Written questions by Lockhart.

How much has been paid for hotel accommodation for asylum seekers in Northern Ireland in each month since January 2020.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

How much funding her Department has provided to Northern Ireland in each financial year since 2019-20 for asylum accommodation, broken down by scheme, recipient body and local council area.

The Home Office provides funding to Local Authorities through several grant agreements, including those for Asylum, Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking Children, and former Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking Children Care Leavers. However, we do not publicly publish grant payment levels by individual local authority. For Northern Ireland, these funds are paid directly to the Northern Ireland Executive Office, which is then responsible for distributing them to each area as they see fit.

If she will publish all Home Office grants, contracts, memoranda of understanding or transfer payments relating to asylum support in Northern Ireland since 2019.

The Home Office provides funding to Local Authorities through several grant agreements, including those for Asylum, Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking Children, and former Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking Children Care Leavers. However, we do not publicly publish grant payment levels by individual local authority. For Northern Ireland, these funds are paid directly to the Northern Ireland Executive Office, which is then responsible for distributing them to each area as they see fit.

Whether she has had discussions with the Charity Commission on the potential use of religious charities by networks aligned with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Ministers and officials regularly meet with the Charity Commission to discuss a range of issues relating to the regulation of charities.The Charity Commission is alive to the risks of state threats to the charity sector and works with other agencies to protect the sector from the risks of being exploited. The Charity Commission has consistently been clear that it will respond robustly where there proves to have been wrongdoing.We work closely with a range of partners to tackle malign state-backed influence in our society. Where there is clear evidence that Iranian-linked or aligned organisations are undertaking unacceptable activity, the Government will respond accordingly.We continue to take strong action and hold the Iranian regime to account. This includes placing Iran – including the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) – on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme to bolster our oversight of Iran’s influence activities. The UK has already also imposed more than 550 sanctions on Iranian individuals and organisations. This includes the IRGC in its entirety. Most recently, this month we sanctioned prolific IRGC members for their role in recent brutality against protestors.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her polices of reports that religious centres in the UK are being used to (a) promote and (b) support the activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Ministers and officials regularly meet with the Charity Commission to discuss a range of issues relating to the regulation of charities.The Charity Commission is alive to the risks of state threats to the charity sector and works with other agencies to protect the sector from the risks of being exploited. The Charity Commission has consistently been clear that it will respond robustly where there proves to have been wrongdoing.We work closely with a range of partners to tackle malign state-backed influence in our society. Where there is clear evidence that Iranian-linked or aligned organisations are undertaking unacceptable activity, the Government will respond accordingly.We continue to take strong action and hold the Iranian regime to account. This includes placing Iran – including the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) – on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme to bolster our oversight of Iran’s influence activities. The UK has already also imposed more than 550 sanctions on Iranian individuals and organisations. This includes the IRGC in its entirety. Most recently, this month we sanctioned prolific IRGC members for their role in recent brutality against protestors.

How many illegal immigrants are currently being housed in Northern Ireland; and what steps are being taken to process their cases.

In accordance with the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and subsistence support whilst their application for asylum is being considered. Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, and by local authority can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK The Home Office continues to invest in a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives, including innovative tooling to speed up decision-making, reduce the time people spend in the asylum system, decrease the number of people awaiting an interview or decision, and improve the quality and consistency of our work. Our efforts span the entire asylum journey and will enable us to maximise capacity and progress cases in a more efficient and cost-effective way. We have taken action to speed up asylum processing so that asylum seekers do not wait months or years, at vast expense to the taxpayer, for a decision. The number of outstanding asylum decisions is falling, and we continue to make good progress.

How many immigration enforcement visits relating to visa overstaying were conducted in Northern Ireland in each quarter since July 2024; and what plans she has to increase capacity.

To maintain the highest standards of accuracy, the Home Office prefers to refer to published data, as this has been subject to rigorous quality assurance under National Statistics protocols prior to publication. Information about enforcement visits in Northern Ireland specifically related to visa overstaying is not available in our published data. Our published national data on enforcement activity is available at the following link: Immigration system statistics, year ending September 2025 - GOV.UK All aspects of enforcement activity conducted by the Northern Ireland Immigration Compliance and Enforcement Team have significantly risen year on year. This includes increased illegal working operations and conducting more residential and compliance visits in conjunction with law enforcement partners to tackle abuse of the immigration system.

What assessment she has made of the scale of people-smuggling facilitation activity with operational links to Northern Ireland since July 2024; and how many disruptions and arrests have been made.

Through the Border Security Command, we continue to work with all key partners, both across the UK and internationally to disrupt and deter people-smuggling facilitation. Our collective law enforcement powers, sharing intelligence, data, and expertise, and conducting joined-up operational activity support our aim of putting people-smuggling gangs out of business.The National Crime Agency's National Strategic Assessment assesses that the Common Travel Area (CTA), and particularly the routes between Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Great Britain, continue to be exploited by criminals for the purposes of immigration crime.Tackling the threat from organised immigration crime, including illegal entry to the UK via the Common Travel Area (CTA), is complex and requires the coordination of approach and resource across the Home Office and with Policing Partners. Within Immigration Enforcement, our Officers work closely with law enforcement partners both in Northern Ireland, Great Britain, and the Republic of Ireland to maximise the use of resources and ensure the upstream disruption of out-of-country organised crime groups who seek to facilitate immigration crime through the CTA.Our published national data on enforcement activity is available at the following link and includes data on detected irregular arrivals to the UK: Immigration system statistics, year ending September 2025 - GOV.UK.

How many residential properties secured by her Department and its contractors in the Upper Bann constituency have been unoccupied for more than (a) three months, (b) six months, and (c) twelve months; and for what reasons each such property has not been brought into use.

