Tag: Home Office

The press release issued by the Home Office on 13 December 2023.

A new strategy has been launched to tackle the domestic and international threat of serious and organised crime.

A new strategy aimed at tackling the growing threat of serious and organised crime has been announced by the Home Secretary as the government steps up action to clamp down on criminal gangs operating in and against the UK.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) estimate that there are at least 59,000 people in the UK involved in serious and organised crime and that it costs the UK at least £47 billion each year, equating to the cost of building around 450 new hospitals or supplying around 730,000 more affordable homes outside of London.

The new strategy, which builds on the work already underway by government and law enforcement, sets out further action to eradicate complex criminal networks, including through the NCA, which received record investment in 2023/24. It also empowers local forces to tackle these illicit crimes in their communities and sets out work overseas to prevent exploitation, such as modern slavery and human trafficking.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

Serious and organised crime threatens our national security and prosperity, degrades society and causes serious harm to individuals and businesses up and down the country.

Through investment in innovative and cutting-edge policing capabilities and tactics, collaboration with international partners, as well as creating new criminal offences, we will disrupt and dismantle organised crime groups and those who enable them.

Through the strategy, the government will strengthen local communities’ resilience to serious and organised crime, ensuring once a gang has been dismantled, the area does not become the target for another group to take its place.

By rolling out the ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ policing tactic to every police force in England and Wales by next spring, police and local partners will be empowered to ‘clear’ their communities of these gangs, prevent criminals from exploiting the vacuum created by the initial disruption in the ‘hold’ phase, and tackle the local drivers of crime. This will stop further serious and organised crime becoming re-established in the future,  ‘building’ a safer community for the next generation.

This approach is already in operation in 18 forces across 31 sites to date. In Easington Lane, on the outskirts of Sunderland, there has been a 45% reduction in anti-social behaviour since January 2022 and in Barnet, the Metropolitan Police Service arrested 160 individuals for 272 offences, including murder, aggravated burglary and kidnap, in the first 2 months of the programme.

The government is also bringing in new powers in the Criminal Justice Bill to ensure the police have the tools they need to disrupt serious and organised crime. This includes prohibiting articles used by criminal gangs, such as templates for 3D printed firearm components, pill presses and vehicle concealments, as well as banning electronic devices such as signal jammers used in vehicle theft.

The bill will also strengthen Serious Crime Prevention Orders, making it easier for police and other law enforcement agencies to place restrictions on offenders or suspected offenders and stop them from participating in further crime.

The government will also back UK police with a further £5 million to help them step up their response to organised immigration crime, including work by the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Unit.

Noting the international nature of many criminal networks, the strategy highlights the vital work of the new Joint International Crime Centre. Launched in April 2023, this combines resources in the NCA and NPCC to respond to the growing threat from criminality that crosses international borders and impacts the UK. This involves coordinating and supporting the UK’s international law enforcement response, and hosting the UK’s National Extradition Unit, the UK’s Europol National Unit, and the INTERPOL National Central Bureau.

Today’s strategy also sets out how the government will build on these efforts to tackle exploitation overseas, including modern slavery and human trafficking, with a further £24 million allocated to the Modern Slavery Fund. Since 2016, this has supported thousands of potential victims, as well as protected survivors from further harm.

The funding will support programmes aimed at preventing exploitation, and protecting victims of modern slavery in Albania, Vietnam and Romania. This includes a project in Vietnam that provides training and employment opportunities to individuals in country who have previously been victims of modern slavery in the UK, or those vulnerable to exploitation by people traffickers.

It will also support the Modern Slavery Innovation Fund, which is building the evidence base of what works to reduce vulnerability to exploitation and prevent forced labour in UK supply chains. This funding goes directly to non-governmental organisations in more than 12 countries.

As part of wider efforts to tackle illegal immigration to the UK, which has seen small boat arrivals decrease by more than a third this year, the government has also doubled its funding for Project INVIGOR to £74.1 million for this year and next. This aims to target smugglers’ business model and relentlessly pursue people who facilitate organised immigration crime.

The strategy also sets out the government’s efforts to tackle economic crime. Through the Fraud Strategy, the government is working with industry, intelligence agencies, and law enforcement to crack down on increased prevalence of fraud as organised crime groups exploit new and emerging technologies to target the public. The Home Secretary has also authorised for the Director General of the NCA to be given the power to direct the Serious Fraud Office, in relation to matters of serious and complex fraud, bribery and corruption.

The government has made notable progress on the Fraud Strategy commitments to tackle online scams by signing a world-first online fraud charter with 12 of the biggest tech companies to clamp down on online scams and fake advertisements affecting their users. Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Google and others committed to bringing in a raft of measures to help protect people from fraudulent and scam content when using their sites.

