Written questions by Vickers.

What steps she is taking to support local authorities in tackling illegal encampments.

The police and local authorities are equipped with a range of powers to respond to unauthorised encampments. These include long-standing provisions under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, as well as additional powers introduced through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.The response to unauthorised encampments is led locally, involving multi-agency collaboration between local authorities, police, and relevant services. This approach supports community engagement and ensures that responses are tailored to local needs.Statutory guidance issued by the Home Office sets out how these powers should be applied, including the importance of considering welfare needs and ensuring that any enforcement action is lawful, necessary and proportionate.The criminal offence in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, introduces penalties for those who cause significant damage, disruption or distress while residing on land without permission in or with a vehicle, and refuse to leave when asked. The offence is punishable by a prison sentence of up to 3 months, or a fine of up to £2,500, or both, and/or seizure of the vehicle.

What support is available for communities in the North East experiencing repeated incidents of arson.

The Government is committed to tackling and preventing arson. We know the serious impact that arson can have on both individuals and the wider community.We are committed to ensuring fire services have the resources they need to do their vital work and to keep the public safe from fires, including those caused by arson. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed to meet their core functions are a matter for each fire and rescue authority.

Whether she has considered reviewing controls on the (a) purchase and (b) possession of air weapons, in the context of recent trends in attacks on animals.

The possession and purchase of air weapons is subject to statutory controls. Higher powered air rifles that are over 12 foot pounds, must be held on a firearm certificate and air pistols over 6 foot pounds are prohibited weapons.Although lower powered air weapons can be possessed without a firearm certificate in England and Wales, they are still subject to control. For example, it is an offence to carry an air weapon in public without reasonable excuse, or for an air weapon pellet to be fired beyond the boundary of the land or dwelling where permission has been given to shoot. It is also an offence to intentionally or recklessly kill a pet animal or knowingly cause a pet animal to suffer unnecessarily, which could be committed by shooting at a domestic cat.We keep the law in this area under close review.

What recent assessment she has made of fraud-related crime rates in the North East.

The Home Office holds data on incidents of fraud reported to Action Fraud by Police Force Area (PFA), which is published each quarter by the ONS and is available at the following link: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/policeforceareadatatables.

What discussions she has had with (a) payment processors and (b) courier services on disrupting the purchase and delivery of knives sold online by overseas retailers without age checks.

We are currently strengthening the legislation around the online sale of knives with measures in the Crime and Policing Bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament. This includes:introducing a two-stage age verification system at the point of online purchase.age and identity checks upon delivery of knives.increasing the penalties for the sale of knives to minors.increasing the penalties for possessing offensive weapons in private.introducing a duty on online sellers to report bulk sales of knives.providing the police with the power to require technology companies responsible for social media sites, marketplaces, and search services to take down illegal knife and offensive weapon content.Introducing a new offence in respect of possession of a knife likely to be used in unlawful violence.giving the police a new power to seize knives they believe will likely be used for unlawful violence.We have also taken action to ban zombie-style knives and zombie-style machetes from 24 September 2024; and to ban ninja swords from 1 August 2025.The Home Secretary also commissionedCommander Stephen Clayman, the National Police Lead on knife crime, to undertake t a review into the online sale and delivery of knives. The review was completed and its report published on 19 February 2025. The Government acted on the review’s recommendations immediately concerning better age verification checks at point of sale and delivery and requiring online sellers to report bulk purchases of knives. We will also be consulting later this year on a registration scheme for sellers of knives, as recommended by Commander Clayman in his review, and we are exploring the review’s other recommendations including changes in respect of importation of knives.

What steps she is taking to strengthen border and import-level screening to prevent the delivery of knives purchased from overseas retailers without age verification.

Border Force utilise a suite of data analysis and detection capabilities to screen for illicit goods crossing the UK border.We are currently upgrading our x-ray detection capabilities and introducing a new scanning system that improves how our officers analyse images at the border to better detect threats such as offensive weapons.Border Force also utilise advance data and intelligence to risk assess movements crossing the UK Border, this includes targeting the illegal importation of offensive weapons to prevent their delivery to a UK recipient.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of using existing legislation to restrict the online sale and import of knives from overseas.

