Written questions by Bedford.

What information her Department holds on the number of small boat pilots arrested since 5 July 2024.

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 cost.From 5 July 2024 to 11 February 2025 Home Office Immigration Enforcement have arrested 58 individuals identified as small boat pilots using offences set out in the Immigration Act 1971, as amended by the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. The numbers arrested are set out in the table below:DateNumber of individuals arrested having been identified as small boat pilots1 January 2020 to 31 December 20201061 January 2021 to 31 December 2021541 January 2022 to 31 December 20221171 January 2023 to 31 December 2023941 January 2024 to 31 December 2024101

What information her Department holds on the number of mobile phones confiscated from people crossing the English Channel illegally since 5 July 2024.

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 cost.From 5 July 2024 to 11 February 2025 Home Office Immigration Enforcement have arrested 58 individuals identified as small boat pilots using offences set out in the Immigration Act 1971, as amended by the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. The numbers arrested are set out in the table below:DateNumber of individuals arrested having been identified as small boat pilots1 January 2020 to 31 December 20201061 January 2021 to 31 December 2021541 January 2022 to 31 December 20221171 January 2023 to 31 December 2023941 January 2024 to 31 December 2024101

How many small boat pilots have been arrested in each of the last five years.

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 cost.From 5 July 2024 to 11 February 2025 Home Office Immigration Enforcement have arrested 58 individuals identified as small boat pilots using offences set out in the Immigration Act 1971, as amended by the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. The numbers arrested are set out in the table below:DateNumber of individuals arrested having been identified as small boat pilots1 January 2020 to 31 December 20201061 January 2021 to 31 December 2021541 January 2022 to 31 December 20221171 January 2023 to 31 December 2023941 January 2024 to 31 December 2024101

How many legal migrants have come to the UK since 5 July 2024; and from which countries.

The Home Office publishes statistics on people coming to the UK on different routes, in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. The ‘How many people come to the UK each year?’ chapter gives an overview.The Office for National Statistics publish information on International migration, including the number of long-term migrants coming to the UK.Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.

How many illegal migrants have been deported since 5 July 2024.

We pledged to deliver the highest rate of removals since 2018 and this has been surpassed, with a surge in returns activity since the election leading to nearly 19,000 people with no right to be in the UK being removed. Of the total returns since 5 July 2024, 2,925 have been of foreign national offenders (FNOs), an increase of 21% compared to the same period 12 months prior.

How many non-hate crime incidents have been recorded in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Leicestershire and (c) Mid Leicestershire constituency since 5 July 2004.

The Home Office does not currently centrally collate information on the number of non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs) recorded by individual police forces – this data is held by individual forces.The Home Secretary has been clear that a consistent and common-sense approach must be taken with NCHIs. The Government has also been clear that its top priority for policing is delivering on the safer streets mission to rebuild neighbourhood policing, restore public confidence, and make progress on the ambition to halve knife crime and violence against women and girls.The Home Office has agreed that the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), supported by the College of Policing, will conduct a review on the use and effectiveness of NCHIs, which is currently underway.The Government welcomes this review and will work closely with the NPCC and the College as they develop their findings and any proposals on this issue.

With reference to her Department's report entitled Animals in Science Regulation Unit: Annual report 2023, published on 17 December 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the level of cases of failing to provide adequate (a) food and (b) water to animals.

The Home Office takes non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 very seriously. The Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) has published its compliance framework (www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-testing-and-research-compliance-with-aspa) which explains how it identifies and investigates potential incidents of non-compliance and decides on appropriate and proportionate measures and remedies where non-compliance has been found to occur. The Regulator’s published compliance policy aims to reduce the risk of future non-compliance.All cases of non-compliance are thoroughly investigated, and the outcomes are published in ASRU’s annual report.Data regarding types of non-compliance is used to inform the risk-based audit programme, as well as targeting educational communications to establishments, to promote compliance. The Regulator has provided recommendations to licensed establishments at p30 of the report (www.gov.uk/government/publications/animals-in-science-regulation-unit-annual-report-2023).For cases of non-compliance where animals experienced adverse welfare outcomes cases there was a 48% reduction in 2023 compared to 2022

With reference to the Animals in Science Regulation Unit annual report 2023, published on 17 December 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's polices of case in which seven birds were caught in bags, accidentally not released and found dead four days later; and what steps she plans to take to help prevent such instances in future.

The Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) has published its compliance framework (www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-testing-and-research-compliance-with-aspa) which explains how it identifies and investigates potential incidents of non-compliance and decides on appropriate and proportionate measures and remedies where non-compliance has been found to occur. The Regulator’s published compliance policy aims to reduce the risk of future non-compliance.For this particular case, two letters of reprimand were issued to the establishment.All cases of non-compliance are thoroughly investigated, and the outcomes are published in ASRU’s annual report. No further assessment has been made.

How many migrants residing in Mid Leicestershire constituency have committed crimes in each of the last five years.

The specific data requested is not available from published statistics and could only be obtained for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost. However, nobody should be in any doubt regarding this Government's determination to crack down on crime, including that committed by foreign nationals, and where appropriate - to pursue the deportation of those foreign nationals.

What steps her Department is taking to inform local communities before migrants are housed in hotel accommodation in that area.

The Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and subsistence support whilst their application for asylum is being considered.The Home Office liaises with statutory partners, including local authorities, through Multi Agency Forums and Regional Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMP) on matters relating to its asylum accommodation footprint.  SMPs are Local Government led partnerships funded by, but independent of, the Home Office, whose role is to coordinate and support delivery of national programmes in asylum and refugee schemes as well as agreed regional and devolved migration priorities.

How many and which hotels are being used to house asylum seekers in Mid Leicestershire constituency; and how many asylum seekers there are in each hotel.

For the safety and security of residents and staff at its accommodation sites, the Home Office does not publish details of sites in use.However, data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, and by local authority can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

How many employee settlement agreements there were in her Department in each year since 2020; and what the total value of such agreements is.

This information can only be obtained for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

How many Albanian nationals have been deported in 2024; and whether any individuals deported in 2024 have since re-entered the UK.

Available statistics on the returns of foreign national offenders (FNOs) and their nationality are published on a quarterly basis in the Returns Detailed Datasets, which are available at: Immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The next update will be published on 28 November 2024.Any foreign national who enters the UK in breach of a deportation order will be returned to custody to finish the remainder of their custodial sentence. Entering in breach of a deportation order is a criminal offence under section 24(1)(a) of the 1971 Act, with a maximum sentence of five years.