Written questions by Milne.

What steps she is taking to help improve police responses to retail crime in rural areas.

The central aim of our police reforms is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces so they focus on tackling local issues, like fighting retail crime. All communities, including rural communities, will benefit from and are included in these reforms.We are on track to deliver an additional 3,000 neighbourhood officers by March. We are giving them the powers they need, including making it a specific offence to assault retail workers and ending the treatment of theft under the value of £200 as a summary-only offence. Again, these changes are applicable to all types of communities, including those defined as rural.With our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee every neighbourhood, rural or urban, now gets a named contactable officer, dedicated to addressing the issues facing their communities, including shop theft, and a response to non-urgent queries in 72 hours.Reporting crime to the police is the first crucial step in ensuring an appropriate police response. The Government is supporting the police and retailers. This work will set consistent standards for identifying, assessing and tackling retail crime across police and industry.We are also encouraging closer local partnerships between police and retailers, for example through Business Crime Reduction Partnerships, to help local police respond effectively to crimes reported.We are already seeing a difference. Whilst it is unacceptable that shop theft offences continue to trend upward, this is at a slower rate than we have seen in recent years. Police recorded crime figures recorded 519,381 shoplifting offences for the year ending September 2025. This represents a 5% increase from the previous year. The number of charges for shop theft rose by 21% (up to 111,559 charges). The charge rate also increased from 17.9% to 20.1%. However, this remains well below that seen in 2015/16 (29.6%). The number of charges for shop theft have increased at a greater rate over the same period [up to 111,559 charges or 21%]. This increase in the charge rate from 17.9% to 20.1% shows police are taking these crimes seriously.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of existing mechanisms for reporting retail crime by businesses in rural areas.

The central aim of our police reforms is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces so they focus on tackling local issues, like fighting retail crime. All communities, including rural communities, will benefit from and are included in these reforms.We are on track to deliver an additional 3,000 neighbourhood officers by March. We are giving them the powers they need, including making it a specific offence to assault retail workers and ending the treatment of theft under the value of £200 as a summary-only offence. Again, these changes are applicable to all types of communities, including those defined as rural.With our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee every neighbourhood, rural or urban, now gets a named contactable officer, dedicated to addressing the issues facing their communities, including shop theft, and a response to non-urgent queries in 72 hours.Reporting crime to the police is the first crucial step in ensuring an appropriate police response. The Government is supporting the police and retailers. This work will set consistent standards for identifying, assessing and tackling retail crime across police and industry.We are also encouraging closer local partnerships between police and retailers, for example through Business Crime Reduction Partnerships, to help local police respond effectively to crimes reported.We are already seeing a difference. Whilst it is unacceptable that shop theft offences continue to trend upward, this is at a slower rate than we have seen in recent years. Police recorded crime figures recorded 519,381 shoplifting offences for the year ending September 2025. This represents a 5% increase from the previous year. The number of charges for shop theft rose by 21% (up to 111,559 charges). The charge rate also increased from 17.9% to 20.1%. However, this remains well below that seen in 2015/16 (29.6%). The number of charges for shop theft have increased at a greater rate over the same period [up to 111,559 charges or 21%]. This increase in the charge rate from 17.9% to 20.1% shows police are taking these crimes seriously.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2026 to Question 104116 on Firearms Licensing, whether the government will set out a timeline for publication of the consultation on firearms licensing; and whether the impact assessment will be published alongside the consultation.

The Government will be publishing the public consultation paper on strengthening the controls on shotguns shortly.The Government will provide the necessary impact assessments in due course, depending on whether we decide to make any changes following the consultation.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the High Streets Illegality Taskforce; and how she measures that effectiveness.

At the Autumn Budget 2025, the Chancellor announced the creation of a dedicated cross-government taskforce to tackle money laundering and associated criminality on our high streets.The Taskforce is currently being established. It will develop an intelligence-led understanding of the threat, design systemic interventions to disrupt money laundering and related criminality and set strategic priorities for future operational activity. Effectiveness will be assessed through systematic monitoring and evaluation of progress against its objectives. Further details will be announced in due course.

What process will her Department follow in order to set the visa allocations under the Seasonal Worker Scheme beyond 2026; and what factors will be considered when tapering the allocation.

The UK Government is committed to supporting the UK Horticulture sector, but it is also important that the sector reduces its ongoing reliance on significant numbers of seasonal workers from overseas. Decisions on future allocations will take into account a broad range of factors including, current usage, steps taken to reduce ongoing reliance, such as the adoption of automative technology, and the ongoing costs of operating the route, including compliance and asylum costs.The Home Office will work closely with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs to determine future scheme allocations.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the 20-year baseline for refugees on core protection routes for Hong Kongers (a) born after 1997 and (b) whose parents did not register for BN(O) status; whether B1 English-language qualifications will remain valid for BN(O) visa holders approaching eligibility for Indefinite Leave to Remain; and what her Department's plans are for BN(O) residents who contribute to society in non-financial ways, including carers, elderly people, students and stay-at-home parents.

The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements. Children of BN(O) status holders born after 1997 are eligible for the BN(O) route and will therefore qualify for the same reduction.We are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation, including which groups might be exempted from requirements to demonstrate earnings.In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply, including the current B1 English language requirement.