Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Victims attend parole hearings to see offenders held to account [April 2025]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 1 April 2025.

Victims can attend the parole hearings of their perpetrators from today (1 April) as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.
- Victims in England and Wales can now observe private Parole Board hearings
- Victims in pilot phase praise level of scrutiny faced by offenders
- Part of Safer Streets mission to improve and increase confidence in the justice system
For the first time, victims from across England and Wales will be able to apply to observe private Parole Board hearings held to decide if a prisoner is safe to be released.

It will let victims see first-hand how offenders are held accountable for their crimes, their subsequent behaviour in prison and their work to prove they can live law-abiding lives if released.

A pilot in the South West of England and Greater Manchester found victims were reassured to see the level of scrutiny that prisoners are put under before any decision to release them is made.

It is hoped, therefore, that these changes will provide more victims with a greater understanding of the decisions made by the Parole Board while ensuring they feel more involved in the process.

Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones, said:

For too long, victims have been locked out of the parole system.

As part of our Plan for Change, we are now giving victims the right to see how offenders are challenged when up for parole.

This Government is improving our justice system to ensure it serves victims better.

Even when the Parole Board makes the decision to release an offender on licence, they are then supervised by the Probation Service and subject to strict conditions, such as curfews and exclusion zones that prevent them approaching their victims. Offenders face going back to prison if they break the rules.

The Parole Board is an independent body that carries out risk assessments on prisoners to determine whether they can be safely released into the community on licence conditions or moved to an open prison.

Victims who are part of the Victim Contact Scheme will apply to the Parole Board to attend hearings with the help of their victim liaison officer and those who are successful in applying will observe remotely so they don’t have to sit with the perpetrator.

They will then be provided with in-person support during the hearing and victims will be directed towards additional support following the proceedings, such as counselling, if necessary.

Anna, a victim who attended a parole hearing as part of the pilot, said:

Observing the hearing was a surprisingly positive process for us. It has helped us to draw a line under the whole chapter and move on.

Witnessing the level of care taken by the Parole Board instilled in me genuine confidence regarding how the offender will be managed upon release.

Before the parole hearing, I had some unanswered questions. Observing the hearing helped me answer many of these.

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

As someone who has been through the parole process, I welcome this national rollout. This is a vital step towards lifting the lid on a system that has long felt closed off to victims, helping them feel more meaningfully involved rather than bystanders to proceedings.

As the rollout begins, it is crucial that victims are provided with all the information they need to make an informed choice about whether to apply – and to understand what to expect if their application is successful- alongside access to guidance and support at every stage of the parole hearing process. Open justice should always be encouraged, but victim welfare must remain paramount.

This latest reform to the Parole Board process follows new measures which will be implemented later this year to introduce a Ministerial check on the release of the most dangerous offenders.

This power will give Ministers better oversight of the release of the most serious offenders by allowing them to refer certain cases directly to the High Court for a second check.

Further Guidance:
- Victims will not be able to observe the entire hearing, as certain evidence must be heard in private, such as that relating to risk management.
- The pilot began in September 2022 in the South-West Probation Region and was expanded to Greater Manchester in September 2023.
- The Government’s ‘Understand Your Rights’ Victims’ Code campaign raises awareness of the Victims’ Code and highlights that it is there for every victim, whatever the crime. The campaign directs users to understand their rights at Your rights as a victim of crime – Victim and Witness Information
April 1, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : New cyber laws to safeguard UK economy and secure long-term growth [April 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 1 April 2025.

The government sets out the scope and ambition of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill for the first time today.
- Plans set out to bolster UK’s online defences, protect the public and safeguard growth – the central pillar of the UK government’s Plan for Change.
- New measures will boost protection of supply chains and critical national services, including IT service providers and suppliers.
- Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to be introduced later this year to face down growing range of online threats.
Hospitals and energy suppliers are set to boost their cyber defences under the new Cyber Security Bill, protecting public services and safeguarding growth as government delivers its Plan for Change.

This will ensure firms providing essential IT services to public services and the wider economy are no longer an easy target for cyber criminals. 1,000 service providers will fall into scope of measures expected to be introduced later this year.

The move forms part of the government’s drive to secure Britain’s future through the Plan for Change, delivering security and renewal by strengthening our critical infrastructure. It will give the British public, businesses and investors greater confidence in digital services – supporting the government’s mission to kickstart economic growth.