Furthermore, the government is creating new laws through the Criminal Justice Bill that prohibit the possession and supply of SIM farms with no good reason and provide law enforcement with a new power to suspend domain names and IP addresses used for criminal activity including fraudulent purposes. The government will also be launching an anti-fraud communications campaign in the new year to raise public awareness on how to spot and avoid fraud.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 12 December 2023.

Thousands of products containing endangered plant and animal species have been seized by Border Force as part of an intensive international operation to target the criminal networks behind wildlife crime.

During October – as part of the month long Operation Thunder – Border Force officers made 145 seizures containing thousands of wildlife products which are banned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES).

Seizures included clothes and accessories made from snakeskin and turtle shell, ivory products, as well as consumer health products containing cactus and orchid, crocodile blood and caviar.

The team also found 53 live birds across three different seizures. Border Force look to rehome any live animals found where possible.

Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery Tom Pursglove MP said:

The illegal wildlife trade is driven by criminal gangs and threatens species with extinction, fuels corruption, and deprives the world’s poorest communities of sustainable livelihoods.

Border Force plays a leading global role in eradicating this damaging illegal trade and our recent successes under Operation Thunder are proof of this.

Dr Mark Jones, Head of Policy for Born Free, said:

Wildlife trafficking is serious, organised, transnational, and increasing. It is also closely tied to other forms of serious crime, such as corruption, fraud and money laundering. All too often, criminal gangs view wildlife trafficking as a low-risk high-return activity.

The work of Border Force in interrupting the trafficking of wildlife products across the UK’s borders is critical to the UK’s efforts to tackle this scourge.

With so much of the world’s wildlife in crisis, it’s vital that our enforcement agencies are properly resourced to enable this essential and highly specialised work to continue.

Wildlife crime is estimated to be worth up to £17 billion globally per year, and is the fourth largest international crime according to Interpol, behind only arms, drugs and human trafficking.

Operation Thunder is a global effort to target the illegal wildlife trade and is co-led by Interpol and the World Customs Organisation. This year saw over 133 countries participating alongside the UK, the highest global participation since the campaign launched in 2017.

Internationally, there were 2,114 seizures and some 500 arrests. Among the seizures were more than 300kg of ivory, thousands of turtle eggs, 30 tonnes of plants, dozens of big cat body parts and rhino horns, as well as primates, birds and marine species.

The UK is a global leader in supporting efforts to halt the decline in nature, protect wildlife and restore the natural world. Government work will help to deliver on the ambitious new global deal for nature agreed at the UN Nature Summit COP15 in December 2023, which will protect 30% of our land and ocean by 2030.

Through the government’s Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, we have committed over £51 million to 157 projects to directly combat the illegal wildlife trade.

Operation Thunder 2023 ran from 2 to 27 October, leading to the seizures in the UK of:

• 53 live CITES listed birds
• 5.5kgs of ivory
• 434 live plants
• over 1,000 health supplements containing illegal plant and animal products
• 1 ceremonial headdress made with big cat fur
• vulture and falcon eggs and a lesser flamingo feather bracelet
• 5 seizures of  controlled wood products
• 26 reptile skin products including crocodile and python

Non-CITES UK seizures included:

• 285kgs of cannabis from Thailand
• 329,000 cigarettes
• 197kgs of tobacco
• 102kgs of prohibited products of animal origin

Border Force is responsible for frontline detection and seizure of items covered by the CITES convention, which tackles the illegal trade in endangered animals and plants. The Heathrow-based Border Force CITES team are specialist officers who are recognised as world leaders in their field.

Anyone with information about activity they suspect may be linked to smuggling and trafficking of any kind can report it online at gov.uk: Report smuggling – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The press release issued by the Home Office on 11 December 2023.

Public consultation launched on the implementation of Safe Access Zones around abortion clinics.

The government has launched a public consultation on the implementation of Safe Access Zones around abortion clinics.

During passage of the Public Order Act 2023 last year, Parliament voted to introduce legislation to prohibit protests within 150 metres of an abortion clinic or hospital that provides abortion services. We anticipate commencing Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023 no later than Spring 2024.

To ensure that Safe Access Zones are implemented effectively, the government has launched a consultation seeking views on the non-statutory guidance, which will be published to ensure that law enforcement agencies have a clear and consistent understanding around enforcement.

It will also provide information to abortion service providers and protesters about what is expected under the new law.

The public consultation will run for 6 weeks at which point the government will consider the responses before publishing the guidance and commencing Safe Access Zones.

