Tag: Home Office

The press release issued by the Home Office on 21 May 2024.

The changes will ensure that citizens can continue to prove their rights easily, and bring greater clarity for those required to check immigration status.

Changes to the EU Settlement Scheme announced today will ensure that all those granted pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme can continue to prove their rights easily, and bring greater clarity for those who are required to check immigration status, such as employers and landlords.

The changes support the Home Office’s practical implementation of the High Court judgment in the judicial review proceedings brought by the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (IMA).

In response to that judgment, we announced changes to the EU Settlement Scheme in July 2023 to ensure that nobody loses their immigration status if they do not apply to switch from pre-settled to settled status.

The Home Office has continued to work closely with the IMA on the implementation of the judgment. Having listened to concerns raised by the IMA and others about the potential implications for those affected by the judgment, the changes announced today will ensure it remains easy for status holders to demonstrate their rights in the UK.

The Home Office will change the duration of pre-settled status extensions from 2 to 5 years. The Home Office will also remove the pre-settled status expiry date from the digital profiles shown to third parties in the online checking services for Right to Work, Right to Rent and View and Prove.

Alongside this change, employers, landlords and letting agents will not be required to conduct a further right to work or rent check where the individual remains in their employment or as part of that tenancy agreement.

The EU Settlement Scheme has been a great success. As of 31 December 2023, 5.7 million people had secured their rights in the UK through the scheme, with 2 million holding pre-settled status and 3.7 million holding settled status.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 8 May 2024.

The move is part of a major package of measures to tighten defences against alleged malign activity by Russia across the UK and Europe.

A major package of measures to target and dismantle Russian intelligence gathering operations in the UK will be rolled out today, the Home Secretary has announced.

Today, the UK government will:

• expel the Russian defence attaché, an undeclared military intelligence officer
• remove diplomatic premises status from several Russian properties in the UK, including Seacox Heath – a Russia-owned property in Sussex – and the Trade and Defence Section in Highgate, which are believed to have been used for intelligence purposes
• impose new restrictions on Russian diplomatic visas, including capping the length of time Russian diplomats can spend in the UK

The UK has today summoned the Russian Ambassador to replay these measures and to reiterate that Russia’s actions will not be tolerated.

These actions, the latest in a string of robust measures taken against Russia to protect the UK, follow a pattern of malign activity carried out both here and abroad in the past year, which is believed to be linked to Russia.

That includes 5 Bulgarian nationals charged with conspiring to commit espionage activities in the UK on behalf of Russia. A sixth individual was later charged and legal proceedings for all are ongoing.

Last month, a further 5 individuals were the first to be charged in connection with an investigation into alleged offences under the National Security Act. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed at the time it related to alleged ‘hostile activity in the UK in order to benefit a foreign state – namely Russia”.

The UK and its allies have also attributed a number of malign cyber activity incidents in the UK to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) in recent years, such as targeting UK parliamentarians through spear-phishing campaigns, hacking and leaking UK-US trade documents and interference against a UK think tank working on defending democracy against disinformation.

In Europe, the Russian government has allegedly planned sabotage activities against military aid for Ukraine in Germany and Poland and carried out alleged espionage activity in Bulgaria and Italy; cyber and disinformation activities; air space violations; and GPS jamming with impact on civil aviation.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

These activities bear all the hallmarks of a deliberate campaign by Russia.

We are taking action to send a strong deterrence message to Russia and to further reduce the ability of the Russian Intelligence Services to threaten the UK.

We will stand firm in the face of the Russian threat to the UK and our way of life.

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said:

Since the illegal invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s attempts to undermine UK and European security have become increasingly brazen.

These measures are an unequivocal message to the Russian state – their actions will not go unanswered.

Alongside our friends and partners we will continue to stand with Ukraine and hold Russia accountable for its malign activity.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:

In addition to the major uplift in our support for Ukraine to £3 billion this year, we are taking robust action to prevent Russia’s malign activity from threatening the UK.

Together with our allies, we continue to send a powerful message to Putin that we will not tolerate his disruptive efforts and are not cowed by his threats – we will continue to stand up for freedom and democracy for as long as it takes.

