Every parliamentary written question tabled by Jo Platt this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–11 of 11 · Home Office
Whether she plans to review the police funding formula before the next comprehensive spending review.
The Home Secretary considers the distribution of funding each year to ensure decisions promote police efficiency, effectiveness and support the Government’s wider programme of reform.Further details regarding police funding for 2026-27 will be set out in the upcoming Final Police Funding Settlement.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of consolidating the specific grant for the Police Uplift Programme into the core policing grant.
The 2026-27 provisional police funding settlement (18 December) published that total funding to Territorial Police Forces will be up to £18.3 billion, an increase of up to £746 million compared to the 2025-26 police funding settlement. This equates to a 4.2% cash increase and a 2.0% real terms increase for the policing system. On 16th January, forces received a letter inviting views on the delivery of Neighbourhood Policing model.The Government has listened to policing’s concerns about the Officer Maintenance Grant and its requirement to achieve a specified officer headcount target. This funding mechanism has in some instances led to forces placing more officers in back-office roles which is not helpful in supporting visible policing and prevents forces from building a workforce with the mix of skills necessary to tackle crime.The Government’s position is that people want to see neighbourhood police on the streets. We recognise the need to improve trust and confidence in policing – strengthening neighbourhood policing is a way of achieving that goal.Final force level funding allocations for 2026-27 will be published at a Final Police Funding Settlement by the end of January.
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the definition of assault of a retail worker to include workers in other high street outlets serving customers.
Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a new specific standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to help tackle the epidemic of shop theft and violence towards shop workers that we have seen in recent years, and protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.For the purposes of this new offence, our definition of a ‘retail worker’ is intentionally narrow given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker, and the assault took place in the course of their work.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of amending the Computer Misuse Act 1990 on (a) coordination between law enforcement agencies and (b) effectiveness of the cybersecurity industry in disrupting cybercrime.
The Government is conducting an ongoing review of the Computer Misuse Act. As part of the review, we are scoping several proposals to update the Act, including how we can better support legitimate cybersecurity researchers so they can operate within a clear and supportive legal framework, while maintaining robust safeguards.Engagement, including with the cyber security industry, is underway to refine the approach and an update will be provided in due course.We will continue to work closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure any changes to the Act protect their ability to successfully investigate cybercrime.
Whether measures to (a) recognise and (b) support under-16s who perpetrate abuse towards their (i) parents, (ii) siblings and (iii) intimate partners will be included in the forthcoming Violence against women and girls strategy.
The upcoming Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy will outline the steps we are taking to respond to teenage relationship abuse and child to parent abuse.The VAWG Strategy will underpin a transformative, cross-government approach to deliver on the Government's unprecedented ambition to halve VAWG in a decade.
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending the early morning alcohol restriction orders to help tackle early morning street drinking.
Licensing authorities already have powers under the Licensing Act 2003 to introduce Early Morning Alcohol Restriction Orders (EMROs) which can prohibit the sale of alcohol between midnight and 6am where appropriate for promoting the licensing objectives.We keep the Licensing Act under review.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of updating the Licensing Act 2003 to provide Licensing Authorities with greater powers to respond effectively to issues linked to licensed premises.
The Licensing Act 2003 provides licensing authorities with significant powers of review where problems associated with the licensing objectives occur, including those relating to the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder; public safety; the prevention of public nuisance; and the protection of children from harm.Under Section 51 of the Act, a responsible authority, or any other person, may ask a licensing authority to review a licence because of a matter arising at the premises in connection with any of the four licensing objectives.Where a licensing authority considers that action under its statutory powers is appropriate, it may take any of the following steps:modify the conditions of the premises licence (which includes adding new conditions or any alteration or omission of an existing condition);exclude a licensable activity from the scope of the licence:remove the designated premises supervisor;suspend the licence for a period not exceeding three months, or;revoke the licence. In March this year a Licensing Taskforce was commissioned to undertake a rapid review of the Licensing Act 2003, to explore how we may ‘deliver a more proportionate, consistent and transparent licensing regime’. The report of that review will be published in due course. We keep the Licensing Act under careful review and will consider any relevant recommendations that arise from this review.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reforming the Licensing Act 2003 to tackle anti-social behaviour in town centres.
