Speeches by Atkinson.

“Just to be really clear, to what extent are the benefits of digital ID that you have identified contingent on making it mandatory, in your view?”

“We want to continue the UK’s proud history of offering sanctuary, while simultaneously reducing illegal channel crossings. Refugees fleeing persecution should seek safe and legal routes that are subject to full security checks and controls, not pay people-smuggling gangs to cross the channel in an uncontrolled and unsa…”

“What the people of Sunderland want is visible and responsive policing. There is no doubt about the decline in recent years. Northumbria lost 1,100 officers under the previous Government. How will the Minister ensure that the savings resulting from these changes are reinvested in the frontline, to improve neighbourhood …”

“Mr Glass, you mentioned the metrics that were included in the annual report and I wonder if I could zoom out. Dame Antonia, you took over leadership in April or May this year. Clearly, the last published report we have of the performance of the Home Office is up to March of this year. In the annual report that we have,…”

“Do you think that speaks to a cultural characteristic of the Home Office that it previously had a tendency to see challenges as a communications challenge rather than a delivery challenge?”

“In terms of your assessment of the particular drivers of low public confidence and delivery priorities, what are those? What lessons can you learn, perhaps from other organisations or areas, for turning around public confidence that will help inform your approach?”

“I do not ask that with a particular example. Does the entire reporting infrastructure need to be reviewed or are you broadly happy with the reporting that has been done, but you know the pressure and clarity of accountability for delivery against those metrics is on?”

“Could you just say a little more about that interaction? The Home Office does not employ police officers; the 43 forces do. In terms of meeting the Government’s manifesto commitment of 13,000, what is your assessment of the relationships and interface between the Home Office and the police forces that would give you th…”

“The low public confidence in the Home Office is reflected in the performance report, and there was an adverse trajectory in 2024-25. Could you outline what you are doing to address the drop in public confidence in the work of the Home Office?”

“Does the introduction of that new unit within the Department address what you thought was a lack of capability previously? Has there not been that co-ordinated capability?”

“You gave a good example there about the prison crisis from last year. Are there other examples of where some of your leadership team’s actions have been to stop things getting worse? Are you still in that trajectory rather than delivering positive improvements that the public would see?”

“The Minister has outlined that a charity was responsible for liaising with victims and survivors.”

“Clearly, you were getting a number of Parliamentary questions about the decisions that victims and survivors may have been asked by NWT. Do you feel that the use of NWT as a charity is still possible in the way you initially envisaged, given the level of public and parliamentary scrutiny about the direct role of the Ho…”

“I understand that a charity was commissioned by the Home Office to provide independent support to the victims and survivors’ panel. I wonder if you could say a little about how the Home Office went about commissioning and identifying that charity and what you see as the relationship going forward. There is a clear publ…”

“That is fine for now, thank you.”

“Yes.”

“I commend my hon. Friend for securing this really important debate. Does she agree that even if the Home Office does not agree with changing legislation, more could be done within existing legislation, for example with drug checking facilities, of which a very small number are already licensed by the Home Office? That …”

“What is your assessment of how widespread the active misuse and exploitation of student visas is? The Government have also suggested some changes to the compliance assessments they carry out with universities.”

“What do you expect the impact of the planned changes to move the graduate visa length to 18 months from 24 months to be?”

“The Government’s immigration White Paper states that it is “essential that any individual that our country welcomes here to study is…not using their application for a student visa simply as a vehicle to move themselves and their dependants to a new life in Britain.” How far do you think the current student and graduate…”