Written questions by Campbell.

Whether she plans to introduce legislative provision making it an offence to knowingly arrive in the UK without an Electronic Travel Authorisation before the summer recess.

It is already a requirement for eligible nationals to obtain an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) before travel to the UK, and entry may be refused if one is not held. We will consider when to commence the offence of knowingly arriving in the UK without an ETA, and announce this in due course.

With reference to the indication by the Government of the Hellenic Republic of 20 April 2026 to not proceed with the collection of fingerprints or photographs under the EU Entry/Exit System for UK visitors temporarily, if she will hold urgent discussions with the European Commission and EU Member States on extending this exemption to other EU countries.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an EU scheme, and its implementation, including the use of flexibilities permitted by the relevant legislation on biometric collection, is a matter for the European Commission and participating EU member states.The UK government wants to see EES implemented in a way that protects border fluidity and minimises disruption for travellers. We continue to engage with the EU, member states and travel industry partners to encourage a pragmatic approach to implementation.

What steps she is taking to help reduce waiting times for UK citizens travelling through airports in Schengen area countries in summer 2026.

The Government is working with the European Commission and Schengen countries to understand the new border process changes and to promote flexible, pragmatic solutions for UK travellers.Waiting times in Schengen area countries remain a matter for the European Union and individual member states.

If she will investigate trends in the number of applications for asylum from people from (a) Pakistan and (b) Bangladesh who are falsely claiming to be gay and in fear for their lives if returned to their home country.

Where we encounter abuse of the asylum system, we take action. Protection status will be revoked where evidence emerges that it was obtained by deception.All asylum and human rights claims, including those raised by Pakistan and Bangladesh nationals on grounds of sexuality or gender identity are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Our guidance for considering asylum claims is available on GOV.UK at: Assessing credibility and refugee status: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)A decision maker will not accept that someone is gay simply because they claim to be so. Such declarations constitute the starting point in the consideration process and are subject to probing at interview and a proper assessment of the facts and circumstances.Each individual assessment is made against the background of relevant case law and the latest available country of origin information. Our assessment of the situation of a given group in a given country is set out in the relevant country policy and information note, which is available on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/country-policy-and-information-notes.

Pursuant to WPQ 118152, on how many occasions were Border Force personnel involved in dealing with the more than five hundred sanctioned shadow fleet vessels.

Border Force is a law enforcement command within the Home Office. We secure the UK border by carrying out immigration and customs controls for people and goods entering the UK.Maritime teams in the Home Office maintain a permanent presence around the UK as part of its maritime border security. This involves the deployment of Cutters, Coastal Patrol Vessels and other maritime assets.The vessels are regularly out on proactive patrol, but we do not comment on specific operational deployments or operations.

How many instances of breaches of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme have resulted in prosecutions.

The FIRS scheme went live on 01 July last year. We will be publishing an annual report setting out, among other things, the number of registrations, the number of information notices issued, the number of persons charged with an offence and the number of persons convicted of an offence. The first report will be published as soon as practicable after 30 June 2026.Providing information outside of that publication schedule about any live cases or prosecutions risks revealing information not intended to be made public and undermining any enforcement action.

If she will amend the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 to ensure that in instances where serious injury or death results from the distribution of illegal substances, the distribution itself is made an offence directly linked to the injury or death.

The Government has no plans to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (“the 1971 Act”) in this way. The maximum sentences for unlawful supply of controlled drugs under the 1971 Act are life imprisonment, a fine or both for Class A drugs, and 14 years’ imprisonment, a fine or both for Class B and C drugs. The classification of drugs under the 1971 Act is broadly based on harm, so longer sentences are available for those drugs considered the most harmful.When considering the appropriate sentence for a person who has been convicted for supply offences under the 1971 Act, in addition to any statutory aggravating factors, judges may consider a range of factors. In England and Wales these are set out in sentencing guidelines issued by the Sentencing Council. These can be found at this link:https://sentencingcouncil.org.uk/guidelines/supplying-or-offering-to-supply-a-controlled-drug-possession-of-a-controlled-drug-with-intent-to-supply-it-to-another/Factors increasing the seriousness of an offence, which may result in a longer sentence, include exposing a drug user to the risk of serious harm over and above that expected by the user, exposing those involved in drug dealing to the risk of serious harm and exposing third parties to the risk of serious harm. These factors are not exhaustive and judges may consider other factors, including those raised in victim personal statements.In Northern Ireland judges rely on caselaw when considering sentencing in the Crown Court. Relevant caselaw can be found here: https://www.judiciaryni.uk/judiciary-decision-types/type/drug-offences-39.

What steps she is taking to ensure that best practices deployed by the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection are shared with the devolved Administrations.

The National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP) plays an important role in supporting police forces to improve their response to violence against women and girls (VAWG). The Centre works closely with all 43 forces across England and Wales to highlight examples of effective practice and to help to promote consistent, high‑quality standards in policing, including by hosting national learning and practice‑sharing events.We recognise that there is value in ensuring that learning and innovative best practice can be shared across the UK. The NCVPP has already begun initial engagement with respective devolved partners, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland, to understand approaches to VAWG and public protection, including police training. We will continue to encourage the NCVPP to consider how it engages with partners such as Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland as its work develops, identifying where sharing emerging insights and good practice would be appropriate, while remaining mindful of the different operating environments and responsibilities across jurisdictions.

What discussions she has held with the Metropolitan Police on the advisability of allowing the proposed Al Quds parade to take place in London on March 15, in the context of the current security situation in the Middle East.