The Licensing Act 2003 provides licensing authorities with significant powers of review where problems associated with the licensing objectives occur, including those relating to the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder; public safety; the prevention of public nuisance; and the protection of children from harm.Under Section 51 of the Act, a responsible authority, or any other person, may ask a licensing authority to review a licence because of a matter arising at the premises in connection with any of the four licensing objectives.Where a licensing authority considers that action under its statutory powers is appropriate, it may take any of the following steps:modify the conditions of the premises licence (which includes adding new conditions or any alteration or omission of an existing condition);exclude a licensable activity from the scope of the licence:remove the designated premises supervisor;suspend the licence for a period not exceeding three months, or;revoke the licence. In March this year a Licensing Taskforce was commissioned to undertake a rapid review of the Licensing Act 2003, to explore how we may ‘deliver a more proportionate, consistent and transparent licensing regime’. The report of that review will be published in due course. We keep the Licensing Act under careful review and will consider any relevant recommendations that arise from this review.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reforming the licence review process for off-licenses.
The Licensing Act 2003 provides licensing authorities with significant powers of review where problems associated with the licensing objectives occur, including those relating to the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder; public safety; the prevention of public nuisance; and the protection of children from harm.Under Section 51 of the Act, a responsible authority, or any other person, may ask a licensing authority to review a licence because of a matter arising at the premises in connection with any of the four licensing objectives.Where a licensing authority considers that action under its statutory powers is appropriate, it may take any of the following steps:modify the conditions of the premises licence (which includes adding new conditions or any alteration or omission of an existing condition);exclude a licensable activity from the scope of the licence:remove the designated premises supervisor;suspend the licence for a period not exceeding three months, or;revoke the licence. In March this year a Licensing Taskforce was commissioned to undertake a rapid review of the Licensing Act 2003, to explore how we may ‘deliver a more proportionate, consistent and transparent licensing regime’. The report of that review will be published in due course. We keep the Licensing Act under careful review and will consider any relevant recommendations that arise from this review.
Whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on the potential merits of introducing mandatory minimum sentences for individuals in breach of protective orders.
Minimum sentences are rare in England and Wales and are only provided in legislation for certain offences where there is a particular concern.It is the function of the court to decide the sentence in each case subject to the maximum that Parliament has provided, and any relevant Sentencing Guidelines published by the Sentencing Council. Sentencing must also be proportionate to the offence committed, taking into account all the circumstances of each case. That is why, even in cases where a minimum sentencing requirement applies, the court retains discretion not to apply it in exceptional circumstances.The government has launched an Independent Review of Sentencing, chaired by former Lord Chancellor David Gauke, to provide a comprehensive re-evaluation of our sentencing framework with the aim to provide long-term solution for our justice system and to ensure we are never again forced to rely on the emergency release of prisoners.This government is committed to strengthening protective orders and launched new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) in select areas in November 2024. The DAPO provides stronger protection for victims as it is the first order to cover all forms of domestic abuse including, coercive and controlling behaviour and also has the ability to impose electronic monitoring and attendance to a behaviour change programme. Breach of a DAPO is a criminal offence punishable by up to 5 years’ imprisonment.
Pursuant to the Answer of 14 January to Question 22097 on Drugs: Organised Crime, what steps she is taking to tackle cuckooing.
The Government is clear that cuckooing is an appalling practice associated with violence, exploitation and anti-social behaviour.Through the County Lines Programme we are targeting exploitative drug dealing gangs, including those who take over the homes of vulnerable people.The Government’s Safer Streets Mission will continue to tackle these issues and we will make further announcements in the normal way in due course.