Find out more about the consultation.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 6 December 2023.

Safety of Rwanda Bill to be introduced to Parliament tomorrow, making clear that Rwanda is a safe country where illegal migrants can be lawfully relocated.

A bill to conclusively deem Rwanda a safe country notwithstanding UK and international law and end the merry-go-round of illegal migration delay tactics by migrants, will be introduced to Parliament by Home Secretary, James Cleverly, tomorrow (7 December).

The bill is the toughest immigration legislation ever introduced to Parliament. It includes provisions to disapply relevant sections of the Human Rights Act, unambiguously exclude the courts from challenging the fact that Rwanda is safe, and confirm that ministers alone can decide whether to comply with blocking orders from Strasbourg, like the one that grounded the first Rwanda flight in 2022.

The draft of the new Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill has today been published ahead of introduction. It builds on the treaty signed yesterday by the Home Secretary and Rwandan Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Vincent Biruta, and makes clear in UK law that Rwanda is a safe country for asylum seekers – answering all of the concerns of the Supreme Court.

The legislation and treaty deliver on the Prime Minister’s priority to stop the boats and ensure that people know that if they come to the UK illegally, they will not be able to stay.

Once the bill receives Royal Assent, it will pave the way for the UK to begin next steps in processing people for relocation and starting removal flights to Rwanda. The government intends to fast-track the emergency legislation through the House as soon as possible.

Underpinned by the treaty, the law will prevent UK courts and tribunals from delaying or preventing a person’s removal to Rwanda, on the grounds that they are at risk of being removed to an unsafe country.

The bill will also make clear that the UK Parliament is sovereign, and the validity of any act of Parliament is unaffected by international law. Ministers will retain the decision on whether or not to comply with interim measures from the European Court of Human Rights.

It also makes clear the extremely limited exceptions which individuals could challenge removal to Rwanda, and the exceptions which narrow this to the maximum allowed within the law. This includes preventing UK courts and tribunals from granting interim measures, apart from when a person can produce compelling evidence – as a result of their specific personal circumstances – that would lead to them facing a real, imminent and foreseeable risk of serious and irreversible harm if removed to Rwanda. In addition, it disapplies elements of the Human Rights Act 1998, meaning they cannot be factored into court or tribunal decision making.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

I have been unequivocal that we can no longer tolerate the endless scourge of illegal migration on our country. It is costing us billions of pounds and costing innocent lives, and that is why we are taking action to put a stop to it and make clear once and for all that it is Parliament that should decide who comes to this country, not criminal gangs.

Through this new landmark emergency legislation, we will control our borders, deter people taking perilous journeys across the channel and end the continuous legal challenges filling our courts.

And we will disapply sections of the Human Rights Act from the key parts of the bill, specifically in the case of Rwanda, to ensure our plan cannot be stopped.

We have acted quickly to remedy the issues raised by the Supreme Court, proving that Rwanda is not just a safe country, but a modern, prosperous nation, and today we are ending the tactics used by people to cheat the system and betray the British people.

My message to the vicious people smugglers is clear, there is no point in ruining people’s lives any longer, if an individual comes here illegally, they will be removed.

Home Secretary James Cleverly, said:

We are taking crucial steps forward to respond to the Supreme Court’s findings, which recognised that changes could be delivered to make this landmark partnership work.

Building on our legally binding Treaty, the Safety of Rwanda Bill will make absolutely clear in UK law that Rwanda is a safe country.

This will play a key part in our efforts to stop the boats and save lives – I would urge parliament to ensure the legislation is passed as soon as possible.

Rwanda is a country that cares deeply about supporting refugees. It stands ready to welcome those relocated there.

The bill also further reflects the strength of the Government of Rwanda’s protections and commitments given to people transferred to Rwanda, as committed to in the treaty.

The principle of relocating people to another country to have their asylum claims processed is lawful – the High Court confirmed this, and it was upheld by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, which did not disturb that finding.

Countries across Europe are following the United Kingdom’s lead in exploring third country models for illegal immigration – including Austria, Germany, Denmark, and Italy in their deal with Albania.

Rwanda currently hosts more than 135,000 people seeking safety and protection and has a track record of providing that protection and supporting people in thriving in their country. The UN Refugee Agency has its own scheme for refugees in Rwanda, which is not delivered through a legally binding treaty.

On Tuesday the Home Secretary was in Rwanda to sign the treaty with his counterpart, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vincent Biruta.

The document is binding in international law and is currently going through the Parliamentary ratification process.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 5 December 2023.

