Written questions by Pochin.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of stop and search powers in reducing knife crime.

Stop and search is an important tool for tackling knife crime, but it must be used fairly and effectively. Getting that balance right is key to meeting the Government’s objective of halving knife crime in ten years. We know that stop and search is most effective when it is targeted and intelligence led.Code A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) governs the use of stop and search powers. Guidance on the use of stop and search is also issued to forces by the College of Policing in its Authorised Professional Practice.In the year ending March 2024, available data suggests there were at least 9,423 arrests for offensive weapon or firearm offences following a stop and search. However, this data is designated as ‘Official Statistics in development’ to denote that there are known data quality issues, and the true figure will be higher.In the year ending March 2024, 16,066 (3.0%) of stop and searches resulted in an offensive weapon or firearm being found. However, that figure includes searches where police were looking for drugs, stolen goods, or other items rather than weapons. Where offensive weapons were the reason for the search, the find rate was 12%.

What recent guidance she has issued to police forces on the (a) lawful and (b) proportionate use of stop and search powers.

Stop and search is an important tool for tackling knife crime, but it must be used fairly and effectively. Getting that balance right is key to meeting the Government’s objective of halving knife crime in ten years. We know that stop and search is most effective when it is targeted and intelligence led.Code A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) governs the use of stop and search powers. Guidance on the use of stop and search is also issued to forces by the College of Policing in its Authorised Professional Practice.In the year ending March 2024, available data suggests there were at least 9,423 arrests for offensive weapon or firearm offences following a stop and search. However, this data is designated as ‘Official Statistics in development’ to denote that there are known data quality issues, and the true figure will be higher.In the year ending March 2024, 16,066 (3.0%) of stop and searches resulted in an offensive weapon or firearm being found. However, that figure includes searches where police were looking for drugs, stolen goods, or other items rather than weapons. Where offensive weapons were the reason for the search, the find rate was 12%.

How many stop and searches in have led to an arrest for (a) possession of a knife and (b) bladed article in the last 12 months.

Stop and search is an important tool for tackling knife crime, but it must be used fairly and effectively. Getting that balance right is key to meeting the Government’s objective of halving knife crime in ten years. We know that stop and search is most effective when it is targeted and intelligence led.Code A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) governs the use of stop and search powers. Guidance on the use of stop and search is also issued to forces by the College of Policing in its Authorised Professional Practice.In the year ending March 2024, available data suggests there were at least 9,423 arrests for offensive weapon or firearm offences following a stop and search. However, this data is designated as ‘Official Statistics in development’ to denote that there are known data quality issues, and the true figure will be higher.In the year ending March 2024, 16,066 (3.0%) of stop and searches resulted in an offensive weapon or firearm being found. However, that figure includes searches where police were looking for drugs, stolen goods, or other items rather than weapons. Where offensive weapons were the reason for the search, the find rate was 12%.

What background checks her Department conducts on irregular migrants applying for asylum.

When an individual claims asylum, the Home Office conducts mandatory identity, criminality and security checks. Biographic and biometric data are routinely checked against relevant Home Office systems and police criminality databases including domestic and international data.

What the staff sickness rate for Asylum Decision Makers employed by the Home Office was (a) on 3 June 2025 and (b) in each of the last five years.

Details of sickness absence and staff turnover are routinely published by the Home Office in the department’s annual report and accounts, but are not broken down by the individual tasks to which members of staff have been assigned over the previous year. The training schedule for asylum decision-makers was revised in 2023, with the initial training period reduced from nine weeks to around three weeks, with further specialist training provided as the decision-maker progresses. As a general rule, asylum decision-makers will complete their initial training period prior to taking on casework.

What the standard training period is for Asylum Decision Makers employed by her Department; and whether this period has changed in the last 10 years.

Details of sickness absence and staff turnover are routinely published by the Home Office in the department’s annual report and accounts, but are not broken down by the individual tasks to which members of staff have been assigned over the previous year. The training schedule for asylum decision-makers was revised in 2023, with the initial training period reduced from nine weeks to around three weeks, with further specialist training provided as the decision-maker progresses. As a general rule, asylum decision-makers will complete their initial training period prior to taking on casework.

Whether Police National Computer checks have been carried out on all asylum applicants in the last 10 years.

When an individual claims asylum, the Home Office conducts mandatory identity, criminality and security checks. Biographic and biometric data are routinely checked against relevant Home Office systems and police criminality databases including domestic and international data.

What the highest number of further submissions was for an asylum application in last ten years.

I welcome the Hon Member to her new role, and I wish her well representing the great people of Runcorn and Helsby.The Cabinet Office’s Guide to Parliamentary Work states that: “There is an advisory cost limit known as the disproportionate cost threshold which is the level above which departments can decide not to answer a written question. The current disproportionate cost threshold is £850.”I regret that the information she has requested is not currently available from published statistics, and would require a manual trawl of case files to identify and collate, something that could only be done at disproportionate cost.

What estimate she has made of the cost of considering asylum applications at the further submissions stage in each of the last five years.

I welcome the Hon Member to her new role, and I wish her well representing the great people of Runcorn and Helsby.The Cabinet Office’s Guide to Parliamentary Work states that: “There is an advisory cost limit known as the disproportionate cost threshold which is the level above which departments can decide not to answer a written question. The current disproportionate cost threshold is £850.”I regret that the information she has requested is not currently available from published statistics, and would require a manual trawl of case files to identify and collate, something that could only be done at disproportionate cost.

How many Asylum Decision Makers employed by the Home Office on 3 June 2025 had not completed the full training programme required for their role.

Details of sickness absence and staff turnover are routinely published by the Home Office in the department’s annual report and accounts, but are not broken down by the individual tasks to which members of staff have been assigned over the previous year. The training schedule for asylum decision-makers was revised in 2023, with the initial training period reduced from nine weeks to around three weeks, with further specialist training provided as the decision-maker progresses. As a general rule, asylum decision-makers will complete their initial training period prior to taking on casework.

How many Asylum Decision Makers left their role after (a) three, (b) six and (c) nine months in post.

Details of sickness absence and staff turnover are routinely published by the Home Office in the department’s annual report and accounts, but are not broken down by the individual tasks to which members of staff have been assigned over the previous year. The training schedule for asylum decision-makers was revised in 2023, with the initial training period reduced from nine weeks to around three weeks, with further specialist training provided as the decision-maker progresses. As a general rule, asylum decision-makers will complete their initial training period prior to taking on casework.

Whether her Department has undertaken Watchlist and Information Control Unit checks on all asylum applications in the last 10 years.

When an individual claims asylum, the Home Office conducts mandatory identity, criminality and security checks. Biographic and biometric data are routinely checked against relevant Home Office systems and police criminality databases including domestic and international data.

What the longest recorded duration is for an asylum application to remain in the further submissions process without conclusion.

I welcome the Hon Member to her new role, and I wish her well representing the great people of Runcorn and Helsby.The Cabinet Office’s Guide to Parliamentary Work states that: “There is an advisory cost limit known as the disproportionate cost threshold which is the level above which departments can decide not to answer a written question. The current disproportionate cost threshold is £850.”I regret that the information she has requested is not currently available from published statistics, and would require a manual trawl of case files to identify and collate, something that could only be done at disproportionate cost.

How many irregular migrants have absconded while their asylum applications were being considered in the last 10 years.

I welcome the Hon Member to her new role, and I wish her well representing the great people of Runcorn and Helsby.The Cabinet Office’s Guide to Parliamentary Work states that: “There is an advisory cost limit known as the disproportionate cost threshold which is the level above which departments can decide not to answer a written question. The current disproportionate cost threshold is £850.”I regret that the information she has requested is not currently available from published statistics, and would require a manual trawl of case files to identify and collate, something that could only be done at disproportionate cost.

How many irregular migrants who have (a) been refused asylum and (b) are at the further submissions stage were in receipt of legal aid on 3 June 2025; and what the total cost was for the provision of legal aid for such irregular migrants in each of the last four years.

I welcome the Hon Member to her new role, and I wish her well representing the great people of Runcorn and Helsby.The Cabinet Office’s Guide to Parliamentary Work states that: “There is an advisory cost limit known as the disproportionate cost threshold which is the level above which departments can decide not to answer a written question. The current disproportionate cost threshold is £850.”I regret that the information she has requested is not currently available from published statistics, and would require a manual trawl of case files to identify and collate, something that could only be done at disproportionate cost.

How many irregular migrants who have (a) been refused asylum and (b) are undergoing the further submissions process were living in accommodation paid for by her Department on 3 June 2025; and what the total cost of providing accommodation to those irregular migrants was in each of the last four years.

I welcome the Hon Member to her new role, and I wish her well representing the great people of Runcorn and Helsby.The Cabinet Office’s Guide to Parliamentary Work states that: “There is an advisory cost limit known as the disproportionate cost threshold which is the level above which departments can decide not to answer a written question. The current disproportionate cost threshold is £850.”I regret that the information she has requested is not currently available from published statistics, and would require a manual trawl of case files to identify and collate, something that could only be done at disproportionate cost.

How many irregular mirgrants (a) have been convicted of criminal offences and (b) were awaiting sentencing on 3 June 2025.

I welcome the Hon Member to her new role, and I wish her well representing the great people of Runcorn and Helsby.The Cabinet Office’s Guide to Parliamentary Work states that: “There is an advisory cost limit known as the disproportionate cost threshold which is the level above which departments can decide not to answer a written question. The current disproportionate cost threshold is £850.”I regret that the information she has requested is not currently available from published statistics, and would require a manual trawl of case files to identify and collate, something that could only be done at disproportionate cost.

How many irregular migrants are housed in hotels in (a) Runcorn and Helsby constituency and (b) Cheshire county.

The requested data is not available at constituency level, but data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, broken down by local authority, is routinely published within the Asy_D11 tab of our regular immigration system statistical release, the latest version of which can be found here: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

How many asylum applications have reached the further submissions stage and have been under consideration at that stage for (a) three months, (b) six months, (c) nine months, (d) 12 months, (e) 18 months and (f) 24 months.

The Cabinet Office's Guide to Parliamentary Work states that: "There is an advisory cost limit known as the disproportionate cost threshold which is the level above which departments can decide not to answer a written question. The current disproportionate cost threshold is £850."I regret that the information she has requested is not currently available from published statistics, and would require a manual trawl of case files to identify and collate, something that could only be done at disproportionate cost.