Written questions by Duncan-Jordan.

If she will introduce age restrictions of 18 plus for the purchasing of catapults and slingshots.

The Government shares concerns over the misuse of catapults, whether against people, property or wildlife.There is existing legislation relating to the carrying and use of offensive weapons, Anti-Social Behaviour and wildlife crime; however, the Government is aware of continuing concerns about the problems caused by catapults.We have noted the proposals for new restrictions, including age restrictions, and we are actively considering all proposals as part of wider considerations of what more might be done around enforcement.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the extension of settlement routes for those on family visas from 6 to 10 years in 2012 on the number of people leaving (a) voluntarily and (b) through enforced removals.

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.The responses to the consultation are being reviewed and analysed. Implementation of the final earned settlement arrangements will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the extension of settlement routes for those on family visas from 6 to 10 years in 2012 on the number of illegal migrants arriving in the UK.

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.The responses to the consultation are being reviewed and analysed. Implementation of the final earned settlement arrangements will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

Whether she has had recent discussions with Dorset Police on trends in the number of volunteer groups that patrol local streets.

The Government is delivering our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, putting 13,000 additional police personnel into neighbourhood roles, ensuring everyone has a named and contactable officer, enquiries are responded to within 72 hours and officers are conducting visible patrols.The Government’s Police Reform White Paper announced the most significant reforms to policing in 200 years. We have committed to increasing the number of volunteers in neighbourhood policing, including special constables. We will do this by working with policing to attract new special constables, improving and streamlining the recruitment process and better integrating special constables into wider policing. We would encourage anyone who wishes to give back to their community and support local policing to consider formally volunteering with the police.

Whether she has issued guidance to Dorset Police on volunteer groups that patrol local streets.

The Government is delivering our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, putting 13,000 additional police personnel into neighbourhood roles, ensuring everyone has a named and contactable officer, enquiries are responded to within 72 hours and officers are conducting visible patrols.The Government’s Police Reform White Paper announced the most significant reforms to policing in 200 years. We have committed to increasing the number of volunteers in neighbourhood policing, including special constables. We will do this by working with policing to attract new special constables, improving and streamlining the recruitment process and better integrating special constables into wider policing. We would encourage anyone who wishes to give back to their community and support local policing to consider formally volunteering with the police.

If she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of volunteer groups that patrol local streets.

The Government is delivering our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, putting 13,000 additional police personnel into neighbourhood roles, ensuring everyone has a named and contactable officer, enquiries are responded to within 72 hours and officers are conducting visible patrols.The Government’s Police Reform White Paper announced the most significant reforms to policing in 200 years. We have committed to increasing the number of volunteers in neighbourhood policing, including special constables. We will do this by working with policing to attract new special constables, improving and streamlining the recruitment process and better integrating special constables into wider policing. We would encourage anyone who wishes to give back to their community and support local policing to consider formally volunteering with the police.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of licensing volunteer groups that patrol local streets.

The Government is delivering our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, putting 13,000 additional police personnel into neighbourhood roles, ensuring everyone has a named and contactable officer, enquiries are responded to within 72 hours and officers are conducting visible patrols.The Government’s Police Reform White Paper announced the most significant reforms to policing in 200 years. We have committed to increasing the number of volunteers in neighbourhood policing, including special constables. We will do this by working with policing to attract new special constables, improving and streamlining the recruitment process and better integrating special constables into wider policing. We would encourage anyone who wishes to give back to their community and support local policing to consider formally volunteering with the police.

When she plans to make a decision on the future of the 56-day asylum move on pilot.

A decision has now been taken to set the notice period for all individuals granted leave exiting the asylum accommodation estate at 42 days, from the point they are notified of a positive asylum decision. Individuals will continue to receive a minimum of 28 days to move on from when they are notified that their asylum support is being discontinued in their asylum support discontinuation letter. This policy will apply to individuals granted leave on or after 9 March 2026. The policy will not apply to individuals who are already within the notice period and those for whom support has already been discontinued. The 56‑day pilot concluded on 8 March 2026.

If she will set out what the asylum accommodation move-on period will be for all groups after 28 February 2026.

A decision has now been taken to set the notice period for all individuals granted leave exiting the asylum accommodation estate at 42 days, from the point they are notified of a positive asylum decision. Individuals will continue to receive a minimum of 28 days to move on from when they are notified that their asylum support is being discontinued in their asylum support discontinuation letter. This policy will apply to individuals granted leave on or after 9 March 2026. The policy will not apply to individuals who are already within the notice period and those for whom support has already been discontinued. The 56‑day pilot concluded on 8 March 2026.

What assessment her Department has made of the impact of requiring the non-UK children of UK citizens to have a UK passport in order to enter the country on trends in the number of people entering the UK.

British citizens, including those who hold dual nationality must travel with a valid British passport or another passport endorsed with a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode (CoE) when travelling to the UK. There is guidance on GOV.UK to help people determine whether they or their children qualify for British citizenship at: https://www.gov.uk/check-british-citizenship.

If she will have discussions with the Met Police on the potential merits of it releasing further information on Operation Corn Poppy into alleged abuse at Harrods and other workplaces connected to the Al-Fayeds, including when it plans to (a) conclude and (b) report its findings.

We expect every report of a sexual offence and trafficking to be treated seriously from the point of disclosure, every victim to be treated with dignity and every investigation and prosecution to be conducted thoroughly and professionally.However, the Home Office is unable to intervene in, or comment on, the progress of these individual cases. This is not because of a lack of concern, but because it is a fundamental principle of our criminal justice system that the police and courts are operationally independent of Government.We are aware that the Metropolitan Police Service is continuing to conduct a multi-strand investigation into allegations involving Mohamed Al Fayed, known as Operation Cornpoppy and they are best placed to assess the potential merits of releasing further information on progress.

