Written questions by Coyle.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending the 1996 Police Act to allow staff associations other than the Police Federation of England and Wales to represent police officers.

Awaiting answer.

How many officials in her Department are trained in (a) Hong Kong laws and (b) processing applications to settle in the UK.

Awaiting answer.

Whether her Department is taking steps to help ensure that former arrests of BNO status holders (a) under Hong Kong's National Security Law and (b) for engaging in protests do not delay or prevent British citizenship applications.

Adults and children aged ten or over applying for British citizenship must meet the good character requirement in the British Nationality Act 1981.The good character policy is clear that it will normally be appropriate to disregard a criminal conviction for behaviour that is considered legitimate in the UK.

How many (a) police forces and (b) individual officers are now trained in specialist Counter Terrorism support for Hong Kongers (i) with bounties placed on them and (ii) experiencing transnational suppression by the Chinese Communist Party.

The Government is committed to ensuring the police are trained to deal with transnational repression. Since launching new training and guidance in July 2024, nearly 50,000 officers and staff from police forces across the UK and Northern Ireland have completed Foreign Interference modules, and over 23,000 have completed an online module on the powers available under the National Security Act, which was launched in 2023.A team of CTP experts also provide briefings for officers and staff, focusing on those in key roles where they may encounter reports of foreign interference – such as call handlers. Over 30,000 officers and staff attended briefings in the last year.Anyone who believes they are a victim of state directed activity should report to the police via 101, 999, or at a local station.

What the average waiting time is for her Department to reach a decision on British citizenship applications for people from Hong Kong.

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate costImmigration statistics for the last 10 years are published at Migration statistics.https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/migration-transparency-data#uk-visas-and-immigration

Whether her Department has considered the potential merits of relaxing pub licensing hours in English pubs to also accommodate the World Cup football matches involving Scotland.

The Government recently announced plans to extend licensing hours on a national basis for the round of 32 and round of 16, quarter finals, semi-finals, bronze medal match and final of the FIFA World Cup 2026 for matches that involve any of the home nations, including Scotland, and kick off between 8pm and 10pm UK time. This will apply in both England and Wales.

If her Department will issue new guidance to police authorities to require that a) stopping suspected criminals fleeing is prioritised above the safety of the person being sought, b) bikes are stopped by officers even when it could cause injury to a fleeing suspect and c) officers do not face prosecution for the apprehension of suspects at crime scenes.

The safety of the public, including suspects, and police officers is paramount. Decisions on police operational tactics, including for pursuit, are a matter for the police who are required to act lawfully, proportionately.The Government has no plans to issue guidance for police officers on tactics as police have the knowledge, expertise and training to inform proportionate tactical decisions.

What recent assessments she has made of the adequacy of the regulation of broadcasters to prevent the advertising and promotion of proscribed terrorist groups such as Hezbollah on any platform, including LuaLua.

The borderless nature of the internet and the rapid spread of unlawful terrorist material means that threats online remain persistent. The Government is clear that terrorist propaganda and material have no place on the internet, and continues to take robust action in response.The Home Office works to influence industry partners to increase action to tackle online content used to radicalise, recruit and incite terrorism by providing threat assessment, insight and support.Under the Online Safety Act, tech companies are accountable to Ofcom, the independent online safety regulator, to keep their users safe, and they need to remove and limit the spread of illegal content, including terrorist material.Only linear TV channels listed on a regulated electronic programme guide (such as Freeview) require a broadcasting licence and must comply with Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code. LuaLua TV is currently only streamed via a website, not a broadcast channel.

What assessment her department has made of the cost to local authorities of emergency social services provisions to those affected by changes to earned settlement.

Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.As part of this consultation, we sought views on the potential impact of the proposed changes, including on local authorities.We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received.  This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic and equality impact assessments.

If her Department will review fees for ILR applications and make them full-cost recovery only.

There are no plans to reduce the fee for indefinite leave to remain to full-cost recovery. The Home Office does not make a profit from fees and any income from fees set above the cost of processing is utilised for the purpose of running the Migration and Borders system, reducing reliance of taxpayer funding.Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review and any reduction in fees would need to be considered in terms of its impact on the funding of the Migration & Borders system.The right to stay indefinitely is one of the most valuable entitlements offered for those seeking to enter or remain in the UK, and it is right that the fee should be higher than most for migrants staying temporarily in the UK.

How her department plans on supporting the campaigns of groups and organisations such as Resolve during ASB awareness week.

The Home Office works closely with a range of partners, including voluntary and community sector organisations such as Resolve, to support Anti‑Social Behaviour Awareness Week.During the week, the Department supports national awareness raising activity by working with partners to amplify key messages on tackling antisocial behaviour, highlighting the impact it can have on individuals and communities, and promoting the support and tools available to victims. This includes Ministerial and official engagement, participation in parliamentary and community-based events, and coordinated communications activity across government and local partners.The Home Office also uses ASB Awareness Week as an opportunity to reinforce the importance of effective multi‑agency working between the police, local authorities, housing providers and the voluntary sector, and to showcase good practice from across the country in preventing and responding to anti‑social behaviour.

Whether she has plans to help ensure that all strip searches of children have an appropriate adult present.

