Written questions by Hayes.

Whether she intends to provide further funding to the Metropolitan Police's Operation Martello programme.

Hotspots policing is a key, evidence-based tactic that should be embedded in mainstream activity, forming a central component of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee (NPG). As a result, we are transitioning hotspot activity from a grant funded programme into mainstream practice.To support this transition to mainstream activity, the wider reforms being taken forward by this government will put 13,000 more neighbourhood officers into roles by the end of this Parliament to tackle local crime and increase patrolling. Total funding to police forces in England and Wales will be up to £18.4 billion in 2026-27, an increase of up to £834 million compared to the 2025-26 police funding settlement. This equates to a 4.7% cash increase and a 2.7% real terms increase in funding. The Metropolitan Police will receive up to £3,991.2m of funding, an increase of £184.1 million compared to 2025-26. The additional officers being delivered through the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will support this shift, and we will continue working with forces this year on the practicalities of mainstreaming hotspot activity.As we mainstream hotspot patrolling, we are also continuing to drive efforts to halve knife crime in a decade by focusing on tackling the worst affected areas via the Knife Crime Concentrations Fund (KCCF), directing investment where it will reduce knife crime most effectively.As announced in Protecting lives, building hope: a plan to halve knife crime, this fund will be £26.25m in FY 2026-27, with allocations directed to those force areas with the highest knife crime volumes over the last three years and which together make up 90% of total knife crime across England and Wales. The Metropolitan Police Service has been allocated £8,185,952 through the KCCF in 2026-27.

What assessment her department has made of the impact of failing to resolve the immigration status of children in care before turning 18.

The Home Secretary set out in the Immigration White Paper published on 12 May 2025 that the Home Office will ensure children who have been in the UK for some time, turn 18 and discover they do not have status, are fully supported and able to regularise their status and settle where appropriate. This will also include a clear pathway for those children in care and care leavers.This commitment will be delivered primarily through an update to the ‘children in care policy’. As part of this, separate targeted engagement will take place with external stakeholders to help us to understand the challenges in this area and develop a policy solution which supports children in care without status while upholding the need to have a robust and coherent migration system. Children who have claimed asylum are dealt with under separate provisions.A range of reforms are underway across the immigration and asylum system, and the development of a clear pathway to settlement for children in care and care leavers must be considered alongside these changes.Further detail on this will be set out in due course.

What steps she is taking to ensure that citizenship application fees are affordable for children who need to regularise their immigration status.

Children seeking to register as a British citizen will have the fee waived if they are able to credibly demonstrate that they cannot afford the fee. In addition, where an application has been made by or on behalf of a child who is looked after by a Local Authority, no fee is payable and it is not necessary for the child’s financial circumstances to be evidenced.

What steps her department is taking to ensure that every child in care has their immigration status resolved before turning 18.

The previous Home Secretary set out in the Immigration White Paper published on 12 May 2025 that the Home Office will ensure children who have been in the UK for some time, turn 18 and discover they do not have status, are fully supported and able to regularise their status and settle where appropriate. This will also include a clear pathway for those children in care and care leavers.This commitment will be delivered primarily through an update to the ‘children in care policy.As part of this, separate targeted engagement will take place with external stakeholders to help us to understand the challenges in this area and develop a policy solution which supports children in care without status while upholding the need to have a robust and coherent migration system. Children who have claimed asylum are dealt with under separate provisions.A range of reforms are underway across the immigration and asylum system, and the development of a clear pathway to settlement for children in care and care leavers must be considered alongside these changes.When handling child applications, all caseworkers must comply with their duty under Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009, to have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Further detail on this will be set out in due course.

What steps is she taking to reform the Home Office Type Approval (HOTA) process for safety cameras to allow single units to carry out multiple functions.

We keep the Home Office Type Approval (HOTA) process under continuous review to ensure it is sufficient to assure equipment is sufficiently robust for evidential purposes.My officials are currently carrying out a comprehensive review to update the HOTA standard in collaboration with safety camera manufacturers and suppliers and technical experts from the scientific community.

What steps is she taking to speed up the Home Office Type Approval (HOTA) process for safety cameras.

We keep the Home Office Type Approval (HOTA) process under continuous review to ensure it is sufficient to assure equipment is sufficiently robust for evidential purposes.My officials are currently carrying out a comprehensive review to update the HOTA standard in collaboration with safety camera manufacturers and suppliers and technical experts from the scientific community.

What steps is she taking to ensure the Home Office Type Approval (HOTA) process is able to respond quickly to emerging technologies.

We keep the Home Office Type Approval (HOTA) process under continuous review to ensure it is sufficient to assure equipment is sufficiently robust for evidential purposes.My officials are currently carrying out a comprehensive review to update the HOTA standard in collaboration with safety camera manufacturers and suppliers and technical experts from the scientific community.

What steps she is taking to review regulations allowing police forces to remove officers suspected of gross misconduct.

In October last year, the Home Secretary announced a package of reforms to strengthen police misconduct.That included a presumption of dismissal for proven gross misconduct, specified criminal offences automatically amounting to gross misconduct, and a presumption of accelerated hearings for former officers.These changes to regulations are expected to be laid as soon as practicable in the coming months

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of immigration and asylum policies on poverty among migrant children.

The Government keeps all immigration and asylum policies under constant review and considers support for families with children noting the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, as required by section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of immigration and asylum policies on poverty among migrant households.

The Government keeps all immigration and asylum policies under constant review and considers support for families with children noting the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, as required by section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009.

What her Department's planned timetable is for announcing future funding settlements for (a) Violence Reduction Units and (v) the London Violence Reduction Unit.

We recognise the valuable work and significant progress that Violence Reductions Units (VRUs), including the London Violence Reduction Unit, have made in understanding and preventing serious violence.All decisions on funding post March 2025 will be subject to the spending review.

What steps she is taking to ban ninja swords, zombie knives and machetes.

The Government has a manifesto commitment to ban ninja swords and other weapons and we will be taking this forward as soon as possible, ensuring that lethal blades which have been used to kill teenagers on our streets are no longer available to buy or sell.We will also be implementing the ban on zombie-style knives and zombie-style machetes approved by Parliament in April.