Written questions by Miller.

When she plans to answer Questions (a) 97729 and (b) 97730, tabled by the hon. Member for Bicester and Woodstock on 5 December 2025.

The Honourable Member will receive a response shortly.

How many members of the Independent Monitoring Board for Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre have been appointed; and what the names of those members are.

Campsfield Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) opened on 1 December 2025 following completion of Phase 1 construction. As of 8 December there are currently 9 individuals detained at the IRC. Further information regarding Campsfield IRC can be found in the factsheet: Campsfield immigration removal centre: factsheet - GOV.UKAs with all IRCs, Campsfield IRC is operated in line with Detention Centre Rules 2001, published operating standards for IRCs and Detention Services Orders; a framework which ensures the safety and security of those detained in our care.Independent scrutiny is a vital part of assurance that our detention facilities are safe, secure, and humane. Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) are required to monitor IRCs as the appointed visiting committee as set out in the Detention Centre Rules 2001 and the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. There are currently four members of the IMB for Campsfield IRC.IMB chairs and individual member details are not publicised by us or the IMB as the chairs are volunteers. The only names in the public domain are the members of the National Board - About us - Independent Monitoring Boards.

How many people were detained at Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre on 5 December 2025 by reason for detention.

Campsfield Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) opened on 1 December 2025 following completion of Phase 1 construction. As of 8 December there are currently 9 individuals detained at the IRC. Further information regarding Campsfield IRC can be found in the factsheet: Campsfield immigration removal centre: factsheet - GOV.UKAs with all IRCs, Campsfield IRC is operated in line with Detention Centre Rules 2001, published operating standards for IRCs and Detention Services Orders; a framework which ensures the safety and security of those detained in our care.Independent scrutiny is a vital part of assurance that our detention facilities are safe, secure, and humane. Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) are required to monitor IRCs as the appointed visiting committee as set out in the Detention Centre Rules 2001 and the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. There are currently four members of the IMB for Campsfield IRC.IMB chairs and individual member details are not publicised by us or the IMB as the chairs are volunteers. The only names in the public domain are the members of the National Board - About us - Independent Monitoring Boards.

With reference to the proposed expansion of the Campsfield Immigration Removal Centre (Phase 2), whether a formal decision has been taken to rely on the Crown Development route under sections 293D to 293E of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

The Home Office has taken the decision to use the Crown Development route to planning for Phase 2 of the Campsfield Immigration Removal Centre development.Crown development applications require extensive consultation of the local planning authority, and planning consent will be obtained before we proceed with phase 2 of the development.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Alternative to Detention schemes piloted under the Home Office’s Community Engagement Pilot series.

Following analysis of the pilots’ published evaluations, the Department did not see sufficient evidence to progress these. We will keep under review the feasibility of alternatives to detention, taking account of effectiveness and cost efficiency, as part of our plans to transform the asylum and returns system.

Whether her Department plans to consult Parliament on changes to Immigration removal centres, announced on 11 June 2025.

No changes to the immigration removal estate have been announced since plans to open Campsfield House and Haslar Immigration Removal Centres were announced in 2022.

When she plans to answer Question 59951 on British National (Overseas): Visas, tabled on 12 June 2025.

The response to PQ 59951 was answered on 23 June 2025.

How many attempted applications have been made for the British National (Overseas) visa pathway by people born before 1997 and who have at least one parent with BNO status since 2021.

The British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) route reflects the historic and moral commitment to those people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status. It has enabled thousands of eligible Hong Kongers and their family members to come to the UK to live, study and work on a pathway to citizenship. The Home Office does not hold data on the number of applications to the BN(O) route from individuals born before 1997 who have at least one parent holding BN(O) status, as this specific information is not collected or recorded on Home Office systems.

How many applications through the British Nationals (Overseas) Visa pathway have been rejected in each year since 2021.

The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas by year and visa type in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on visa applications are published in ‘Vis_D01’ whilst data on the outcomes of visas are published in table ‘Vis_D02’ of the detailed entry clearance dataset.Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. Data is from January 2005 up to the end of March 2025.

How many applications there have been through the British Nationals (Overseas) Visa pathway in each year since 2021.