Following Russia’s state-backed attack in Salisbury in 2018, the UK and its allies took unprecedented measures to make Europe a harder operating environment for the Russian intelligence services, including expelling 23 undeclared Russian intelligence officers from the UK.

Security is a top priority for this government and the National Security Act 2023 has delivered a range of measures to strengthen the UK’s efforts to detect, deter and disrupt state threats, including by enhancing police powers to investigate state threats activity to protect our people.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 7 May 2024.

Progress on immigration as numbers on key visa routes fall 24%, detentions start after passing of Rwanda law, and a major crackdown begins on illegal working.

The Home Secretary’s strong action to tackle both legal and illegal migration is working and delivering progress, as data reveals a dramatic drop in visa numbers, whilst the first flights to Rwanda draw closer as the first cohort of illegal migrants to be removed are detained.

New monthly visa statistics revealed that the Home Secretary’s comprehensive reforms to address unsustainable levels of legal migration are already starting to have a decisive impact. Visa applications across key routes affected by the changes fell by 24% in the first 3 months of 2024, compared with the same period last year.

This comes as the government has moved quickly to operationalise its landmark policy to stop the boats and deter migrants making perilous and illegal journeys across the channel. The first group of migrants set for removal to Rwanda are being detained following a series of Immigration Enforcement operations across the country, whilst the first migrant to arrive in Rwanda through the voluntary scheme was successfully relocated.

Meanwhile, leading food delivery companies have agreed to introduce enhanced security checks on their apps to prevent the market being abused by illegal workers, following a series of discussions with ministers and officials across government.

Home Secretary, James Cleverly, said:

Across the board our plan is working – we are delivering a fairer and stronger immigration system.

Legal migration reached grossly unsustainable levels, but we worked quickly to implement the changes I brought forward last year. The early signs show strong progress, and numbers will continue to fall.

And our partnership with Rwanda is moving forward at great speed. We must deter those risking their lives in the channel, and this week we have shown that we mean it when we say you will be detained and removed if you come here illegally.

Migration is a global issue, but the UK stands at the forefront of the response and we’re tackling it head on. With robust, innovative, and unrelenting action, we are delivering as promised.

New monthly visa statistics show falling numbers across Skilled Worker, Health and Care, and Study visa routes. This includes, in the first 3 months of the year, the number of student dependants fell by almost 80% compared to the same period last year, after a restriction was placed on most postgraduate students bringing family with them from January.

Later this month, the Migration Advisory Committee will complete their rapid review of the Graduate Route as part of the government’s plan to protect the integrity and quality of UK higher education and ensure it works in the best interests of the UK. The committee’s findings will be considered closely and the government will act if change is necessary.

The government’s full plan to cut legal migration would mean 300,000 who arrived last year would be unable to do so under the new rules and new monthly statistics will allow the public to see the impact of the full set of measures.

Following the passage into law of the Safety of Rwanda Act and the ratification of the Treaty with Rwanda, the Home Office has moved quickly to arrest and detain the initial cohort of migrants to be removed. Preparations are now being made to safely remove them to Rwanda where they can start rebuilding their lives, with a flight set to take off within 9 to 11 weeks.

Under the Migration and Economic Development Partnership the government is now also able to send those with no right to remain in the UK to Rwanda under the voluntary removals route, the first individual has been successfully relocated and is being fully supported.

As part of the government’s wider efforts to tackle and deter illegal migration, including cracking down on incentives to cross the channel, Minister Michael Tomlinson, the Minister for Countering Illegal Migration, and Minister Kevin Hollinrake, the Minister for Business and Trade, met with representatives from Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats. All 3 companies agreed to enhanced security checks on their apps to prevent account sharing by those looking for work who have no right to be in the UK.

They will now change their processes to ensure substitute riders are working in the UK legally and that right to work checks will be carried out, helping to protect the economy and legitimate workers.

Progress demonstrated comes as the government’s wider plan to tackle illegal migration continues to deliver. In 2023, small boat crossing fell by a third on the previous year whilst enforcement visits rose by 49% and arrests more than doubled. Returns of those with no right to be in the UK increased by two-thirds.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 23 April 2024.

38 million hours of police time could be saved under a plan supported by the government, as the drive continues to free up officers’ time so they can focus on keeping our streets safe.

