Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 22767 on Border Security Command, what aspect of system leadership the Border Security Command provides to Border Force.

The objective of system leadership in the context of border security is to ensure that all partners are working toward a single coordinated plan and unified response to border threats, particularly organised immigration crime.Tackling threats to our border security is not exclusive to individual police forces which is why we work with the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, similarly the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force should not be distinct in this regard. As set out in the Delivering Border Security statement published on gov.uk, the BSC as system leader will drive priorities across the border security system, ensuring the system has the appropriate resources, powers, capabilities, and mandates in place across the piece to deliver on priorities set by the Government.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 22767 on Border Security Command, what aspect of system leadership the Border Security Command provides to the National Crime Agency.

The objective of system leadership in the context of border security is to ensure that all partners are working toward a single coordinated plan and unified response to border threats, particularly organised immigration crime.Tackling threats to our border security is not exclusive to individual police forces which is why we work with the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, similarly the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force should not be distinct in this regard. As set out in the Delivering Border Security statement published on gov.uk, the BSC as system leader will drive priorities across the border security system, ensuring the system has the appropriate resources, powers, capabilities, and mandates in place across the piece to deliver on priorities set by the Government.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 22767 on Border Security Command, what aspect of system leadership the Border Security Command provides to Immigration Enforcement.

The objective of system leadership in the context of border security is to ensure that all partners are working toward a single coordinated plan and unified response to border threats, particularly organised immigration crime.Tackling threats to our border security is not exclusive to individual police forces which is why we work with the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, similarly the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force should not be distinct in this regard. As set out in the Delivering Border Security statement published on gov.uk, the BSC as system leader will drive priorities across the border security system, ensuring the system has the appropriate resources, powers, capabilities, and mandates in place across the piece to deliver on priorities set by the Government.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 22767 on Border Security Command, what aspect of system leadership the Border Security Command provides to the police; and with which police forces it is working in partnership.

The objective of system leadership in the context of border security is to ensure that all partners are working toward a single coordinated plan and unified response to border threats, particularly organised immigration crime.Tackling threats to our border security is not exclusive to individual police forces which is why we work with the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, similarly the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force should not be distinct in this regard. As set out in the Delivering Border Security statement published on gov.uk, the BSC as system leader will drive priorities across the border security system, ensuring the system has the appropriate resources, powers, capabilities, and mandates in place across the piece to deliver on priorities set by the Government.

Whether her Department plans to take steps to give Police and Fire Commissioner roles to combined authority mayors.

Since their introduction, Police (Fire) and Crime Commissioners (P(F)CCs) have brought greater local accountability to policing and we recognise the important role they play as the elected voice of their local communities.The English Devolution White Paper published last month sets out an ambition for greater alignment of mayoral and public safety functions. The White Paper can be found here. ​​English Devolution White Paper​: Power and partnership: Foundations for growth - GOV.UK

What leadership the Border Security Command provides to (a) Border Force, (b) National Crime Agency, (c) Immigration Enforcement and (d) the police.

There are a number of different bodies that have a role in securing the UK border, including departments and agencies across Government and law enforcement. The Border Security Command is, for the first time, providing system leadership across those partners.Specifically, in terms of operational partners, the Border Security Command is enabling a step-change in how our full range of capabilities are coordinated, maximised and targeted on immigration crime and reducing irregular migration including through the investment of £150 million to provide new technology, capabilities and specialist officers tackling organised crime.

What resources her Department has allocated to law enforcement agencies to help tackle the level of Child Sexual Exploitation cases due to AI.

UK law is clear that AI generated child sexual abuse images are illegal material. We invest in capabilities across law enforcement to identify and disrupt child sexual abuse, which includes offences involving AI generated child sexual abuse material.This financial year, the Home Office provided over £17 million to build the workforce capacity and technical capability of the National Crime Agency, and over £11 million to resource undercover online officers.This funding targets the highest harm and most technologically sophisticated child sexual abuse offenders.

