Written questions by Dewhirst.

What the average period of time taken was to conclude an investigation of misconduct against a police officer under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 in each local police force area in each of the last five years.

The Home Office collects and publishes data on police misconduct proceedings, cases, and allegations on an annual basis in the ‘Police misconduct, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-misconduct-statistics.The latest information covers cases finalised in year ending 31 March 2024. The data tables accompanying these statistics contain information on individuals referred to proceedings by proceeding type and Police Force Area (table MP1), and the subsequent misconduct finding level (table MP3).Not all allegations are referred to misconduct proceedings. Tables PC6a and PC6b, CM5, and RC5 contain information on the number of allegations finalised by action (for example, referral to proceedings, or referral to reflective practice review process) and Police Force Area, for cases arising from complaints, conduct, and recordable conduct matters respectively.Tables CM7a and RC7a contain information on the average (median) time to finalise conduct and recordable conduct matter cases, by Police Force Area. These statistics include all finalised cases, including those not referred to misconduct proceedings or where no action was deemed necessary. A case is considered finalised once all resultant actions have concluded, including criminal proceedings, appeals and any associated reviews.These statistics are designated Official Statistics in Development to acknowledge that they should be interpreted with caution, particularly when comparing between years. Please see the user guide for further details https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/user-guide-to-police-misconduct-statistics/user-guide-to-police-misconduct-statistics.

How many suicides by police officers have been recorded in each of the last ten years, by local police force.

The Home Office does not currently collect or hold this information centrally. The Office for National Statistics publishes data on the number of suicides registered in England and Wales by occupation. The latest available data can be found here: Suicide by occupation in England and Wales: 2023 and 2024, provisional - Office for National StatisticsThis Government has been clear that the health and wellbeing of our police workforce is a priority.The National Police Wellbeing Service has created a national suicide action plan which aims to educate and support the workforce, reduce stress and improve data recording. In addition, the Service has put in place a 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Support Line to provide urgent support for our police when they need it the most.

What guidance her Department has issued to (a) police forces and (b) local authorities on the use of facial recognition cameras in public places.

When using facial recognition technology, all police forces and local authorities must comply with data protection, equalities and human rights laws. They must also comply with the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice.Police forces are also required to comply with any published policing policies and in the case of live facial recognition, follow the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice.The government wants to ensure that facial recognition operates on a firm footing, providing maximum confidence to both the public and the police on the use of these tools. To that end, I have been listening carefully to stakeholders and partners and have held a series of roundtables with policing, civil society groups, regulators and others. Formal evaluation work on the impact of the technology is also underway, and we intend to set out our plans in the coming months.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the use of facial recognition cameras in public places on civil liberties.

When using facial recognition technology, all police forces and local authorities must comply with data protection, equalities and human rights laws. They must also comply with the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice.Police forces are also required to comply with any published policing policies and in the case of live facial recognition, follow the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice.The government wants to ensure that facial recognition operates on a firm footing, providing maximum confidence to both the public and the police on the use of these tools. To that end, I have been listening carefully to stakeholders and partners and have held a series of roundtables with policing, civil society groups, regulators and others. Formal evaluation work on the impact of the technology is also underway, and we intend to set out our plans in the coming months.

Pursuant to her oral statement of 16 June 2025, Official Report, Column 25 on Child Sexual Exploitation: Casey Report, whether the national inquiry will be (a) judge-led, (b) televised and (c) subject to the full provisions of the Inquiries Act 2005 and the Inquiry Rules 2006.

Further details on the national inquiry will be announced in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the decision to cancel the communications campaign (a) Tackling Money Mules and (b) Upstream Migrant Deterrence on (i) crime and (ii) illegal immigration; and what the business case was for cancelling each of those projects.

The National Crime Agency ran a low-cost campaign targeting money mules as part of Operation European Money Mule Action (EMMA) 10. EMMA 10 was a time limited Europol-led intensification that ran from September to November 2024 and aimed to disrupt mule activity through upstream activities targeting mule facilitators and recruiters.The Home Office’s communications campaign, aimed at deterring irregular and illegal migration has not been cancelled.

When she plans to publish a hate crime action plan.

There is no excuse for violence or abuse driven by hatred and discrimination and we support the police in taking the strongest action against the perpetrators of these appalling offences.This Government is carefully considering how best to strengthen the response to hate crime going forward so we can tackle this offending head on.The Government funds an online hate crime reporting portal called True Vision, designed so victims of all types of hate crime do not have to visit a police station to report. We are also continuing to fund the National Online Hate Crime Hub which supports individual local police forces in dealing specifically with online hate crime.

With reference to the press notice entitled Home Secretary to announce major policing reforms, published on 17 November 2024, what her Department's timetable is for establishing a unit to monitor police performance.

Since 19 November 2024, when My Rt Hon Friend, the Home Secretary, announced her plans for policing reform, we have been working closely with the sector to draw up a new Police Performance Framework to ensure standards are upheld across the country, and 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.

What information her Department holds on the amount of funding that has been allocated for equality, diversity and inclusion roles in each police force in the (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27.

The requested information is not centrally collated by the Home Office.Decisions on how funding and resources are utilised are an operational matter for Chief Constables and locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners.