The Home Office does not publish data on the utilisation of asylum accommodation. We aim to utilise our estate as fully as possible, however, as with all types of accommodation properties may be temporarily vacant for a variety of operational reasons, including the need for maintenance or refurbishment work, or while awaiting allocation to new occupants following the departure of previous residents.

Whether contractors operating residential accommodation on behalf of her Department in the Upper Bann constituency have exceeded permitted profit margins.

Profit margins being exceeded are not broken down by specific constituencies.Mears, who manage the Home Office’s asylum accommodation for Northern Ireland and other contracted regions, did exceed their profit margins. The Home Office is in the process of recouping the full amount owed, as part of the profit share mechanism within the contract.

How much has been paid by her Department to contractors for residential properties in the Upper Bann constituency that were unoccupied at the time of payment in each of the last three financial years.

The Department only makes payments for Dispersed Accommodation properties when they are occupied. Consequently, no payments have been made for unoccupied properties in the Upper Bann constituency during the period in question.

If she will make it her policy to sell her Department's vacant residential properties in Upper Bann constituency.

The Home Office does not own properties used to accommodate individuals in the asylum system.Accommodation is sourced, managed, and maintained by contracted Service Providers under the Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contracts (AASC), which set out obligations to provide suitable accommodation meeting statutory requirements.These properties are not part of the Home Office estate, and the Department has no authority over their disposal.

Whether she will publish a full list of residential properties leased or controlled by her Department or its contractors in Upper Bann constituency, including occupancy status, duration of vacancy, and cost to the public purse.

For the safety, security and wellbeing of staff and those being accommodated, the Home Office does not disclose publicly information about accommodation sites which may or may not be utilised.Information on asylum accommodation is published regularly in the Home Office’s transparency data and official statistics, which are available online.

How many asylum seekers have been relocated to Northern Ireland since January 2024.

Northern Ireland is not a dispersal area and asylum seekers are therefore not routed between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Only those claiming asylum in Northern Ireland are accommodated there. Northern Ireland’s asylum population is however, proportionate to its population when compared to the UK. Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, and by local authority can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of border security measures at (a) ports and (b) airports in Northern Ireland.

Border Force performs checks on 100% of passengers arriving at the UK border on scheduled services, enabling interventions against those known or suspected to pose a risk to the national interest.The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative relationship on migration and border security, and we are jointly committed to protecting the Common Travel Area and safeguarding it from abuse.Officers who work on the primary control ensure that all passengers are dealt with efficiently as possible to ensure border security. We also use dynamic deployment to staff the immigration control when required.The UK’s border and immigration system is changing. We are transforming our border through automation and digitisation to make it quicker and more secure for the millions of people who pass through each year.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of preparedness for changes in the national terror threat level in (a) general and (b) Northern Ireland.

The UK National Threat Level remains at SUBSTANTIAL, meaning an attack is likely. The UK National Threat Level is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre who consider all relevant intelligence and information to produce an assessment of the threat from terrorism in the UK and overseas. Due to this, the Home Office regularly reviews its plans with Government departments to react to a change in threat level.The threat to Northern Ireland from Northern Ireland-related terrorism is SUBSTANTIAL. The Northern Ireland Office are responsible for this threat level.

How many Border Force officers are deployed in Northern Ireland.

As an intelligence-informed organisation, Border Force do not disclose specific details regarding the deployment of resources to individual border threats. This is to ensure the integrity of our operations, and avoid compromising the effectiveness of our security response, which is based upon real time intelligence and operational sensitivity.Officers who work on the primary control ensure that all passengers are dealt with efficiently as possible to ensure border security.We also use dynamic deployment to staff the immigration control when required.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of immigration controls to prevent human trafficking over the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

As part of the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from Ireland to the UK, with no immigration checks being undertaken on the Ireland-Northern Ireland land border.The UK carries out intelligence led operations to target potential abuse of CTA routes, including between Ireland and Northern Ireland but away from the land border.There is a high level of cooperation on migration and border security between the UK and Ireland. We regularly monitor and review any identified trends and we work closely with our Irish colleagues in taking action to address this.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on ensuring parity of policing resources between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Policing is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland, and decisions on the allocation of police funding rests with the Northern Ireland Executive.Since 2010, the Home Office has had responsibility for police funding only in England and Wales.

Whether she will provide guidance to statutory safeguarding partners on (a) recognising and (b) responding to the grooming and exploitation of 13 to 16-year-olds.

The Government is committed to protecting and safeguarding all children and working to strengthen our response to identify and combat all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse and grooming.The current Working Together to Safeguard Children statutory guidance provides an important framework to support frontline professionals in understanding their responsibilities in ensuring effective safeguarding of children across the country.This clarifies that children at risk of harm outside their home, including online, should receive a coordinated multi-agency response in a timely way. Ofsted inspects the provision and quality of children’s social care services across all local authorities and is responsible for ensuring that local authorities adhere to statutory guidance including Working Together to Safeguard Children.This statutory guidance is one important tool, supported by additional measures to make sure frontline professionals have an effective and robust response to safeguarding and protecting children.This includes funding the independent Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse work to improve information-sharing where there are concerns of child sexual abuse and work to embed the Child Sexual Abuse Response Pathway across a range of local areas.And the Prevention Programme delivered by The Children's Society, also seeks to raise awareness of child exploitation to professionals working within the private, statutory and third sectors, as well as the general public, and upskills staff to better respond to, disrupt and prevent multiple forms of child exploitation, including child sexual exploitation. Furthermore, we continue to invest in the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce to support policing's response to all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including by providing practice advice for investigators.