How many people smuggling gangs have been disbanded since the establishment of the Border Security Command.

The Border Security Command (BSC) is working strategically across the Border Security system, including with partners such as the National Crime Agency, police, and intelligence agencies to dismantle criminal smuggling gangs, and disrupt their supply chains.The BSC and its partner agencies are also working closely with their international counterparts to pursue Organised Immigration Crime gangs operating across Europe and beyond, and this work has already led to a number of widely publicised raids and arrests in recent months.While the BSC is continuing to mature, it is already working closely with delivery partners who tackle organised immigration crime across Whitehall, 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 OIC 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. Further detail on success measures, including a reporting framework, will be out in due course.

How many voluntary deportations took place between 4 July and 31 December 2024.

The Home Office routinely publishes data on returns in the “Immigration Systems Statistics” quarterly release. Data on quarterly returns of individuals since July 2024 can be found in table Ret_D01 of the “returns detailed datasets”.The next full quarterly release, which will include data up to December 2024 is due to be published on the 27th February 2025. We have also published interim figures on the 9th of January to provide an overview of the number of people who have been returned from the UK since early July.Returns are reported in 3 main groups:enforced returns (people subject to administrative removal or deportation action which is carried out by the Home Office)voluntary returns (people who were liable to removal action or subject to immigration control but have left of their own accord, sometimes with support from the Home Office)port returns (people who are refused entry to the UK and have subsequently departed)

What proportion of deportations between 4 July and 31 December were (a) enforced and (b) voluntary.

The Home Office routinely publishes data on returns in the “Immigration Systems Statistics” quarterly release. Data on quarterly returns of individuals since July 2024 can be found in table Ret_D01 of the “returns detailed datasets”.The next full quarterly release, which will include data up to December 2024 is due to be published on the 27th February 2025. We have also published interim figures on the 9th of January to provide an overview of the number of people who have been returned from the UK since early July.Returns are reported in 3 main groups:enforced returns (people subject to administrative removal or deportation action which is carried out by the Home Office)voluntary returns (people who were liable to removal action or subject to immigration control but have left of their own accord, sometimes with support from the Home Office)port returns (people who are refused entry to the UK and have subsequently departed)

How many (a) operational and (b) support staff Border Security Command employs as of 1 January 2025.

The Border Security Command (BSC) provides cross-system strategic leadership across partners in the border security system to tackle the facilitators of organised immigration crime (OIC) and wider border security threats.The BSC is being appropriately resourced to ensure it can deliver this cross-system effort. Roles are being filled in line with departmental practices and wider recruitment is ongoing as part of the broader organisational set up.

What steps the Government is taking to tackle the use of artificial intelligence in the creation of images for online child sexual exploitation.

The Government remains firmly committed to tackling all forms of child sexual abuse online and in our communities across the UK and internationally. This includes working to safeguard children, provide support to victims and survivors, and pursuing offenders and bringing them to justice.UK law is crystal clear – AI generated child sexual abuse images are illegal material. It is an offence to produce, store or share any material that contains or depicts child sexual abuse, regardless of whether the material depicts a “real” child or not.We are committed to continuing to make sure law enforcement have the right powers to tackle this crime. That is why we will be bringing forward new legislative measures to tackle AI generated child sexual abuse material in this parliament.Home Office investment also supports the National Crime Agency to use its unique capabilities to disrupt the highest harm offenders, safeguard children and remove the most horrific child sexual abuse material from the internet, including on the dark web.The Online Safety Act places new duties on these services to address priority illegal content, which includes child sexual exploitation and abuse, whether it is AI generated or not. The Act applies to companies that provide user-to-user services and search services.This Government is fully committed to tackling the creation of child sexual abuse online and will use every lever possible to continue to do so.

How many staff the Border Security Command will have; and at what grade.

