Tag: Home Office

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

Fifteen new synthetic opioids and 5 other drugs will be banned as Class A drugs as the government continues to act to prevent drug deaths.

Twenty dangerous drugs will be banned to protect people in the UK from overdoses and drug related deaths.

Following advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), 15 new dangerous synthetic opioids will become Class A drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Possession of a Class A drug carries a sentence of up to seven years imprisonment, an unlimited fine or both. If caught supplying, an offender can face up to life imprisonment, an unlimited fine or both.

Many of these substances are incredibly dangerous and have similar effects to heroin and fentanyl, posing a higher risk of accidental overdose. This has been a widespread problem in other countries.

Although there is no current evidence to show these substances are prevalent in the UK, there have been some deaths linked to the drugs which is why the government is taking decisive action to safeguard communities.

Crime and Policing Minister Chris Philp said:

These new highly dangerous substances have the potential to devastate lives, ruin families and damage local communities.

We must be one step ahead to ensure we are stopping new drugs from plaguing our streets and endangering the lives of vulnerable people.

Our strategy is to tackle both the illicit supply of drugs, relentlessly pursuing criminal networks, and to build a world-class treatment system to turn people’s lives around and stop the cycle of crime.

The fifteen new synthetic opioids to be added to Class A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, subject to parliamentary approval, are:

• metonitazene
• protonitazene
• isotonitazene
• butonitazene
• flunitazene
• metodesnitazene (metazene)
• etodesnitazene (etazene)
• N-pyrrolidino-etonitazene (etonitazepyne)
• N-piperidinyl-etonitazene (etonitazepipne)
• N-pyrrolidino protonitazene
• ethyleneoxynitazene
• N-desethyl protonitazene
• N-desethylisotonitazene
• N-desethyl-etonitazene
• brorphine

The ban comes as part of the government’s continued efforts to tackle the supply of dangerous drugs and clamp down on crime. Since April 2022, we have:

• closed over 1,700 county lines
• delivered over 4,900 organised crime group disruptions
• delivered 12,000 more treatment places

compared to March 2020.

Five other drugs will also be controlled as part of the recent ban, including cumyl-PeGaClone, a synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist (SCRA) which can cause complications such as seizures and liver failure.

Three stimulants which create similar effects to ketamine – diphenidine, ephenidine and methoxyphenidine – will also be controlled as Class B drugs.

Finally, a short acting benzodiazepine drug named remimazolam will also be controlled as a Class C drug. Its legitimate medical uses will then be enabled through amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 17 November 2023.

The UK government is encouraging businesses to use the Displaced Talent Mobility pilot to help at-risk people from around the world to help fill skills gaps.

Skilled refugees are contributing nearly £1 million each year in income tax and national insurance thanks to UK government pilot schemes to help those fleeing their homes find employment, helping to boost the UK economy and enabling businesses to access the vital skills they need.

Following a successful start, the government’s Displaced Talent Mobility Pilot has been extended for a further year, with more businesses being encouraged to hire skilled refugees while helping people rebuild their lives in the UK. First launched in October 2021, businesses ranging from renowned global companies to small enterprises have participated in the scheme, with refugees fulfilling roles as senior engineers, paralegals, construction managers, and software testing consultants in priority sectors.

The initiative aims to match up to 200 people with UK employment opportunities, with Syrian and Afghan nationals the most common beneficiaries of the scheme so far.

Delivered in partnership with Talent Beyond Boundaries, a global not-for-profit, displaced talent candidates are supported to get sponsored by a UK employer, and also benefit from free priority visa processing. To participate in the pilot, talented individuals will need to create a profile with Talent Beyond Boundaries and they will contact those who match the criteria for vacancies companies are looking to fill.

The pilot is also now being expanded, following an initial focus on candidates in Lebanon and Jordan, as well as Afghan nationals. Now refugees and displaced people of any nationality or location are eligible to benefit.

Minister for Immigration, Robert Jenrick, said:

Our Displaced Talent Mobility pilot is a safe and legal route that ensures refugees can rebuild their lives in the UK, contribute to society and integrate into local communities swiftly.

I encourage more companies to take part in the pilot and consider the skills and talent that exist, while providing opportunities for refugees to live independently and contribute to the UK.

The scheme uses the existing Skilled Worker route, which enabled the Home Office to set up the pilot quickly and better understand the barriers to accessing those routes for displaced people.

