Written questions by Berry.

Further to the answer to question UIN 92784, and in light of the publication of the Metropolitan Police Annual Report on the use of live facial recognition (LFR) in September 2025, if she will ask all police force areas to collect and publish similar and consistent data on its use; and if she will collect and collate this at a national level, to ensure Parliamentary scrutiny on the uses of this technology.

The Police Reform Bill will introduce a new legal framework to underpin law enforcement use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies, and this will give due consideration to reporting and transparency.

If she will make an assessment of the cost for providing potential redress to people who were arrested for supporting a proscribed organisation whose proscription was reversed; and clarify whether her department or individual police forces would be expected to cover any such costs.

The investigation and prosecution of criminal offences, including determining whether an offence has been committed or not, is a matter for the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) who are operationally independent of government.Proscription decisions are not taken lightly. This Government will not shy away from taking decisions necessary to protect UK national security and keep the British public safe.

Pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2026 to question 115217, what timeline the Government is working to in considering the best way to measure the prevalence of VAWG among children and young people in the Freedom from Violence and Abuse Strategy.

As stated in response to your question on 3rd March, we recognise the importance of understanding the experiences of children and young people. As such the performance framework in the Freedom from Violence and Abuse Strategy includes a sub-metric on the prevalence of VAWG among children and young people and work is ongoing to determine the most robust and appropriate way to measure this. We will continue to develop this approach as the wider framework evolves.

Whether she plans to bring the harms experienced by girls under 16 into the scope of the monitoring and accountability metrics of the Freedom from Violence and Abuse Strategy.

Children and girls under 16 who experience sexual abuse and exploitation are considered throughout the Strategy, with specific commitments aimed at tackling the appalling crimes of child sexual exploitation and abuse.The key way we’ll measure progress against our ambition to halve VAWG is through a combined prevalence estimate of the proportion of people (aged 16 and over) who experienced any of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking in the previous 12 months, as measured by the Crime Survey for England and Wales. However, as the CSEW does not survey people under the age of 16, we cannot include them in this combined headline measure.We do though recognise the importance of understanding the experiences of children and young people. As such the performance framework in the Strategy includes a sub-metric on the prevalence of VAWG among children and young people and we are considering the best way of measuring this.

If she will make an assessment of the reasons for which stop and search for items related to protest is used much more frequently by some police forces than others.

The Public Order Act 2023 includes stop and search powers for police to search for and seize articles related to protest-related offences.The Home Office publishes statistics on use of stop and search powers, the latest are at: Stop and search, arrests, and mental health detentions, March 2025 - GOV.UKWhile overall numbers are small, the figures show that protest related searches are more concentrated in the Metropolitan Police Service, Surrey and Sussex.The management of protests is an operational matter for the police. It is for chief constables and their officers to make decisions about the use of stop and search powers in response to local needs.

If she will take steps to ensure that police training on violence against women and girls includes training on technology-facilitated abuse.

The Home Office has already invested £13.1 million this year into the new National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP). This funding includes an additional £2 million to deliver a comprehensive package of training enhancements across public protection. Through the NCVPP, we are working closely with the College of Policing to develop strengthened, specialist training for officers across all operational levels - frontline, specialist, and leadership. Grounded in academic research and behaviour change science, new training programmes will ensure that all officers are well equipped to investigate these crimes and provide support to victims. This includes the development of new modules to equip officers with the skills to investigate technology-facilitated and online harm.

With reference to recent data obtained by StopWatch via Freedom of Information of this year’s Operation Sceptre results, what assessment will be made of the cost-effectiveness of public knife amnesty bins compared with enforcement options for recovering knives and other weapons.

The Government continues to encourage police forces to undertake a series of coordinated national weeks of action to tackle knife crime under Operation Sceptre. In 2025 police have delivered two national weeks of intensification in May and November, and the data and operational results from these are owned and held by the police.The Government ran an extended knife surrender arrangement in July 2025 in various areas in the West Midlands, Greater Manchester and London. This allowed members of the public to surrender weapons anonymously at a mobile surrender van operated by FazAmnesty and in 37 new surrender bins installed by Word 4 Weapons with Home Office funding.A total of 3,570 knives and weapons were surrendered through these arrangements. The figures were set out in a Written Ministerial Statement on 30 October: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK ParliamentAcross police operations, border seizures and knife surrender schemes this Government has already seen nearly 60,000 knives taken off our streets.

