Every parliamentary written question tabled by Steve Witherden this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–10 of 10 · Home Office
What steps she is taking to help ensure adequate security provision for the Palestinian Embassy in London.
The Government takes the protective security of diplomatic missions extremely seriously.The UK’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate, but it would not be appropriate to comment in detail on those arrangements.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of lengthening the qualifying period for settlement from five years to ten years for young adults and children under Appendix Private Life to the Immigration Rules.
The earned settlement model, proposed in A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. The consultation directly seeks views on retaining the current arrangement, whereby children and young adults who grew up in the UK without immigration status my settle five years after regularising that status. Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following that consultation. The final model will also be subject to economic and equality impact assessment, which we have committed to publish in due course.
Whether her Department is taking steps to protect places of worship from police raids.
The enforcement of the law is an operational matter for the police. It is for them to decide whether a particular action warrants police involvement, based on their operational expertise and the circumstances of the case.
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation to make anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes an aggravated offence.
All hate crimes, including those targeting the LGBT+ community, are completely unacceptable. This Government is determined to tackle these appalling crimes, and we back the police in taking strong action against the perpetrators of these offences.We have already committed to ensuring parity of protection for LGBT+ and disabled people under the aggravated offences and will implement this change in an appropriate legislative vehicle in due course.The Government funds an online hate crime reporting portal, True Vision, designed so victims of all types of hate crime - including transgender hate crime - do not have to visit a police station to report. We are also continuing to fund the National Online Hate Crime Hub, which supports individual local police forces in dealing specifically with online hate crime, providing expert advice to police to support them in investigating these abhorrent offences.
What plans her Department has to help tackle hate crimes against trans people in England and Wales.
All hate crimes, including those targeting the LGBT+ community, are completely unacceptable. This Government is determined to tackle these appalling crimes, and we back the police in taking strong action against the perpetrators of these offences.We have already committed to ensuring parity of protection for LGBT+ and disabled people under the aggravated offences and will implement this change in an appropriate legislative vehicle in due course.The Government funds an online hate crime reporting portal, True Vision, designed so victims of all types of hate crime - including transgender hate crime - do not have to visit a police station to report. We are also continuing to fund the National Online Hate Crime Hub, which supports individual local police forces in dealing specifically with online hate crime, providing expert advice to police to support them in investigating these abhorrent offences.
For what reason her Department increased firearms license fees for option (a) one, (b) two and (c) three.
On 5 February 2025, increased fees came into effect to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications processed by police forces. This gave effect to a commitment in the Government’s manifesto.A full impact assessment was published alongside the Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2025, the Statutory Instrument that brought the new fees into effect. The impact assessment set out that the Government’s preferred option was to increase fees to achieve full-cost recovery based on 2024 costs to the police, rather than the other options set out, which were to increase fees in line with inflation since 2014. This was to ensure that the objective of increasing licensing fees to secure full cost recovery was achieved.The impact assessment also covers the impact of increased fees on farmers and rural communities.It is essential for both public safety and police efficiency that full cost recovery fees were introduced. I have written to all Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables to make clear that the income from increased fees must be invested into their firearms licensing operations, in the interests of both public safety and to support improvements in the service provided by their firearms licensing teams.
Whether the money raised from increasing firearms license fees will be spent on improving the appraisal process.
On 5 February 2025, increased fees came into effect to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications processed by police forces. This gave effect to a commitment in the Government’s manifesto.A full impact assessment was published alongside the Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2025, the Statutory Instrument that brought the new fees into effect. The impact assessment set out that the Government’s preferred option was to increase fees to achieve full-cost recovery based on 2024 costs to the police, rather than the other options set out, which were to increase fees in line with inflation since 2014. This was to ensure that the objective of increasing licensing fees to secure full cost recovery was achieved.The impact assessment also covers the impact of increased fees on farmers and rural communities.It is essential for both public safety and police efficiency that full cost recovery fees were introduced. I have written to all Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables to make clear that the income from increased fees must be invested into their firearms licensing operations, in the interests of both public safety and to support improvements in the service provided by their firearms licensing teams.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing firearms license fees on (a) farmers and (b) rural communities.
On 5 February 2025, increased fees came into effect to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications processed by police forces. This gave effect to a commitment in the Government’s manifesto.A full impact assessment was published alongside the Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2025, the Statutory Instrument that brought the new fees into effect. The impact assessment set out that the Government’s preferred option was to increase fees to achieve full-cost recovery based on 2024 costs to the police, rather than the other options set out, which were to increase fees in line with inflation since 2014. This was to ensure that the objective of increasing licensing fees to secure full cost recovery was achieved.The impact assessment also covers the impact of increased fees on farmers and rural communities.It is essential for both public safety and police efficiency that full cost recovery fees were introduced. I have written to all Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables to make clear that the income from increased fees must be invested into their firearms licensing operations, in the interests of both public safety and to support improvements in the service provided by their firearms licensing teams.
Whether she plans to retain Lord Walney as the Independent Adviser on Political Violence and Disruption.
The Home Office is currently reviewing the role of the Independent Adviser on Political Violence and Disruption through the Counter-Extremism sprint.Any decisions arising from this review will be announced in the normal was in due course.
Whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of implementing a (a) resettlement and (b) reunification scheme for non-UK citizens in Lebanon who have siblings in (i) the UK and (ii) Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr constituency.
We are monitoring the deeply concerning situation in Lebanon closely and keeping all existing pathways under review.Lebanese nationals who wish to join family members in the UK can do so via the existing range of routes available.Any application for a UK visa will be assessed against the requirements of the Immigration Rules. Immediate family members of British citizens and those settled in the UK who wish to come and live in the UK can apply under one of the existing family visa routes.