Written questions by Morrison.

What steps her Department is taking to support the Community Security Trust in safeguarding (a) synagogues, (b) Jewish schools and (c) other Jewish community locations.

There is no excuse for violence or abuse driven by antisemitic hatred and discrimination, and we support the police in taking strong action against those who carry out these crimes.This Government is committed to supporting the protection of Jewish communities against antisemitic attacks and other security threats.The Jewish Community Protective Security (JCPS) Grant provides protective security measures (such as security personnel services, CCTV and alarm systems) at synagogues, Jewish educational establishments and community sites. It is managed on behalf of the Home Office by the Community Security Trust.From 2024/25 to 2027/28, the Community Security Trust has been allocated £18 million annually through the JCPS Grant to continue this important work. We continue to work closely with the CST to ensure the safety and security of Jewish communities across the UK.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that survivors of child sexual abuse (a) receive support in a timely manner and (b) are assured that support will be provided.

The Home Office recognises the devastating impacts that child sexual exploitation and abuse can have on victims and survivors and is committed to ensuring that all victims and survivors, including men and boys, receive better care and support.As set out in the Government’s Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Progress Update in April, we are working across Government to develop ambitious proposals to improve therapeutic support services for victims of child sexual abuse.This year the Home Office is doubling funding for adult victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, to a total investment of £2.59 million in the Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (SVSCSA) fund. This includes funding for support helplines, in-person and remote counselling, group support, and training for professionals working with victims.We also recognise the importance of ensuring that all staff supporting victims have sufficient guidance on child sexual abuse to deliver effective trauma informed support. The Government is providing funding to the independent Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse to strengthen professional responses to child sexual abuse through evidence-based training and resources.In line with the Inquiries Act 2005, the Chair of the National Inquiry into Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, once appointed, will play a central role in shaping the inquiry’s Terms of Reference. These will be published in draft and consulted on with stakeholders, including victims and survivors, before being finalised. The Inquiry will have full statutory powers to investigate systemic and institutional failings wherever they are found.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including the adequacy of support services for adult survivors of child sexual abuse in the terms of reference for the planned independent inquiry into grooming gangs announced on 16 June 2025.

In line with the Inquiries Act 2005, the Chair of the National Inquiry into Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, once appointed, will play a central role in shaping the inquiry's Terms of Reference. These will be published in draft and consulted on with stakeholders, including victims and survivors, before being finalised. The Inquiry will have full statutory powers to investigate systemic and institutional failings wherever they are found. Where the Inquiry finds evidence of potential criminal wrongdoing, it will provide the material to the relevant police force for investigation.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of support services available to male survivors of child sexual abuse; and what plans she has to help improve those support services through (a) changes to her Department's (i) policies and (ii) guidance on safeguarding and (b) the terms of reference for the forthcoming inquiry into grooming gangs announced on 16 June 2025.

The Home Office recognises the devastating impacts that child sexual exploitation and abuse can have on victims and survivors and is committed to ensuring that all victims and survivors, including men and boys, receive better care and support.As set out in the Government’s Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Progress Update in April, we are working across Government to develop ambitious proposals to improve therapeutic support services for victims of child sexual abuse.This year the Home Office is doubling funding for adult victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, to a total investment of £2.59 million in the Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (SVSCSA) fund. This includes funding for support helplines, in-person and remote counselling, group support, and training for professionals working with victims.We also recognise the importance of ensuring that all staff supporting victims have sufficient guidance on child sexual abuse to deliver effective trauma informed support. The Government is providing funding to the independent Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse to strengthen professional responses to child sexual abuse through evidence-based training and resources.In line with the Inquiries Act 2005, the Chair of the National Inquiry into Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, once appointed, will play a central role in shaping the inquiry’s Terms of Reference. These will be published in draft and consulted on with stakeholders, including victims and survivors, before being finalised. The Inquiry will have full statutory powers to investigate systemic and institutional failings wherever they are found.

What discussions she has had with relevant stakeholders on the introduction of medals for emergency service personnel injured in the line of duty.

Any official award is a gift from the Government, on behalf of His Majesty The King to recognise individuals within policing and emergency services personnel. The creation of a new award requires cross Government consensus and approval from the Committee on The Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals, before advice is put to HM The King to make his final decision.The Home Office will continue to consider proposals for new awards for members of the emergency services. It is only right that we recognise the sacrifices made by the emergency services, and it is important to make sure this is considering fully and carefully to ensure any changes are proportionate and effective.

What steps she plans to take to support British National (Overseas) visa holders who (a) have nearly reached the end of the five-year settlement period and (b) will be subject to the planned ten-year settlement period.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future. Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in the normal way in due course, and where necessary, will be subject to consultation.In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply and guidance is available to applicants to help them make their application.We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.

What recent discussions she has had with representatives of British Nationals (Overseas) visa holders on the white paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future. Further details of all measures announced in the Immigration White Paper will be set out in the normal way in due course, and where necessary, will be subject to consultation.In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply and guidance is available to applicants to help them make their application.We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.

What steps she is taking to improve the (a) accuracy and (b) speed of her Department's decision-making processes for asylum seekers.

The Home Office continues to invest in a programme of transformation and business improvement, including innovative methods to speed up asylum decision making and improve the quality and consistency of our work. The latest quarter saw the second highest three-month period for people receiving initial decisions since comparable records began in 2002, and more than double (+116%) those in the three months before the election (April to June 2024).

What steps her Department is taking with local authorities to support the integration of refugees that have been granted leave to remain.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 26 June to Question 61436.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for his polices of levels of (a) presence and activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the UK and (b) potential threats to Iranian dissidents and UK-based journalists.