What steps she is taking to mitigate the mental health impact of proposed changes to settlement routes.

On 20 November, we launched a public consultation on our proposed earned settlement model.This consultation provides a means for all members of the public to express any concerns about the proposed new system are considered as we finalise policy. We are also running a separate, focused survey of visa holders to make sure their specific concerns are fully captured.

Whether she plans to develop a National Integration Strategy for asylum seekers and refugees as part of proposed reforms to the asylum system.

The Government’s Asylum and Returns Policy Statement published on 17 November 2025 announced transformative changes to the asylum system and safe and legal routes.Successfully integrating refugees remains a key Government priority. Work is underway to operationalise the proposals set out in the statement, with careful consideration being given to how integration is prioritised in implementation. Further details will be provided in due course.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of job vacancies in key professions within her Department’s responsibilities, including contractor organisations.

The independent Office for National Statistics publish monthly estimates of online job adverts by occupation Labour demand volumes by Standard Occupation Classification (SOC 2020), UK - Office for National Statistics(opens in a new tab) and vacancies across each industrial sector VACS02: Vacancies by industry - Office for National Statistics(opens in a new tab).

What independent scrutiny is being carried out on the use of the ten new live facial recognition systems provided to local police services by the Home Office, starting in November 2025, and when the conclusions of this scrutiny will be published.

The Government is committed to equipping police forces with the tools they need to tackle serious crimes, locate offenders and bring them to justice. As part of this commitment, the Home Office has funded the roll-out of ten live facial recognition (LFR) vans.The National Audit Office reports on Home Office expenditure which is then independently scrutinised and reported on by the Public Accounts Committee.Oversight of LFR is provided by a number of independent bodies including the Information Commissioner, Equality and Human Rights Commission and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire & Rescue Services.However, oversight is fragmented and we want to improve it through the creation of a bespoke new legal framework. Subject to consultation, that framework will include specific oversight for the use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies.The Home Office does not hold data on the number of arrests made following the police’s use of facial recognition technology, including the use of LFR, as specific LFR deployment decisions rest with individual police forces. The department is however funding national evaluation work to understand better the impact of facial recognition on police and crime outcomes.Where police forces are using LFR, the number of arrests made following each deployment are published on their respective websites. Further, the Met Police have published these in their recent Live Facial Recognition Annual Report September 2025

If she will publish data, broken down by police service, of all offences by category associated with suspects or offenders who were detected using live facial recognition (LFR) technology during each calendar year since 2016, along with any other categories of people added to LFR watchlists, if these were not suspects or offenders.

The Government is committed to equipping police forces with the tools they need to tackle serious crimes, locate offenders and bring them to justice. As part of this commitment, the Home Office has funded the roll-out of ten live facial recognition (LFR) vans.The National Audit Office reports on Home Office expenditure which is then independently scrutinised and reported on by the Public Accounts Committee.Oversight of LFR is provided by a number of independent bodies including the Information Commissioner, Equality and Human Rights Commission and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire & Rescue Services.However, oversight is fragmented and we want to improve it through the creation of a bespoke new legal framework. Subject to consultation, that framework will include specific oversight for the use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies.The Home Office does not hold data on the number of arrests made following the police’s use of facial recognition technology, including the use of LFR, as specific LFR deployment decisions rest with individual police forces. The department is however funding national evaluation work to understand better the impact of facial recognition on police and crime outcomes.Where police forces are using LFR, the number of arrests made following each deployment are published on their respective websites. Further, the Met Police have published these in their recent Live Facial Recognition Annual Report September 2025

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of amending (a) visa and (b) asylum routes for people fleeing conflict in Sudan with British national immediate family members in the UK by (i) waiving income rules, (ii) allowing asylum applications to be made in third party countries and (c) bringing forward other measures to help reunite families separated by conflict.

