Written questions by Wrigley.

What steps she is taking to help tackle modern slavery in Devon.

The UK is committed to ensuring victims can access the necessary support to assist in their recovery from their experiences of exploitation or trafficking.Adult victim support is provided on a national basis, across England and Wales. The Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract provides specialist support to adult victims of exploitation and trafficking who have been identified through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM).The MSVCC provides safe accommodation where necessary, financial support and a support worker to help victims access other support services such as the NHS and legal aid.With regards to support for child victims, local authorities are responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children in their area. The Government-funded Independent Child Trafficking Guardianship (ICTG) service provides advocacy and support to child victims of exploitation and trafficking who have been referred to the NRM. In September 2025, we launched an invitation-to-tender for the national contract which will expand the service to provide national coverage in England and Wales, including Devon. The tender process is now underway.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of asking the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to review their scheduling of Psilocybin.

Psilocybin is controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (‘the 1971 Act’) and placed in Schedule 1 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (‘the 2001 Regulations’). Drugs are typically placed in Schedule 1 when there is no established medical use in the UK.Ministers are under a duty to consider advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) prior to making regulations under the 1971 Act. The Government has no current plans to commission the ACMD to review the scheduling of psilocybin.Medicines based on psilocybin have to date not been assessed on the basis of their safety, quality and efficacy and granted a marketing authorisation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA). Reconsideration of scheduling under the 1971 Act would ordinarily follow such an assessment by the MHRA.

When her Department will respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot sent on 18 September 2025 with case ref MW01823.

The correspondence of 18 September 2025 was transferred to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for response.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2025 to Question 31604 on Refugees: Ukraine, if she will ensure gov.uk sites are updated to show the correct length of the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme.

On 1 September, the Government announced in parliament that the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme (UPE) would be extended for an additional 24 months to enable those eligible to obtain a further period of permission following their initial permission under UPE.More detail will follow in due course and shared on the relevant GOV.UK pages.

When her Department plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot of 19 August 2025 with case reference MW09759.

The Minister for Policing and Crime has replied on 15 October.

When her Department plans to respond to the correspondence of 5 August 2025 from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot, case reference MW09483.

The Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum responded on 17 September 2025.

Whether she plans to consult businesses on firearm licencing.

The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February this year, included a commitment to having a consultation specifically on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns.When launched we will welcome and carefully consider all the views put forward, including those from businesses.

With reference to the oral contribution to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam on 31 March 2025, Vol. 765, column 25, page 23, if she will update the House on developments in relation to arrests made at the Quaker meeting house in Westminster.

Decisions relating to police operations, including arrests, are made independently by the police.Ministers do not intervene in individual cases or operational matters, not because of any lack of concern, but to respect and uphold the principle of policing free from political influence.

With reference to her Statement on Strengthening border security and reforms to the asylum system of 1 September 2025, whether applicants to the Ukrainian Permission Extension scheme who applied in Spring 2022 will have these finished in Autumn 2028.

On 1 September, the Home Secretary announced in parliament that the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme (UPE) would be extended for an additional 24 months to enable those eligible to obtain a further period of permission following their initial permission under UPE. More detail will follow in due course.We continue to keep the Ukraine Schemes and the evolving situation in Ukraine under active review.

For what reason she did not provide a substantive response to the Freedom of Information Act request with reference number 359A/25 on her Department's use of services provided by Palantir Technologies UK Ltd.

The Home Office issued a substantive response to the requester in May 2024, which stated:We have carried out a thorough search and we have established that no current Palantir contracts or use of Palantir software were identified within the Home Office.

What plans her Department has to extend the Ukrainian Permission Extension scheme.

Individuals in the UK under one of the Ukraine Schemes can apply to extend their permission by up to an additional 18 months through the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025. The scheme provides the same rights and entitlements to access work, benefits, healthcare and education as the original Ukraine schemes.On 1 September, the Home Secretary announced in parliament that the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme (UPE) would be extended for an additional 24 months to enable those eligible to obtain a further period of permission following their initial permission under UPE. More detail will follow in due course.

Whether her Department has (a) issued guidance to and (b) held discussions with local authorities on the estimated end date of the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme.

