Written questions by Dhesi.

What recent steps she has taken to support victims of modern slavery.

The Government has developed a Modern Slavery Action Plan which reinforces our commitment to working across Government and with civil society, businesses, and international partners to prevent exploitation, protect victims, and pursue those responsible for these heinous crimes.In England and Wales, the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC) provides victims safe accommodation, financial support and a support worker to help them access other support such as NHS medical care. We will soon be tendering for the new Support for Victims of Modern Slavery (SVMS) contract to replace the MSVCC when it ends. The SVMS contract has been informed by engagement with survivors and key organisations across the modern slavery sector.In addition to the statutory support local authorities provide to children in need in their areas, the Government's Independent Child Trafficking Guardianship (ICTG) service is available in two-thirds of local authorities in England and Wales. The ICTG service provides an additional source of advice and support for potential child victims of modern slavery and exploitation and advocates on a child's behalf to ensure their best interests are reflected in the decision-making of the public authorities involved in their care.An ICTG's advocacy and involvement throughout the decision-making process is intended to ensure the child is protected from further harm, to promote their recovery and prevent them from possible repeat victimisation, re-trafficking or going missing.The Government intends to go out to tender for the contract for the roll out of a national ICTG service that will cover the whole of England and Wales in Summer 2025.

What recent discussions has she had with retailers on the potential impact of the Crime and Policing Bill on the retail sector.

Shop theft continues to increase at an unacceptable level, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers. We will not stand for this. Everybody has a right to feel safe at their place of work.Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores. We want to send a strong message to offenders and would-be offenders that violence against retail workers will not be tolerated. This Government and the retail sector have long championed the new offence.Assaults against delivery drivers are already an offence (common assault) under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and are covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.Our definition of a ‘retail worker’ is intentionally narrow given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job. Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.Section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 creates a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing cases of assault against public facing workers. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This includes those working in retail and other public-facing roles.We will use the parliamentary process to scrutinise the provisions in the Bill and will consider carefully amendments tabled as well as evidence put forward in support of such amendments.

If she will take legislative steps to help protect the safety of retail home delivery drivers.

Shop theft continues to increase at an unacceptable level, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers. We will not stand for this. Everybody has a right to feel safe at their place of work.Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores. We want to send a strong message to offenders and would-be offenders that violence against retail workers will not be tolerated. This Government and the retail sector have long championed the new offence.Assaults against delivery drivers are already an offence (common assault) under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and are covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.Our definition of a ‘retail worker’ is intentionally narrow given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job. Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.Section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 creates a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing cases of assault against public facing workers. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This includes those working in retail and other public-facing roles.We will use the parliamentary process to scrutinise the provisions in the Bill and will consider carefully amendments tabled as well as evidence put forward in support of such amendments.

What recent discussions she has had with retail companies on the safety of home delivery drivers.

Shop theft continues to increase at an unacceptable level, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers. We will not stand for this. Everybody has a right to feel safe at their place of work.Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores. We want to send a strong message to offenders and would-be offenders that violence against retail workers will not be tolerated. This Government and the retail sector have long championed the new offence.Assaults against delivery drivers are already an offence (common assault) under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and are covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.Our definition of a ‘retail worker’ is intentionally narrow given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job. Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.Section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 creates a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing cases of assault against public facing workers. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This includes those working in retail and other public-facing roles.We will use the parliamentary process to scrutinise the provisions in the Bill and will consider carefully amendments tabled as well as evidence put forward in support of such amendments.

What assessment they have made of the potential impact of the use of AI in their Department on security.

The UK government is dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance public services safely and securely. The AI Playbook for the UK Government security section (p. 74) includes an assessment of the risks coming from the use of AI. The Playbook includes worked scenarios for AI use which detail potential impacts for the different types of risk. All AI services must adhere to Secure by Design principles and conduct risk assessments, including Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs).All use of AI in the department is considered carefully. We conduct assurance of AI tools in line with industry guidance and regulatory standards for AI, including HMG AI frameworks.The department has completed a range of assessments against various AI solutions based on a robust risk and assurance process. Where risks have been identified, the department has put appropriate adjustments in place to minimise those risks.

What recent steps she has taken to help prevent online intimate image abuse.

Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) in all of its forms, including when it takes place online, is a top priority for this Government. This is why we have set out an unprecedented ambition to halve it in a decade.As of 17 March 2025, online platforms have new legal duties to assess the risk of illegal harms on their services and to take additional steps to tackle priority offences. These priority offences include sharing and threatening to share intimate images including 'deepfake' pornography without consent.We have also announced our intention to legislate to make the creation of intimate images, including sexually explicit deepfake images, a criminal offence. In addition, Ofcom are required to produce guidance setting out how providers can take action on harmful content and activity that disproportionately affects women and girls. The consultation on their draft guidance is currently open and closes on 23 May 2025.The Government is also funding the Revenge Porn Helpline. The helpline provides high-quality support and advice to victims of intimate image abuse, engages with law enforcement and other stakeholders to improve processes to respond to intimate image abuse, and raises awareness of the nature of intimate image abuse and the harm that it can cause.