Sudanese nationals who wish to come to the UK to join a family member here need a family visa. Applications can be made for a family visa to live with a spouse or partner; fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner; parent; child; relative who is providing care.The financial requirements form part of the ‘core’ requirements of the Family Immigration Rules. Expecting family migrants and their sponsors to be financially independent is reasonable, both to them and the taxpayer.However, where someone cannot meet the core requirements, including those relating to finances, permission will still be granted where refusal would breach Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.As part of the Immigration White Paper reforms, the government intends to set out a new family policy that will cover all UK residents, including those who are British, settled, on work routes or refugees seeking to bring family members to the UK.The UK has a proud history of providing protection and we continue to welcome refugees and people in need through our safe and legal routes. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.Whilst we sympathise with people in many difficult situations around the world, including the current situation in Sudan, we are not bound to consider asylum claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might wish to come here. It is important that safe and legal routes are sustainable, well managed and in line with the UK’s capacity to welcome, accommodate and integrate refugees. We do not currently have any plans to open a specific route for people affected by the conflict in Sudan.Additionally, the recently announced Asylum Policy Statement set out a new model for refugee resettlement. We will give greater say to communities and support refugees as they settle, become self-sufficient, and contribute to their local areas. This new model will be based on local capacity to support refugees, and arrival numbers will be tightly controlled by the government.To achieve this, we will: • Reform refugee sponsorship to give voluntary and community sector organisations a greater role in resettlement through named sponsorship, within caps set by government. • Introduce a capped route for refugee and displaced students to study in the UK, helping talented refugees to continue their studies, realise their potential and be able to return to their country and help rebuild it as soon as circumstances allow. • Establish a capped route for skilled refugees and displaced people to come to the UK for work, building on the experience of the Displaced Talent Mobility Pilot.Our intention is that those arriving on the reformed resettlement routes will be on the ten-year route to settlement. However, this will be subject to wider consultation.

If she will (a) review and (b) update Ukraine-related immigration (i) policies and (ii) guidance (A) in general and (B) on the application of protection principles depending on immigration route; what evidential criteria are used to justify refusal based on internal relocation; and if she will suspend removals to Ukraine during that review.

Our assessment of the situation in Ukraine is set out in the relevant Country Policy and Information Notes (CPINs), which are available on the Gov.UK website.The CPINs for Ukraine are based on evidence taken from a wide range of reliable sources, including reputable media outlets; local, national and international organisations, including human rights organisations; and information from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The material drawn from those sources, including links to the original documents, are available in the published notes. This provides the evidence base for our assessment, which itself considers the situation in general, and regionally, against the relevant legal and policy framework for considering protection claims. Decision makers will consider how this applies in individual cases, including considerations such as internal relocation. The CPINs are kept under constant review and are updated periodically to ensure they remain accurate and reflect current country conditions.Decisions on whether to remove individuals are made on a case-by-case basis depending on the situation at the time.

How many violent crimes perpetrated against sex workers were recorded by (a) police area, (b) sanction detection rate and (c) whether the crime was reported by the (i) victim and (ii) third party in the latest period for which data is available.

The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of sexual and violence against the person offences, and their investigative outcomes, recorded by the police in England and Wales. The latest information, broken down by police force area and by out outcome type, for the year ending June 2025, can be accessed here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/police-recorded-crime-and-outcomes-open-data-tablesThe Home Office does not hold information on whether the victim of an offence has engaged in prostitution.

What steps her Department is taking ensure the continuity of independent medical advice to the National Police Chiefs Council's Less Lethal Weapons Working Group, following the replacement of the Science Advisory Committee on the Medical Implications of Less-Lethal Weapons with the Medical Implications of Less Lethal Weapons Expert Committee.

The provision of a robust medical assessment of the effects of any less lethal weapon is critical to ensuring that when police use less lethal weapons, they use them safely and effectively to protect the public and prevent harm. The Scientific Advisory Council on the Medical Implications of Less Lethal Weapons (SACMILL) has played an important role in this to date and plans are in place to ensure robust independent medical advice continues under the Medical Implications of Less Lethal Weapons Executive Committee (MILLWEC), in line with the Code of Practice for Armed Policing and Police Use of Less Lethal Weapons.The Home Office has been working closely with the Ministry of Defence to manage the transition and ensure no disruption to the provision of independent scientific advice. MILLWEC will be established from 30 November and SACMILL will continue in their advisory function until then. A framework, which will support the independence and accountability of the new committee, has been developed and is publicly available on the gov.uk website Medical Implications of Less-Lethal Weapons Expert Committee - GOV.UKProcesses are in place to ensure Home Office management of the committee retains their independence at every level, in line with the Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Committees and Councils.