If she will have discussions with the Met Police on the potential merits of publishing the terms of reference for Operation Corn Poppy into alleged abuse at Harrods and other workplaces connected to the Al-Fayeds.

We expect every report of a sexual offence and trafficking to be treated seriously from the point of disclosure, every victim to be treated with dignity and every investigation and prosecution to be conducted thoroughly and professionally.However, the Home Office is unable to intervene in, or comment on, the progress of these individual cases. This is not because of a lack of concern, but because it is a fundamental principle of our criminal justice system that the police and courts are operationally independent of Government.We are aware that the Metropolitan Police Service is continuing to conduct a multi-strand investigation into allegations involving Mohamed Al Fayed, known as Operation Cornpoppy and they are best placed to assess the potential merits of releasing further information on progress.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed earned settlement arrangements on the number of registered social workers.

The earned settlement public consultation ran for 12 weeks and closed on 12 February 2026. 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 an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment which we will publish as well as the Government’s response in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed earned settlement arrangements on the staffing of children's services.

The earned settlement public consultation ran for 12 weeks and closed on 12 February 2026. 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 an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment which we will publish as well as the Government’s response in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the earned settlement proposals on backlogs for care assessments carried about by registered social workers.

The earned settlement public consultation ran for 12 weeks and closed on 12 February 2026. 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 an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment which we will publish as well as the Government’s response in due course.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the definition of coercive and controlling behaviour within the Serious Crime Act 2015 to include extremist groups, cults and gangs.

Controlling or coercive behaviour (CCB) is an insidious form of domestic abuse. The CCB legislative framework was introduced in 2015 and was explicitly designed to address patterns of behaviour within relationships where the perpetrator and victim are “personally connected”, as outlined in Section 2 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. Expanding CCB beyond this context would risk undermining that clarity, creating uncertainty for police to identify, investigate and prosecute this offence.We do not intend to expand the CCB offence beyond its current scope at this time.

What data her Department holds on the number of NHS and social care workers impacted by the Immigration White Paper in (a) Poole constituency and (b) the UK.

The Spring 2025 Impact Assessment (published here: Impact assessments covering migration policy - GOV.UK) provides the Department’s estimates on the volumes of impacted care and senior care workers resulting from the Immigration White Paper proposals. Place-based impacts are estimated at a regional level in the impact assessment.

If she will publish an impact assessment for the proposals in the White Paper for Immigration.

The Spring 2025 and Autumn 2025 Impact Assessments (published here: Impact assessments covering migration policy - GOV.UK) cover the proposals in the White Paper for Immigration.Specifically, they cover proposals relating to the Skilled Worker route, Health and Care route, Student and Graduate route, HPI route, Global Talent route and the proposed changes to English Language Requirements and the Immigration Skills Charge.

If she will make it her policy to abolish laws which criminalise brothel keeping.

Criminal justice is devolved to Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Home Office is responsible for legislation in England and Wales. Under the current law in England and Wales, the acts of buying and selling sex are not in themselves illegal. There are existing offences related to sexual exploitation in the Sexual Offences Act 2003 including causing or inciting prostitution for gain, controlling prostitution for gain, and paying for the services of a prostitute subjected to force, threats or any other form of coercion or deception. On 18 December 2025, the Government published Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-from-violence-and-abuse-a-cross-government-strategy. In this strategy, the Government committed to reviewing how the law addresses prostitution (this includes brothel keeping legislation) to ensure it better protects women and girls. Further details will be set out in due course. The Home Office engages regularly with organisations that represent sex workers, sexually exploited adults, people trafficked for sex, the police and other relevant stakeholders.For example, on 16 July 2025, the Home Office launched a public call for evidence on how the Government can improve the process of identifying victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, including for victims of sexual exploitation. This call for evidence provided an opportunity to hear views of survivors, first responders, law enforcement and prosecution services, devolved administrations, non-governmental organisations and any groups or people with an interest in the modern slavery victim identification system. The call for evidence closed on 8 October 2025 and a report summarising the key findings and themes will be published early this year.

If her Department will take steps to decriminalise sex work throughout the UK.

Criminal justice is devolved to Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Home Office is responsible for legislation in England and Wales. Under the current law in England and Wales, the acts of buying and selling sex are not in themselves illegal. There are existing offences related to sexual exploitation in the Sexual Offences Act 2003 including causing or inciting prostitution for gain, controlling prostitution for gain, and paying for the services of a prostitute subjected to force, threats or any other form of coercion or deception. On 18 December 2025, the Government published Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-from-violence-and-abuse-a-cross-government-strategy. In this strategy, the Government committed to reviewing how the law addresses prostitution (this includes brothel keeping legislation) to ensure it better protects women and girls. Further details will be set out in due course. The Home Office engages regularly with organisations that represent sex workers, sexually exploited adults, people trafficked for sex, the police and other relevant stakeholders.For example, on 16 July 2025, the Home Office launched a public call for evidence on how the Government can improve the process of identifying victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, including for victims of sexual exploitation. This call for evidence provided an opportunity to hear views of survivors, first responders, law enforcement and prosecution services, devolved administrations, non-governmental organisations and any groups or people with an interest in the modern slavery victim identification system. The call for evidence closed on 8 October 2025 and a report summarising the key findings and themes will be published early this year.