The Border Security Command (BSC) provides cross-system strategic leadership across partners in the border security system to tackle the facilitators of organised immigration crime (OIC) and wider border security threats.The BSC is being appropriately resourced to ensure it can deliver this cross-system effort. Roles are being filled in line with departmental practices and wider recruitment is ongoing as part of the broader organisational set up.

What plans the Government has to tackle knife crime amongst (a) young people and (b) young people in the black community.

Halving knife crime over the next decade is a key part of the Government’s mission to take back our streets. We are taking a range of steps to realise this ambition.We have banned Zombie style knives and zombie style machetes.We have set up a Knife-Enabled Robbery Taskforce, which brings together Ministers, Chief Constables and others working across criminal justice to take immediate action to tackle the fastest rising type of knife crime.We have formed the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime that brings together campaign groups, families of people who have tragically lost their lives to knife crime, young people who have been impacted and community leaders, united in their mission to save lives and make Britain a safer place for the next generation.We launched a consultation to help our plans for an effective ban of Ninja Swords.We have launched a review into the online sale and delivery of knives to identify any gaps in current processes and legislation. We are also consulting on introducing personal liability measures on senior executives of online platforms or marketplaces who fail to take action to remove illegal content relating to weapons.We will also create a new Young Futures programme - intervening earlier to stop young people being drawn into crime. It is vital we have a system that can identify and support those young people who need it most.

Whether her Department plans to provide funding for the Community Security Trust.

The Community Security Trust will receive funding of £18 million per year through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant (JCPS) from 2024/25 to 2027/28.The Jewish Community Protective Security Grant provides protective security measures (such as security personnel services, CCTV and alarm systems) at synagogues, Jewish educational establishments and community sites. It is managed on behalf of the Home Office by the Community Security Trust.We continue to work closely with the Community Security Trust on how best to protect Jewish communities across the UK.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2024 to Question 16677 on Community Policing: Cambridgeshire, how many of the 13,000 additional police officers Cambridgeshire Constabulary will receive.

As part of the Government’s Safer Streets mission, the Home Secretary has made a clear commitment to strengthen neighbourhood policing through the introduction of a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.This includes delivering an additional 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables in neighbourhood policing roles up and down the country. We are working closely with policing to implement this commitment and will announce our plans for the delivery of neighbourhood officers shortly. Every part of the country needs to benefit from this pledge, and of course that includes Cambridgeshire.

How many taskings for Military Aid to the Civil Authorities from her Department required the use of RAF CH-47 Chinook helicopters since 2019.

The Home Office have made no Military Aid to the Civil Authority request that has required the use of RAF CH-47 Chinooks Helicopters since 2019.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 3381 on Police: Cambridgeshire, how many of the additional 13,000 police personnel will be redeployed police constables; what criteria her Department will use to determine which roles are redeployed; and which roles will be in scope for redeployment.

The Government is committed to introducing a neighbourhood policing guarantee as part of its Safer Streets mission. This will include the delivery of an additional 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles throughout England and Wales and will ensure that every community has a named officer to turn to. The Home Office is working with policing to deliver this increase which will include a combination of additional recruitment and redeployment into neighbourhood policing roles. We will announce our plans for the delivery of neighbourhood officers in 25/26 shortly.

How Cambridgeshire Constabulary will benefit from the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

As part of the Government’s Safer Streets mission, the Home Secretary has made a clear commitment to strengthen neighbourhood policing through the introduction of a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.This includes delivering an additional 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables in neighbourhood policing roles up and down the country.We are working closely with policing to implement this commitment and will announce our plans for the delivery of neighbourhood officers shortly.

How many (a) police officers, (b) Police Community Support Officers and (c) special constables are planned to be recruited between 1 December 2024 and 31 March 2025.

As part of the Government’s Safer Streets mission, the Home Secretary has made a clear commitment to strengthen neighbourhood policing through the introduction of a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. This will include delivering an additional 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables in neighbourhood policing roles and ensuring every community has a named officer to turn to.We are working closely with policing to implement this commitment and will announce our plans for the delivery of neighbourhood officers shortly.