We do not routinely comment on the detail of operational matters or specific threats. The UK Government continually assesses potential threats to the UK and its residents and will continue to take the protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms and safety in the UK very seriously.Last month, I announced new measures to tackle state threats from Iran. This included our intention to place the Iranian state, including Iran’s Intelligence Services, the IRGC and MOIS, on the Enhanced Tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS). I also announced new training for all frontline police officers on state threats; further sanctions against Iranian-linked criminal groups; an independent review of the parts of our counter-terrorism framework which could be applied to state threats; continued support to the Jewish community; and strengthened enforcement of our immigration measures to protect the UK from Iranian interference. Finally, the National Protective Security Authority and Counter Terrorism Policing will continue to provide protective security advice and support to individuals and organisations threatened by the Iranian regime and its criminal proxies, including Persian language media organisations.The Government's top priority is our national security, and we will continue to use all appropriate tools at our disposal to protect the UK, and its people, from any Iran-linked threats.

What consultation process her Department undertook with (a) refugee advocacy organisations and (b) other stakeholders prior to implementing the changes to the Good Character: caseworker guidance.

We keep all aspects of the immigration system under review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Domestic Abuse Protection Order pilot in Greater Manchester; and what plans she has for the pilot’s evaluation ahead of its rollout across the region in 2025.

In November, we launched Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) in select areas including Greater Manchester. These orders are the first to introduce a robust range of restrictions for perpetrators such as the ability to impose electronic tagging and attendance on behaviour change programmes.In the short time since these orders have launched, we have seen them being used to protect a range of domestic abuse victims including those experiencing coercive and controlling behaviour, which could not be done previously. I am also very pleased to hear how forces like Greater Manchester Police are dealing with breaches swiftly and that custodial sentences have been obtained in some cases.The Home Office has commissioned an evaluation on the rollout of DAPOs to understand how they are working in practice. The evaluation will include an assessment of how police are resourcing DAPOs. Early findings will be used to help inform our plans for national rollout.

What steps her Department plans to take to review the strategy for Prevent in the context of (a) the Southport attacks and (b) other recent incidents.

The Home Secretary announced the creation of a new Independent Prevent Commissioner role in a statement to the House on 17 December 2024.The Commissioner role will help ensure Prevent is working effectively by reviewing its legislation, policies and operations and making sure it is implemented as intended.  It will also oversee and assure implementation of recommendations from reports, reviews, coronial processes, and Prevent Learning Reviews.Lord David Anderson KC was announced as the interim Commissioner on 21 January, to allow work to begin swiftly. Lord Anderson has been asked to conduct a rapid review of the perpetrators’ Prevent history in the case of the Southport murders and the murder of Sir David Amess. He will examine improvements made to Prevent since 2021 and determine whether they have sufficiently strengthened the Prevent system, and identify any remaining gaps or shortcomings that require further improvement and assure action to address them.An open competition to recruit the permanent Independent Prevent Commissioner was launched on 14 February.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of recent funding reductions to Prevent in Greater Manchester; and what plans she has to review long-term funding allocations for the programme.

All local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales have a statutory responsibility to deliver the Prevent duty as laid out in the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015. The duty has been in place for ten years and is well-embedded within local authority structures, including in the ten local authorities in Greater Manchester.Each year we carefully consider funding for the Prevent programme and lead an annual prioritisation process to determine those local authorities of highest threat and risk. This prioritisation process draws on a range of data sets and insights from national and local partners. In the next financial year, we will provide funding for specialist Prevent posts in the 27 highest risk priority local authority areas to help them to go above and beyond the normal requirements of the Prevent duty. In approximately 90% of local authorities, the Prevent Duty is implemented without that additional funding.In Greater Manchester, we will provide funding to Manchester City Council for four dedicated Prevent posts as well as funding for project delivery. One of these posts will support the regional delivery of Prevent across Greater Manchester. In addition, access to significant wider funding is available through the centrally managed Preventing Radicalisation Fund for projects that aim to reduce radicalisation risks across the Greater Manchester region. Other support is also available to all local authorities including dedicated training materials and the expertise and guidance of specialist Home Office Prevent advisers based in each region.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) Greater Manchester Police and (b) other police forces are adequately resourced to manage the increased demand on services resulting from the implementation of Domestic Abuse Protection Orders.

In November, we launched Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) in select areas including Greater Manchester. These orders are the first to introduce a robust range of restrictions for perpetrators such as the ability to impose electronic tagging and attendance on behaviour change programmes.In the short time since these orders have launched, we have seen them being used to protect a range of domestic abuse victims including those experiencing coercive and controlling behaviour, which could not be done previously. I am also very pleased to hear how forces like Greater Manchester Police are dealing with breaches swiftly and that custodial sentences have been obtained in some cases.The Home Office has commissioned an evaluation on the rollout of DAPOs to understand how they are working in practice. The evaluation will include an assessment of how police are resourcing DAPOs. Early findings will be used to help inform our plans for national rollout.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an Injury on Duty Award Scheme for members of the emergency services.

The Home Office will continue to consider proposals for new awards for members of the emergency services. It is only right that we recognise the sacrifices made by the emergency services, and it is important to make sure this is done in a proportionate and effective manner.Any official award is a gift from the Government, on behalf of His Majesty The King to recognise individuals within the service. The creation of a new award requires cross Government consensus and approval from the Committee on The Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (“HD Committee”), before advice is put to HM The King to make his final decision.

Whether her Department has made an impact assessment of changes in the numbers of Police Community Support Officers in Greater Manchester.

This Government wants to ensure that policing has the support that they need so that they can get back to tackling the issues that that matter to the public. That is why we are delivering an additional 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables ...