Tag: Home Office

The press release issued by the Home Office on 15 December 2022.

The 2023/24 funding package will see an increase of up to £267 million on last year and means policing will receive up to £17.2 billion in total for 2023/24.

The police sector will receive a nominal funding boost of up to £287 million next year to help victims feel safe and deliver more visible policing, the Home Secretary Suella Braverman has announced.

The rise will take total funding for policing up to £17.2 billion and mean police and crime commissioners across the 43 police forces in England and Wales will receive a nominal increase of up to £523 million from government grants and precept income to focus on getting the basics right, such as driving down anti-social behaviour and neighbourhood crime which can so easily rip through our communities.

The government is giving police crime commissioners in England the ability to raise up to £349 million, through a council tax precept limit of £15.

This provisional settlement will provide £1.1 billion towards national policing priorities, including tackling the scourge of serious violence, county lines, exploitation, abuse, fraud and cyber crime.

Funding for counter-terrorism policing will continue to total over £1 billion, including continued funding for armed policing and the Counter Terrorism Operations Centre.

We are also giving policing the funding they need to maintain the 20,000 additional police officers recruited as part of the government’s unprecedented campaign to put more police on the streets, ensuring our forces respond to crime effectively and to take a more proactive response in managing crime demand.

Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, said:

Our police make sacrifices every day to protect the British people, and I am steadfast in my admiration for our hardworking, brave and dedicated officers.

It is vital that we continue to invest in the priorities that matter most to our communities, and we must do more to cut crime and restore confidence in our police.

With over 15,000 additional officers already recruited and thousands more on the way, this package will support our forces to get the basics right and keep communities safe across country.

We will continue to improve our criminal justice system for victims by prioritising the funding commitments made in the rape review and investing in a new victim satisfaction survey to shine a light on performance and drive improvements in the support police forces provide to victims.

Through police and government efforts to tackle the crime that hits our communities the hardest, since 2019:

• 90,000 weapons have been taken off our streets
• over 49,000 violent offences have been prevented and 260,000 vulnerable young people have been supported through ‘Grip’ hotspot policing and Violence Reduction Units.

The publication of the provisional funding settlement opens a period of consultation. The final police funding settlement will be debated in Parliament ahead of the new financial year.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 12 December 2022.

The Public and Commercial Service (PCS) union has announced Civil Service industrial action that will impact Border Force services.

The Public and Commercial Service (PCS) union has announced Civil Service industrial action that will impact Border Force services.

Border Force strike proposed dates and locations

Dates:

• 23 December
• 24 December
• 25 December
• 26 December (until about 7am)
• 28 December
• 29 December
• 30 December
• 31 December (until about 7am)

Locations:

• Birmingham Airport
• Cardiff Airport
• Gatwick Airport
• Glasgow Airport
• Heathrow Airport – Terminals 2,3,4 and 5
• Manchester Airport
• Port of Newhaven

Our number one priority is to keep our borders safe and secure for all travellers, and we will never compromise on this.

Military personnel, civil servants and volunteers from across government are being trained to support Border Force at airports and ports across the UK in the event of potential strike action. Border Force are ready to deploy resource to meet critical demand and support flow travellers through the border, however those entering the UK should be prepared for potential disruption.

Border Force and the travel industry work together very closely at a local and national level to agree plans for pressures while keeping the public safe.

Advice for passengers

Those who are due to travel into the UK during the proposed industrial action should be prepared to face longer wait times at UK border control.

All passengers should check the latest advice from their operators before travelling.

Please be patient and respect officers who are working to keep our citizens safe and border secure, and supporting travellers during the strike action.

We encourage all passengers eligible to use eGates to do so.

Please respect staff as we try and get you through the border as quickly and safely as possible. All forms of abuse and any inappropriate behaviour will be reported to the UK police.

Flights – impact of industrial action

We will work with operators and ports to understand the impact of industrial action on inbound flights.

Passengers travelling into the UK during strikes should check with their airlines for the latest travel information and advice.

Border wait times

As you’d expect, accurate queue time data can take some time to gather and check, however if you are travelling during the proposed strike dates be prepared for longer wait times.

There are multiple factors that might influence wait times including an increase in passenger numbers, flight delays and flight bunching. Weather delays, and other ad hoc incidents, can also impact border control queues.

We advise travellers to check with travel agents, tour operators, and airlines/carriers before travelling, to check if the proposed strike action will affect your journey.