The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas by year and visa type in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on visa applications are published in ‘Vis_D01’ whilst data on the outcomes of visas are published in table ‘Vis_D02’ of the detailed entry clearance dataset.Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. Data is from January 2005 up to the end of March 2025.

Whether her Department holds information on the number of alleged bounties placed on pro-democracy Hong Kongers living in the UK by Beijing-linked groups.

The safety and security of Hong Kongers in the UK is of the upmost importance. The UK will always stand up for the rights of the people of Hong Kong.China’s imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has significantly eroded the rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers. The Government has called on Beijing to repeal the National Security Law, including its extraterritorial reach.We will not tolerate any attempts by China to intimidate and silence individuals in the UK and overseas. The UK will always defend the universal right to freedom of expression and stand up for those who are targeted.The Hong Kong National Security Police have also issued a total of 19 arrest warrants for pro-democracy activists living overseas, with financial rewards of HK$1 million each for information leading to their arrest. All face charges of secession and foreign collusion under the 2020 National Security Law. A number of these individuals are residents in the UK.However, It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on security and intelligence matters and it would not be appropriate to comment on any specific support the police provide in individual cases. Where we identify such threats, we are front footed in deploying protective measures as appropriate.The Government has developed a range of support and security assistance mechanisms to protect individuals and communities that are at risk of transnational repression. Guidance can be found on GOV.UK providing those who believe themselves to be at-risk of TNR with practical advice for their safety both physically and online.Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated.

How many police reports on the intimidation of pro-democracy Hong Kongers living in the UK have been filed in each year since 2021.

The safety and security of Hong Kongers in the UK is of the upmost importance. The UK will always stand up for the rights of the people of Hong Kong.China’s imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has significantly eroded the rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers. The Government has called on Beijing to repeal the National Security Law, including its extraterritorial reach.We will not tolerate any attempts by China to intimidate and silence individuals in the UK and overseas. The UK will always defend the universal right to freedom of expression and stand up for those who are targeted.The Hong Kong National Security Police have also issued a total of 19 arrest warrants for pro-democracy activists living overseas, with financial rewards of HK$1 million each for information leading to their arrest. All face charges of secession and foreign collusion under the 2020 National Security Law. A number of these individuals are residents in the UK.However, It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on security and intelligence matters and it would not be appropriate to comment on any specific support the police provide in individual cases. Where we identify such threats, we are front footed in deploying protective measures as appropriate.The Government has developed a range of support and security assistance mechanisms to protect individuals and communities that are at risk of transnational repression. Guidance can be found on GOV.UK providing those who believe themselves to be at-risk of TNR with practical advice for their safety both physically and online.Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated.

Whether pro-democracy Hong Kong activists are able to receive support from (a) police forces and (b) other agencies for allegations of intimidation by Beijing-linked groups.

The safety and security of Hong Kongers in the UK is of the upmost importance. The UK will always stand up for the rights of the people of Hong Kong.China’s imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has significantly eroded the rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers. The Government has called on Beijing to repeal the National Security Law, including its extraterritorial reach.We will not tolerate any attempts by China to intimidate and silence individuals in the UK and overseas. The UK will always defend the universal right to freedom of expression and stand up for those who are targeted.The Hong Kong National Security Police have also issued a total of 19 arrest warrants for pro-democracy activists living overseas, with financial rewards of HK$1 million each for information leading to their arrest. All face charges of secession and foreign collusion under the 2020 National Security Law. A number of these individuals are residents in the UK.However, It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on security and intelligence matters and it would not be appropriate to comment on any specific support the police provide in individual cases. Where we identify such threats, we are front footed in deploying protective measures as appropriate.The Government has developed a range of support and security assistance mechanisms to protect individuals and communities that are at risk of transnational repression. Guidance can be found on GOV.UK providing those who believe themselves to be at-risk of TNR with practical advice for their safety both physically and online.Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated.

Whether her Department plans to maintain the settlement criteria for British National (Overseas) visa holders.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in the normal way in due course, and where necessary, will be subject to consultation.

What assessment her Department has of the potential impact of the White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published on 12 May 12025, on the British National (Overseas) visa route.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in the normal way in due course, and where necessary, will be subject to consultation.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the police to recover money obtained via theft by serious organised crime.

