Written questions by Rankin.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of the proposals included in National Association of Retired Police Officers widow's campaign entitled Love or Money.

Serving police officers have access to the 2015 police pension scheme, which provides life-long survivor benefits for spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners, including those who remarry or cohabit after losing a spouse. All eligible police officers have had an opportunity to join a pension scheme with life-long survivor benefits, since the introduction of the 2006 police pension scheme.For officers who joined policing prior to 2006, the 1987 police pension scheme provides a pension for the widow, widower or civil partner of a police officer who dies. In common with most other public service pension schemes of that time, these benefits cease to be payable where the widow, widower or civil partner remarries or cohabits with another partner.From 1 April 2015, the 1987 police pension scheme was amended to allow widows, widowers and civil partners of police officers who have died as a result of an injury on duty to receive their survivor benefits for life regardless of remarriage, civil partnership or cohabitation.The 1987 police pension scheme is now a closed scheme, superseded by the 2015 scheme, and there are no plans to make further improvements to the benefits accrued under it.

Whether she has considered reviewing the Police Pension Scheme regulations to allow surviving spouses and partners to retain pension entitlement for life regardless of remarriage or cohabitation.

Serving police officers have access to the 2015 police pension scheme, which provides life-long survivor benefits for spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners, including those who remarry or cohabit after losing a spouse. All eligible police officers have had an opportunity to join a pension scheme with life-long survivor benefits, since the introduction of the 2006 police pension scheme.For officers who joined policing prior to 2006, the 1987 police pension scheme provides a pension for the widow, widower or civil partner of a police officer who dies. In common with most other public service pension schemes of that time, these benefits cease to be payable where the widow, widower or civil partner remarries or cohabits with another partner.From 1 April 2015, the 1987 police pension scheme was amended to allow widows, widowers and civil partners of police officers who have died as a result of an injury on duty to receive their survivor benefits for life regardless of remarriage, civil partnership or cohabitation.The 1987 police pension scheme is now a closed scheme, superseded by the 2015 scheme, and there are no plans to make further improvements to the benefits accrued under it.

When she plans to respond to Question 121021 from the Hon. Member for Windsor.

The Hon Member received an answer on April 29, 2026.

When she plans to respond to Question 126358 from the Hon. Member for Windsor.

A response to this question was issued on April 20th, 2026.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her Department's policies of the Adam Smith Institute’s Freedom of Speech model Bill, published on 1 April 2026.

Freedom of speech is a fundamental right and a defining value of our open and diverse society. The Government is absolutely committed to upholding lawful free expression, including robust debate on matters of public interest, and all relevant legislation and policing powers are applied in line with the UK’s obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.However, freedom of expression is a qualified right and can be restricted in certain situations. The legislative framework in the UK ensures that people are protected against criminal activity including threatening, harassing, or abusive behaviour. Freedom of speech must not be used as an excuse to cause harm or spread hatred.The Government has launched an independent review of public order and hate crime legislation, led by Lord Ken Macdonald of River Glaven KC. The review will examine whether current legislation is fit for purpose in light of evolving protest tactics, community impacts, and the need to safeguard democracy.The review will address three critical questions: whether existing legislation effective and proportionate; whether it adequately protects communities from intimidation and hate; and whether it strikes a fair and sustainable balance between the right to freedom of expression and peaceful protest, and the need to prevent disorder and keep communities safe.The review is underway and will report to the Home Secretary in May 2026.

How many apprentices her Department recruited in (a) 2025, (b) 2022, (c) 2023 and (d) 2024.

The number of apprentices that enrolled onto apprenticeship programmes within the department in each calendar year is as follows:Year Apprentice Enrolments2022 4752023 8902024 9442025 233Apprenticeship enrolments have reduced due to workforce controls, a prolonged pause of the Public Sector Operational Delivery Officer apprenticeship (which previously accounted for 70–80% of starts), and reform changes to available standards. Data includes all 39 apprenticeship standards used across the Home Office.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reimbursing Thames Valley Police Force for extra officer hours associated with state visits.

State visits, especially those by our closest allies, create opportunities to strengthen alliances, support trade and investment, encourage innovation, and research collaboration, and reinforce the United Kingdom’s global influence.While we do not comment on operational matters, we and the police have well-established arrangements to ensure state visits are managed safely and securely, while maintaining regular policing across communities.We continue to work closely with policing partners to ensure that eligible costs arising from nationally significant operations are recovered in line with established funding principles.

Whether support for a proscribed terrorist organisation automatically qualifies for deprivation of citizenship on the understanding of being conducive to the public good.

The British Nationality Act 1981 provides the Secretary of State with the power to deprive an individual of their British citizenship where:The Secretary of State is satisfied that it would be conducive to the public good;The person acquired citizenship as a result of fraud, false representations or concealment of a material factThe Government considers that deprivation on ‘conducive grounds’ is an appropriate response to activities such as those involving:National security, including espionage and acts of terrorism directed at this country or an allied power;Unacceptable behaviour of the kind mentioned in the then Home Secretary’s statement of 24 August 2005 (‘glorification’ of terrorism etc);War crimes; andSerious organised crime.The Home Office publishes data relating to those deprived of British Citizenship on ‘conducive to the public good’ grounds. These are published in the Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Reports have been published up to 2024.The figures from the previous five years, of individuals who have been deprived of their British citizenship for this reason, are below:YearNumber of individuals202182022320232202412025Not yet publishedIn the interest of safeguarding national security, we do not break down these figures into sub-categories.This report also references s66 of the Immigration Act 2014, which allows the Secretary of State to deprive a person of their British citizenship on the ground it is conducive to the public good even if it would leave them stateless. To date, this power has not been used.