Passengers can also check airport websites before travelling to stay up to date with the latest information related to travel or possible delays caused by strike action.

What we are doing to avoid disruption and queues at the border during the strike action

We continue to work closely with port operators and airlines to minimise disruption and delays at the border during any industrial action.

Border Force and the travel industry work together very closely at a local and national level and have regular meetings to agree plans for pressures while keeping the public safe.

Remember:

• there are often a few things that might influence wait times including an increase in passenger numbers, flights delays and flight bunching
• you should check the latest advice from your operators before travelling

The press release issued by the Home Office on 9 December 2022.

Home Secretary announces support for Private Member’s Bill to make public sexual harassment an offence. The bill will lead to harsher sentences for perpetrators.

Public sexual harassment will be made a specific offence through government-backed legislation returning to Parliament today [Friday 9 December]

A wide range of experts were consulted over the summer on introducing a specific offence. The vast majority considered public sexual harassment to be a widespread problem.

The consultation showed the need for a specific offence to make the laws surrounding public harassment clearer to both the public and the police. Despite public sexual harassment already being illegal, the introduction of a specific offence will encourage women to report to the police, as well as emphasising the severity of the crime.

After careful consideration, the government is supporting legislation brought forward by Greg Clark MP which introduces harsher sentences if someone who deliberately harasses, alarms, or distresses someone in a public place does so because of the victim’s sex, with the maximum sentence increasing from six months to two years.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

Every woman should feel safe to walk our streets without fear of harassment or violence. And that is why we are supporting this bill to introduce a specific offence on public sexual harassment.

It’s a complex issue and we’ve carefully considered the arguments, taking into account a range of views.

We are putting the needs of victims at the heart of our decision, which will mean the criminals who commit these acts face the consequences they deserve.

British Transport Police Assistant Chief Constable Charlie Doyle, said:

No woman should be subjected to harassment or intimidation as they travel and we will always welcome any extra help in bringing more offenders to justice.

We have always taken reports of sexual harassment extremely seriously, however I hope the proposed legislation will reinforce our clear message to perpetrators that it simply won’t be tolerated.

We know that all forms of sexual harassment are under-reported to police and I hope this increased awareness will encourage more victims to come forward and tell us about what’s happened to them.

The government response to the consultation has been published here, which confirms the commitment to pursuing new legislation which builds on the intentional ‘harass, alarm, distress’ definition of harassment first established in law in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

The new legislation supports the government’s commitment to tackling violence against women and girls, and follows earlier action to help tackle these crimes in public spaces, including public sexual harassment.

Government action also includes new guidance for the police and prosecutors on sexual harassment; investing £125 million through the Safer Streets and Safety of Women at Night Funds; the StreetSafe tool which allows women to report directly to the police on areas where they have felt unsafe; and the ground-breaking ‘Enough’ communications campaign, which helps the public to safely play their part in stopping abuse.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 8 December 2022.

Home Secretary and European counterparts meet to renew discussions on how to crack down on illegal migration and people trafficking.

Plans to step up co-operation to tackle illegal immigration across Europe and bring people smugglers to justice have been agreed today at a meeting of the Calais Group.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman met with counterparts from France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, in the presence of the European Commission and its agencies, in Brussels this morning to renew discussions on how to address the global migration crisis. The group has published a Joint Communique outlining commitments made at the meeting.

The UK will agree a working arrangement with Frontex, Europe’s external border agency, to bolster its upstream efforts to contain illegal migration, as other countries also committed to bolster their support. Working together at Europe’s land and sea borders will enable countries to improve registration of irregular migrants and ensure rapid asylum and returns procedures, so that illegal migration flows are reduced at source. Frontex has a particular focus on tackling migration from western Balkans countries.

Ministers also agreed to enhance cooperation of the Joint Intelligence Cell situated in Calais, to allow operational teams to better identify and respond to criminal networks. The cell has dismantled 59 organised crime groups involved in illegal crossings since it was set up in July 2020.

Today’s meeting also saw ministers agree to deeper co-operation with third countries to work on shared migration challenges and ensure people do not undertake perilous journeys in the first place.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

Countries across Europe must work closely together to tackle illegal migration and crack down on the people smugglers before these issues reach our borders.

The Calais Group have held constructive discussions today on bringing solutions that will benefit all our countries and to ensure the evil criminals who profit in human misery are targeted and brought swiftly to justice. I look forward to our ongoing cooperation.