Marina Brizar, UK & Europe Director, Talent Beyond Boundaries said:

Talent Beyond Boundaries warmly welcomes the extension of the Displaced Talent Mobility pilot. This initiative embraces the power of equitable access to skilled migration by unlocking the potential of displaced people. We remain wholly committed to paving the path toward a world where the skills of displaced people know no borders and the opportunities for secure futures transcend barriers.

Phil Ogden, EnerMech Chief HR Officer said:

We understand the importance of a diverse, skilled and competent workforce and recognised the clear benefits of engaging with Talent Beyond Boundaries to support displaced people through providing secure employment opportunities.

We recently welcomed two Syrian refugees to our Engineering team in Aberdeen whose skills have already proven to be extremely valuable to EnerMech. As the energy transition ramps up in the UK, building an experienced pool of talent is essential to the ongoing success of our business. Talent Beyond Boundaries are key to supporting both our objectives and the aspirations of the talented people they represent.

Malek, from Syria and who was resettled in the UK under the Displaced Talent Mobility pilot, said:

Where I was, you don’t feel stability, you feel afraid. Here in the UK, from the first day, you feel safe.

If your business has a gap, the Displaced Talent Mobility Pilot is a great scheme. People who have moved to the country are committed and it is a good thing to have people from other places. This is because they have different experiences from the other work fields and because they have come from challenging places, they will do their best to prove themselves and be successful in their jobs and new lives.

Successes so far, include:

• the first Displaced Talent candidate was a Syrian national who arrived in the UK in 2021. They are now working as a specialist construction recruiter in the West Midlands
• in 2023, two Afghan women started roles as paralegals in Sheffield, and a Project Engineer began working for an engineering company in Aberdeen
• other individuals have started roles in the engineering, construction, and creative industries

The press release issued by the Home Office on 15 November 2023.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 14 November 2023.

A new Criminal Justice Bill will protect the public from ruthless criminals and empower the police to take a zero-tolerance approach to cut crime and keep neighbourhoods safe.

The bill, introduced in the House of Commons today (14 November), will be focused on keeping violent criminals locked up for longer and making sure victims’ voices are heard.

Measures in the bill will build on progress already made to keep our streets safer – such as the police’s commitment to pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry. Since 2010, violent crime is down 52% and domestic burglary by 57% in England and Wales.

Through the bill, police will be given greater powers to retrieve stolen goods from thieves, such as mobile phones, without a warrant and technology used to steal cars including signal jammers parked outside houses will be banned.

Officers will also be given more powers to stamp out anti-social behaviour and intimidation and crack down on drug-taking, with powers to test suspects for more drugs on arrest.

Victims will be better protected from knife crime with police given new powers to seize, retain and destroy knives found on private property that are likely to be used in connection with unlawful violence. We are also creating a new offence of possessing a knife with the intent to use it violently.

This will build on the government’s committed to take dangerous weapons off our streets, with 120,000 knives removed since 2019.

Judges will also be given more powers to make horrific criminals attend court when their sentences are handed out to hear directly from victims and feel the weight of their crimes – if offenders refuse, they will face a further two years in prison.

This bill will also add to our record better protecting women and girls and the Online Safety Act. Through the Criminal Justice Bill, the government will create a package of offences tackling taking intimate images without consent. This will cover acts such as downblousing and will make sure that police and prosecutors have the power to better tackle this type of behaviour.

More vulnerable individuals will be helped off the streets and directed to appropriate support, with new powers for the police and local authorities to tackle nuisance begging – including criminals gangs who cause distress to the public by aggressively begging by cash points.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

The British people deserve to feel safe and secure going about their daily business knowing the government is here to protect them – this bill will reassure the public by giving the police more powers to do just that.

It rightly puts neighbourhoods and communities first by tackling the scourge of knife crime, drugs, theft and anti-social behaviour – making sure the worst, most dangerous criminals are locked up for longer.

My first job as Home Secretary is to protect the British public and taking a zero-tolerance approach to crime on every level is just one way I will be doing this.

Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Alex Chalk KC said:

Victims are not spectators in the criminal justice system; they must be core participants. The new Criminal Justice Bill will ensure offenders have to face up to the harm they have caused victims, and hear society’s condemnation through the judge’s sentencing remarks.

The legislation continues our mission to keep more women and girls safe from violence and intimidation, building on our landmark Domestic Abuse and Online Safety Acts.