We are currently strengthening the legislation around the online sale of knives with measures in the Crime and Policing Bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament. This includes:introducing a two-stage age verification system at the point of online purchase.age and identity checks upon delivery of knives.increasing the penalties for the sale of knives to minors.increasing the penalties for possessing offensive weapons in private.introducing a duty on online sellers to report bulk sales of knives.providing the police with the power to require technology companies responsible for social media sites, marketplaces, and search services to take down illegal knife and offensive weapon content.Introducing a new offence in respect of possession of a knife likely to be used in unlawful violence.giving the police a new power to seize knives they believe will likely be used for unlawful violence.We have also taken action to ban zombie-style knives and zombie-style machetes from 24 September 2024; and to ban ninja swords from 1 August 2025.The Home Secretary also commissionedCommander Stephen Clayman, the National Police Lead on knife crime, to undertake t a review into the online sale and delivery of knives. The review was completed and its report published on 19 February 2025. The Government acted on the review’s recommendations immediately concerning better age verification checks at point of sale and delivery and requiring online sellers to report bulk purchases of knives. We will also be consulting later this year on a registration scheme for sellers of knives, as recommended by Commander Clayman in his review, and we are exploring the review’s other recommendations including changes in respect of importation of knives.

What recent discussions she has had with police forces on antisemitism at universities.

The Government is committed to tackling antisemitic hate crimes and supports the police in taking robust action, wherever those crimes occur and whoever is responsible.

Whether she has had recent discussions with police forces on expressions of support for (a) Hamas and (b) Hezbollah at universities.

The investigation and prosecution of criminal offences, including determining whether an offence has been committed or not, is a matter for the police and Crown Prosecution Service, which are operationally independent.

If she will restrict the number of new international students sponsoring institutions currently subject to action plans can recruit.

The Immigration White Paper, published 12 May, set out a wide range of reforms, including to student visas, further details of which will be set out in due course.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) internal checks and (b) admission procedures of sponsor institutions currently subject to action plans in relation to international students from countries with higher rates of subsequent asylum claims.

The Immigration White Paper, published 12 May, set out a wide range of reforms, including to student visas, further details of which will be set out in due course.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of action plans in preventing compliance breaches by licensed sponsors of student visas.

The Immigration White Paper, published 12 May, set out a wide range of reforms, including to student visas, further details of which will be set out in due course.

With reference to her Department’s white paper Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published in May 2025, when her Department will publish the Red-Amber-Green basic compliance assessment ratings for student sponsor institutions.

The Immigration White Paper, published 12 May, set out a wide range of reforms, including to student visas, further details of which will be set out in due course.

What the (a) total headcount and (b) full-time equivalent number of police officers was in England and Wales as of 30 June in each year from 2015 to 2024.

The Home Office collects and publishes data on the size of the police workforce in England and Wales, as at 31 March and 30 September each year, on a full-time equivalent (FTE) and headcount basis, in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.While data as at 30 June has not historically been routinely collected, between 31 March 2020 and 2023, during the Police Officer Uplift Programme, the Home Office published quarterly data on the number of police officers (headcount only) in England and Wales. This included quarterly data for June 2020 to June 2022 and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-officer-uplift-statisticsAdditionally, the latest release of the Police Workforce statistics included an ad-hoc Annex to show the number of officers in England and Wales, on a headcount basis, at 30 June 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-30-september-2024/police-workforce-england-and-wales-30-september-2024#annexaInformation prior to June 2020 was not collected centrally.

If she will take steps to promote the wider adoption of drones by police forces.

The decision to use drones and in which circumstances are operational matters for police forces who are subject to the requirements of the Air Navigation Order and Data Protection legislation when operating drones.Drone technology is developing at a rapid...

If she will take steps to promote the wider adoption of drones by fire services.

Fire and Rescue Services have been early adopters of drones which can improve decision making, operational efficiency and reduce risk to firefighters. We work closely with the National Fire Chiefs Council which co-ordinates the use of Fire & Rescue Se...

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that police officers have confidence in their ability to (a) appropriately use force and (b) use other powers available to them for community policing.

Police officers have the power to use force where it is reasonable, proportionate and necessary to do so.Oversight of police use of force is provided by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and any death or serious injury during or following police contact must be referred to the Independent Office for Police Complaints.The College of Policing sets training and guidance for use of force to which police are expected to operate.