In its response to the Policing Productivity Review, commissioned by the Home Office and published last autumn, the government has set out how £230 million will be spent over the next 4 years on new technology, such as live facial recognition and drones that will be used as first responders to meet the recommendations made by the independent Policing Productivity Team.

Previously announced in the spring budget, this investment will go towards innovation such as knife detection and artificial intelligence, including automatic redaction and translation, and will enable police to spend less time in the office, and more time in our communities.

The government will also be creating a new Centre for Police Productivity to provide the foundation for future improvements across policing. The centre will be integral to devising and implementing the further work raised in the review that could save the equivalent of an additional 20,000 police officers’ worth of time.

The productivity review also recommended many initiatives that the government has already started implementing, including the expansion of facial recognition, with £55.5 million committed to its rollout across the country over the next 4 years. This will include at least £4 million for bespoke mobile units that can be deployed in crowded areas to identify people wanted by the police.

The expansion of Right Care, Right Person, which sees those experiencing a mental health crisis receiving the most appropriate treatment in the right environment by health and social care professionals, could save up to a million police hours a year.

If just 500,000 officer hours were saved, the review estimates that officers in England could attend an additional 250,000 incidents of domestic abuse or over 300,000 burglaries.

Policing Minister Chris Philp said:

It is critical that our police officers are out on our streets, stopping criminals and supporting the public, and we will continue in our plan to remove any barriers that keep them from this.

I want to see cutting edge innovation ingrained in our policing, and the new Centre for Police Productivity and our reforms to cut red tape will remove the bureaucracy that holds officers back.

By investing millions in facial recognition, AI, and new knife detection technology, we will continue to give police the tools they need to rise to the challenge of modern policing.

The productivity review highlighted a range of work that can save police time, and the government has already started on much of this in the past few years.

Last year, the government also signed the National Partnership Agreement with health authorities and the police that will see Right Care, Right Person implemented in all police forces in England. The approach will free up considerable amounts of police time to focus on keeping our communities safe. Created by Humberside Police and the NHS in 2019, it is now much easier for staff in police control rooms to identify the right agency to respond at the outset when dealing with calls about individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.

Changes have also been made to the Home Office Counting Rules, so all reported crimes for a single incident will now consistently be recorded under the ‘principal offence’, rather than as multiple entries on a database that effectively duplicates information. A core recommendation in the review, the National Police Chiefs’ Council report estimated that 443,000 officer hours can be saved by simplifying crime recording – freeing up time that could be better spent cutting crime and keeping our streets safe.

The government is also going beyond the productivity review’s recommendations with technologies, including investing in the piloting of drones as first responders. This will look at stationing ‘drones in a box’ in strategic locations for deployment to incidents prior to the arrival of emergency services, to provide support to front line policing and police operations by enabling enhanced response times, informed decisions prior to arriving on scene, and increased safety of the public and officers.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 23 April 2024.

Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire promotes the UK’s balanced approach towards tackling drug use, with a focus on the challenge of synthetic opioids.

The UK is a long-standing member of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), which is the UN’s primary policy making forum for international cooperation on drugs. It is mandated to supervise the application of the international drug control treaties and meets annually. This year’s CND took place across 14-22 March and marked the mid-way point in a 10 year strategy, established by the 2019 Ministerial Declaration, to tackle the world drug situation, during which a critical review of collective progress and new, emerging challenges was undertaken.

The Rt Hon Chris Philp MP, Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire, attended to represent the UK and lead a cross-government delegation from Home Office, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department of Health and Social Care.

The minister delivered a national statement highlighting the government’s approach towards tackling drugs and made several pledges to work closely with global partners to tackle drugs supply, to deliver the UK Addiction Mission through collaborative working and innovation, and to ensure that treatment and recovery services are evidence-led and widely available. High-level attendees also included US Secretary of State Blinken, Colombian Foreign Minister Murillo, EU DG HOME Commissioner Ylva Johansson, and Bolivia’s Vice President Choquehuanca.