What the median age is of computers issued to officials in their Department.

The median age of computers issued to officials is 1.8 years old.

What estimate she has made of the number of suspected age misidentifications at the UK border in each of the last five years.

There is no single age assessment technique, or combination of techniques, able to determine age with complete precision, but the Government continues to work to establish the best available processes and techniques to improve the accuracy of our age assessment results.

What recent discussions she had with local police forces on smartphone thefts.

I refer the Hon. Member to my response to UIN 33968 and 33969 on 7th March 2025.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Home Affairs on the prevention of femicide.

The scale of violence against women and girls in our country is intolerable and this Government has set out a mission to halve these crimes over the next decade. This is an ambitious aim that will require a transformative approach to the way we work together across Government through the safer streets mission.We will be publishing a new Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy later this year, which will cover all forms of violence and abuse which disproportionately impact women, including femicide.

What recent steps her Department has taken to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade.

We are committed to going further than ever before to deliver a cross-government transformative approach to tackling violence against women and girls, which will be underpinned by a new VAWG strategy later this year. We are investing £13.1 million pounds next financial year (25/26) to set up a new National Policing Centre for VAWG and Public Protection to transform the police response to these devastating crimes. Alongside that, we have begun the roll-out of domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms as part of Raneem’s Law, and launched new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in selected police forces and courts.We recently launched a package of six new measures to tackle stalking, including plans to give stalking victims the right to know the identity of online stalkers, following the formidable campaigning of Nicola Thorp.Our Crime and Policing Bill will introduce a new criminal offence of spiking, new laws to tackle intimate image abuse, and stronger arrangements for the management of sex offenders.These are just some of the crucial first steps we are taking as part of our unprecedented mission to halve VAWG in a decade.

What recent assessment she has made of the accuracy of age determination processes at the UK border.

There is no single age assessment technique, or combination of techniques, able to determine age with complete precision, but the Government continues to work to establish the best available processes and techniques to improve the accuracy of our age assessment results.

What recent steps her Department has taken to help prevent smart phone theft.

Set against soaring levels of snatch thefts and pickpocketing, crimes which often involve theft of mobile phones and which for too long have been neglected and not been effectively tackled, the Home Secretary recently brought together police, the National Crime Agency, the Mayor of London, leading tech companies and others to drive more effective collaboration in breaking the business model of mobile phone thieves.The Summit was hugely constructive, resulting in clear commitments from attendees to work together to tackle the scourge of mobile phone theft and the organised criminality driving it. This includes significantly boosting the sharing of data and intelligence to build a comprehensive picture of the problem, driving joint solutions. All parties will re-convene in three months’ time.To aid police investigations and recovery of stolen goods, our Crime and Policing Bill includes a measure to give police the power to enter and search premises for stolen property which has been electronically geolocation tracked to those premises and it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant without seriously prejudicing the entry and search purpose.The Home Office does not hold data on mobile phone theft at the level requested. The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) provides national estimates of the number of victims of mobile phone theft in England and Wales, these data are not broken down to sub-national geographies. The latest CSEW estimates, in the year to March 2024, have been published by the Office for National Statistics can be found at the following link: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/focusonpropertycrimeappendixtables

What estimate her Department has made of the number of smart phone thefts in (a) Slough and (b) the Thames Valley region in each of the last five years.

Set against soaring levels of snatch thefts and pickpocketing, crimes which often involve theft of mobile phones and which for too long have been neglected and not been effectively tackled, the Home Secretary recently brought together police, the National Crime Agency, the Mayor of London, leading tech companies and others to drive more effective collaboration in breaking the business model of mobile phone thieves.The Summit was hugely constructive, resulting in clear commitments from attendees to work together to tackle the scourge of mobile phone theft and the organised criminality driving it. This includes significantly boosting the sharing of data and intelligence to build a comprehensive picture of the problem, driving joint solutions. All parties will re-convene in three months’ time.To aid police investigations and recovery of stolen goods, our Crime and Policing Bill includes a measure to give police the power to enter and search premises for stolen property which has been electronically geolocation tracked to those premises and it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant without seriously prejudicing the entry and search purpose.The Home Office does not hold data on mobile phone theft at the level requested. The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) provides national estimates of the number of victims of mobile phone theft in England and Wales, these data are not broken down to sub-national geographies. The latest CSEW estimates, in the year to March 2024, have been published by the Office for National Statistics can be found at the following link: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/focusonpropertycrimeappendixtables

