Written questions by Jarvis.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of car thefts in Eastleigh constituency; what assessment she has made of the impact of (a) relay attacks, (b) CAN bus attacks and (c) other sophisticated theft methods on rates of vehicle theft; and what steps her Department is taking to support (i) public awareness campaigns, (ii) improved vehicle security standards, (iii) collaboration with manufacturers, (iv) police efforts to tackle organised vehicle crime and the export of stolen vehicles and car parts and (v) other methods to prevent car theft.

The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of vehicle offences recorded by the police in England and Wales. This information is published at Community Safety Partnership level, including Eastleigh.The latest information, for the year ending December 2025, is available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/police-recorded-crime-and-outcomes-open-data-tables#police-recorded-crime-open-data-community-safety-partnership-tablesThe Government is cracking down on the brazen car thieves who use new technologies to commit their crimes.In our Crime and Policing Act, we have brought forward two new offences to criminalise the possession, importation, making, adapting, supplying or offering to supply an electronic device (such as a signal jammer) for use in theft of a vehicle or theft of anything in a vehicle. The Government provided funding to set up the National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership, a partnership of policing, industry and government aimed at combatting organised vehicle crime across the UK. The Government continues to support this work. Since 2024, the Home Office has dedicated almost £1m (£970,000) to bolster the enforcement response to organised vehicle theft and export. This money, provided to the National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership (NVCRP), has supported enforcement work inland and at the ports to prevent and disrupt stolen vehicles and their parts being shipped abroad, including additional staff, police training, and specialist equipment. The funding enabled Operation Alliances II, a national crackdown on organised vehicle crime, which brought together local and national policing, and key partners, including the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS). In a coordinated week of action in October last year, over £3.3 million worth of stolen vehicles and over £13m worth of vehicle parts were recovered, and there were more than 365 arrests. The Home Office is committing a further £300k this year toward tackling organised vehicle theft and export, to further strengthen these efforts and build on the progress already made.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the implementation of the Entry-Exit System on British tourists travelling to countries in the European Union, including on (a) families travelling with young children, (b) the travel and tourism industry, and (c) overall levels of outbound travel during peak holiday periods; and what steps she is taking to ensure that it works effectively for British holidaymakers and the travel industry.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an EU system, and its implementation is a matter for the EU and its member states.The UK Government is engaging the European Commission and member states to encourage a pragmatic approach to EES that minimises disruption now that it is fully operational. We are also working with transport and travel operators to understand the potential impact of EES and supporting them with a communications package to help prepare passengers in advance of their journey.

What timetable her Department has set for completing consideration of the proposals of the Independent Review of Fraud; how she will monitor the effectiveness of the Fraud Strategy 2026–2029 in reducing online fraud and scams; and what powers will be conferred on the proposed Online Crime Centre to tackle online fraud.

The Government has received the Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offence’s second report, Fraud in the Digital Age, and will publish it this in due course, alongside a statement of proposals progressed.Effectiveness of the Fraud Strategy 2026-2028 will be tracked through a governance and metrics framework, refined with delivery partners through better data, a theory of change, and targeted evaluations. We will also work with industry to set metrics on the prevalence of fraud on online platforms and on platforms’ performance in removing or blocking such activity.Backed by over £30m, the Online Crime Centre will bring together government, law enforcement, the intelligence community and industry to tackle online fraud to disrupt at scale, it will draw on existing enforcement powers.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the 2024–25 Health and Care Worker visa changes on access to domiciliary and residential care services; how many social care providers have had their sponsorship licences (a) suspended and (b) revoked in the past 24 months; and what proportion of those workers were left without a viable route to remain in social care employment.

