Every parliamentary written question tabled by Tom Hayes this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 21–37 of 37 · Home Office
If she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to develop a national action plan to tackle hate crime.
The Government is absolutely committed to tackling all forms of hate crime and has already committed to protect LGBT+ and disabled people by making all existing strands of hate crime an aggravated offence.We will set out next steps in due course.
When she plans to bring forward legislation to make anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime an aggravated offence.
The Government is absolutely committed to tackling all forms of hate crime and has already committed to protect LGBT+ and disabled people by making all existing strands of hate crime an aggravated offence.We will set out next steps in due course.
Whether she plans to make it her policy to give Ukrainian visa holders (a) humanitarian protection or (b) other long-term status.
This Government is committed to standing with Ukraine, and providing stability for those we have welcomed to the UK and those who still need our sanctuary.To provide future certainty to those who have been provided with sanctuary in the UK under the existing Ukraine schemes, the government will be introducing a bespoke Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE), due to open in early 2025. This will allow those with sanctuary to apply for further permission to remain in the UK, giving them the same rights and entitlements as they have been given under the existing Ukraine Schemes.To allow ease of transition, this scheme will open in advance of the first Ukraine scheme visas expiring, with further details on eligibility and application processes being available before the scheme opens.The Ukrainian government have been clear about their strong desire for the future return of its citizens to help rebuild Ukraine when it is safe to do so. It is important that our approach respects these wishes.
What steps her Department is taking to prevent crime.
This Government has put crime prevention front and centre of our safer streets mission, which aims to halve violence against women and girls, halve knife crime, and restore confidence in the policing and justice system over the next decade.In addition, the 2024-25 police funding settlement will provide up to £18.5 billion of funding for the policing system, supporting the police to undertake crime prevention.
What progress her Department has made on reducing the use of hotels as contingency asylum accommodation.
The Government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly. This includes our accommodation sites, as the Home Office continues to identify a range of options to minimise the use of hotels and ensure better use of public money, whilst maintaining sufficient accommodation to meet demand.
What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence to ensure (a) domestic abuse within the armed forces is tackled, (b) victims are protected and (c) perpetrators are held to account.
The Government has set out an unprecedented mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade; working across government departments, sectors and wider society to tackle the scourge of violence and abuse wherever it is found. We will work closely with the Ministry of Defence to ensure we respond robustly to support victims and pursue perpetrators within the armed forces, and their families. This will include identifying any additional challenges this cohort may face.
What steps her Department is taking to improve (a) charge rates of people accused of crime and (b) support for victims of crime.
The Home Office recognises that charge volumes and rates have been persistently low for too long. That’s why we have set out our Safer Streets mission to rebuild confidence in policing and the criminal justice system.The Home Office is working with the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to improve criminal justice outcomes and to support collaboration between the two agencies in order to increase the number of cases being charged and prosecuted, and reduce the time taken to reach this point.The Government is committed to ensuring victims of crime have the information and support they need. That is why we will implement the reforms in the Victims and Prisoner Act 2024; making sure that victims know about their rights in the Code and that agencies deliver them and placing greater responsibility on local commissioners to collaborate on funding for support services.The Ministry of Justice provides funding for vital victim and witness support services, to help victims cope and recover from the impact of crime, through a mix of local and nationally commissioned services.
What steps her Department is taking to support victims of modern slavery.
The Government is committed to tackling modern slavery, prosecuting those responsible and supporting victims in their recovery.The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the UK’s framework for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. 17,004 potential victims of modern slavery were referred to the Home Office in 2023; the highest annual number since the NRM began in 2009 and a 628% increase since 2014.This unprecedented increase in the volume of referrals into the NRM has presented significant challenges in resourcing and workflow, and we recognise that wait times for Conclusive Grounds decisions are too long. Operational teams have invested heavily in seeking to address this and as a result numbers of people awaiting a Conclusive Grounds decision have dropped for the first time and timeliness is improving. We continue to strive for faster decisions for victims.In England and Wales, after referral to the National Referral Mechanism, adult victims can access specialist support from the government funded Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC). This support includes safe accommodation where necessary, financial support and a support worker to help them access wider support services, including medical treatment, legal aid, legal representatives, and legal advice. This support is available to all adult victims, including British nationals, based on an ongoing needs-based assessment.Local authorities are the primary service provider for safeguarding child victims regardless of their nationality or immigration status. Additionally, the Government has rolled out Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs) in two-thirds of Local Authorities in England and Wales. ICTGs provide an additional source of advice and support for potentially trafficked children, irrespective of nationality or immigration status. An ICTG’s advocacy and involvement throughout the decision-making process is intended to ensure the child is protected from further harm, prevent possible repeat victimisation, re-trafficking or going missing, and promote the child’s recovery.The Government has robust internal assurance processes in place to manage and assure projects and programmes. We are currently looking at how we ensure the long-term sustainability of these programmes to continue to meet the needs of both adult and child victims of modern slavery.