The bill will also target hardened criminals and those who knowingly enable them by making sure our laws keep pace with their tactics and changing use of technology.

This means templates used to make 3D printed firearms, pill presses, and vehicle concealments will be banned, alongside signal jammers used for car theft.

Other measures contained in the bill include:

• creating a statutory aggravating factor at sentencing for grooming behaviour,  to make sure those involved in grooming gangs receive the toughest possible sentences
• boosting confidence in the police by providing for a duty of candour for policing and enabling provisions to allow chief officers of police forces the right to appeal the result of misconduct panels to the Police Appeals Tribunal
• Strengthening Serious Crime Prevention Orders to make 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
• new powers to tackle economic crime by strengthening the tools available to law enforcement agencies including prohibiting possession or supply of SIM farms with no legitimate purpose
• reforming confiscation powers used to strip convicted criminals of their proceeds of crime and extending the powers of law enforcement agencies to suspend domain names and IP addresses used for fraudulent purposes
• creating a scheme whereby the government works with the financial sector to use monies in accounts suspended on suspicion of crime for projects to tackle economic crime
• increasing the maximum penalty for the offences of possession, importation, manufacture, sale or supply of prohibited offensive weapons and of selling knives to those under 18 from six months to two years’ imprisonment, reflecting the severity of the offence

The press release issued by the Home Office on 14 November 2023.

Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat urged to end unchecked account sharing to protect the public.

Food delivery firms have been urged by the government to conduct checks on all delivery drivers, to protect the British public and prevent illegal working.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick has demanded Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat end the practice of unchecked account sharing, known as ‘substitutions’, by implementing stricter controls.

Under the current model, food delivery companies allow account holders to substitute deliveries to multiple people who are not checked by the companies. This means customers have no way of knowing whether the person who hands over their order has been properly vetted, and the delivery companies do not know if the delivery driver has the right to work in the UK.

In a letter from Minister Jenrick to online food delivery platforms (PDF, 107 KB, 2 pages) to each company, ahead of a meeting with them today (14 November), the Minister called for the practice to end, warning that the substitution business model is enabling illegal working, allowing exploitation and putting the British public at risk.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said:

When someone orders a takeaway to their home, they deserve to know that the person arriving at their door has been properly vetted and is who they’re expecting.

Unchecked account sharing places the public at risk, enables – and therefore encourages – illegal migration, and leads to the exploitation of workers. That’s why I’m calling on these companies to end the use of unverified substitution.

We’re taking the action needed to safeguard the British public and prevent the scourge of illegal working. It is critical these companies work with us to achieve this.

The government is calling on firms to introduce stricter vetting measures to make sure people representing each company are allowed to work in the UK, and do not have a criminal record.

Immigration Enforcement teams have already ramped up action targeting illegal working in the food delivery sector, conducting over 250 enforcement visits and making over 380 arrests involving food delivery drivers so far this year.

The Home Office has led engagement with Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat over recent months. In August, an agreement was secured with the businesses to strengthen existing recruitment processes and improve awareness of illegal working in the UK.

The government will continue to work with the food delivery sector to build on this cooperation and prevent illegal working.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 9 November 2023.

Home Secretary establishes inquiry into the death of Jalal Uddin.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 8 November 2023.

The government has introduced legislation to update the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 8 November 2023.

India and Georgia to be added to the UK’s ‘safe states’ list in a key step in delivery of the Illegal Migration Act.

The Government will add India and Georgia to a list of safe states to speed up process of returning people who have travelled from either country illegally.

Draft legislation laid in Parliament today (Wednesday 8 November) will strengthen the immigration system and help prevent abuse, including by people making unfounded protection claims. This marks another next step in the delivery of the Illegal Migration Act 2023 and Government’s plan to stop the boats.

Indian and Georgian small boat arrivals have increased over the last year despite individuals not being at obvious risk of persecution. Deeming these countries safe will mean that if an individual arrives illegally from either one, we will not admit their claim to the UK asylum system.

Other countries deemed safe by the UK include Albania and Switzerland, plus the EU and EEA states.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman, said:

We must stop people making dangerous and illegal journeys to the UK from fundamentally safe countries.

Expanding this list will allow us to more swiftly remove people with no right to be here and sends a clear message that if you come here illegally, you cannot stay.

We remain committed to delivering the measures in our Illegal Migration Act, which will play a part in the fight against illegal migration.

A country can only be added to the safe states list (known legislatively as Section 80AA), if the Home Secretary is satisfied that there is, in general, no serious risk of persecution of its nationals, and; removal of nationals to that country cannot go against the UK’s obligations under the Human Rights Convention. The Home Office has rigorously assessed India and Georgia and determined that both meet these criteria.

Today’s measures sit within the Illegal Migration Act 2023, which aims to stop the boats by changing the law so that people who come to the UK illegally can be detained and then swiftly returned to a safe third country or their home country. Further measures, including the duty to remove, will be rolled out in the coming months.

The Government remains determined to stop the boats and deter people from making dangerous journeys to the UK. The Act is one important part of our collective effort to break the cycle, end exploitation by gangs and prevent further loss of life. This issue is being tackled on all fronts, including working upstream with international partners, clamping down on the criminal gangs with stepped-up enforcement, and working with the French to prevent more crossings.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 8 November 2023.

Possession of ‘laughing gas’ is now illegal with repeat serious users facing up to 2 years in prison and dealers up to 14 years.

The ban, promised as part of the government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, makes nitrous oxide a Class C drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. This means possession of nitrous oxide, where a person intends to wrongfully inhale it for a psychoactive effect, is now an offence.

Consequences could include an unlimited fine, a visible community punishment, a caution (which would appear on their criminal record) and for repeat serious offenders, a prison sentence.

Earlier this year the Home Secretary urged police forces to get tougher on flagrant drug taking in local communities, with reports linking nitrous oxide to anti-social behaviour such as intimidating gatherings on high streets and in children’s parks, and often leaving empty canisters scattered across public spaces. This summer it was reported that there were 13 tonnes of canisters of nitrous oxide collected after the Notting Hill carnival.

Heavy, regular abuse of the drug also poses significant health risks for users including anaemia and in more severe cases, nerve damage or paralysis. It has been identified as having potentially fatal consequences on the UK’s roads from incidents of drug driving.

Crime and Policing Minister Chris Philp said:

Today we are sending a clear signal to people, especially young people, that not only is abuse of nitrous oxide dangerous to their health, but it is also illegal and those caught possessing it will face consequences.

For too long the use of this drug in public spaces has contributed to anti-social behaviour which is a blight on communities. We will not accept it. This law gives the police the powers they need to take a zero-tolerance approach to this crime.

There are still many necessary uses for nitrous oxide in healthcare and other industries, and those with a legitimate reason for possessing the substance will be exempt from the ban. For example it will continue to be lawful for catering purposes and in maternity wards when used as pain relief during labour, as well as for other activities such as use in industry, dentistry, or model rocketry.

Licences will not be required to carry nitrous oxide, but individual users will need to demonstrate they are lawfully in possession of nitrous oxide and not intending to wrongfully inhale it.

The maximum sentence for production, supply importation or exportation of the drug for unlawful purposes has now doubled, from 7 to 14 years’ imprisonment.

As is already the case, there is also a responsibility on legitimate producers and suppliers of nitrous oxide to not be reckless as to whether someone is buying their product for wrongful inhalation, with no legitimate reason. Suppliers who ignore the risk that their customers may be intending to misuse the drug could also be committing an offence.

If people are concerned about nitrous oxide use in their local area such as in parks and playgrounds they can report this anti-social behaviour to their local neighbourhood policing team, the police or Crimestoppers.

CEO of Neighbourhood Watch John Hayward-Cripps said:

At Neighbourhood Watch, we support the government’s ban on nitrous oxide.

As consumption of nitrous oxide has increased over the years, there has been a connected increase in reports of anti-social behaviour, including the littering of nitrous oxide canisters. For communities across the country, this change in the law will be a positive move towards tackling anti-social behaviour and making local communities a better and safer place to live.

We encourage members of the public to report any illegal consumption of nitrous oxide or other drugs to their local police force.

CEO of Night-time Industries Association Michael Kill said:

We welcome this ban but recognise that this must work hand in hand with a much broader education and harm reduction strategy on drugs across the country.

The burden on businesses has been substantial, as they’ve contended with mounting pressure from authorities and residents due to the proliferation of discarded silver canisters on the streets.

This predicament has not only posed risks to the well-being of both staff and patrons but has also fostered an environment conducive to petty crime, anti-social behaviour, and the activities of organised crime syndicates.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 2 November 2023.

Members of the CRI have signed a joint statement pledging that central government funds should not be used to pay ransoms to cyber criminals.