Written questions by Lowe.

How many people under 18 were referred to the National Referral Mechanism for sexual exploitation in each of the last three calendar years.

Modern slavery is a vicious crime that dehumanises people for profit. The Government is committed to tackling it in all its forms and to giving survivors the support and certainty they need to recover. The Government is continually looking to improve the quality and provision of modern slavery statistics. The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual National Referral Mechanism (NRM) statistics. All relevant information can be obtained from the published statistical releases, available here: National Referral Mechanism statistics - GOV.UK. Further disaggregated data is published via the UK Data Service and can be accessed here UK Data Service. The Home Office does not collect data on police investigations following an NRM referral or disaggregated data on arrests or convictions for human trafficking or sexual exploitation alongside an individual’s nationality or immigration status. Whatever form it takes, exploitation, human trafficking, and modern slavery is abuse, and relevant child protection procedures must be followed if there is any suspicion a child may be at risk. Child victims do not need to provide consent to enter the NRM. If a statutory First Responder Organisation encounters a child they suspect to be a victim, they must refer them into the NRM in line with their statutory duties and to the relevant local authority in line with child protection procedures. All NRM referrals are additionally referred to the police. The UK is committed to working with international partners to prevent exploitation both domestically and abroad. We continue to fund programmes in priority countries to directly combat modern slavery in the UK and work closely with international partners to ensure we meet our international obligations to support victims. As the Home Secretary has previously said, we advise that any evidence of trafficking of girls overseas is brought to the attention of the police.

How many people were arrested for offences relating to human trafficking or sexual exploitation in each of the last three calendar years, broken down by immigration status at the time of arrest.

Modern slavery is a vicious crime that dehumanises people for profit. The Government is committed to tackling it in all its forms and to giving survivors the support and certainty they need to recover. The Government is continually looking to improve the quality and provision of modern slavery statistics. The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual National Referral Mechanism (NRM) statistics. All relevant information can be obtained from the published statistical releases, available here: National Referral Mechanism statistics - GOV.UK. Further disaggregated data is published via the UK Data Service and can be accessed here UK Data Service. The Home Office does not collect data on police investigations following an NRM referral or disaggregated data on arrests or convictions for human trafficking or sexual exploitation alongside an individual’s nationality or immigration status. Whatever form it takes, exploitation, human trafficking, and modern slavery is abuse, and relevant child protection procedures must be followed if there is any suspicion a child may be at risk. Child victims do not need to provide consent to enter the NRM. If a statutory First Responder Organisation encounters a child they suspect to be a victim, they must refer them into the NRM in line with their statutory duties and to the relevant local authority in line with child protection procedures. All NRM referrals are additionally referred to the police. The UK is committed to working with international partners to prevent exploitation both domestically and abroad. We continue to fund programmes in priority countries to directly combat modern slavery in the UK and work closely with international partners to ensure we meet our international obligations to support victims. As the Home Secretary has previously said, we advise that any evidence of trafficking of girls overseas is brought to the attention of the police.

How many people referred to the National Referral Mechanism primarily to sexual exploitation, broken down by sex and age group in each of the last three calendar years.

Modern slavery is a vicious crime that dehumanises people for profit. The Government is committed to tackling it in all its forms and to giving survivors the support and certainty they need to recover. The Government is continually looking to improve the quality and provision of modern slavery statistics. The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual National Referral Mechanism (NRM) statistics. All relevant information can be obtained from the published statistical releases, available here: National Referral Mechanism statistics - GOV.UK. Further disaggregated data is published via the UK Data Service and can be accessed here UK Data Service. The Home Office does not collect data on police investigations following an NRM referral or disaggregated data on arrests or convictions for human trafficking or sexual exploitation alongside an individual’s nationality or immigration status. Whatever form it takes, exploitation, human trafficking, and modern slavery is abuse, and relevant child protection procedures must be followed if there is any suspicion a child may be at risk. Child victims do not need to provide consent to enter the NRM. If a statutory First Responder Organisation encounters a child they suspect to be a victim, they must refer them into the NRM in line with their statutory duties and to the relevant local authority in line with child protection procedures. All NRM referrals are additionally referred to the police. The UK is committed to working with international partners to prevent exploitation both domestically and abroad. We continue to fund programmes in priority countries to directly combat modern slavery in the UK and work closely with international partners to ensure we meet our international obligations to support victims. As the Home Secretary has previously said, we advise that any evidence of trafficking of girls overseas is brought to the attention of the police.