Minister Philp used the CND as a platform to bring the increasing risk of synthetic opioids to the top of the international agenda, through bilateral discussions and by chairing a high-level panel discussion with US White House drug “czar” Dr Rahul Gupta, who noted that “The US appreciates the UK’s leadership in drawing global attention to dangerous synthetic opioids and looks forward to deepening our partnership to help protect public health and safety.”

The high-level side event also included speakers from the South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau and the UNODC’s Executive Director, Ghada Waly, to share perspectives and responses to synthetic opioids, helping to raise awareness of the threat posed by nitazenes. Minister Philp described a range of activity led by UK government:

We are doing work upstream, with countries around the world where drugs are cultivated, countries through which drugs transit, often using the National Crime Agency, which is the UK equivalent of the FBI. We have had some very notable successes in making large scale seizures of heroin and cocaine out of the UK when they have been in transit. We are also doing a lot of work at the border, with the UK Border Force, to try to intercept drugs as they enter the United Kingdom… We have a lot of work going on combatting organised criminal gangs, domestically targeting them. We also enforce against drug consumption, particularly drug consumption in public. So, law enforcement is a critical and indispensable component in the fight against crime. But law enforcement on its own is not enough. We’re also investing very heavily in a world class treatment and recovery system. We’re investing an additional £780m, that’s almost £1 billion, over three years, to increase capacity in our treatment system. If we can get people treated successfully then the demand for drugs will reduce. And the associated criminality will reduce – both the criminality associated with drug supply, but also the addict committing crime to fund the offence.

The minister stressed the importance of tackling the emerging challenge of synthetic opioids, through zero-tolerance law enforcement, early warning systems, treatment, and international cooperation:

We established the taskforce, and it reaches across government, with various agencies involved – the Ministry of Justice, the National Crime Agency, the Home Office, the Department for Health, the domestic police, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, as this is ultimately an international problem with international supply chains that cross the globe.

We think that information and monitoring system is important so that, as this threat potentially develops, we can act very quickly to try to combat it… We are a very enthusiastic member of the US-led Global Coalition Against Synthetic Drugs. We will do everything we can to work with and support our American friends and allies, and countries around the world, to tackle this treat. And that is really what brought me here to Vienna today, as it’s only through international cooperation: by working together on supply, working together on law enforcement, sharing best practice, and by sharing what works in terms of treatment. By working together, we can beat the threat of synthetic opioids.

This emerging threat has also seen media attention, with minister Philp publishing an op-ed in The Times, to coincide with his visit and the government banning 15 synthetic opioids on 20 March.

The regular CND segment which followed the high-level event was led by officials from across Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Department of Health and Social Care and the Joint Combating Drugs Unit. The regular segment focused on the negotiation of 4 resolutions and voting on 23 substances to be place under international control. The UK played an active role in the 4 resolutions and continued to work closely with likeminded countries, to defend commitments on gender equality, human rights and civil society engagement.

CND ultimately provides an important platform, from which the UK promotes its balanced approach towards tackling drug use and related harms, maintains our international reputation, builds links with a range of international partners, and progresses the government’s ambitions on drugs and wider strategic policy aims.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 23 April 2024.

Final phase of implementing the flagship policy to commence, marking a crucial step in the global response to illegal migration.

UK government efforts to stop the boats and tackle illegal migration took a major step forward, after the Safety of Rwanda Bill completed its passage through Parliament overnight, Monday 22 April.

The Bill’s passing means the government can enter the final phase of operational planning to get flights off the ground to Rwanda, pioneering a new response to the global challenge of illegal migration.

Robust operational plans are in place to ensure a first flight to Rwanda can be delivered within 10-12 weeks, with multiple flights set to take off after this.

The landmark legislation means that going forward, Rwanda should be deemed a safe country for the purposes of relocating people, including in UK courts and tribunals.

It will prevent legal challenges from being used to delay or halt a person’s removal to Rwanda on the grounds that Rwanda is generally unsafe, or that an individual will be returned to an unsafe country after removal to Rwanda – an act known as refoulement.

The Bill makes it unambiguously clear that UK Parliament is sovereign, and the validity of any Act of Parliament is unaffected by international law. Ministers will be able to retain the decision on whether to comply with interim measures from the European Court of Human Rights, for example, a Rule 39 injunction.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

This vital legislation means we can now proceed with our Rwanda plan and begin removing people with no right to be here.