Ministers welcomed the joint progress achieved since November 2021. The Prime Minister and Home Secretary have been driving forward efforts to step up international cooperation to tackle this joint challenge, most recently through the signing of the UK-France agreement to enhance co-operation on illegal migration. The ministers also set out how irregular migration into Europe is a growing issue, with detections of irregular crossings at land and sea borders 74% higher than last year.

Ministers also agreed to support a working arrangement between the UK and Frontex, to facilitate better joint working to tackle illegal migration. European partners and their agencies, like the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Europol, continue to work closely on the ground to tackle illegal migration and bring perpetrators of organised crime to justice. For example, the NCA led Operation Punjum in July, the biggest ever international operation of its kind, alongside Operation Thoren in Europe, to target an organised crime group suspected of smuggling up to 10,000 people across the Channel in the last 12 to 18 months.

In the face of increasing Channel crossings in 2022, the UK has already put in place a wide range of measures to tackle the issue internationally. That includes signing a new agreement with France which will see UK officers embedded in French operations for the first time ever as part of a reciprocal agreement, as well as a 40% uplift in the number of officers patrolling French beaches – helping step up efforts to detect and disrupt crossings before they leave France. Co-operation with France has led to the prevention of over 31,000 migrants crossing via small boats so far this year and our work with French law enforcement has secured the arrest of 384 suspected people smugglers this year alone. This work comes alongside the measures we brought forward through our Nationality and Borders Act, our work to deliver the Rwanda partnership, and efforts to expedite the removal of individuals by agreeing tailored bilateral returns agreements with partners like Albania.

Today also marks a further step forward in delivering the new UK-France deal, as French officers join their UK counterparts in Dover to continue their operational training as part of the reciprocal agreement to embed officers in operations – following a visit by UK officers to France last month.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 6 December 2022.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 28 November 2022.

The first meeting of the new Defending Democracy Taskforce took place today (Monday 28 November), chaired by the Security Minister Tom Tugendhat. Its primary focus will be to protect the democratic integrity of the UK from threats of foreign interference.

Announced in the House of Commons earlier this month by the Security Minister, the Taskforce will work across government and with Parliament, the UK Intelligence Community, the devolved administrations, local authorities and the private sector on the full range of threats facing our democratic institutions.

These threats include foreign interference in our elections and electoral processes; disinformation; physical and cyber threats to our democratic institutions and those who represent them; foreign interference in public office, political parties and universities; and transnational repression in the UK.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

State threats are growing and changing. My priority is, and has always been, to defend our country and the freedoms that guarantee our prosperity and sovereignty.

We are bringing together experts from across Government, security and intelligence agencies to defend our democracy and our right to choose our own future.

The National Security Bill, currently on its way to becoming law, will give the UK more tools to tackle these threats. These include a suite of new measures to tackle the full range of modern-day state threats, from sabotage and spying to foreign interference and economic espionage.

The Taskforce will also bring together the many structures both inside and outside of Government which are aimed at protecting UK political parties, elected officials and core electoral infrastructure.

It will seek to build resilience across all levels of the UK’s democratic system, including vital security practice for all elected officials, ensuring that core electoral infrastructure is secure. The Taskforce will seek to do this across all elements of the UK’s democratic system, working closely with the Devolved Administrations and Local Government Authorities.

The work of the Taskforce will report into the National Security Council (NSC). More details will be set out in the update of the Integrated Review.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 25 November 2022.

Millions of pounds are being allocated to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG), the Home Secretary has announced today (25 November).

The press release issued by the Home Office on 21 November 2022.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 16 November 2022.

This is an important stage in the progress of this vital bill, which will keep the people of this nation safe by introducing a full suite of new measures to tackle the full range of modern-day state threats, from sabotage and spying to foreign interference and economic espionage.

For the first time, the bill will make it illegal to be an undeclared spy in the UK.

It will be an offence to improperly interfere with the UK’s democracy and civil society through disinformation or by attacking our electoral processes. Attempting to sabotage our critical national infrastructure – either by damaging a government or military building or by directing a ransomware attack – will also be illegal under the new offences.

Since the bill was introduced to the House of Commons, the government has added a new Foreign Influence Registration scheme (FIRS), which will compel those acting for a foreign power or entity to declare any political influencing activity that they are carrying out – and criminalise those who do not. This will strengthen the resilience of the UK political system against covert foreign influence.