The Government published the immigration white paper ‘Restoring control over the immigration system' last year which set out how we will move the UK away from a dependence on international care workers and end overseas recruitment for social care visas. The new immigration rules which prohibit overseas recruitment took effect in July 2025, however transitional arrangements exist for individuals already in the UK to switch into the route. The transitional arrangements are due to expire in 2028 but will be subject to regular review.The Home Office continues to work closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)-funded Regional Partnerships to support care workers, who have been impacted by exploitative employers. DHSC are funding 15 regional hubs in England, made up of Local Authorities and Directors of Adult Social Services, working together to support displaced workers into new roles within the care sector. These regional hubs have received £12.5 million this financial year to support them to prevent and respond to unethical practices in the sector.The Government remains committed to supporting Health & Care visa holders who wish to pursue a career in the adult social care sector.The impact assessment for the changes made in 2024 and 2025 can be found at the following links:2024 - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-immigration-rules-impact-assessments/2024-spring-immigration-rules-impact-assessment-accessible2025 - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-changes-to-the-immigration-rules-hc-997-1-july-2025/spring-2025-immigration-rules-impact-assessment-skilled-worker-and-care-worker-july-2025-accessible-versionThe Home Office does not publish revocation data broken down by business type. As a result, the specific information requested is not available within existing published statistics. Collating and verifying the relevant data solely for the purpose of this request would incur disproportionate cost.However, the Home Office does publish general information on visa sponsors who are subject to suspension or revocation in available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/migration-transparency-data

What assessment she has made of the timeliness of police forensic collision investigation reports following serious road traffic collisions; and what steps she is taking with police forces in England to reduce delays in the completion and release of forensic collision investigation reports.

The police are responsible for collision investigations and for establishing the circumstances that have led to deaths and life changing injuries on our roads.The police investigation and release of forensic collision investigation reports, along with decisions on how available resources in completing and releasing forensic collision investigation reports, along with decisions are the deployment of available resources, are the responsibility of Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners who take into account specific local problems and demands when making those decisions.

What steps she is taking to help halve violence against women and girls in Eastleigh constituency within a decade; how much funding has been allocated for this purpose in Eastleigh constituency; and what metrics her Department is using to monitor progress.

“Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls” was published on 18th December 2025 and sets out the strategic direction and concrete actions to prevent violence and abuse, pursue perpetrators, and support victims, and to deliver our unprecedented commitment to halve VAWG in a decade. Commitments in the VAWG Strategy apply across England, including in the Eastleigh constituency.The Strategy is backed by at least £1 billion funding across government over the spending review period. This is alongside much wider investment across the whole of government. Funding for VAWG related services is generally allocated at a national, regional, or local authority level rather than by parliamentary constituency. As such, the Home Office does not hold separate figures for Eastleigh constituency.The headline metric we are using to measure progress against our ambition is through a combined estimate of the proportion of people aged 16 and over who have experienced any of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking in the previous 12 months, based on the Crime Survey for England and Wales. We will track supporting headline metrics for female homicide, repeat domestic abuse, and the prevalence of sexual harassment, as well as a further set of sub-metrics to monitor progress across Government, which are detailed in the Strategy.

With reference to her Department's document entitled A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: statement and accompanying consultation on earned settlement, updated on 28 November 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a retrospective application of the proposed changes to settlement rules on people currently on a five-year settlement pathway, including on lower income households and groups with protected characteristics.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.The consultation seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. Transitional arrangements refer to temporary measures or rules put in place to manage the shift from one system, or policy framework, to another. Details of the earned settlement model, including any transitional arrangements for those already in the UK, will be finalised following that consultation.The final model will also be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the number of neighbourhood police officers in Eastleigh.

Every community deserves visible, pro-active and accessible neighbourhood policing with officers tackling the issues that matter to them. That is why £200 million has been made available in 2025/26 to support the first steps towards delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel by the end of this Parliament. Of the £200 million available, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary were allocated £5,187,776 with a projected growth of 65 FTE neighbourhood police officers in 2025/26.Published management information shows as at 30 September 2025, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary have grown by 99 FTE neighbourhood policing officers since March 2025. It is important that forces continue to boost visible policing and ensure the workforce is shaped to meet modern crime demands.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of legislative reform for victims of (a) domestic and (b) economic abuse to exit joint mortgages safely and promptly; and what discussions she has had with the (i) Chancellor of the Exchequer and (ii) Financial Conduct Authority on the introduction of guidance for the financial industry on this matter.