The only way to stop the boats is to eliminate the incentive to come – by making clear that if you are here illegally, you will not be allowed to stay.

Our policy does exactly that and plans are well under way to begin flights within 10-12 weeks.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

The passing of this landmark legislation is not just a step forward but a fundamental change in the global equation on migration.

We introduced the Rwanda Bill to deter vulnerable migrants from making perilous crossings and break the business model of the criminal gangs who exploit them. The passing of this legislation will allow us to do that and make it very clear that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay.

Our focus is to now get flights off the ground, and I am clear that nothing will stand in our way of doing that and saving lives.

The government is ready to deliver a first relocation flight and teams are working at pace to prepare. This includes:

• an airfield on standby and commercial charter planes booked for specific slots
• detention spaces increased to 2,200
• 200 trained dedicated caseworkers are ready and waiting to quickly process claims
• the judiciary have made available 25 courtrooms to deal with any legal cases quickly and decisively
• to escort illegal migrants all the way to Rwanda, we have 500 highly trained individuals ready, with 300 more trained in the coming weeks.

Responding to the concerns raised by the Supreme Court, the Safety of Rwanda Bill was introduced in December last year and builds upon the UK-Rwanda Treaty.

Together, these measures and evidence of changes in Rwanda since summer 2022, will allow government to implement the policy, supporting the wider plan to stop the boats by removing the incentive to come here illegally.

The new law, which is one of the toughest pieces of legislation ever introduced, builds upon the Treaty, reflecting the strength of the Government of Rwanda’s protections and commitments relocated to Rwanda in accordance with the Treaty. It also:

• confirms that, with the new Treaty, Rwanda is safe
• prevents UK courts and tribunals from delaying or preventing a person’s removal to Rwanda on matters relating only to the general safety of Rwanda
• allows for an exceptionally narrow route to individual challenge to ensure that the courts will interpret the relevant provisions in accordance with the will of Parliament
• disapplies relevant sections of the Human Rights Act 1998
• confirms that only a Minister of the Crown can decide whether to comply with an interim measure issued by the European Court of Human Rights.

In November 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the lawfulness of resettling illegal migrants for the purposes of determining their asylum claims, but required more assurance that they would not be refouled.

The internationally binding Treaty between Rwanda and the UK was announced by the Government in response to this finding and introduces measures to make clear Rwanda will not return anyone to an unsafe country.

Under the Treaty, Rwanda has also introduced a strengthened end-to-end asylum system, including a new, specialist asylum appeals tribunal to consider individual appeals against any refused claims. It will have two co-presidents, from Rwanda and from another Commonwealth country, and be made up of judges from a mix of nations.

The Treaty also enhances the role of the independent Monitoring Committee, which will ensure adherence to obligations under the Treaty and have the power to set its own priority areas for monitoring.

But this significant step forward remains just one part of the government’s wider plan to stop the boats. Solid progress has been made, with the number of small boat arrivals falling by more than a third in 2023. Our work with international partners prevented more than 26,000 crossings last year, as well as helping to dismantle 82 organised crime groups since July 2020.

Our new agreement with Albania has cut Albanian small boat arrivals by more than 90 per cent; and we recently signed a ground-breaking deal with Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, marking another crucial step in securing our borders.

The Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent in the coming days.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 22 April 2024.

The government has announced measures making it easier for police to apply for stalking protection orders, meaning more victims will be protected earlier.

It will be easier for police to protect victims and apply for a stalking protection order at the earliest opportunity under new plans announced today (Monday 22 April) by the Minister for Victims and Safeguarding, marking the first day of National Stalking Awareness Week.

Under updated statutory guidance, published today, police officers are instructed that they will no longer need to meet the high criminal standard of proof threshold in order to apply for a stalking protection order. Instead evidence which meets the lower civil standard will likely be accepted by courts to apply a stalking protection order.

Stalking protection orders were introduced in January 2020 and protect victims by addressing the perpetrator’s behaviours before they become entrenched or become more severe.

Under the orders, perpetrators can face restrictions such as having to notify the police of their whereabouts or travel. If breached, an individual faces prison time of up to 5 years.