What assessment her Department has made of the (a) specific needs of British national victims of modern slavery, (b) adequacy of pathways to access support and (c) potential barriers to accessing support.
The Government is committed to tackling modern slavery, prosecuting those responsible and supporting victims in their recovery.The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the UK’s framework for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. 17,004 potential victims of modern slavery were referred to the Home Office in 2023; the highest annual number since the NRM began in 2009 and a 628% increase since 2014.This unprecedented increase in the volume of referrals into the NRM has presented significant challenges in resourcing and workflow, and we recognise that wait times for Conclusive Grounds decisions are too long. Operational teams have invested heavily in seeking to address this and as a result numbers of people awaiting a Conclusive Grounds decision have dropped for the first time and timeliness is improving. We continue to strive for faster decisions for victims.In England and Wales, after referral to the National Referral Mechanism, adult victims can access specialist support from the government funded Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC). This support includes safe accommodation where necessary, financial support and a support worker to help them access wider support services, including medical treatment, legal aid, legal representatives, and legal advice. This support is available to all adult victims, including British nationals, based on an ongoing needs-based assessment.Local authorities are the primary service provider for safeguarding child victims regardless of their nationality or immigration status. Additionally, the Government has rolled out Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs) in two-thirds of Local Authorities in England and Wales. ICTGs provide an additional source of advice and support for potentially trafficked children, irrespective of nationality or immigration status. An ICTG’s advocacy and involvement throughout the decision-making process is intended to ensure the child is protected from further harm, prevent possible repeat victimisation, re-trafficking or going missing, and promote the child’s recovery.The Government has robust internal assurance processes in place to manage and assure projects and programmes. We are currently looking at how we ensure the long-term sustainability of these programmes to continue to meet the needs of both adult and child victims of modern slavery.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure the (a) effective management and (b) monitoring of serial preparators of domestic abuse.
This government has committed to using every tool available to target prolific perpetrators of domestic abuse from early intervention to the counter-terror style targeting of the most serious offenders by the police. The government has committed to using the approaches normally reserved for counter terrorism and serious organised crime to target perpetrators and keep victims safe. Working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing, the Home Secretary will oversee the development of a new national approach to the use of data-driven tools to identify and manage the most harmful and prolific perpetrators of violence against women and girls. The Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Intervention Fund currently provides up to £39 million over two years until April 2025 to 27 Police and Crime Commissioners to commission domestic abuse and stalking perpetrator behaviour change intervention programmes in their local areas. The fund aims to support sustainable behaviour change and robust disruption to reduce reoffending and stop perpetrators of domestic abuse and stalking moving from one victim to the next.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure police officers are effectively trained to handle cases of (a) domestic abuse and (b) sexual violence.
Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government and we will treat it as a national emergency. Our mission is to halve levels of these crimes within a decade, using every lever available to us in government and right across society. This means reforming the police response to these crimes, strengthening the criminal justice system, and empowering victims by providing access to specialist support when they need it.We are committed to ensuring policing have the right skills and training to respond appropriately to victims of VAWG and have committed to mandating stronger training on VAWG for policing.We have also supported the College of Policing to design and launch new, academic-informed training programmes on investigating rape and sexual offending. This includes new training for those likely to make initial contact with victims.To improve the criminal justice response, the Home Office continues to support collaboration between the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in order to increase the number of cases being charged and prosecuted, and reduce the time taken to reach this point. This involves supporting policing and CPS colleagues to improve case progression by reducing blockages, cutting bureaucracy, streamlining processes, and improving timeliness. This Government has also committed to making it easier for high-performing police forces to charge domestic abuse suspects to speed up the charging process and improve outcomes.
What steps her Department is taking to improve the charge rates for perpetrators of violence against women and girls.
Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government and we will treat it as a national emergency. Our mission is to halve levels of these crimes within a decade, using every lever available to us in government and right across society. This means reforming the police response to these crimes, strengthening the criminal justice system, and empowering victims by providing access to specialist support when they need it.We are committed to ensuring policing have the right skills and training to respond appropriately to victims of VAWG and have committed to mandating stronger training on VAWG for policing.We have also supported the College of Policing to design and launch new, academic-informed training programmes on investigating rape and sexual offending. This includes new training for those likely to make initial contact with victims.To improve the criminal justice response, the Home Office continues to support collaboration between the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in order to increase the number of cases being charged and prosecuted, and reduce the time taken to reach this point. This involves supporting policing and CPS colleagues to improve case progression by reducing blockages, cutting bureaucracy, streamlining processes, and improving timeliness. This Government has also committed to making it easier for high-performing police forces to charge domestic abuse suspects to speed up the charging process and improve outcomes.
What steps her Department is taking to help tackle antisocial behaviour.
Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission to take back our streets.We will put thousands of new neighbourhood police and community support officers into local communities, so that residents have a named officer they can turn to when things go wrong.We will crack down on those causing havoc on our high streets by introducing tougher powers via a Crime and Policing Bill, including a new Respect Order to tackle repeat offending.
What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of levels of neighbourhood policing.
The Home Secretary has made a clear commitment to strengthen neighbourhood policing through the introduction of a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which includes the addition of thousands more neighbourhood police personnel, as part of the Government’s Safer Streets mission. Funding for 2025/26 will be subject to the Spending Review.
What steps her Department is taking to enhance the ability of the National Referral Mechanism to ensure quicker and more effective assistance for modern slavery victims.
The Government is committed to tackling modern slavery, prosecuting those responsible and supporting victims in their recovery.The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the UK’s framework for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. 17,004 potential victims of modern slavery were referred to the Home Office in 2023; the highest annual number since the NRM began in 2009 and a 628% increase since 2014.This unprecedented increase in the volume of referrals into the NRM has presented significant challenges in resourcing and workflow, and we recognise that wait times for Conclusive Grounds decisions are too long. Operational teams have invested heavily in seeking to address this and as a result numbers of people awaiting a Conclusive Grounds decision have dropped for the first time and timeliness is improving. We continue to strive for faster decisions for victims.In England and Wales, after referral to the National Referral Mechanism, adult victims can access specialist support from the government funded Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC). This support includes safe accommodation where necessary, financial support and a support worker to help them access wider support services, including medical treatment, legal aid, legal representatives, and legal advice. This support is available to all adult victims, including British nationals, based on an ongoing needs-based assessment.Local authorities are the primary service provider for safeguarding child victims regardless of their nationality or immigration status. Additionally, the Government has rolled out Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs) in two-thirds of Local Authorities in England and Wales. ICTGs provide an additional source of advice and support for potentially trafficked children, irrespective of nationality or immigration status. An ICTG’s advocacy and involvement throughout the decision-making process is intended to ensure the child is protected from further harm, prevent possible repeat victimisation, re-trafficking or going missing, and promote the child’s recovery.The Government has robust internal assurance processes in place to manage and assure projects and programmes. We are currently looking at how we ensure the long-term sustainability of these programmes to continue to meet the needs of both adult and child victims of modern slavery.
With reference to the findings on page 4 of the report by Women's Aid entitled The Price of Safety: The cost of leaving an abuser and rebuilding a safe, independent life, published in September 2024, what steps her Department is taking to close the estimated deficit between the cost of domestic violence survivor leaving an abuser and the financial support available from the state.
My officials have received the report by Women’s Aid Federation England and are reviewing its findings.The Government is committed to halving violence against women and girls within a decade and ensuring sufficient and effective victim support is a central part of this work. As part of our cross-Government approach, we will work with colleagues at the Department for Work and Pensions on future schemes.Decisions on future funding are subject to the outcomes of the ongoing Spending Review.
What steps her Department is taking to improve forensics as part of speeding up criminal investigations.
Fair and efficient police investigations and outcomes depend on the timely delivery of high-quality forensic science.We are working with PCCs, Chief Constables, the Forensic Science Regulator and other leaders in forensic science to ensure forensic services are reliable and robust.Government has also invested in a Digital Fingerprint Capability programme and a Digital Forensics Programme which are helping forces to access, develop, and deliver a more integrated forensic service and solutions to tackle forensics work more efficiently.