How many individuals were deprived of British citizenship under section 66 of the Immigration Act 2014 a) in the last year for which data is held and b) since its introduction.

The British Nationality Act 1981 provides the Secretary of State with the power to deprive an individual of their British citizenship where:The Secretary of State is satisfied that it would be conducive to the public good;The person acquired citizenship as a result of fraud, false representations or concealment of a material factThe Government considers that deprivation on ‘conducive grounds’ is an appropriate response to activities such as those involving:National security, including espionage and acts of terrorism directed at this country or an allied power;Unacceptable behaviour of the kind mentioned in the then Home Secretary’s statement of 24 August 2005 (‘glorification’ of terrorism etc);War crimes; andSerious organised crime.The Home Office publishes data relating to those deprived of British Citizenship on ‘conducive to the public good’ grounds. These are published in the Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Reports have been published up to 2024.The figures from the previous five years, of individuals who have been deprived of their British citizenship for this reason, are below:YearNumber of individuals202182022320232202412025Not yet published In the interest of safeguarding national security, we do not break down these figures into sub-categories.This report also references s66 of the Immigration Act 2014, which allows the Secretary of State to deprive a person of their British citizenship on the ground it is conducive to the public good even if it would leave them stateless. To date, this power has not been used.

How many individuals have been deprived of British citizenship for being charged with supporting a proscribed terrorist organisation.

The British Nationality Act 1981 provides the Secretary of State with the power to deprive an individual of their British citizenship where:The Secretary of State is satisfied that it would be conducive to the public good;The person acquired citizenship as a result of fraud, false representations or concealment of a material factThe Government considers that deprivation on ‘conducive grounds’ is an appropriate response to activities such as those involving:National security, including espionage and acts of terrorism directed at this country or an allied power;Unacceptable behaviour of the kind mentioned in the then Home Secretary’s statement of 24 August 2005 (‘glorification’ of terrorism etc);War crimes; andSerious organised crime.The Home Office publishes data relating to those deprived of British Citizenship on ‘conducive to the public good’ grounds. These are published in the Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Reports have been published up to 2024.The figures from the previous five years, of individuals who have been deprived of their British citizenship for this reason, are below:YearNumber of individuals202182022320232202412025Not yet published In the interest of safeguarding national security, we do not break down these figures into sub-categories.This report also references s66 of the Immigration Act 2014, which allows the Secretary of State to deprive a person of their British citizenship on the ground it is conducive to the public good even if it would leave them stateless. To date, this power has not been used.

Whether her Department records the nationality and immigration status of people arrested for public order related offences at protests.

The Home Office collects and publishes data on arrests in England and Wales by offence group as part of the ‘Police Powers and Procedures’ statistical series, available here: Police powers and procedures England and Wales statistics - GOV.UKHowever, as part of this collection data is not collected centrally on the nationality or immigration status of people arrested, or whether the arrest occurred at a protest.While not routinely collected as part of the statistical data collection, in instances where the police believe the individual arrested is a foreign national, they should contact Immigration Enforcement’s National Control and Command Unit (NCCU). The contact would lead to the recording of details which would include the individual’s nationality. The details provided by the individual allow NCCU to complete an immigration status check to establish the person’s status in the UK, this would also be recorded on HO systems once established. To clarify, such a recording would only take place following contact from the police.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 50803 on Heathrow Airport: Money, how much cash was seized by the Border Force (a) at Heathrow Airport and (b) nationally in the last year for which figures are available.

In the interests of maintaining border security, Border Force does not routinely disclose information of a port-specific nature, and the requested national information is not available from published statistics.

How many people are employed by Border Force at Heathrow Airport.

In the interests of maintaining border security, Border Force does not routinely disclose information of a port-specific nature, and the requested national information is not available from published statistics.

How many Border Force personnel at Heathrow Airport specifically (a) track and (b) seize illegally imported money.

In the interests of maintaining border security, Border Force does not routinely disclose information of a port-specific nature.

How much cash was seized by Border Force at Heathrow Airport for the latest month for which data is available.

The requested information is not available from published statistics.

What assessment she has made of the impact of disbanding the Border Force team for illegally imported cash at Heathrow Airport in August 2024.

Border Force have redistributed the teams in question to join other Detection commands. This was done in order to share expertise and thereby increase capability to carry out this important area of work.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 41380 on Asylum: Hotels, how many hotels used for the housing of asylum seekers have closed between 21 January 2025 and 31 March 2025.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer he received on the 31 March 2025 to UIN 41380.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 41380, how many asylum hotels have closed between 4 July 2024 and 31 March 2025.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer he received on the 31 March 2025 to UIN 41380.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Border Security and Asylum of 13 January 2025 on Asylum Hotels, Official Report, column 13, what progress his Department has made on closing nine asylum hotels by end of March 2025.

It remains our absolute commitment to end the use of hotels over time, as part of our reduction in overall asylum accommodation costs.  We do not provide a running commentary on hotel numbers, but by the end of March there will be fewer hotels open than when this Government took office.

Whether His Majesty's Passport Office has considered introducing an option for payment for passports in instalments over 10 years.

An instalments approach would place a considerable administrative burden on HM Passport Office to seek payment when they are due and take action where payment is not made.Where a fee is required, the full payment must accompany the application.