New internationally recognised treaty addresses Supreme Court findings on the safety of the Rwandan partnership.

Home Secretary James Cleverly has signed a joint treaty with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Dr Vincent Biruta, strengthening the UK and Rwanda’s Migration and Economic Development Partnership and directly addressing the concerns of the Supreme Court.

The agreement is part of the government’s plan to ensure that illegal migrants can be lawfully relocated to Rwanda under the government’s ambition to stop the boats – ensuring that people know that if they come to the UK illegally, they cannot stay here.

Following further positive discussions between the 2 countries after the Supreme Court judgment, and building on months of work between the 2 countries, the treaty responds directly to the conclusions of the Supreme Court and presents a new long-term solution.

The landmark treaty is binding in international law and ensures that people relocated to Rwanda under the partnership are not at risk of being returned to a country where their life or freedom would be threatened – an act known as refoulement.

It also enhances the functions of the independent monitoring committee to ensure compliance with the obligations in the treaty, such as reception conditions, processing of asylum claims, and treatment and support for individuals including up to 5 years after they have received final determination of their status. The committee is made up of 8 independent members.

The monitoring committee will also develop a system which will enable relocated individuals and legal representatives to lodge confidential complaints directly to them. It will have the power to set its own priority areas for monitoring, and have unfettered access for the purposes of completing assessments and reports. It may publish reports as it sees fit on its findings.

To further bolster assurances that relocated individuals will not be returned, under the treaty, Rwanda’s asylum system will be strengthened through a new appeal body. The appeal body will consist of a Rwandan and other Commonwealth national co-president, and be composed of judges from a mixture of nationalities with asylum and humanitarian protection expertise (appointed by the co-presidents) to hear individual appeals.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

This is a crucial step forward in our commitment to stopping the boats and saving lives.

Rwanda is a safe country that cares deeply about supporting refugees. It has a strong history of providing protection to those that need it, hosting over 135,000 asylum seekers who have found sanctuary there. I am grateful to our Rwandan partners for their willingness, dedication and commitment to strengthening this partnership further.

The Supreme Court recognised that changes may be delivered which would address their conclusions – this treaty responds directly to that.

We remain steadfast in doing everything we can to stop to illegal migration, and our wider, ongoing work operationally and internationally has led to crossings coming down by a third compared to last year.

Foreign Minister Dr Vincent Biruta:

This partnership with the UK reflects Rwanda’s commitment to protecting vulnerable people, and builds on our track record of welcoming and hosting refugees and migrants from around the world.

Rwanda and the UK both understand that there’s a critical need to find innovative solutions to address the suffering of migrants making dangerous, desperate journeys, under the exploitation of criminal human smugglers.

The people relocated to Rwanda will be welcomed, and they will be provided with both the safety and support they need to build new lives.

Today’s treaty signing, negotiated by the new Home Secretary, sits alongside work with the Rwandans to strengthen their asylum processes.

Since taking up his new role, the Home Secretary has been focussed on ensuring that flights leave for Rwanda as soon as possible.

The treaty also charts a rights-based path for similar collaboration with and between other countries. Countries across Europe are now also exploring third country models for illegal immigration – including Austria, Germany, Denmark and Italy in their deal with Albania, a new and innovative model for processing asylum claims.

The agreement goes hand-in-hand with wider action to stop the boats, including under the Illegal Migration Act – the most robust our country has ever seen – and our agreements with countries including France, Albania, Turkey and Italy.

It also comes ahead of new legislation announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, which will enable Parliament to confirm that, with our new treaty, Rwanda is safe.

As part of the Home Secretary’s first official visit to Rwanda, he also attended the Kigali Genocide Memorial with Minister Biruta to pay his respects and met with President Kagame and Minister Biruta to further discuss joint working.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 4 December 2023.

The government will introduce a plan to deliver the biggest ever cut in net migration and curb abuse of the immigration system.

The Home Secretary has announced a plan to slash migration levels and curb abuse of the immigration system, delivering the biggest ever reduction in net migration. Together, this package will mean around 300,000 people who came to the UK last year would now not be able to come.

The package of measures will end the high numbers of dependants coming to the UK, increase the minimum salaries that overseas workers and British or settled people sponsoring family members must earn, and tackle exploitation across the immigration system.

The government will tighten the Health and Care Worker visa, which has seen a significant number of visas granted to care workers and their dependants, by preventing overseas care workers from bringing their dependants to the UK. In addition, care providers in England will now only be able to sponsor migrant workers if they are undertaking activities regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

In the year ending September 2023, 101,000 Health and Care Worker visas were issued to care workers and senior care workers, with an estimated 120,000 visas granted to associated dependants, the majority of whom we estimate don’t work, but still make use of public services.