The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 contains significant powers to assist police forces in identifying, freezing and recovering criminal assets. Police forces utilise confiscation orders to deprive offenders of the proceeds of their criminal conduct. A confiscation order is imposed by the court against a convicted defendant, ordering them to pay the amount they benefited from their criminal activity.If the defendant has benefited from the crime but has no assets, the court will record the amount of the benefit and make a nominal order. If the defendant later acquires assets, or further assets are discovered, the prosecution can apply to the court to increase the amount that a defendant must pay.Police forces have dedicated 'Asset Confiscation Enforcement' (ACE) teams that provide a coordinated response to confiscation enforcement and tackling priority enforcement orders to ensure proceeds of crime are recovered.Financial investigation practices and legislation are regularly reviewed. The Crime and Policing Bill includes reforms which will bolster confiscation, by giving the courts more powers to make realistic and proportionate confiscation orders, expedite the enforcement of unpaid orders, and streamline confiscation proceedings. These reforms will improve asset recovery outcomes ensuring criminals are deprived of their benefit from crime and lead to more funds being returned to victims; and more funds reinvested into law enforcement.

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of financial investigation practices by police forces in cases where significant funds remain unrecovered.

The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 contains significant powers to assist police forces in identifying, freezing and recovering criminal assets. Police forces utilise confiscation orders to deprive offenders of the proceeds of their criminal conduct. A confiscation order is imposed by the court against a convicted defendant, ordering them to pay the amount they benefited from their criminal activity. If the defendant has benefited from the crime but has no assets, the court will record the amount of the benefit and make a nominal order. If the defendant later acquires assets, or further assets are discovered, the prosecution can apply to the court to increase the amount that a defendant must pay. Police forces have dedicated ‘Asset Confiscation Enforcement’ (ACE) teams that provide a coordinated response to confiscation enforcement and tackling priority enforcement orders to ensure proceeds of crime are recovered. Financial investigation practices and legislation are regularly reviewed. The Crime and Policing Bill includes reforms which will bolster confiscation, by giving the courts more powers to make realistic and proportionate confiscation orders, expedite the enforcement of unpaid orders, and streamline confiscation proceedings. These reforms will improve asset recovery outcomes ensuring criminals are deprived of their benefit from crime and lead to more funds being returned to victims; and more funds reinvested into law enforcement.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the 2002 Proceeds of Crime Act in recovering criminal profits made from high-profile theft.

The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) is the primary framework for recovering the proceeds of crime. POCA is crime agnostic and can be applied for any crime type where the criminal has benefited from crime. If a defendant is convicted of a criminal offence, such as high-profile theft, an order can be placed on the individual to pay the equivalent value of their criminal benefit.POCA also provides for the recovery of any assets that are suspected to be derived from criminality, regardless of a criminal conviction.The Home Office publishes an annual statistical bulletin which outlines the high-level trends on the use of POCA powers and other relevant legislation. Within the bulletin a breakdown by offence group is provided of which Theft is a category. Over the past six years of collecting data, criminal confiscation receipts for theft are of a value of £40.1 million and a further £224.8 million was restrained to pay toward confiscation.Further detail of these figures can be found in the published tables 6, 7 and 8 as part of the Annual Statistical Bulletin on Asset Recovery.

If she will publish a timetable for the piloting of domestic violence specialists in every 999 control room; and when she plans to roll this out to (a) Thames Valley and (b) other constabularies not included in the pilot.

In February we launched Raneem's Law, and embedded external domestic abuse specialists in the first five 999 control rooms. Learnings from the first five forces will inform plans for further national rollout. Exact timings will be announced in due course.This Government is committed to rolling this out across all 43 forces in England and Wales as soon as possible. This is the first time the Government is delivering a national, coordinated approach to embedding specialism into 999 control rooms and this must be delivered to the highest standards.

By what date her Department plans to embed domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms in the Thames Valley constabulary area.

Last month, we announced that external domestic abuse specialists have been embedded within the first five police force control rooms under Raneem's Law, to improve the police response to domestic abuse. These forces are Northumbria, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Humberside and West Midlands.We intend to use learning from this first phase of implementation to develop our model and inform plans for further national rollout across all 43 forces in England and Wales, as soon as possible. Exact timings for this will be announced in due course.