Minister for Victims and Safeguarding, Laura Farris said:

Stalking is a complex form of abuse, and it can have a devastating impact on the lives of victims and their families. Sadly, it can end in the most tragic circumstances.

We must continue to treat stalking with the utmost gravity. Having doubled the maximum sentence and introduced a new civil order to protect victims, we know there is more we must do.

Lowering the standard of proof that must be met to grant these orders will make a big difference to how easily victims can access protection. I will continue to work closely with the police to improve how they can support victims of this disturbing crime.

In recognition of the impact of public sexual harassment on victims, especially women, the government backed the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023, which introduces a specific offence for public sexual harassment.

The new offence, which will see perpetrators face up to 2 years in jail, will come into force from 1 October 2024.

To mark National Stalking Awareness week, the minister visited the Suzy Lamplugh trust to see the vital support given to stalking victims, including the National Stalking Helpline, which the Home Office funds with over £160,000 annually. This enabled them to answer more than 8,000 calls and emails from or relating to victims of stalking between April 2023 and March 2024.

In-keeping with the week’s theme of ‘multi-agency working’, the Home Office will work with criminal justice agencies such as the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and College of Policing to consider the findings of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust’s super-complaint into the police’s handling of stalking cases.

Together with the agencies, the government will formulate a multi-agency response to any recommendations when they are published in the summer.

Emma Lingley-Clark, Interim CEO of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, said:

We welcome announcements from government that they are updating statutory guidance on Stalking Protection Orders (SPO) to instruct police officers that they will no longer need to meet the higher criminal standard of proof threshold in order to make an application. We know that this requirement can act as a barrier to victims getting immediate protection when they need it the most. However there is an urgent need to increase the use of SPOs across the country and improve understanding amongst police officers given the extremely low uptake and lack of knowledge within police forces currently. Every victim should have the opportunity to access an SPO when they choose to report stalking to the police.

NPCC’s Lead for Stalking and Harassment, Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills, said:

Stalking is a highly impactive crime, which leaves victims fearful of what their stalker may do next. Without appropriate intervention and safeguarding, the potential for the risk to victims to escalate quickly is very real.

It’s important that within policing, and as a society, we recognise the patterns of stalking and acknowledge the risk that it poses to victims.

The police service is continuing to work hard to improve and standardise its response to stalking. Over the last number of years we have improved training, rolled out the use of Stalking Protection Orders and launched a new assessment tool to assist officers to identify and better act upon the signs of stalking. In addition, we have introduced embedding dedicated officers in forces to better support and safeguard victims.

However, we know that there is more to do to improve criminal justice system outcomes for victims in these cases and ensure a consistent response in all cases of stalking. We continue to work with partners, other agencies and charities to bring about these important changes.

Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Olivia Rose, national lead for stalking at the CPS, said:

Stalking impacts so much of a victim’s life, and our prosecutors carefully consider this alongside the evidence available when they’re building a robust case.

We take this offending seriously, identifying relevant protective orders and assessing whether a new offence has been committed if an order is breached. This provides added protection for victims, as it enables the court to consider the totality of offending when sentencing and to issue focused protective orders.

The CPS remains focused on bringing offenders of stalking to justice and driving improvements in these cases, which often involve violence against women and girls.

Kathleen Spencer Chapman, Director of Communications, Advocacy and UK Programmes at Plan International UK, says:

The government’s announcement that the law to tackle public sexual harassment will become legally enforceable from 1 October, alongside new measures to better protect victims of stalking, is a significant milestone towards making the UK’s streets safer for girls and women. It’s thanks to all the girls who have shared their stories and tirelessly campaigned that these stronger protections for harassment survivors are being implemented.

Public sexual harassment is an everyday reality for girls, that restricts their freedom and impacts their mental health. Girls have a right to feel safe wherever they are, and we hope this new offence will change how public sexual harassment is dealt with by the police, in our courts and in public, giving girls the route to justice they expect and deserve and helping change the attitudes that make too many perpetrators feel they can harass without consequences.

While there is more to do, this is the latest in a series of actions the government has taken to tackle stalking and harassment and protect victims.