With reference to her oral contribution of 13 October 2025 during the statement on Manchester Terrorism Attack, Official Report, column 27, what legislative vehicle she plans to use to amend section (a) 12 and (b) 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 to allow the police to take account of the cumulative impact of frequent protests when considering whether to impose conditions.

The Government has tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill which will allow senior officers to take account of the cumulative impact of protest activity when considering whether to impose conditions under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986.This provision will help protect communities from repeated disruption caused by protests, while protecting the right to peaceful protest.

With reference to her statement on Manchester Terrorism Attack of 13 October 2025, Official Report, column 27, how she plans to give legislative effect to her proposal to amend sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 to allow the police to take account of the cumulative impact of frequent protests when considering whether to impose conditions.

The Government has tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill which will allow senior officers to take account of the cumulative impact of protest activity when considering whether to impose conditions under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986.This provision will help protect communities from repeated disruption caused by protests, while protecting the right to peaceful protest.

With reference to recommendation 2 of the SACMILL statement on the medical implications of the Taser 10 conducted energy device system, published on 2 October 2025, what recent discussions she has had with the National Police Chiefs Council on implementing measures to (a) closely monitor the on-going performance of the Taser 10 and (b) react in a timely way if problems emerge.

Taser provides police officers with an important tactical option to protect the public and save lives. As with any use of force, Taser must only be used when it is reasonable, proportionate and necessary in the circumstances. The decision to approve Taser 10 has been taken on consideration of stringent testing and assessments.In common with other conducted energy devices approved for use in policing, the operational performance of Taser 10 will be closely monitored, with officers required to complete a bespoke form after each use. Data from these forms will provide insights into the safety and efficacy of the system as well as any emerging trends. The National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) and respective forces will be able to review these forms nationally and locally to identify any patterns and factors for review such as any emerging technical issues with the device. The Home Office has regular discussions with the NPCC and other policing stakeholders to keep this under review. to keep this under review.The College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice refers to the Statement of Medical Implications for Taser 10 by the Scientific Advisory Committee on the Medical Implications of Less Lethal Weapons (SACMILL) and learning is incorporated into CED training and guidance as well as post Taser healthcare procedures. All officers who are selected to use CEDs must have an appreciation of the physical and psychological effects of the device. This includes training officers to factor in the potential vulnerability of a person, and factors such as age and stature when assessing each situation.A Child Rights Impact Assessment was conducted to inform the decision to approve Taser 10.

What steps she is taking to ensure that recommendation 11 of the SACMILL statement on the medical implications of the Taser 10 conducted energy device system on ensuring that the operational performance of the TASER 10 is monitored is met.

Taser provides police officers with an important tactical option to protect the public and save lives. As with any use of force, Taser must only be used when it is reasonable, proportionate and necessary in the circumstances. The decision to approve Taser 10 has been taken on consideration of stringent testing and assessments.In common with other conducted energy devices approved for use in policing, the operational performance of Taser 10 will be closely monitored, with officers required to complete a bespoke form after each use. Data from these forms will provide insights into the safety and efficacy of the system as well as any emerging trends. The National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) and respective forces will be able to review these forms nationally and locally to identify any patterns and factors for review such as any emerging technical issues with the device. The Home Office has regular discussions with the NPCC and other policing stakeholders to keep this under review. to keep this under review.The College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice refers to the Statement of Medical Implications for Taser 10 by the Scientific Advisory Committee on the Medical Implications of Less Lethal Weapons (SACMILL) and learning is incorporated into CED training and guidance as well as post Taser healthcare procedures. All officers who are selected to use CEDs must have an appreciation of the physical and psychological effects of the device. This includes training officers to factor in the potential vulnerability of a person, and factors such as age and stature when assessing each situation.A Child Rights Impact Assessment was conducted to inform the decision to approve Taser 10.