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 requires that when a child is strip searched an appropriate adult must be present except in cases where delay would pose a risk of serious harm, or where the child specifically requests otherwise and the appropriate adult agrees. This safeguard is necessary to protect the welfare and dignity of children, whilst also providing the police necessary powers to keep the public safe.For the year ending March 2025, the Home Office published data for the first time, on whether an appropriate adult was present for the full strip search of a child under stop and search powers (Stop and search, arrests, and mental health detentions, March 2025 - GOV.UK). Analysis of this type of data helps to increase transparency and enable effective oversight of the use of these powers.The government remains committed to its manifesto commitment to introduce new legal safeguards around strip-searching children and young people.

What steps she is taking to help tackle the use of Royal Mail to transport illegal drugs into the UK.

Illegal drugs have a devastating impact on the health of individuals and communities. Deaths relating to drug misuse in England and Wales rose to 3,736 in 2024, with a total annual cost to society of over £20 billion.The Home Office and operational partners are working to disrupt the supply chain of illegal drugs across all trafficking modes into the UK. Our disruptive approach to illegal drug smuggling prioritises engagement with international partners, coupled with pursuing the criminals behind drug trafficking, and activity to seize drugs at the border.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a police hotline for reporting incidents of political intimidation towards (a) Hong Kongers and (b) others in the UK by the Chinese Communist Party.

The first duty of this Government is to keep the country safe. Any attempt by any foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will never be tolerated, irrespective of where the threat emanates.The Defending Democracy Taskforce’s review of TNR, carried out with Counter Terrorism Policing, examined how best to encourage reporting and ensure cases are taken seriously and handled appropriately.Existing reporting functions are efficient, effective, and well recognised, with trained officers and staff handling crime reports 24/7. This enables immediate police deployment in emergencies and provides clear routes to escalate potential state‑linked incidents to Counter Terrorism Policing for expert assessment and victim support.State threats training is being rolled out across all 45 territorial forces, including upskilling 999 call handlers on TNR, to strengthen frontline identification and response.Anyone who believes they are a victim of state‑directed activity should report to the police via 101, 999, or at a local station. Allegations of unlawful activity will be handled sensitively, treated seriously, and swiftly investigated in line with UK law.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of not resolving the status of children in care before turning 18 on their development.

The Home Secretary set out in the Immigration White Paper published on 12 May that the Home Office will ensure children who have been in the UK for some time, turn 18 and discover they do not have status, are fully supported and able to regularise their status and settle where appropriate. This will also include a clear pathway for those children in care and care leavers.Policy development is ongoing, but as part of this, separate targeted engagement will take place with external stakeholders to help us to understand the challenges in this area and develop a policy solution which supports children in care without status while upholding the need to have a robust and coherent migration system. Children who have claimed asylum are dealt with under separate provisions.A range of reforms are underway across the immigration and asylum system, and the development of a clear pathway to settlement for children in care and care leavers must be considered alongside these changes.

How many people her Department’s Homelessness escalation service has helped move from No Recourse to Public Funds to having access to public funds in the latest period for which data is available.

The requested information is not currently included in published migration data, so we are unable to provide this.

If her Department will publish data on the number of ‘change of circumstances’ applications received last year from people with No Recourse to Public Funds status due to homelessness, and how many applicants gained access to public funds as a result.

Information on change of conditions is published at Migration transparency data - GOV.UK in the Immigration and protection dataset.When an individual is considered for assessment of Change of Conditions, various No Recourse to Public Funds conditions are checked, with ‘destitution’ being one of these conditions.The specific information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

If she will take steps with the Metropolitan Police to move officers and staff out of the capital whose responsibilities are (a) national and (b) not wholly London-focused.

Decisions on the location of officers and staff in the Metropolitan Police Service are an operational matter for the Commissioner. This includes resources that support existing national units.Any future proposals on structural reform to policing in England and Wales will be set out in the upcoming white paper on police reform.

If she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of introducing Sectioning Support Officers to the NHS to reduce police officer time spent in hospitals.

Any decisions relating to staffing in the NHS is a matter for the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England.The Right Care Right Person approach is an approach designed to end inappropriate and avoidable police involvement in cases where people have health and/or social care needs and help ensure that people receive support from the right person, with the right skills, training, and experience to best meet their needs.The National Partnership Agreement (NPA), signed in July 2023 by Government, NHS England and national policing bodies, sets out the principles of Right Care Right Person and how they can jointly deliver the best care to communities. The NPA sets out that local areas should work towards handovers of care between the police and mental health services taking place within one hour as specified in local plans. This one hour handover will reduce the amount of time spent by police officers with mental health patients in hospital.

What steps she is taking to ensure representatives of the People’s Republic of China employed in the (a) UK embassy, (b) consulate and (c) Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London do not engage in (i) supranational suppression and (ii) intimidation tactics against Hong Kongers now living in the UK.

The safety and security of Hong Kongers in the UK is of the upmost importance. The UK will always stand up for the rights of the people of Hong Kong.We continually assess potential threats in the UK, and take protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety very seriously. Any attempt by any foreign state, including China, to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will not be tolerated.Wherever we identify such threats, we will use any and all measures, including through our world-class intelligence services, to mitigate the risk to individuals.The UK’s response to tackling state-directed threats is world leading. The National Security Act 2023 ensures that the appropriate tools and system-wide safeguards are in place to robustly counter state threats.Guidance can be found on GOV.UK providing those who believe themselves to be at-risk of TNR with practical advice for their safety both physically and online.