From 4 February 2025, individuals in the UK under a Ukraine visa scheme have been eligible to apply for the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, granting an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK as well as access to work, benefits, healthcare, and education. The duration of permission is calculated from the date of application, meaning end dates will vary accordingly. Those granted permission in February 2025, for example, will have permission to stay in the UK until August 2026.The Government recognises the importance of providing clarity and reassurance to Ukrainians living in the UK under the Ukraine visa schemes and is aware that many individuals and families are seeking certainty about their future once their leave under the UPE schemes expires. As such, the Government is actively considering the future of the Ukraine visa schemes and will provide further clarity as soon as it is in a position to do so.

When the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme is due to end.

From 4 February 2025, individuals in the UK under a Ukraine visa scheme have been eligible to apply for the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, granting an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK as well as access to work, benefits, healthcare, and education. The duration of permission is calculated from the date of application, meaning end dates will vary accordingly. Those granted permission in February 2025, for example, will have permission to stay in the UK until August 2026.The Government recognises the importance of providing clarity and reassurance to Ukrainians living in the UK under the Ukraine visa schemes and is aware that many individuals and families are seeking certainty about their future once their leave under the UPE schemes expires. As such, the Government is actively considering the future of the Ukraine visa schemes and will provide further clarity as soon as it is in a position to do so.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of delays in Ukrainian Visa Extension Schemes applications on Ukrainians in the Newton Abbot constituency.

We recognise the importance of minimising any delays in the processing of UPE applications. The vast majority of Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme applications are being processed within Service Level Agreements. There may be applications which have varying levels of complexity which can cause a delay to an application. Applicants that apply before their previous permission expires will continue to have their conditions maintained under Section 3C of the Immigration Rules.Information on visa processing times for applications made from within the UK can be found here: Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK

Whether she has received recent correspondence from Palantir.

Home Office ministers and officials receive correspondence from a range of businesses and other organisations on a regular basis.

What contracts their Department has with Palantir.

Details of all Home Office contracts above the minimum threshold are routinely published on the Contract Finder website.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner.

As the directly elected representative for policing in their area, Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) have an important local role acting as the voice of the public and victims in policing, holding Chief Constables to account and leading local partnerships to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour.In her Written Ministerial Statement of 19 November 2024 (HCWS232), the Home Secretary announced her intention to present a White Paper to Parliament this year on reforms to deliver more effective and efficient policing, to rebuild public confidence and to deliver the Government’s Safer Streets mission. We will consider the role of PCCs in local accountability and preventing crime as part of wider reforms to the policing system and we will set out our plans in due course.

How many children from Gaza have been granted visas to the UK for medical treatment since the scheme began.

The requested information is not currently available from published statistics, and could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.The UK has supported an initiative by Project Pure Hope to bring a small number of children from Gaza to the UK for privately funded specialist care. On 1 May, the Minister for the Middle East announced that two children have arrived in the UK to begin treatment. The Government also announced a £7.5m package of support to bolster vital medical care in Gaza and the region, which includes additional funding for UK-Med, WHO Egypt and the OCHA OPTs Humanitarian Fund.

What steps her Department is taking to assess the reliability of non-deterministic AI before it is used to support (a) policing, (b) public safety and (c) immigration processes.

The government recognises the importance of operational trust in AI systems. The Home Office is actively working to ensure the responsible adoption of AI technologies within our processes.This includes evaluation and assurance of AI tools in line with relevant industry guidance and regulatory standards including HMG AI frameworks.

What steps she is taking to ensure that decisions made using AI in law enforcement can be (a) explained, (b) reviewed, and (c) challenged.

It is for operationally independent Chief Constables to decide when and how they use AI-enabled or algorithmic tooling.However, the adoption of these technologies by law enforcement must be lawful, transparent, ethical and underpinned by robust data and governance arrangements. These principles are set out in the ‘Covenant for Using AI in Policing’ which all Chief Constables have signed.The Home Office is working closely with the AI portfolio of the National Police Chief’s Council and the Police Chief Scientific Advisor to ensure policing has the resources and support it needs to abide by these principles consistently. This includes working with a range of academics from leading universities on a ‘responsible AI checklist’ and producing a detailed ‘AI playbook for policing’, akin to those produced for government departments.