Cyber threats cost the UK economy almost £22 billion a year between 2015 and 2019 and cause significant disruption to the British public and businesses. Last summer’s attack on Synnovis – a provider of pathology services to the NHS – cost an estimated £32.7 million and saw thousands of missed appointments for patients. Figures also show a hypothetical cyber-attack focused on key energy services in the South East of England could wipe over £49 billion from the wider UK economy.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle, said:

Economic growth is the cornerstone of our Plan for Change, and ensuring the security of the vital services which will deliver that growth is non-negotiable.

Attempts to disrupt our way of life and attack our digital economy are only gathering pace, and we will not stand by as these incidents hold our future prosperity hostage.

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, will help make the UK’s digital economy one of the most secure in the world – giving us the power to protect our services, our supply chains, and our citizens – the first and most important job of any government.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

Cyber attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and create real risks for our health service if we do not act now to put the right protections in place.

We are building an NHS that is fit for the future. This bill will boost the NHS’s resilience against cyber threats, secure sensitive patient data and make sure life-saving appointments are not missed as we deliver our Plan for Change.

The government is also exploring additional measures to make sure it can respond effectively to new cyber threats and take rapid action where needed to protect the UK’s national security. This includes giving the Technology Secretary powers to direct regulated organisations to shore up their cyber defences – putting the UK in the strongest possible footing to defend against new and existing threats.

Another potential avenue may include new protections for more than 200 data centres – bolstering the defences of one of the main drivers of economic growth and innovation, including through AI. Data centres process mountains of data which they need to churn out new products which have become commonplace everywhere from banking and online shopping to booking holidays and staying in touch with friends and family. The government will now consider the best route to deliver these additional measures.

In the year to September 2024, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) managed 430 cyber incidents, with 89 of these being classed as nationally significant – a rate of almost two every week. The most recent iteration of the Cyber Security Breaches Survey also highlights 50% of British businesses suffering a cyber breach or attack in the last 12 months, with more than 7 million incidents being reported in 2024.

To face down this threat, the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will ensure the vital infrastructure and digital services the country relies on are more secure than ever, as the government sets out its legislative ambitions for the first time today.

Richard Horne, NCSC CEO, said:

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill is a landmark moment that will ensure we can improve the cyber defences of the critical services on which we rely every day, such as water, power and healthcare.

It is a pivotal step toward stronger, more dynamic regulation, one that not only keeps up with emerging threats but also makes it as challenging as possible for our adversaries.

By bolstering their cyber defences and engaging with the NCSC’s guidance and tools, such as Cyber Assessment Framework, Cyber Essentials, and Active Cyber Defence, organisations of all sizes will be better prepared to meet the increasingly sophisticated challenges.

While the legislation will arm the UK with the cyber defences it needs to meet the challenges of today, it also includes measures to ensure a swift response to new threats which emerge in the future. To do this, the Technology Secretary will be given powers to update the regulatory framework to keep pace with the ever-changing cyber landscape.

Confirmed in last year’s King’s Speech, today marks the first time the government has shared full details on its plans for the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament this year.

The legislative proposals follow other government recent action to boost UK cyber security, including a new, world-leading AI cyber security standard to protect AI systems, a new international coalition to boost cyber skills and the Cyber Local programme to support the UK’s rapidly growing £13.2 billion cyber security industry, which has created 6,600 new jobs in the past year.

Further Information

A full copy of the policy statement containing details of the measures in the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill policy statement has been published today.

Figures on the economic impact of a hypothetical cyber incident targeting the South East’s energy structure (PDF) by the University of Cambridge.

If the proposals are adopted:
- More organisations and suppliers will need to meet robust cyber security requirements, including data centres, Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and critical suppliers. This means third-party suppliers will need to boost their cyber security in areas such as risk assessment to minimise the possible impact of cyber- attacks, while also beefing up their data protection and network security defences.
- Regulators will have more tools to improve cyber security and resilience in the areas they regulate, with companies required to report more incidents to help build a stronger picture of cyber threats and weaknesses in our online defences.
- The government would have greater flexibility to update regulatory frameworks when needed, to respond swiftly to changing threats and technological advancement. This could include extending the framework to new sectors or updating security requirements.
April 1, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Landmark summit agrees new measures against organised immigration crime [March 2025]
The press release issued by the Home Office on 31 March 2025.

The Prime Minister and Home Secretary gathered leaders from across the world in London today (31 March) to tackle organised immigration crime.

The purpose of the Organised Immigration Crime Summit is to agree new action to tackle organised immigration crime (OIC) and boost border security.

