Written questions by Hall.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of women killed in domestic homicides in their own homes.

This Government is committed to protecting women and girls in all environments, public or private. The recently published ‘Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy’ sets out the steps we are taking to drive system-wide change, so that no life is lost to violence and abuse that could have been prevented.The Home Office is working to develop the evidence base on domestic abuse related deaths by funding the Domestic Homicide Project, which captures information all domestic abuse related deaths, including homicides, from all 43 police forces in England and Wales. The project aims to improve our understanding of these deaths and identify how the response to domestic abuse can be improved.  Further information can be found at the following link: https://www.vkpp.org.uk/vkpp-work/domestic-homicide-project/.In addition, Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) offer a vital opportunity for national and local agencies, local communities and society as a whole to learn lessons from domestic abuse related deaths and treat every death as preventable. We are currently reforming the DHR process to ensure learning is effectively identified and implemented to improve policy and practice and ultimately, prevent future deaths.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that survivors of sexual exploitation are supported during the grooming gangs inquiry process.

Victims and survivors are central to the Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs, and it is essential that their voices are heard in a safe and trauma‑informed way. The Independent Inquiry is responsible for leading its own engagement and support arrangements throughout the course of its work.As set out in the draft Terms of Reference, the Inquiry will develop and publish a charter for victims and survivors, that outlines how victims and survivors can participate, and how their views, experiences and testimony will be used to inform and shape the nature of the Inquiry’s work.This year the Home Office has doubled funding for adult victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, to a total investment of £2.59 million in the Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (SVSCSA) Fund. This includes funding for support helplines, in-person and remote counselling, group support, and training for professionals working with victims.

What steps her Department is taking to end the use of hotels for asylum accommodation in Warrington.

Exiting all asylum hotels as soon as possible is one of the Government’s top priorities and must be executed through a controlled, managed and orderly plan of work. This plan involves reducing inflow, speeding up caseworking, maximising utilisation of our estate, continuing to increase returns and exploring the use of large sites as suitable alternative accommodation. Overall, significant progress has already been made. At the end of December 2025, 30,657 asylum seekers (29) were in hotel accommodation, 19% lower than at the end of December 2024. As of 4 January 2026, there are 197 hotels in use, which is significantly below hotel usage at its peak under the previous government in summer 2023, when more than 400 hotels were in use. We will not rest until we close every single asylum hotel.

How many asylum claims were made by people holding student visas by nationality in the last 12 months; and what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of such claims.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the number of people claiming asylum after entering the UK with a visa or other leave, by nationality and type of leave, in the year ending June 2025 is published in table Asy_01e of the ‘Asylum summary tables’. Data for the year ending September 2025 will be published on 27 November 2025.The UK keeps its visa system under regular review, and the government has been clear that we will do whatever it takes to tackle the issue of visa abuse.

When her Department plans to launch its consultation on the future of the British National (Overseas) 5+1 Indefinite Leave to Remain visa route.

We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of measures to protect women and girls from harassment, abuse and intimidation.

Everyone has the right to both feel safe and be safe going about their day-to-day lives and the scale of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in our country is intolerable.We recognise that public sexual harassment is a crime that often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women, feeling very unsafe. That is why tackling it is very much an important part of our ambition to halve VAWG in a decade.Once in force, the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023 will help tackle this issue and ensure women both feel and are safer on our streets.We are also working tirelessly across Government to deliver a new VAWG Strategy, which will set out the strategic direction and concrete actions to deliver the Government’s objectives on VAWG.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that end-to-end encryption continues to protect personal privacy while enabling law enforcement to detect serious criminal activity.

This Government supports strong encryption, which protects our citizens online. However, this must not and need not be at the expense of public safety, which is this Government’s first priority.Targeted investigatory powers allow the authorities to investigate terrorists, paedophiles and the most serious criminals and are subject to robust safeguards, including judicial authorisations and oversight to protect people’s privacy.

Whether she has held recent discussions with technology companies on the implementation of on-device detection tools to prevent livestreamed child sexual abuse.

The Government is unequivocal in its commitment to protecting children from online sexual abuse. Livestreamed abuse is a particularly abhorrent form of exploitation, and we are determined to ensure that offenders cannot use technology to harm children with impunity.The Online Safety Act introduces world-leading protections for children. It places robust duties on tech companies to prevent and swiftly remove illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, and to take proactive steps to protect children from harm. Ofcom, as the regulator, will have strong enforcement powers to ensure compliance.We also recognise the importance of device-level protections. I support the development and deployment of safety technologies that can help prevent abuse before it happens. This includes exploring the role of on-device tools that can detect and disrupt livestreamed abuse and other image-based harms, while respecting users' privacy and maintaining end-to-end encryption.The Government continues to work closely with law enforcement, industry, and child protection experts to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of efforts to tackle online child sexual abuse.

Whether her Department plans to roll out mandatory suicide prevention training across emergency response services.

