The Westminster lensArchive · Written questions · 144 tabled · 144 answered

Written questions by Betts.

Every parliamentary written question tabled by Clive Betts this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.

Department:All (144)Department of Health and Social Care (51)Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (28)Department for Transport (18)Home Office (12)Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (10)Treasury (9)Department for Work and Pensions (4)Department for Culture, Media and Sport (4)Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (2)Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (2)Department for Education (2)Department for Business and Trade (1)

Showing 112 of 12 · Home Office

28 Nov 2025·Home Office·Answered
Asked

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of support available to police who attend traumatic callouts to attempted suicides.

Reply

The Government has been clear that the health and wellbeing of our police is a priority and that those who have faced suicide-related incidents in the line of duty receive the support they need to recover and continue serving.We continue to fund the National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS) who have introduced a Trauma Tracker tool to help forces better understand exposure to traumatic incidents and ensure timely support for officers and staff. NPWS have also 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 a 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Support Line to provide urgent support for our police when they need it the most.It is a matter for the chief constables of each force to decide which additional training their officers should undertake and to set and enforce standards, giving them the flexibility to address their own local challenges, needs and priorities. They are inspected biannually by His Majesties Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) whose role is to independently report on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces, including inspecting how forces protect vulnerable people.

28 Nov 2025·Home Office·Answered
Asked

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of collecting data on the number of callouts police attend to attempted suicides or suicides in progress.

Reply

The College of Policing set the professional standards for police in England and Wales. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework which incorporates autism, learning disabilities, mental health and vulnerabilities. Through this, officers are taught to assess vulnerability and amend their approaches as required.The College further promotes the need for frameworks to assess vulnerability, to aid in consistent identification, support decision making, and to trigger appropriate safeguarding action. Such principles and practices are set out in a number of college products, including the Detention and Custody Authorised Professional Practice.Policing is operationally independent, and it is a matter for the chief constables of each force to decide which additional training their officers should undertake and to set and enforce standards, giving them the flexibility to address their own local challenges, needs and priorities. They are inspected biannually by His Majesties Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) whose role is to independently report on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces, including inspecting how forces protect vulnerable people.

28 Nov 2025·Home Office·Answered
Asked

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of suicide prevention training provided to police staff.

Reply

The Government has been clear that the health and wellbeing of our police is a priority and that those who have faced suicide-related incidents in the line of duty receive the support they need to recover and continue serving.We continue to fund the National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS) who have introduced a Trauma Tracker tool to help forces better understand exposure to traumatic incidents and ensure timely support for officers and staff. NPWS have also 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 a 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Support Line to provide urgent support for our police when they need it the most.It is a matter for the chief constables of each force to decide which additional training their officers should undertake and to set and enforce standards, giving them the flexibility to address their own local challenges, needs and priorities. They are inspected biannually by His Majesties Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) whose role is to independently report on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces, including inspecting how forces protect vulnerable people.

24 Nov 2025·Home Office·Answered
Asked

Whether her Department offers (a) bonuses and (b) financial incentives to asylum caseworkers for meeting targets and clearing backlogs.

Reply

Asylum decisions are subject to stringent quality checks to ensure that claims are properly considered, decisions are sound, and protection is granted to those who genuinely need it.Performance targets are agreed with managers and reviewed regularly, supported by robust performance management processes. Rewards are linked to the consistent delivery of outputs, high quality work and professional behaviour that reflect the values of the Civil Service. This framework ensures that any recognition of staff goes hand in hand with maintaining the high standards expected in asylum decision-making.To address delays and reduce costs to the taxpayer, we introduced a short-term scheme to recognise colleagues who produced additional output while continuing to meet their existing targets, and in line with our quality assurance framework. It was tightly controlled, subject to regular review, and monitored closely to ensure correct and consistent implementation.

16 Sept 2025·Home Office·Answered
Asked

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2025 to Question 76241 on Borders: Personal Records, what the marginal difference is as a numerical value.

Reply

The marginal difference between the number of individuals recorded leaving the UK and the overall number of individuals who leave the UK cannot be quantified in a way suitable for publication.

10 Sept 2025·Home Office·Answered
Asked

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 July 2025 to Question 67814 on Borders: Personal Records, whether her Department has an accurate count of the number of people leaving the UK.

Reply

As a consequence of the Common Travel Area arrangements, including travellers who leave the UK via the land border with Ireland, there is a marginal difference between the number of individuals recorded leaving the UK and the overall number of individuals who leave the UK.

15 Jul 2025·Home Office·Answered
Asked

With reference to the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 62530 on Borders: Personal Records, whether she has made an assessment of the potential difference between the figure (a) provided by transport companies and (b) of people actually exiting the country.

Reply

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under review, including the role of the e-visa system in improving checks on when individuals leave the country.

26 Jun 2025·Home Office·Answered
Asked

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure compliance with Home Office Code of Practice for Sports Governing Bodies.

Reply

Sports governing bodies approved by the Home Office are required to abide by the ‘Code of Practice for Sports Governing Bodies’ as part of their role under the International Sportsperson visa route.The Home Office reserves the right to check the activities of an approved sports governing body’s role at any time, and issues regarding non-compliance will be addressed directly with the relevant body in the first instance. Where an approved body continues to fail to comply with its duties as set out in the ‘Code’, the Home Office will consider changing the approved governing body for that sport at its own discretion, in consultation with DCMS or the relevant home sports councils.It would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment upon specific reports submitted to the department regarding the role of sports governing bodies or provide any details of those reports.

26 Jun 2025·Home Office·Answered
Asked

How many enquiries have been submitted to her Department on non compliance with the Home Office Code of Practice for Sports Governing Bodies in the last six weeks; and to which sports governing bodies they referred.

Reply

Sports governing bodies approved by the Home Office are required to abide by the ‘Code of Practice for Sports Governing Bodies’ as part of their role under the International Sportsperson visa route.The Home Office reserves the right to check the activities of an approved sports governing body’s role at any time, and issues regarding non-compliance will be addressed directly with the relevant body in the first instance. Where an approved body continues to fail to comply with its duties as set out in the ‘Code’, the Home Office will consider changing the approved governing body for that sport at its own discretion, in consultation with DCMS or the relevant home sports councils.It would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment upon specific reports submitted to the department regarding the role of sports governing bodies or provide any details of those reports.

25 Jun 2025·Home Office·Answered
Asked

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of requiring the Border Force to (a) check and (b) record the identities of people leaving the UK.

Reply

The Home Office reintroduced exit checks in April 2015. Working with carriers, exit checks routinely provide us with vital information that confirm a person’s exit from the UK. Details are set out at this link: Exit checks fact sheet - GOV.UK.

25 Mar 2025·Home Office·Answered
Asked

If she will ensure there is full consultation with established knife manufacturers and distributors before rules are changed about the design of kitchen knives that can be sold online.

Reply

We will certainly engage with knife manufacturers and distributors as part of these considerations.

8 Jan 2025·Home Office·Answered
Asked

With reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention in response to the question from the hon. Member for Sheffield South East of 29 July 2024, Official Report, Column 1028, what progress her Department has made on tackling antisocial road users.

Reply

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.On 27 November 2024, the Government announced proposals to give the police greater powers to clamp down on e-bikes, e-scooters and other vehicles involved in anti-social behaviour, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing vehicles.This will allow the police to quickly remove anti-social vehicles which are creating a nuisance or disturbance in city centres and pedestrian areas. These powers will be included in the forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill.

Sources
SourceUK Parliament Members API
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