From next spring, the government will increase the earning threshold for overseas workers by nearly 50% from its current position of £26,200 to £38,700, encouraging businesses to look to British talent first and invest in their workforce, helping us to deter employers from over-relying on migration, while bringing salaries in line with the average full-time salary for these types of jobs. The government will also increase the minimum income required for British citizens and those settled in the UK who want their family members to join them. Altogether this reinforces that all those who want to work and live here must be able to support themselves, are contributing to the economy, and are not burdening the state.

To crack down on cut-price labour from overseas, the government will end the 20% going-rate salary discount for shortage occupations and replace the Shortage Occupation List with a new Immigration Salary List, which will retain a general threshold discount. The Migration Advisory Committee will review the new list against the increased salary thresholds in order to reduce the number of occupations on the list.

The Migration Advisory Committee will be asked to review the Graduate visa route to ensure it works in the best interests of the UK and to ensure steps are being taken to prevent abuse.

This new package of measures builds on the tough action already taken to tackle the substantial rise in students bringing dependants to the UK, which will come into force in the new year. We expect this change will have a tangible impact on net migration, with around 153,000 visas granted to dependants of sponsored students in the year ending September 2023. This, along with the changes announced today, will further protect the integrity and quality of higher education in the UK.

The measures announced today are possible because the government is prioritising growing our domestic workforce through our Back to Work Plan – a package of employment-focused support that will help people stay healthy, get off benefits and move into work – as part of the Autumn Statement. The new Back to Work Plan builds on the ambitious £7 billion employment package from the Spring Budget, to help up to 1,100,000 people with long-term health conditions, disabilities or long-term unemployment to look for and stay in work.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

It is clear that net migration remains far too high. By leaving the European Union we gained control over who can come to the UK, but far more must be done to bring those numbers down so British workers are not undercut and our public services put under less strain.

My plan will deliver the biggest ever reduction in net migration and will mean around 300,000 people who came to the UK last year would not have been able to do so. I am taking decisive action to halt the drastic rise in our work visa routes and crack down on those who seek to take advantage of our hospitality.

In addition to measures to reduce migration, the government is increasing the annual Immigration Health Surcharge from £624 to £1,035 to make sure that migrants coming to the UK make a fair financial contribution so that public services, including the NHS, are not taken advantage of.

Workers and their dependants account for some of the highest proportion of visas being issued, with Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker visas accounting for 63% of work grants, and the proportion of work-related visas being granted to dependants rising to 43% in the year ending September 2023.

The addition of carers in the UK’s immigration system was a temporary measure to fill labour shortages by responding to an urgent need in the adult social care sector following the coronavirus pandemic. Today’s measures will ensure we continue to protect our NHS and social care systems while addressing significant concerns that have emerged since the introduction of the visa about high levels of non-compliance and worker exploitation and abuse within the adult social care sector, particularly for overseas workers employed within care occupations.

Earlier this year, the government announced a package of measures to cut the number of student visas being issued. This included removing the right for international students to bring dependants unless they are on postgraduate research courses and removing the ability for international students to switch on to work routes before their studies are completed. This will come into force for courses starting in January 2024.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 30 November 2023.

The UK government and some of the world’s biggest tech companies have agreed a series of pledges to protect the public from online fraud.

People across the UK will be better protected from online scams, fake adverts and romance fraud as the world’s biggest tech companies pledge to take additional action to block and remove fraudulent content from their sites.

With fraud being the most common crime in the UK, the government has joined forces with leading tech companies – Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Google, Instagram, LinkedIn, Match Group, Microsoft, Snapchat, TikTok, X (Twitter) and YouTube – to develop and commit to the Online Fraud Charter, the first agreement of its kind in the world.

Services have committed to bring in a raft of measures to help protect people from fraud and scam content when using their sites. Actions include verifying new advertisers and promptly removing any fraudulent content. There will also be increased levels of verification on peer-to-peer marketplaces, and people using online dating services will have the opportunity to prove they are who they say they are.

The charter will be supported by tough action to crack down on illegal adverts and ads for age-restricted products, such as alcohol or gambling, being seen by children. An action plan, agreed by the Online Advertising Taskforce, will be published today, setting out steps industry and government are taking to tackle harms and increase protections for children. This includes developing a base of evidence, improving information sharing and promoting industry best practice.

Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak said:

Fraud is now the most common crime in the UK, with online scammers targeting the most vulnerable in society.