In 2012, we created two new stalking offences in order to highlight stalking as a specific behaviour. Through the Policing and Crime Act 2017 the maximum sentences for the most serious harassment and stalking were increased from 5 to 10 years’ imprisonment.

Our landmark Online Safety Act also includes stalking offences in the list of specified ‘priority offences’. Priority offences represent the most serious and prevalent illegal content and activity online, and companies will need to take proactive steps to tackle such content, for example preventing users from encountering it.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 22 April 2024.

The UK is to become the first country in the world to proscribe the Terrorgram collective after a draft proscription order has been laid against the group in Parliament today (22 April), the Home Secretary has confirmed.

The Terrorgram collective is an online network of neo-fascist terrorists who produce and disseminate violent propaganda to encourage those who consume its content to engage in terrorist activity.

If agreed by Parliament, the order will come into effect on 26 April. This means that it will be a criminal offence to belong to, invite support for, or in certain circumstances, display articles associated with the network. Certain proscription offences can be punishable by up to 14 years in prison and/or an unlimited fine.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

The Terrorgram collective spreads vile propaganda and aims to radicalise young people to conduct heinous terrorist acts. This is why we are outlawing membership or support for the group – we will not tolerate the promotion or encouragement of terrorism in the United Kingdom.

It will become the first online terrorist network to be proscribed, alongside 80 other Extreme Right-Wing and Islamist organisations, as we continue to disrupt and outlaw terrorist groups to protect the British people.

The UK is the first country to proscribe this organisation, demonstrating the government’s commitment to tackle Extreme Right-Wing terrorism and online radicalisation in all forms. It also showcases the ability of the proscription tool to be applied to an online terrorist network, and is the first time it has been used in this way.

Following an internal review, the term ‘Extreme Right-Wing Terrorism’ was adopted as the umbrella term to make it clear that those who hold mainstream right-wing views will not be in scope of any action by counter-terrorism authorities.

The Terrorgram collective glorify attacks committed by neo-fascist terrorists, who they consider to be ‘saints,’ and encourage replication of such heinous attacks including by disseminating instructional material to help others prepare to commit acts of terrorism.

In addition to the proscription offences, several other Terrorism Act 2000 (TACT) offences continue to apply to terrorist offending online. For example, section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000 makes it a criminal offence for a person to collect or possess information, or to view it online, which is likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing for acts of terrorism.

The Terrorgram collective is the 6th extreme right-wing group to be proscribed, standing alongside 75 groups proscribed for extreme Islamist or other ideologies, and 14 Northern Ireland-related groups. It also subscribes to militant accelerationist and neo-fascist ideologies, notably pursuing the collapse of the Western world and a ‘Race War’ through violent acts of terrorism, and often seeks to target young individuals to adopt their ideology.

They have previously published propaganda material designed to incite violence against ethnic and religious communities, with calls for antisemitic violence. Their propaganda also contains violent narratives that glorified the perpetrator of the 2022 Slovakia attack at a LGBTQ+ nightclub shooting, which resulted in the death of 2 people, who credited Terrorgram and its publications in his manifesto.

Whilst Islamist-inspired terrorism continues to represent the greatest terrorist threat to UK interests, the threat from Extreme-Right Wing Terrorism is growing and evolving, particularly through the radicalisation of increasingly younger individuals from dangerous online content.

Proscription grants Counter Terrorism Policing the power to compel tech companies and social media platforms to remove or block the organisation’s online content for UK users, which will be now illegal.

It is also illegal under Section 2 of the Terrorism Act 2006 to disseminate terrorist publications including circulating, selling, or transmitting a terrorist publication online.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

The Terrorgram collective is a dangerous neo-fascist organisation that actively encourages and promotes terrorist activity.

We must do everything in our power to deter and limit the reach of hateful and terrorist ideologies, and to protect the most vulnerable in our society. Proscribing the Terrorgram collective will do just that.

The government will always use the breadth of tools available to tackle online terrorist content. The Home Office works closely with tech companies to ensure they uphold their legal obligations with regards to removing illegal terrorist content.

The Terrorgram collective will become the 81st group to be proscribed by the UK, including ISIS, National Action and the recently proscribed Wagner Group and Hizb ut-Tahrir.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 18 April 2024.