This Government recognises the devastating impact economic abuse can have on victims. ‘Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls’, published on 18 December 2025, outlined a package of commitments to tackle economic abuse. This included a commitment from His Majesty’s Treasury (HMT) to work with key stakeholders, including industry and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to explore how joint mortgages are used as a tool of abuse and how victims and survivors can be better supported. This commitment was also included in HMT’s recent Financial Inclusion Strategy.The Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls met with the Economic Secretary to the Treasury as both strategies were developed, and remains committed to working closely with her HMT counterparts as they deliver on this agenda.

What steps she is taking to ensure standardised training for police in reviewing Operation Snap submissions involving horses; and what assessment she has made of the consistency with which police forces handle video evidence of dangerous passes involving horses.

The Government takes road safety extremely seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads.Police enforcements of motoring offences are operational matters for Chief Officers, who decide how to deploy available resources to deal with all the issues for which the force is responsible, taking into account specific local problems and demands.The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) released national guidance on the minimum standards for police handling of dashcam footage submitted by members of the public in June 2021.The guidance makes clear that trained police staff should assess camera footage submitted under Operation Snap and if the footage demonstrates an offence is committed, the local force determine the appropriate action to take.

What steps her Department is taking to enhance the accessibility of reporting mechanisms for fraud and cyber crime.

A new and improved national police reporting service for fraud and cyber crime called Report Fraud went live on 4 December 2025, replacing the previous Action Fraud service. The new service will ensure that victims of fraud have the confidence and trust to come forward, report instances of fraud, and know that their case will be dealt with properly.Report Fraud will speed up the time it takes to report, inform victims about what has happened or is happening with their report and significantly improve the speed and quality of information provided to law enforcement partners, boosting their chances of successful prosecutions.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness in meeting the 8-week processing deadline for applications under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme.

UKVI are currently assessing Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (UPE) visas within the published processing times. Information on visa processing times can be found at Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK

When she will confirm funding for perpetrator intervention services for the next financial year.

The scale of violence against women and girls in our country is intolerable and this Government is treating it as the national emergency that it is. We have committed to several measures in the recently published Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy that aim to disrupt perpetrators in the community and reduce revictimisation. We will:Significantly expand access to tailored interventions for domestic abuse and stalking perpetrators, for first-time offenders to higher-risk perpetrators.Prioritise rapid expansion of the Drive Project, investing £53 million over four years, ensuring that there is access to a proven response for the most dangerous domestic abuse perpetrators across England and Wales within three years. This landmark investment into disrupting the behaviour of perpetrators is about shifting the way we combat domestic abuse, putting the responsibility for ending abuse on those who cause it. We have confirmed continuation of funding of the current Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Intervention Fund for a period of six months from April 2026 to provide continuity ahead of anticipated competitions.

Whether her Department is monitoring the (a) importation and (b) online sale of imitation firearms; and whether she plans to make an assessment of whether the online sale of imitation firearms contravene (i) product safety and (ii) trading standards legislation.

The Government works closely with the National Crime Agency and the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) to address any potential risks to public safety posed by the sale and possession of imitation firearms. The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 makes it an offence to manufacture, import or sell a realistic imitation firearm. It is also a requirement that imitation firearms are safe for their intended and foreseeable use before they are placed on the market.The Government, the National Crime Agency and the NPCC, together with Border Force, have taken, and continue to take, action to prevent the import and sale, including online sales, of certain types of blank firing firearms, which are viewed as readily convertible, to prevent these getting into the hands of criminals. Such imitation firearms are contrary to existing legislation, and to remove these particular types of imitation firearms from circulation, a four-week amnesty was run by the NPCC in February this year saw around 3,000 such firearms being handed in to police forces, and further action is being planned to remove further makes of blank firing imitation firearms from circulation as they have been found to be readily convertible.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the online sale of imitation firearms.

The Government works closely with the National Crime Agency and the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) to address any potential risks to public safety posed by the sale and possession of imitation firearms. The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 makes it an offence to manufacture, import or sell a realistic imitation firearm. It is also a requirement that imitation firearms are safe for their intended and foreseeable use before they are placed on the market.The Government, the National Crime Agency and the NPCC, together with Border Force, have taken, and continue to take, action to prevent the import and sale, including online sales, of certain types of blank firing firearms, which are viewed as readily convertible, to prevent these getting into the hands of criminals. Such imitation firearms are contrary to existing legislation, and to remove these particular types of imitation firearms from circulation, a four-week amnesty was run by the NPCC in February this year saw around 3,000 such firearms being handed in to police forces, and further action is being planned to remove further makes of blank firing imitation firearms from circulation as they have been found to be readily convertible.