The College of Policing set the professional standards for police in England and Wales. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework which incorporates autism, learning disabilities, mental health and vulnerabilities. Through this, officers are taught to assess vulnerability and amend their approaches as required.The College further promotes the need for frameworks to assess vulnerability, to aid in consistent identification, support decision making, and to trigger appropriate safeguarding action. Such principles and practices are set out in a number of college products, including the Detention and Custody Authorised Professional Practice.Policing is operationally independent, and it is a matter for the chief constables of each force to decide which additional training their officers should undertake.

With reference to the publication entitled Animals in Science Regulation Unit annual report 2023, published on 17 December 2024, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of animals impacted by non-compliance incidents in British laboratories; and what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce the number of non-compliance cases, (b) improve animal welfare standards in scientific research and (c) support the transition to non-animal research methods.

The Home Office Regulator takes non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 very seriously. The numbers of non-compliance cases vary in any given year. The total number of non-compliance cases reduced from 175 to 169 cases from 2022-23. Between these same years there was also a 48% reduction in adverse welfare cases.All establishments licensed to breed or supply animals, or to carry out regulated procedures on animals in the United Kingdom are subject to the full requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA).The Regulator conducts audits to assure establishments' compliance with the terms of their licences, the Code of Practice and with ASPA. Each establishment will receive an audit at least every three years if it does not hold special species and at least every year if it holds specially protected species.The Regulator is undertaking a structured programme of reforms to most effectively deliver its purpose of protecting animals in science through maintaining compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The effect of the changes will be strengthened protections for animals; increased adherence to the principles of replacement, reduction, and refinement; an enhanced quality of service for the science sector; and increased assurance to the public of the protections the UK continues to deliver for animals in science. The programme will increase the total number of Inspectors from 17 at the end of 2023, to 22 by end of 2025.The Government is committed to supporting non-animal alternatives and will publish a strategy to support their development, validation and adoption later this year.

What steps her Department is taking to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation with governments in countries with high incidences of livestreamed child sexual abuse production.

The Government is unequivocal in its commitment to protecting children from all forms of child sexual exploitation and abuse This includes ensuring that we are working to combat livestreamed abuse and ensuring that offenders cannot use technology to harm children with impunity.In order to tackle the threat and reduce livestreaming of child sexual abuse, which is an inherently transnational crime, the National Crime Agency (NCA) works in collaboration with law enforcement in the UK and internationally to pursue the highest harm offenders. The UK is also leading the way in supporting the building and developing thematic knowledge and operational capabilities of other international law enforcement agencies to work together to pursue offenders and safeguard children. In addition, the NCA is leading a number of initiatives with industry and engagement with the financial sector to specifically prevent and detect livestreaming offending. This includes work to build on the UK-supported report by the Action Taskforce (FATF) ‘Detecting, Disrupting and Investigating Online Child Sexual Exploitation’.This UK Government is prioritising our response to this crime, including crucial action through multilateral and bilateral forums to lead the way in ensuring there is robust international capacity to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, including in response to livestreaming and other online offending, and working to keep children safe online and in communities around the world.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the National Crime Agency’s efforts to disrupt livestreamed child sexual abuse networks involving UK-based offenders.

The Government is unequivocal in its commitment to protecting children from all forms of child sexual exploitation and abuse This includes ensuring that we are working to combat livestreamed abuse and ensuring that offenders cannot use technology to harm children with impunity.In order to tackle the threat and reduce livestreaming of child sexual abuse, which is an inherently transnational crime, the National Crime Agency (NCA) works in collaboration with law enforcement in the UK and internationally to pursue the highest harm offenders. The UK is also leading the way in supporting the building and developing thematic knowledge and operational capabilities of other international law enforcement agencies to work together to pursue offenders and safeguard children. In addition, the NCA is leading a number of initiatives with industry and engagement with the financial sector to specifically prevent and detect livestreaming offending. This includes work to build on the UK-supported report by the Action Taskforce (FATF) ‘Detecting, Disrupting and Investigating Online Child Sexual Exploitation’.This UK Government is prioritising our response to this crime, including crucial action through multilateral and bilateral forums to lead the way in ensuring there is robust international capacity to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, including in response to livestreaming and other online offending, and working to keep children safe online and in communities around the world.

What recent discussions she has had with domestic abuse (a) charities and (b) specialist organisations on the sustainability of their services; and what steps she is taking to ensure that (i) victims and (ii) survivors of domestic abuse have access to adequate support.

The Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy will set out the strategic direction and concrete actions to deliver on the Government’s VAWG ambition. The new Strategy must reflect the real-world context and lived experiences of the people it is seeking to protect, and we have engaged with sector experts and delivery partners, including charities and specialist organisations, to ensure that it is informed by their views and insights. This included ministerially chaired roundtables on a range of key VAWG issues, including a session specifically on commissioning of specialist services for victims of VAWG.In this financial year, the Home Office is investing £19.9m in victims' support services - to provide vital support to victims of VAWG, increase awareness of VAWG and fund projects across the country aimed at preventing these horrific crimes.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of measures to prevent child sexual exploitation; and what steps she is taking to improve support for (a) victims and (b) survivors of child sexual exploitation.