Home Office criminal and financial investigators arrested 4 suspected people smugglers.

Four men have been arrested after a nationwide crackdown on a network suspected of smuggling migrants into the UK by air, land and sea.

Home Office teams carried out dawn raids at addresses across the country yesterday (Wednesday 17 April), detaining the suspects for further questioning.

Addresses were targeted in Huddersfield, Middlesbrough, Southampton and Stockport as Immigration Enforcement officers swooped on figures involved with the prolific people smuggling network. Those arrested are of British and Kurdish nationality.

The men are believed to be responsible for dozens of attempts to bring people into the UK illegally, via commercial airline flights, hidden in cars and on ferries.

As many as 50 people are thought to have entered the UK illegally since 2022 via this criminal network. The migrants are predominantly Kurdish and Vietnamese nationals.

The group’s operations are believed to have spanned Europe, with smuggling attempts taking place across the UK’s borders with the Republic of Ireland and France.

Intelligence suggests the suspects have been supplying and manufacturing false travel documents, including passports, national identity cards and blank visas. It is believed they have been charging more than £1,000 per document.

Minister for Countering Illegal Migration, Michael Tomlinson, said:

We’re working day and night to dismantle the criminal gangs who are trying to turn a profit by abusing our borders.

These arrests make clear if you are involved in this kind of criminality, you can expect our teams to find you and bring you to justice – wherever you are in the UK.

More than 10,500 enforcement visits took place in the first 9 months of 2023 – up 53% compared to the same period in 2022.  In 2023 alone, Home Office Immigration Enforcement secured the convictions of 141 people smugglers, including 80 people for piloting small boats.

Home Office Criminal and Financial Investigator, Paul Harvey, said:

This has been a large and well-planned operation executed across the entire country. We are working tirelessly to disrupt and dismantle the networks of criminals helping migrants to enter the UK illegally.

I’m grateful to my team for their commitment and determination in this investigation. We will now work hard to ensure these suspects are put behind bars.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 18 April 2024.

UK and Vietnam agree closer cooperation to stop the boats.

The UK has signed an agreement with Vietnam to increase cooperation on tackling illegal migration and stop Vietnamese people risking their lives by crossing the English Channel.

Minister for Countering Illegal Migration, Michael Tomlinson, and Senior Colonel Vu Van Hung from Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security, signed a joint statement of cooperation in London on 17 April to reaffirm the countries’ strong partnership.

The agreement comes as an increasing number of Vietnamese migrants have arrived in the UK via small boats this year. From 2018 to the end of 2023 there were 3,356 Vietnamese small boat arrivals, putting Vietnam in the top 10 countries.

Earlier this week (Monday 15 April), Home Secretary James Cleverly spoke with his Vietnamese counterpart General To Lam and agreed a strong set of measures to tackle visa abuse, increase intelligence sharing, deterrence messages, and continue a successful returns process for illegal migrants from the UK to their home country.

The UK and Vietnam committed to:

• strengthen collaboration on deterrence communication campaigns to stop dangerous journeys in small boats
• increase intelligence-sharing to tackle visa abuse
• continue to facilitate the process for the return of those with no right to remain in the UK
• develop a joint action plan in tackling human trafficking to prevent vulnerable people and disrupt people trafficking
• continue to maintain direct and effective mechanisms and communication channels to share information
• promote legal routes

Minister for Countering Illegal Migration, Michael Tomlinson, said:

Illegal migration is a global problem that requires global solutions. This agreement is an important step with a valued partner to ensure we are working in lockstep to end exploitation by people-smuggling gangs, and to save lives.

Only through continued close cooperation with our international partners will we dismantle the criminal networks profiting from this evil trade, and stop the boats.

Senior Colonel Vu Van Hung said:

The UK and Vietnam share a strong strategic partnership and are celebrating 51 years of diplomatic relations. Apart from collaborations in trade, education, research, technology innovation and climate change, tackling illegal migration and human trafficking is hugely important and mutually beneficial to both countries. We are committed to working together on ensuring safe and legal routes and protecting victims of human trafficking.

In March, the Home Office launched a social media campaign in Vietnam to highlight the risks of crossing the Channel in small boats.