We have already taken action to go after these unscrupulous criminals, launching our Fraud Strategy and deploying a National Fraud Squad made up of 400 dedicated officers, all backed by £400 million.

For the first time, we are beginning to see a drop in fraud cases, but we must do more.

By joining forces with these tech giants we will continue to crack down on fraudsters, making sure they have nowhere to hide online.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

The Online Fraud Charter is a big step forward in our efforts to protect the public from sophisticated, adaptable and highly organised criminals.

An agreement of this kind has never been done on this scale before and I am exceptionally pleased to see tech firms working with us to turn the tide against fraudsters.

Our work does not end here – I will continue to ensure we collaborate across government, and with law enforcement and the private sector, to ensure everyone in the UK is better protected from fraud.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

This is a very welcome commitment which has been created thanks to our close collaboration with some of the world’s biggest, and best, tech companies.

I have every confidence this charter will be an important step forward in our collective efforts to protect the public from fraud.

Creative Industries Minister John Whittingdale said:

Whether it’s fake celebrity endorsements or scam ads, we have a plan to shut down illegal online adverts putting people and their money at risk.

Created in partnership with industry through the Online Advertising Taskforce, our action plan published today sets out steps the sector and government are taking to help keep people safe and toughen up protections for children.

The Home Secretary and Anti-Fraud Champion Anthony Browne will met with senior representatives from these firms to sign the charter at Lancaster House this morning (30 November).

The agreement has come following extensive discussions between the government, the private sector and law enforcement, spearheaded by Security Minister Tom Tugendhat and Anti-Fraud Champion Anthony Browne.

In addition to clamping down on scam posts offering goods and services, each signatory has pledged to work closely with law enforcement in their efforts to target fraudsters.

The tech firms will also commit to running direct routes for law enforcement to report suspicious activity taking place on the services, making it easier to quickly identify and remove fraudulent content and protect users.

Fraud accounts for around 40% of all crime in England and Wales, with data from UK Finance showing almost 80% of all authorised pushed payment fraud originates from social media or a fake website.

Antony Walker, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of techUK said:

We are pleased to have worked at pace with the government in the development of the Online Fraud Charter which will improve the coordination of actions by tech firms to tackle online fraud.

The charter builds on measures that tech firms already have in place to defend against online fraud and will enable better and more consistent cooperation between the private sector, government and law enforcement.

The nature of online fraud is constantly evolving and tech companies are continually adapting and improving their approaches to combat this criminal activity.

Fraud is the most common crime in the UK, accounting for 40% of all crime in England and Wales. Last year, one in 17 reported being a victim of fraud, with over 3 million fraud incidents recorded.

Today’s announcement builds on government action already taken to tackle fraud, with the latest Crime Survey in England and Wales showing incidents of fraud fell by 13% in a year.

Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, said:

We are in the midst of an epidemic of scams, which not only devastate people’s financial lives, but their mental health and sense of self-esteem too.

I’ve long called for regulation and law changes to make these big tech firms step up to the plate and deny these scammers the oxygen of publicity. So I am pleased at the signing of this voluntary agreement, which is adopting many of the scam ad protection measures we’ve been calling for – such as 2 click reporting, and advertiser and site destination verification.

We will be watching closely to check these companies work hard, and work together to make good on their promises.

Temporary Assistant Commissioner Nik Adams, from City of London Police, said:

As the national lead police force for fraud, we welcome the Online Fraud Charter.

This charter goes further in supporting a whole system approach to effectively tackle fraud, by establishing a network of major online companies to join with law enforcement in helping to protect the public from criminals who would exploit them.

This charter has measures that will empower the public and increase their confidence in using online platforms, knowing that tech companies and policing are working to help keep them safe.

All signatories of the charter, which is a voluntary commitment, have pledged to implement the measures which apply to their companies within 6 months.

The United Kingdom will continue to take the global lead in the fight against fraud, with the Security Minister due to host a global summit in London in 2024.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 29 November 2023.

A British man who smuggled 4 Albanian migrants into the UK in his campervan has been jailed for 15 months after being foiled by a receipt from a Belgian casino.

Border Force found the men hidden in the showers and bunks of Oozy Hughes’ van when it was stopped at Harwich Port in March 2018.

Hughes, also known as Mark Newton, was arrested for facilitating illegal entry to the UK. When interviewed at Chelmsford Police Station, he claimed he had hired the van to drive to Spain and returned to the UK by ferry from Santander.

However, his lies began to unravel when officers discovered the receipt from a casino in northern Belgium in his van, showing he had been there earlier that day to participate in a ‘Fantastic Fridays’ competition to win a 100-gram gold bar.

A subsequent investigation uncovered further evidence against him. GPS data from the campervan, which had been hired 2 days earlier, proved it had travelled through Belgium to the Netherlands, not Spain as Hughes had claimed.

Home Office Criminal and Financial Investigation teams also obtained text messages and call records from his mobile phone.

One message, sent on the day of the smuggling attempt, read “Holland Casino”.

Several calls had been made on the same day, including 2 to numbers the Home Office had linked to a Belgian people smuggling ring.

Further evidence recovered from the campervan included a receipt for a fuel purchase in Belgium and a parking ticket from Rotterdam from the day of Hughes’ arrest.

Hughes, who made no mention of knowing anyone in Belgium or the Netherlands when interviewed, was subsequently charged with facilitating illegal entry to the UK.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court today.

Chris Foster, Deputy Director of Criminal and Financial Investigations at the Home Office, said:

Today’s sentencing follows a complex and long-running investigation by my officers who have worked hard to bring this investigation to a positive conclusion.

This criminal worked with organised gangs overseas in his attempt to exploit our border. I’m pleased to see that he has been brought to justice and grateful to my teams for their tireless work on this case.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 28 November 2023.

The third phase of the government’s award-winning Enough campaign includes a new partnership with over 30 universities to help make campuses safer.

The government’s innovative Enough campaign will join forces with over 30 UK universities in a bid to protect women and girls on university campuses.

Launching its third phase today (25 November), the Enough campaign targets potential perpetrators of violence against women and girls.

For the first time, it will partner up with universities to deliver bespoke campaign materials designed to reflect the scenarios and forms of abuse that students could witness.

This fresh phase of the campaign follows statistics from the Crime Survey for England and Wales, in the year ending March 2022, which revealed full-time students were more than 4 times as likely to have experienced sexual assault within the last year than those in any other type of occupation.

The campaign provides advice to anyone witnessing abuse, including students, on the safe ways to intervene if they see an incident of violence against women and girls, ranging from sexual harassment – on the street, on public transport or at work – to sharing intimate images of someone without their consent; coercive control in a relationship; or unwanted touching.

This phase will see a wider rollout of the campaign’s STOP prompt – Say something, Tell someone, Offer support, Provide a diversion – which provides the public with multiple options for intervening if they witness abuse in public places and around universities.

Graphics on posters, digital screens and university social media accounts will encourage students to act if they witness abuse, as part of wider efforts to make university campuses safer.

Alongside the partnership with the Higher Education sector, the latest phase of Enough also contains billboard and poster advertising on public transport networks and in sports clubs, as well as social media adverts, including on platforms relevant to younger audiences.

Home Secretary, James Cleverly said:

No woman or girl should ever feel unsafe in her home or in her community and we have gone further than ever before in protecting them from abuse.

The Enough campaign aims to deliver a generational shift in the attitudes and behaviours which lead to abuse – everyone has a role to play.

While the government will continue to bring into force new laws to tackle these vile crimes, equip the police to bring more criminals to justice and provide victims with the support they need, the Enough campaign empowers the public to do their part to call out abuse when they see it and safely intervene when appropriate.

Minister for Victims and Safeguarding, Laura Farris said:

In order to bring about real and lasting change, we need to address the issue of violence against women and girls from all sides, and that includes educating the public on the role they have to play.

We are driving forward our plans to protect women from abuse, whenever and wherever it occurs – online, in public, at work or behind closed doors.

Already this year we have classified violence against women as a national threat for policing and rolled out a new approach to how rape is investigated by forces in England and Wales. There will be more to come.

Baroness Newlove, Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales said:

If we are to effectively tackle violence against women and girls, this requires a whole society approach with the education sector playing a key role. I welcome the latest phase of the Enough campaign as it expands into university campuses. Government commitments to future iterations of this campaign are crucial if we are to see the wider cultural shifts we know are necessary.

Nicole Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales said:

I welcome this phase of the Enough campaign which aims to tackle violence against women and girls on university campuses.

We will all know someone who has been impacted by domestic abuse and we have a collective responsibility to respond empathetically and effectively the first time they come forward for support.

This campaign is an important step forward, providing the resources we need to tackle violence against women and girls. We must show zero tolerance to abuse in all its forms.

Professor Eunice Simmons, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Chester, one of the universities partnering with Enough, said:

Campaigns such as Enough are fundamental in driving the proactive message that violence against women and girls will not be tolerated and we are proud to support such an initiative which underpins the many projects we already have in place to ensure the safety of our student body and our wider community.

We want every member of our university community to feel secure, safe and supported. With the help of valued external local and regional partners and the support of the Enough campaign, we can help create an environment where safety, respect, and dignity prevail.