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, wrote to the Home Secretary on 9 March requesting her consent to an order under section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986 to prohibit processions and counter-processions in relation to Al Quds Day.The Home Secretary approved the order, to prevent serious public disorder. The Government’s foremost duty is the protection of its citizens, and this includes ensuring the safety of participants at the protest and counter-protests, as well as the wider public.A decision to prohibit protests under section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986 is exceptional. This power is used rarely and only where the legal threshold is met. The Metropolitan Police were clear that imposing conditions would not be sufficient to manage the risks in this case.The decision reflects the unique circumstances this year, including the scale of the planned march, multiple counter-protests, and heightened tensions linked to events in the Middle East.

How many Border Force employees were routinely employed at (a) Belfast, (b) Larne, (c) Foyle, and (d) Warrenpoint ports during 2025.

It is longstanding Home Office policy to not disclose port‑specific staffing information, as to do so could prejudice our law enforcement capabilities. Border Force operates a flexible resourcing model, regularly assessing operational needs and deploying staff dynamically in response to passenger volumes and security requirements. As part of the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls on individuals arriving in the UK by air or sea from within the CTA, and no immigration checks are undertaken at the land border with Ireland. The UK does, however, operate intelligence‑led operational activity on CTA routes—away from the land border. If an individual is suspected to be unlawfully in the UK, their biometrics may be checked in order to ascertain their identity and status.

If she will hold discussions with the Metropolitan Police on the potential merits of investigating an incident at 12.55pm on 25 February 2026 at Parliament Square where protestors allegedly chanted death to the IDF.

Where the activity of protestors breaks the law, the police have the Government’s backing to use their powers that they need to respond.It would not be appropriate for Ministers to intervene in those operational decisions, but we continue to work closely with policing to ensure they have the right capabilities and support in place to keep the public safe and uphold the law.The Home Secretary launched an independent review of public order and hate crime legislation on 5 October 2025 led by Lord Ken Macdonald of River Glaven KC. The review will ensure police powers remain fit for purpose, are used consistently, and strike the right balance between protecting the public and upholding the right to lawful protest.  It is expected to report in the spring.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Operation Gull in Northern Ireland in the last 15 years.

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 the effectiveness of Operation Gull is not available in our published data 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 court cases there have been relating to not having a valid electronic travel authorisation.

The Home Office is yet to commence the legislative provision that will make it an offence to knowingly arrive in the UK without an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). Accordingly, there have been no cases in the courts brought on this basis. Further details of how the ETA requirement is being enforced will be published in due course.

If she will hold discussions with her US counterpart on the potential merits of establishing pre-clearance facilities for US bound travellers at an airport in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.

A decision to explore the introduction of US pre-clearance at a UK airport is primarily a commercial decision for airport operators. An outline commercial agreement between an airport operator and US authorities would be required before any formal discussions between the UK and US governments could take place, however we stand ready to negotiate should this be forthcoming.

If she will hold discussions with the Foreign Affairs Minister in the Irish Republic on joint action to tackle international drug trafficking into the UK via the Irish Republic.

The UK and Ireland have a strong relationship which includes joint action against criminals targeting both the UK and Ireland.In addition to these operational relationships, there is an annual security dialogue between the UK and Ireland to discuss key shared security issues faced. This includes discussions on international serious & organised crime, with the last one taking place in November 2025.In January 2026, the UK formally invited Ireland to join the North Sea Channel Maritime Information Group. This group facilitates the cooperation and exchanging of information about maritime border security topics, including information around the movement of drugs. Existing members include Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 87001 on Female Genital Mutilation: Training, what information her Department holds on the reasons why people who had registered for the free e-learning module on Female Genital Mutilation had not attempted to participate in the module.

We have issued a range of materials to support professionals to help them understand Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), spot the signs, and support victims and survivors. This includes making available free e-learning for all frontline staff for example in healthcare, police, Border Force and children’s social care.As this is a free e-learning module and not mandatory, we do not hold information regarding the reasons for not attempting or completing the module.

What action is being taken to help ensure that EES rollout does not result in delays and queues for UK passport holders at European airports.

The Home Office has engaged with the European Commission and Member States to understand plans for the implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES), in order to support industry and the British travelling public through clear communications about these changes. Ultimately, these matters are the responsibility of the European Commission and Member States.

With reference to the transparency data entitled Returns from the UK and illegal working activity from 5 July 2024 to 4 January 2025, published on 12 January 2026, how many of the enforced returns of people with no legal right to remain in the UK were located in Northern Ireland.

Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across the Home Office and, therefore, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Since the introduction of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, how many breaches have been detected.

We will not be providing a running commentary of breaches of FIRS identified or numbers of registrations received. This is because doing so runs contrary to our policy on publication of information, which centres around an annual report as the key mechanism for providing transparency on the running of the scheme.The annual report will set out, among other things, the number of registrations, the number of information notices issued, the number of persons charged with an offence and the number of persons convicted of an offence. The first report will be published as soon as practicable after 30 June 2026.Where evidence of a criminal offence has been committed, including failure to register with FIRS, the Government will refer the matter to the police.

How many visitors to Northern Ireland whose primary residence falls outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland have been charged with offences between December 2024 and December 2025 relating to the non possession of an Electronic Travel Authorisation.

The Home Office is yet to commence the legislative provision that will make it an offence to knowingly arrive in the UK without an ETA. Accordingly, there have been no prosecutions brought on this basis. Further details of how the ETA requirement is being enforced will be published in due course.