If she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of proscribing membership of the Polisario Front.

Whilst the Government keeps the list of proscribed organisations under constant review, we do not routinely comment on intelligence and security matters, including whether or not an organisation is under consideration for proscription.

Whether she has had discussions with the National Police Chiefs' Council on the handling of FOI requests by the Central Referral Unit.

Responding to Freedom of Information requests and ensuring compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is a matter for the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), or any public authority which receives such a request.

If she will publish the performance data sent to her Department on firearms licensing by the firearms and explosives licensing working group of the National Police Chiefs’ Council since October 2022.

The issuing of firearms certificates and the efficiency of police forces is a matter for individual Chief Officers of Police and they are held to account by Police and Crime Commissioners.However, the performance of forces is actively being monitored by the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for firearms licensing, Deputy Chief Constable David Gardner, and he is developing a new performance framework for firearms licensing teams, which it is intended will be published soon, to provide greater transparency on application turnaround times.

If her Department will (a) make an assessment of and (b) have discussions with the National Cyber Security Centre on the potential impact of the decision of Apple to discontinue the advanced data protection facility in the UK on (i) cybersecurity for (A) individuals and (B) companies and (ii) UK-US cybersecurity international relations.

I refer the Honourable Member to the response given to UIN 33378 answered on 3rd March 2025.The government regularly engages with the NCSC, as the national technical authority for cyber security, for its expert advice on a range of cyber security matters to help make the UK the safest place to live and work online.

What information her Department has on the number of applications for the grant of certificates for firearms refused on the grounds of an unsatisfactory reference in the last ten years for which figures are available.

The Firearms Act 1968 gives responsibility for the issuing of firearms licences to Chief Officers of Police. Police forces hold the data on local applications.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's policies on the legal ownership of firearms on people living in rural areas.

On 5 February 2025, increased fees came into effect for firearms licensing applications processed by police forces. This gave effect to a commitment in the Government’s manifesto. It is essential for both public safety and police efficiency that full cost recovery fees were introduced. The need to increase firearms licensing fees to help address shortcomings in firearms licensing was highlighted by the Senior Coroner in his Preventing Future Deaths reports into the fatal shootings in Plymouth in August 2021.As well as supporting public safety, the increased fees will support police forces to provide an improved service to firearms applicants through better resourced and trained licensing teams. The National Police Chiefs’ Council lead on Firearms Licensing is developing a new performance framework for firearms licensing teams, which will be published in order to provide greater transparency on application turnaround times. This will include for the first time a performance target for forces to complete applications for the grant or renewal of firearm and shotgun certificates within four months, unless there are concerns about the suitability of the applicant.I have written to all Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables to make clear that the income from increased fees must be invested into their firearms licensing operations, in the interests of both public safety and to support improvements in the service provided by their firearms licensing teams.A full impact assessment was published alongside the Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2025, the Statutory Instrument that brought the new fees into effect.The impact assessment covers the impact of increased fees on farmers and rural communities. Any future changes to firearms licensing will be subject to further impact assessments in the normal way.

What assessment (a) her Department and (b) the National Crime Agency have made of the prevalence of money laundering from Bangladesh into United Kingdom property; and what steps she has taken to investigate the matter.

The UK has one of the world’s largest and most open economies. This makes the UK attractive for legitimate investment but also exposes the UK to money laundering risk. The UK is committed to fighting this risk both domestically and internationally.The National Crime Agency forms one part of the UK's effort to support Bangladesh in tackling corruption in addition to engaging on other law enforcement issues. As a matter of policy, we do not routinely comment on NCA investigations.

Whether the anti-corruption champion is reviewing money laundering from foreign countries into United Kingdom property.

The responsibilities of the Anti-Corruption Champion are set out on Gov.uk.A new Anti-Corruption Strategy will be published in 2025 and will include measures that address the UK’s vulnerabilities to corruption and corrupt funds, make it harder for corrupt actors to operate in the UK and overseas, and strengthen global resilience to corruption.The Anti-Corruption Champion will play an important role in supporting Ministers on anti-corruption and related issues, including the development of the Anti-Corruption Strategy.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 18221, on Supreme Court: Judgments, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Supreme Court judgements referenced.

While legal proceedings remain ongoing, it would be premature to comment on the final implications.

Whether the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme will apply to the 48 Group.

As I said to Parliament on the 16th December, the government plans to lay the regulations that underpin the scheme in early 2025, ahead of the scheme going live in the summer. I also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to provide three months’ notice of the scheme’s go-live date to give all those affected by it adequate time to prepare.Once the scheme is in force those carrying out political influencing activities at the direction of a foreign power will need to register under the political influencing tier. Work is underway to identify which foreign entities will be placed on the enhanced tier. It would not be appropriate to comment on the scope of any specifications under the enhanced tier at this stage.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 December 2024 to Question 18268 on Firearms: Licensing, when she last held discussions with (a) the police, (b) gun control groups, (c) the British Shooting Sports Council and (d) the British Association for Shooting and Conservation on firearms licensing in England, Scotland and Wales.

The Home Office regularly meets with the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for firearms licensing and other officers.We also meet with representatives of other relevant stakeholder groups from time to time, including most recently, on 13th January 2025.