Andrea Simon, Director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW), said:

We’re pleased to see this latest phase of the government’s Enough campaign partner with universities, which is important if we are to address the sexual harassment and violence experienced by students, prevent abuse, and shift the deeply rooted attitudes and beliefs that drive male violence against women.

Implementing violence prevention and bystander programmes can empower students to recognise abuse and intervene safely when they witness problematic behaviour, but it is also critical that students know where they can go for support if they experience abuse.

Ending violence against women is everyone’s business and it is particularly crucial that this next phase of this campaign is well-funded, over the longer-term, and positively engages boys and young men, who are a key part of this work.

The Enough campaign has previously partnered with Channel 4 programme Hollyoaks on a specific storyline around violence against women and girls. In the episode, Maxine Minniver, played by Nikki Sanderson, was attacked when walking home from a night out. The episode, which aired in November 2022, aimed to prompt discussion from the audience about women’s safety and how we can all build a safer society for women.

Hollyoaks Actor, Nikki Sanderson said:

It’s now a year on from the Hollyoaks’ special ‘Long Walk Home’ episode and I’m so proud of what we achieved with this campaign. I am also really thankful for the opportunity to be a part of such a powerful episode and to support the government’s Enough campaign in attempting to change attitudes and behaviours that influence violence against women and girls. I believe it is an important issue to revisit as violence against women and girls is unfortunately something that we still see every day. It is a long-term societal issue that we are all working together to tackle.

As highlighted in both the episode and the Enough campaign messaging, women and girls should be free to enjoy their lives without experiencing abuse. The Enough campaign is uniting the public around the rejection of abuse and ensuring perpetrators behaviour will be challenged, and I am proud for the opportunity I had to bring this serious issue to life within this episode.

The Enough Campaign, which launched in March 2022, has to date included television adverts, billboards, social media and radio advertising. The campaign, informed by over 180,000 responses to the Home Office’s call for evidence and engagement with a network of over 40 stakeholder organisations and academic experts, has so far reached millions of people, driving action among bystanders and prompting reflection among potential perpetrators of violence against women and girls.

The campaign is just one way the government is prioritising tackling violence against women and girls.

The Chancellor unveiled £12 million of new funding to tackle domestic abuse in the Autumn Statement on Wednesday (22 November), including £2 million of funding for payments directly to victims to help them leave abusive relationships and rebuild their lives.

All police forces across England and Wales are now following a new approach for the investigation of rape, funded by the Home Office, with police referrals to the Crown Prosecution Service for adult rape offences already up more than 200% since 2019.  Under the new model, police and prosecutors can access better support and 2,000 police investigators will be specially trained in sexual offences by April 2024.

Earlier this year, the government added violence against women and girls to the Strategic Policing Requirement – meaning it is now categorised as a national threat for forces to respond to, alongside other serious threats like terrorism.

The Home Office also continues to fund “perpetrator intervention” projects which aim to stop domestic abusers and stalkers from repeatedly targeting victims and terrorising vulnerable people.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 27 November 2023.

Pub and bar licensing hours could be extended if England, Wales or Scotland reach the semi-finals or final of the Euros next year, subject to consultation.

The government has set out plans to extend licensing hours for the semi-finals and final of the men’s European Football Championships next year, should England, Wales or Scotland reach the final stages of the tournament.

In a public consultation launched today, the government has proposed that pub licensing hours in England and Wales should be extended from 11pm to 1am if any of the UK nations remaining in the tournament reach the latter two rounds in Germany.

The Home Secretary has the power to extend licensing hours for occasions of “exceptional international, national or local significance”.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

There are few things that bring a country together more than the prospect of winning an international tournament.

England and Scotland are on their way to Germany and Wales are still in with a shot of qualifying, so it is only right we put in place plans to support them and our hospitality industry.

That is why we are looking at helping pubs and bars stay open longer if we reach the semi-finals or final, and ensure families, friends and communities can come together to cheer their nation on.

The plans, which will be subject to public consultation, would provide a welcome boost for the hospitality industry and clarity for pubs and bars. This is part of a series of recent government measures to boost the hospitality industry and make sure pubs and bars have the support they need to thrive, including the continuation of relaxed licensing regulations that allow pubs, restaurants and bars to sell takeaway pints without red tape holding them back.

Pub licensing hours were previously extended for the men’s Euro 2020 final and pubs also stayed open longer for the King’s Coronation bank holiday weekend earlier this year.

The public consultation will run for 12 weeks with the government to take into account the views from the public, licensing authorities and hospitality industry.