What assessment she has made of trends in reported violent crime in Eastleigh constituency in the last 12 months.

Hampshire police recorded 3,350 violence against the person offences in Eastleigh in 2024/25, a 3% fall compared with the previous year (3,446 offences). This included one offence of homicide.We are progressing towards this Government’s mission to make our streets safer. But we are not complacent and recognise there is much more to do, which is why we will continue to work across-government to tackle violent crime including our ambition to halve knife crime and violence against women and girls in a decade.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Youth Endowment Fund in reducing (a) youth violence and (b) knife crime.

The Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) plays a central role in evaluating and supporting interventions aimed at reducing youth violence and knife crime. This is critical to us properly understanding the challenges of youth violence and knife crime and how to most effectively address them.The Home Office periodically reviews the YEF’s activities and assesses the impact of projects funded by the YEF and the reach of resources developed by the fund such as the YEF Toolkit.The YEF has generally made good progress in these key areas over the period of the Grant. More widely, the YEF provides essential support across seven sectors including education, children’s services, and youth justice to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence.The Home Office will continue to work with the YEF on reducing the impact of youth violence and knife crime, including through our commitment to halve knife crime in a decade.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of (a) rape and (b) sexual violence cases that are withdrawn at the police stage before referral to the Crown Prosecution Service; and what support is available to victims to help them continue with their cases.

We recognise the devastating impact sexual violence can have. The Government is absolutely committed to tackling rape and sexual offences and achieving the best possible outcome for victims.The level of cases closing due to the victim withdrawing support for the investigation remains stubbornly high, with over 40% of closed sexual offence investigations in the year ending March 2025 ending this way. The figure is higher for rape cases, rising to 55% of closed cases.The Home Office has invested £13.1 million to establish a new National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP) to improve the police response to violence against women and girls and child sexual abuse. The NCVPP is continuing to drive forward the transformational work of Operation Soteria, ensuring officers build the strongest possible, suspect-focused cases. It is vitally important that every police force has the specialist capability necessary to support victims of rape and sexual violence and bring perpetrators to justice. The Centre will also support the development of strengthened specialist training for officers across the country ensuring they offer consistent protection for victims and relentlessly pursue these vile crimes.

What steps her Department is taking to protect (a) children and (b) young people from online sextortion.

To tackle the growing threat of sextortion, the Home Office is funding law enforcement capabilities to combat this crime, such as through investment in the National Crime Agency (NCA), who use their unique capabilities to disrupt the highest harm offenders, including those based overseas. The NCA is also a member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, which is an international alliance of 15 dedicated law enforcement agencies working together to tackle the global threat from all forms of child sexual abuse.The Home Office also invests in a network of Undercover Online Officers in Regional Organised Crime Units to disrupt high harm offenders, including those seeking to groom or otherwise manipulate children into sharing sexual images.The Online Safety Act protects citizens – especially children – from abuse and harm and applies to companies that provide user-to-user services and search services. It places robust duties on tech companies to prevent and swiftly remove illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, and to take proactive steps to protect children from harm. The strongest protections in the Act are for children.Where a company fails to protect users, Ofcom will have a suite of enforcement powers such as issuing fines of up to 10% of their revenue and business disruption measures including blocking companies.The Government will continue to engage with social media companies to make it clear they must act and implement robust detection measures to prevent their platforms being safe spaces for criminals.This Government will continue to proactively review legislation, and we will not hesitate to legislate further to ensure the protection of children online.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure the safety of Uyghur (a) exiles and (b) dissidents residing in the UK.

The first duty of government is to keep its citizens safe. The National Security Act 2023 provides the necessary tools to deter, detect and disrupt modern-day state threats. The Government, working alongside operational partners, continuously assess the risks and threats faced by people living within the UK. Where we identify individuals at heightened risk, we are front footed in deploying protective security guidance and other measures as appropriate. Where individuals have concerns for their safety, they are advised to contact the police via 101, a local police station or dial 999 in an emergency.