Topical Questions

Katrina Murray (Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch) (Lab) asked the Home Secretary what she is doing to prioritise women's online safety and how she is engaging with the devolved administrations to address sexual harassment and the exploitation of women. The Home Secretary acknowledged the importance of the issue and stated that the Government's mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade will require collaboration with the devolved administrations, local communities, and organisations. She also noted that the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology is prioritising action on online deepfake abuse. The shadow Home Secretary, James Cleverly (Braintree) (Con), questioned the Home Secretary about asylum accommodation costs, asking if she would be drawing down from Treasury reserves to pay for them. The Home Secretary responded by criticising the previous government's handling of the asylum system, stating that the current government is making savings by getting the system back in order. Steve Race (Exeter) (Lab) raised concerns about the use of hotel accommodation for refugee women and girls, who are at risk of abuse and coercion. The Home Secretary acknowledged the challenges posed by the backlog and the need to end the use of hotel accommodation, while also addressing the issue of violence against women and girls. Lisa Smart (Hazel Grove) (LD) asked the Home Secretary to commit to urgently appointing a Windrush commissioner, as promised in June. The Home Secretary stated that a Windrush commissioner will be appointed, as the Windrush scandal is a stain on the British state that needs to be righted. Alan Strickland (Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor) (Lab) and Jacob Collier (Burton and Uttoxeter) (Lab) both asked about the steps the Government will take to put more police officers on the streets, following the reduction in police numbers under the previous government. The Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, highlighted the neighbourhood policing guarantee, which aims to put 13,000 police officers, PCSOs, and specials back on the streets. Luke Taylor (Sutton and Cheam) (LD) asked about the specific measures being taken to better support victims of stalking and the plans for officer training. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, Jess Phillips, stated that the government is looking at strengthening stalking protection orders and reviewing stalking laws, as well as the training needed for officers to handle cases of violence against women and girls. Blake Stephenson (Mid Bedfordshire) (Con) and Jack Abbott (Ipswich) (Lab/Co-op) both raised the issue of the police funding formula, calling for a review to ensure fair funding for rural and urban areas. The Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, acknowledged the importance of the issue and stated that the sector is engaged in the process of considering police funding as part of the spending review. Steve Yemm (Mansfield) (Lab) questioned the outrage from Conservative members about the security considerations for Taylor Swift's concerts in London, and the Home Secretary responded that the security of people should be taken seriously to prevent terrorist, extremist, and criminal threats. Dame Karen Bradley (Staffordshire Moorlands) (Con), the new Chair of the Home Affairs Committee, welcomed the news of 200 new personnel to process modern slavery claims and asked for more information about the new staff and their training. The Home Secretary agreed to provide the details. Paul Foster (South Ribble) (Lab) raised concerns about the obligations imposed by the Data Protection Act 2018 on the police, which he said delay and obstruct the progress of the criminal justice system. The Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, acknowledged the issue and stated that the government is exploring ways to improve guidance, streamline processes, and reduce unnecessary burdens on the police and prosecutors. Nick Timothy (West Suffolk) (Con) questioned the Home Secretary about the cost savings associated with ending the retrospective element of the duty to remove, and the Home Secretary responded by defending the impact assessment and the costs inherited from the previous government. Tim Roca (Macclesfield) (Lab) asked for an update on the progress of returns and deportations of illegal migrants, and the Home Secretary stated that the government has increased enforced returns by more than 20% over the summer and increased the number of charter flights. Ben Maguire (North Cornwall) (LD) asked the Minister to consider scrapping the role of police and crime commissioners, but the Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, stated that the government has no plans to do so, as the role is valuable in enabling the government's missions to be enacted locally. Dr Marie Tidball (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Lab) asked the Home Secretary to commit to properly tackling the issue of noisy off-road bikes, and the Home Secretary stated that the government wants to strengthen the law to give the police more powers to address this problem. Sir David Davis (Goole and Pocklington) (Con) asked the Home Secretary about her previous call to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the Minister for Security, Dan Jarvis, responded that the government is leading work on countering Iranian state threats and keeping the list of proscribed organisations under review. Jon Pearce (High Peak) (Lab) raised concerns about the increase in antisemitic incidents at UK universities, which he attributed to the Iranian regime's activities on campuses. The Minister for Security, Dan Jarvis, stated that the government takes the protection of individuals' rights, freedoms, and safety incredibly seriously, wherever threats may originate. Mike Martin (Tunbridge Wells) (LD) asked about the implementation of the recommendations from the Fairfield review into the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and the Home Secretary acknowledged the need to speed up the decision-making process and the challenges inherited from the previous government. Dan Tomlinson (Chipping Barnet) (Lab) invited the Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, to attend a car theft summit in his constituency, and she accepted the invitation. Dave Doogan (Angus and Perthshire Glens) (SNP) raised concerns about a fraud investigation involving a business in his constituency, and the Minister for Security, Dan Jarvis, agreed to meet with him to discuss the matter further. Clive Lewis (Norwich South) (Lab) thanked the Home Secretary for releasing the Home Office commissioned report on the historical roots of the Windrush scandal, and asked to meet with her and other representatives to discuss its recommendations. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, Seema Malhotra, agreed to the meeting. Richard Tice (Boston and Skegness) (Reform) expressed concerns about two-tier justice, and the Home Secretary defended the operational independence of the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the courts, while emphasizing the importance of supporting police officers who face violence and attacks. Gregor Poynton (Livingston) (Lab) raised the issue of the increasing amount of AI-generated child sexual abuse content available online, and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, Jess Phillips, stated that the government intends to set up new taskforces to address this issue in collaboration with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Finally, Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP) asked about the efforts to show young people the opportunities available in the police force, and the Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, responded that the government wants to recruit from the widest possible groups and encourage young people to consider a career in policing.