How many police investigations were initiated following National Referral Mechanism referrals relating to sexual exploitation in each of the last three calendar years.

Modern slavery is a vicious crime that dehumanises people for profit. The Government is committed to tackling it in all its forms and to giving survivors the support and certainty they need to recover. The Government is continually looking to improve the quality and provision of modern slavery statistics. The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual National Referral Mechanism (NRM) statistics. All relevant information can be obtained from the published statistical releases, available here: National Referral Mechanism statistics - GOV.UK. Further disaggregated data is published via the UK Data Service and can be accessed here UK Data Service. The Home Office does not collect data on police investigations following an NRM referral or disaggregated data on arrests or convictions for human trafficking or sexual exploitation alongside an individual’s nationality or immigration status. Whatever form it takes, exploitation, human trafficking, and modern slavery is abuse, and relevant child protection procedures must be followed if there is any suspicion a child may be at risk. Child victims do not need to provide consent to enter the NRM. If a statutory First Responder Organisation encounters a child they suspect to be a victim, they must refer them into the NRM in line with their statutory duties and to the relevant local authority in line with child protection procedures. All NRM referrals are additionally referred to the police. The UK is committed to working with international partners to prevent exploitation both domestically and abroad. We continue to fund programmes in priority countries to directly combat modern slavery in the UK and work closely with international partners to ensure we meet our international obligations to support victims. As the Home Secretary has previously said, we advise that any evidence of trafficking of girls overseas is brought to the attention of the police.

If her Department will publish all information it holds on child sexual exploitation committed by illegal migrants.

The information you have requested is not available from published statistics and there is no immediate intention to publish them.Work is currently underway to publish more detailed information on FNOs subject to deportation. Further information on this work can be found at: Statistics on foreign national offenders and the immigration system - GOV.UK.In the twelve months between 1 February 2025 and 31 January 2026, over 5,600 foreign national offenders (FNOs) have been returned from the UK under this government, a 12% increase on the previous year, and we will continue to do everything we can to remove these vile criminals from our streetsIn April 2025, the Home Office announced that it would – for the first time – categorise as a ‘particularly serious crime’ for the purpose of the Refugee Convention any conviction resulting in the offender being made subject to the notification requirements for sex offenders, regardless of the length of sentence they receive, thereby allowing the UK to exclude those individuals from being granted any right to claim asylum protections.We will build on these reforms across the immigration system, as well as the asylum system, amending our policies and guidance to ensure we are upholding UK laws - taking action to prevent individuals who pose a danger to the British public from being allowed to stay in the UK, and taking much earlier action on a wider range of crimes.We will set out more detailed reforms and stronger measures to ensure our laws are upheld, including streamlining and speeding up the removals process. That will include establishing new procedures so that the Home Office can more easily take enforcement and removal action and revoke visas in a much wider range of crimes where non-custodial sentences have been given, not just cases which are sent to prison.

How many nights were spent in hotels by Departmental staff in financial year 2024-25 by the star rating of the hotel.

The Home Office Hotel booking operator is currently unable to provide star‑rating information for the hotels displayed within their booking tool.This is because several external content providers do not supply star ratings consistently, which means the operator cannot offer accurate or reliable star‑rating data to its customers.

With reference to contract “Support Payment Card”, procurement reference 429018/1483183, why parts of the documentation relating to the contract are marked official sensitive; and what criteria are used to determine redactions.

Information considered commercially sensitive, containing personal information or other sensitive topics or information is not routinely published and is therefore redacted by the Home Office.

With reference to the contract “Provision of Bridging Accommodation and Travel Services”, procurement reference CCTM22A01, if she will publish the minutes of the Quarterly Commercial Review meetings.

The information requested is considered confidential and commercially sensitive and is therefore not publicly released.The Home Office operates a rigorous contract management regime, which includes monthly Contract Management Group meetings and Quarterly Commercial Review Meetings to discuss contract management issues and oversee performance. Two Quarterly Commercial Review Meetings have been held.The minutes of the monthly and quarterly performance meetings and other review meetings are treated as commercially sensitive and are not publicly released.The Home Office also conducts regular reviews of its contracts to ensure that they deliver maximum value for money, but the minutes, notes, and outcomes of this work are commercially sensitive and not made publicly available.

With reference to contract “Support Payment Card”, procurement reference 429018/1483183, which officials and Ministers approved the final award decision, and on what dates.

The final award followed all internal approval processes, including appropriate governance committees. Ministerial approval was not required due to the value of the contract award.

With reference to the contract, Provision of Bridging Accommodation and Travel Services, procurement reference CCTM22A01, how many Quarterly Commercial Review Meetings have taken place.

The information requested is considered confidential and commercially sensitive and is therefore not publicly released.The Home Office operates a rigorous contract management regime, which includes monthly Contract Management Group meetings and Quarterly Commercial Review Meetings to discuss contract management issues and oversee performance. Two Quarterly Commercial Review Meetings have been held.The minutes of the monthly and quarterly performance meetings and other review meetings are treated as commercially sensitive and are not publicly released.The Home Office also conducts regular reviews of its contracts to ensure that they deliver maximum value for money, but the minutes, notes, and outcomes of this work are commercially sensitive and not made publicly available.

With reference to contract “Support Payment Card”, procurement reference 429018/1483183, whether alternative delivery models were considered prior to awarding the contract, including in-house provision.

Alternative delivery models, including in-house provision, were considered.

With reference to contract “Support Payment Card”, procurement reference 429018/1483183, what controls exist to prevent (a) unnecessary and (b) duplicate payments being issued.

The Home Office has robust controls in place to ensure Support Payment Card transactions are accurate and appropriate, including system led instructions that issue the correct support level, active monitoring of ongoing eligibility, and prompt discontinuation of payments when an asylum seeker is no longer entitled.

With reference to the contract, Provision of Bridging Accommodation and Travel Services, procurement reference CCTM22A01, if she will publish the minutes of all Monthly Operational Review meetings.

The information requested is considered confidential and commercially sensitive and is therefore not publicly released.The Home Office operates a rigorous contract management regime, which includes monthly Contract Management Group meetings and Quarterly Commercial Review Meetings to discuss contract management issues and oversee performance. Two Quarterly Commercial Review Meetings have been held.The minutes of the monthly and quarterly performance meetings and other review meetings are treated as commercially sensitive and are not publicly released.The Home Office also conducts regular reviews of its contracts to ensure that they deliver maximum value for money, but the minutes, notes, and outcomes of this work are commercially sensitive and not made publicly available.

With reference to contract “Support Payment Card”, procurement reference 429018/1483183, how many replacement cards were received; and what was the total cost to the public purse of the replacement.

The requested information is commercially sensitive.

What Key Performance Indicators are commonly applied across asylum contracts.

KPI schedules and performance measures are set out in the contracts which are available on Contracts Finder and can be found in the links below:Wales - AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Wales - Contracts FinderSouth - AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract South - Contracts FinderNW - AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NW - Contracts FinderMEE - AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract MEE - Contracts FinderNEYH - AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NEYH - Contracts FinderScotland - AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Scotland - Contracts FinderNI - AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NI - Contracts FinderCTM - CCTM22A01 Provision of Bridging Accommodation and Travel Services Contract - Contracts Finder

With reference to the contract, Provision of Bridging Accommodation and Travel Services, procurement reference CCTM22A01, if she will publish the minutes of the Benchmark Review.

The information requested is considered confidential and commercially sensitive and is therefore not publicly released.The Home Office operates a rigorous contract management regime, which includes monthly Contract Management Group meetings and Quarterly Commercial Review Meetings to discuss contract management issues and oversee performance. Two Quarterly Commercial Review Meetings have been held.The minutes of the monthly and quarterly performance meetings and other review meetings are treated as commercially sensitive and are not publicly released.The Home Office also conducts regular reviews of its contracts to ensure that they deliver maximum value for money, but the minutes, notes, and outcomes of this work are commercially sensitive and not made publicly available.

With reference to the contract Provision of Bridging Accommodation and Travel Services, procurement reference CCTM22A01, if he will publish all performance reports.

The information requested is considered confidential and commercially sensitive and is therefore not publicly released.The Home Office operates a rigorous contract management regime, which includes monthly Contract Management Group meetings and Quarterly Commercial Review Meetings to discuss contract management issues and oversee performance. Two Quarterly Commercial Review Meetings have been held.The minutes of the monthly and quarterly performance meetings and other review meetings are treated as commercially sensitive and are not publicly released.The Home Office also conducts regular reviews of its contracts to ensure that they deliver maximum value for money, but the minutes, notes, and outcomes of this work are commercially sensitive and not made publicly available.

With reference to contract “Support Payment Card”, procurement reference 429018/1483183, how many staff delivering services are subject to Security Clearance (SC); and what the average cost of clearance is per staff member.

The Home Office does not incur costs for Security Clearance (SC) under the Support Payment Card contract, as these are not charged through the contract, and we therefore do not hold data on the average cost per staff member.The number of staff subject to SC is also not held by the department, as staffing levels and clearance requirements sit with the provider, who is responsible for ensuring that the appropriate number of suitably cleared personnel are in place to deliver the services in accordance with contractual requirements.

What the total value of all active asylum-related contracts currently held by her Department is, broken down by supplier and contract type.

The contract values for asylum contracts are available in the public domain and can be viewed at:Serco  -AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NW - Contracts FinderAASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract MEE - Contracts Finder Mears  -AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NEYH - Contracts FinderAASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Scotland - Contracts FinderAASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NI - Contracts Finder CRH  -AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract Wales - Contracts FinderAASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract South - Contracts Finder CTM  -CCTM22A01 Provision of Bridging Accommodation and Travel Services Contract - Contracts FinderContract for the Provision of Asylum Accommodation and Travel Services - Contracts Finder PFS  -Support Payment Card - Contracts Finder Migrant Help  - AIRE - Advice Issue Reporting and Elligibility - Contracts Finder Mitie Limited - Provision of Security Services at Home Office Contingency Accommodation - Contracts Finder British Refugee Council - Independent Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking Children (UASCs) Support Service - Contracts Finder The Big Word Group Limited - Contract for the provision of Language Analysis Services - Contracts Finder VF Services (UK) Limited - Contract for the provision of Home Office and Asylum Interviews - Contracts Finder

With reference to the contract Support Payment Card, procurement reference 429018/148318, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of commercial confidentiality under that contract on provision of information to Parliament that helps facilitate scrutiny of value for money.

The Support Payment Card contract was awarded to Prepaid Financial Services Limited (PFS) on 24 May 2020 as a Call-Off to Lot 2 (Prepaid Cards) of the RM 3828 Crown Commercial Services Framework Contract for the provision of the Support Payment Card Service.PFS successfully secured a place on Lot 2 of the Framework Agreement along with four other suppliers. The Home Office determined which supplier could deliver the best value for money solution to the Home Office’s requirement. The evaluation considered both quality and price. Therefore, at the time of contract award, PFS’ solution offered the best value for money.As these services were compliantly procured, and we undertake regular reviews of Supplier performance and assessments of financial and commercial data via established governance forums, value for money is scrutinised on an ongoing basis.The risks of disclosing information that is considered confidential and commercially sensitive outweigh the benefits of disclosure. Release would impact on the Home Office’s ability to obtain maximum value for money for taxpayers. Disclosure of PFS’ commercially sensitive information could also impact upon their ability to compete for future services of this nature.