statistics release. The data can also be broken down by local authority. Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

How many people that arrived illegally by small boat since 5 July 2024 have since been removed.

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 49818 on Neighbourhood Policing: Staff, when she had discussions with police forces on guaranteeing that neighbourhood queries will be responded to within 72 hours from July.

The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee was developed through close working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other policing leads including the commitment that neighbourhood queries will be responded to within 72 hours.

How many asylum seekers are housed in houses of multiple occupancy.

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

With reference to her Department's press release entitled Prime Minister unveils new plan to end years of uncontrolled migration, published on 11 May 2025, when she plans to (a) announce and (b) implement the fast-track element of the new framework for (i) high-skilled and (ii) high-contributing individuals.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and will provide further details at that stage.

With reference to the press notice entitled Prime Minister unveils new plan to end years of uncontrolled migration, published on 12 May 2025, what the full list of occupations is that will be eligible for the fast-track route.

Settlement in the UK is a prerequisite for becoming a British citizen and brings lifelong benefits. Settlement is also an important step in integrating and contributing to local communities and the wider country. We will therefore reform the current rules around settlement so that individuals must earn their right to a privileged immigration status in the UK through the long-term contribution they bring to our country. We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and will provide details of how the scheme will work after that.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 48630 on Police: Working Hours and with reference to the press notice entitled New measures to put neighbourhood bobbies back on beat, published on 9 April 2025, on what evidential basis she determined the number of neighbourhood police officers required.

This Government wants town centres to be vibrant, welcoming places where businesses thrive and people feel safe and come to shop, socialise and live. What the Hon Member describes about town centres in Hertfordshire is absolutely unacceptable.As part of the Government’s Plan for Change, and to support making the country’s streets safer, £66.3 million of Hotspot Action funding has been awarded to all 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales for 2025/26. Hertfordshire will receive £1 million of that funding.In addition, under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act, section 60AA permits officers on patrol to require the removal of face coverings over a 24 hour period, if an authorisation is in place, where there are grounds to believe criminal activity may take place in a particular area, and will last for 24 hours.Furthermore, stop and search powers permit individuals to be stopped by officers if there are grounds to suspect they are going to commit offences, such as robbery and theft.The implementation of a new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is also key to people feeling safe in their communities. The guarantee includes restoring patrols to town centres and delivering an additional 13,000 neighbourhood policing officers, PCSOs and special constables by the end of this parliament.

What information her Department holds on the number of privately-owned properties that are being used to house asylum seekers.

Available data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including dispersed accommodation, is published quarterly and can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release. The data can also be broken down by local authority.Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

What accommodation in Cambridgeshire is used to house people that have arrived in the UK illegally.

Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release. The data can be broken down by local authority and accommodation type. Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

How is the value of the financial sum added weekly to an Aspen card calculated.

The level of the allowance given to those supported under section 95 and section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 is reviewed each year to ensure it covers an asylum seekers’ essential living needs. Details of what is considered essential, can be found in the annual asylum support rate review reports, published on GOV.UK.

Whether her Department plans to secure five-year guaranteed full-rent deals from private landlords to house asylum seekers.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 2nd April to question 41060.