What recent steps her Department has taken to help tackle antisocial behaviour in (a) Slough and (b) Thames Valley.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.The Government’s Plan for Change, announced by the Prime Minister on 5 December, committed to a zero-tolerance approach to ASB. This will include a dedicated ASB lead officer in every police force working with communities to develop a local anti-social behaviour action plan. We will also put 13,000 neighbourhood police and community support officers into local communities so that residents have a named officer they can turn to when things go wrong.This Government will strengthen the powers available to relevant agencies to tackle ASB. We recently announced Respect Orders, which will be introduced in the forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill. Respect Orders will be applied for by police and local councils and issued by the courts. They will enable courts to place wide-ranging restrictions on the behaviour of the most persistent and disruptive ASB offenders. Breach will be a criminal offence meaning officers can arrest and act quickly to disrupt ongoing ASB. Breaches will be heard in the criminal courts who will have a wide range of sentencing options, including community orders, unlimited fines and, for the most severe cases, up to two years’ imprisonment.

What steps her Department is taking to provide support to victims of antisocial behaviour.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.The Government’s Plan for Change, announced by the Prime Minister on 5 December, committed to a zero-tolerance approach to ASB. This will include a dedicated ASB lead officer in every police force working with communities to develop a local anti-social behaviour action plan. We will also put 13,000 neighbourhood police and community support officers into local communities so that residents have a named officer they can turn to when things go wrong.This Government will strengthen the powers available to relevant agencies to tackle ASB. We recently announced Respect Orders, which will be introduced in the forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill. Respect Orders will be applied for by police and local councils and issued by the courts. They will enable courts to place wide-ranging restrictions on the behaviour of the most persistent and disruptive ASB offenders. Breach will be a criminal offence meaning officers can arrest and act quickly to disrupt ongoing ASB. Breaches will be heard in the criminal courts who will have a wide range of sentencing options, including community orders, unlimited fines and, for the most severe cases, up to two years’ imprisonment.

What steps she is taking to tackle spiking by means of injection.

Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through needle, food, drink or vape. The Government is committed, as per its Manifesto, to introduce a new criminal offence for spiking to help police better respond to this crime. It will be delivered in the First Session of this Parliament.In addition, the Home Office is currently supporting a range of work to tackle spiking, including specific training for up to 10,000 people working in the night-time economy (which includes specific information on needle spiking) and testing the efficacy of commercial drug test kits.

What her planned timeline is for making a decision on the minimum income requirement once the Migration Advisory Committee review has completed.

On 10th September, the Home Secretary commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules. Conducting a review of the financial requirements across the family routes will ensure we have a clear and consistent system.The MAC have already completed a call for evidence, which closed on 11 December, to gather views of stakeholders and those affected by changes to the family rules. More than 2000 people responded – a record for a MAC consultation.It is expected the MAC will issue their report in the Summer. We will carefully consider the MAC’s recommendations before making any further changes and will set out a timetable for responding to the review in due course.

What estimate she has made of the number of illegal vapes seized at the border in (a) 2024 and (b) 2023.

Border Force have a strong track record in targeting illegal commodities, and continue to ensure that all goods brought into the UK by passengers are appropriately declared and abide by customs and excise rules.For information the latest transparency returns can be found at the link here: Border Force transparency data: Q3 2024 - GOV.UK.

What steps she plans to take to tackle money laundering through cryptocurrencies, in the context of the National Crime Agency's Operation Destabilise investigations.

Cryptoassets can be used illicitly or to launder the proceeds of crime. In April 2024, new powers came into force to search, seize and detain cryptoassets from criminal conduct or terrorist activity or cryptoassets that will be used in criminal conduct or terrorist activity.Directed by the Economic Crime Plan 2 (and supported by an Economic Crime Levy funding) law enforcement are investing in improving both their capacity and capability in relation to the investigation of the criminal use of cryptoassets. This includes:· Investing in specialist capability in the NCA and partner agencies, including the recruitment of an additional 475 Financial Crime investigators (280 currently in post) and developing improved crypto track and trace capability which will go live in December 2025.· Funding public-private crypto collaboration teams in police forces and ROCUs through the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme· New training and upskilling that has been rolled out to improve law enforcement officers' understanding of cryptoassets, supported by the provision of specialist tooling (i.e. blockchain analytics tools).· Building a new crypto-specific public/ private partnership within the existing Joint Money Laundering Taskforce structure in order to understand the threat and enable various joint initiatives (including around data sharing). Developing a multi-agency operational crypto cell to ensure that knowledge and abilities in investigating cryptoassets are pooled together, and that all available tools and powers are exploited efficiently.Designing a system-wide strategy, with an accompanying roadmap of activities required to prevent and disrupt digital asset-enabled crime impacting the UK. The focus is on ensuring system co-ordination and collaboration, keeping the public / consumers safe, effectively disrupting criminals through robust enforcement and building global cooperation to effectively share information and improve consistency in regulatory standards.