The scheme will also enable the government to specify foreign powers, or entities they control, if they attempt to undermine the UK, its democracy and values. This will mean individuals or companies acting at their behest will be required to register any arrangements or activities with them – and face prosecution if they do not.

Tom Tugendhat, Security Minister, said:

The threat of hostile activity against the UK’s interests from foreign powers is growing. Malign actors are emboldened and their modes are becoming more sophisticated.

Our laws must be updated to give our agencies the tools they need to keep us safe.

Our National Security Bill will enhance our ability to protect our national security, updating our tools, powers and protections to counter those who seek to do us harm.

The bill will ensure our world class security and intelligence agencies and police have the modern tools, powers and protections they need to counter those who threaten our country.

It will also introduce additional powers and measures to tackle the threat from terrorism.  For instance, allowing the courts to withhold payment of civil damages if there is a real risk that money will be used for the purposes of terrorism.

The National Security Bill is vital to deter actions which often take place in the shadows. We must be able to deter, detect and disrupt those state actors who seek to harm the UK by covertly targeting our national interests, sensitive information, trade secrets and democratic way of life.

The bill will progress through further stages as Parliamentary time allows.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 14 November 2022.

Numbers of officers in northern France will increase by 40% over the coming months as a result of UK funding to step up action to reduce illegal small boat crossings, following a new UK and France agreement signed today.

The Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, is in France today (Monday 14 November) to finalise the arrangement with the French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin. The new agreement lays the foundations for deeper UK-French co-operation to tackle illegal migration and marks the next step for the close operational partnership between the 2 countries which has prevented over 30,000 crossings this year.

The arrangement means, for the first time, specialist UK officers will also be embedded with their French counterparts, which will increase information sharing, improve understanding of the threat, and ensure UK expertise is at the heart of efforts to disrupt crossings and clamp down on people smugglers. This more integrated approach will also include strengthened operational co-operation, including joint UK-France analysis teams supporting the co-ordination and exchange of information by French-command HQ.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

We must do everything we can to stop people making these dangerous journeys and crack down on the criminal gangs. This is a global challenge requiring global solutions, and it is in the interests of both the UK and French governments to work together to solve this complex problem.

There are no quick fixes, but this new arrangement will mean we can significantly increase the number of French gendarmes patrolling the beaches in northern France and ensure UK and French officers are working hand in hand to stop the people smugglers.

Joint working between UK and French officers so far has secured more than 140 convictions connected to people smuggling since the start of 2020 – and these criminals now face a combined 400 years behind bars.

The UK-France Joint Intelligence Cell, which has so far dismantled 55 organised crime groups and secured over 500 arrests since its inception in 2020, will also be expanded.

This latest multi-year arrangement between France and the UK is worth up to 72.2 million euros in 2022 to 2023. It will strengthen security at ports to help clamp down on illegal entry by funding investment in cutting edge surveillance technology, drones, detection dog teams, CCTV and helicopters to help detect and prevent crossings.

It will also go towards supporting reception and removal centres in France for migrants whose journeys to the UK are prevented, to further deter crossing attempts.

A new taskforce will also be set up, focused on reversing the recent rise in Albanian nationals and organised crime groups exploiting illegal migration routes into Western Europe and the UK.

This enhanced approach will boost joint British and French collaboration, which has already prevented over 30,000 illegal crossing attempts since the start of the year – more than 50% more than at the same stage last year.

The renewed partnership marks the next step in joint efforts to reduce these dangerous crossings and paves the way for deeper co-operation between the 2 countries in future, looking ahead to next year’s UK-France leaders’ summit.

The Home Secretary will travel to Frankfurt later this week, where she will meet her international counterparts from the G7 to discuss a range of priority issues including tackling serious organised crime. She will also meet with neighbouring countries as soon as possible as part of the UK’s ongoing co-operation with European partners to drive progress on the issue of illegal migration.

The UK’s work with international partners is a key part of the government’s wide-ranging approach to fix the broken asylum system, break the business model of people smugglers facilitating these journeys and clamp down on illegal migration.

This includes the measures introduced through the Nationality and Borders Act to prevent abuse of the system, such as introducing life sentences for people smugglers and increasing the maximum penalty for entering the UK illegally, as well as our world leading partnership with Rwanda which will see migrants who make these unnecessary journeys relocated there to have their claims considered and rebuild their lives.