The Home Office recognises the devastating impacts that child sexual exploitation and abuse can have on victims and survivors and is committed to ensuring that all victims and survivors, receive better care and support.The Government is committed to intervening as early as possible to prevent vulnerable children and young people from experiencing child sexual abuse and exploitation.This includes through equipping frontline professionals and safeguarding partners with the right tools and training to identify and respond effectively to child sexual abuse, and through raising awareness via communications and engagement with parents/carers and the wider public.Through the provision of targeted support, and collaboration across the public, private and third sectors, we are also working to protect those who may be at increased risk from offenders who seek to exploit their vulnerabilities.Prevention and education are absolutely fundamental to our approach, and we will tackle the root causes of these crimes, including supporting our education system to teach children about respectful and healthy relationships and consent.As set out in the Government’s Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Progress Update in April, we are working across Government to develop ambitious proposals to improve therapeutic support services for victims of child sexual abuse.This year the Home Office is doubling funding for adult victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, to a total investment of £2.59 million in the Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (SVSCSA) fund. This includes funding for support helplines, in-person and remote counselling, group support, and training for professionals working with victims.We also recognise the importance of ensuring that all staff supporting victims have sufficient guidance on child sexual abuse to deliver effective trauma informed support. The Government is providing funding to the independent Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse to strengthen professional responses to child sexual abuse through evidence-based training and resources.In line with the Inquiries Act 2005, the Chair of the National Inquiry into Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, once appointed, will play a central role in shaping the inquiry’s Terms of Reference. These will be published in draft and consulted on with stakeholders, including victims and survivors, before being finalised. The Inquiry will have full statutory powers to investigate systemic and institutional failings wherever they are found.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of trends in the level of (a) debt bondage and (b) tied visa arrangements among migrant care workers in the UK.

To date the Home Office hasn’t made an assessment of trends in the level of (a) debt bondage and (b) tied visa arrangements among migrant care workers in the UK.The Government has taken the decision to end overseas recruitment in Adult Social Care following significant abuse of the system and exploitation of workers. Thousands of workers have been displaced due to employer non-compliance, who continue to struggle to secure full time roles in the sector.

With reference to section 8 of the Crime and Policing Bill, what guidance will be given to police forces on the circumstances in which a vehicle should be seized without warning.

We are amending the Police Reform Act 2002 through the Crime and Policing Bill to allow the police to seize vehicles which are used in an anti-social manner without having to first give a warning to the offender, as is currently required in some circumstances.We will work with the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council to assess what guidance is required to forces on the implementation of these changes.

How many requests for biometric deferral have been received from Palestinian students in Gaza since October 2023; and how many have been approved.

The Home Office does not currently publish data regarding the number of biometric deferral requests submitted or approved.The Home Office has put in place systems to issue expedited visas, with biometric checks conducted prior to arrival in the UK for all Chevening scholars from Gaza.  We are in the process of doing the same for a group of students in Gaza who have been awarded fully funded scholarships covering course fees and living costs at UK universities so they can start their studies in Autumn 2025. The Government is doing everything it can to support their safe exit and onward travel to the UK. The situation on the ground in Gaza makes this extremely challenging.

What recent progress she has made on closing contingency hotels used to accommodate asylum seekers in Warrington.

The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil our statutory obligations and deliver our commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels by the end of this Parliament.There are now fewer hotels open than there were before the election, with more due to close by the end of August.

With reference to the Law Commission’s report entitled Hate crime laws: Final report, published on 7 December 2021, whether her Department is taking steps to implement the recommendation to extend aggravated offence provisions to include hostility based on (a) sexual orientation and (b) gender identity.

We have a robust legislative framework in place to respond to hate crimes.The Government has committed to ensuring parity of protection for aggravated offences and will bring forward a suitable amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill at the Lords' Committee stage to give effect to that commitment.

What steps she is taking to (a) reduce missing incidents and (b) provide additional support to people at risk of going missing who are care experienced.

Effective multi-agency working is the key to reducing missing person incidents, particularly for vulnerable cohorts, such as children with care experience who are at more likely to go missing repeatedly.The Missing Persons Authorised Professional Practice (APP), issued by the College of Policing, sets out best practice guidance for all missing person investigations for police forces in England and Wales in order to prevent missing incidents as well as ensure that all safeguarding partners play a role in an investigation; this includes multi-agency enquiries. The APP for missing persons is publicly available on the College’s website.In addition to the APP, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for Missing Persons has developed the ‘Multi-agency response for adults missing from health and care settings’ framework, which is being rolled out, and the ‘Missing Children from Care’ framework, which has been piloted in West Yorkshire. These frameworks outline good practice that can be adopted by local areas when setting up their own multi-agency protocols for the strategic and operational response to a missing incident, with an aim to ensure that the appropriate safeguarding partner responds in the best interest of the missing person.In response to concerns about unconscious bias in the police response to missing persons from BAME communities, the Home Office has funded the NPCC for Missing Persons to conduct research to explore disproportionality and discrimination in police missing persons investigations; comparing how risk is categorised in different ethnic groups. The final report is nearing completion. The NPCC lead for Missing Persons is committed to working with partner agencies to understand issues of disproportionality and addressing any issues. I will continue to monitor developments and insights from partners to ensure our response remains effective.