Discussions at day 1 of the summit included:
- tackling the supply chains and enablers of OIC
- the role of criminal finances in facilitating OIC
- the UK’s systems based approach to border security
as well as how countries can tackle organised crime groups’ operations online in relation to the advertising, promoting and facilitating of illegal immigration services.

The UK and allies including France, Iraq, Vietnam and the USA, and partners including the National Crime Agency (NCA) and representatives from social media organisations, met to agree actions to secure our collective borders, protect vulnerable people from exploitation, and tackle the global threat of organised immigration crime.

Unlike previous summits, this event engaged both European nations and key source and transit countries, as well as those that are integral to the supply of equipment, including small boats and engines, ensuring a broader, more comprehensive approach to tackling OIC.

Concrete outcomes have been agreed across Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa, and North America to strengthen international partnerships to disrupt OIC networks. This also includes new joint work with France to tackle irregular migration in source and transit countries, through community outreach and bolstering false document detection capabilities to Iraqi officials.

The agreement represents a key step forward in the government’s Plan for Change to deliver on working people’s priorities to restore order to the immigration system and comes after the publication of new figures showing more than 24,000 people with no right to be here have been returned since the election – the highest rate of returns in 8 years.

A communiqué was issued that sets out how we will deepen our collaboration internationally to tackle this vile crime.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

Organised immigration crime undermines our security and puts lives at risk. The criminal networks have spread across the globe and no single country can tackle this problem alone.

Today, at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, the UK has led the way forward by securing international commitments to disrupt and pursue this vile criminal trade in people – part of our Plan for Change to strengthen our borders and keep communities safe.

Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt said:

I have said since I came into my post as Border Security Commander that organised immigration crime requires a coordinated international response to effectively dismantle criminal networks.

In my role I have seen first-hand how the cruelty and greed of criminal gangs puts the lives of the most vulnerable at risk in dangerous small boat crossings all for financial gain.

This summit marks a step change in the international community’s approach to tackling the problem, presenting a critical opportunity to strengthen global cooperation, disrupt criminal networks, and prevent further loss of life.

Director General of the National Crime Agency (NCA) Graeme Biggar said:

Criminal gangs are using sophisticated online tactics, the abuse of legitimate goods and services, and illicit financial networks to facilitate dangerous and illegal journeys which put thousands of lives at risk each year and undermine border security.

Today’s summit sets out international agreements to tackle an international problem.

International intelligence sharing and cooperation is absolutely crucial to track criminal activity across borders allowing us to put a stop to these dangerous criminals.

In addition, today the Home Secretary confirmed over £30 million in funding within the Border Security Command to tackle Organised Immigration Criminal Networks. This significant funding package will be spent on key security projects across Europe, the Western Balkans, Asia and Africa, designed to strengthen border security and combat international criminal smuggling gangs.

The Home Secretary also announced joint work with France to fund an additional grassroots engagement programme to educate local communities on the dangers of irregular migration and people smuggling gangs, raising awareness of the realities and difficulties with travelling to Northern France to cross the Channel to the UK.

This will target both potential irregular migrants and, for the first time, teachers, religious leaders, and family members within vulnerable communities, and builds on the Home Office digital deterrence comms campaign that is already running in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

The UK will also collaborate with France to deliver critical training to Iraqi officials and commercial transport staff, helping them detect fraudulent documents and passports used to facilitate irregular migration and OIC activities.
April 1, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with President Stubb of Finland [March 2025]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 31 March 2025.

The Prime Minister welcomed the President of Finland Alexander Stubb to Downing Street this afternoon.

They discussed the successful Coalition of the Willing meeting in Paris last week, noting the strong momentum from European leaders to keep Ukraine in the fight and increase the pressure on Putin to agree a peace deal.

The Prime Minister then updated the President on his ongoing work to strengthen the UK’s relationship with the European Union across a number of areas including defence and security, trade and economic growth. The President warmly welcomed the progress made so far.

As fellow NATO and JEF members, they agreed that the UK and Finland share a close and unique partnership which they will continue working to strengthen in the coming months.

April 1, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Downing Street opens doors to Adolescence creators for vital discussion on protecting our children [March 2025]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 31 March 2025.

The Prime Minister met with Adolescence creators, charities and young people to discuss the issues raised in the series during a meeting focused on rethinking adolescent safety today.
- Prime Minister convenes conversation on rethinking adolescent safety and how to prevent young boys being dragged into “whirlpool of hatred and misogyny”
- Downing Street welcomes Adolescence creators, charities and young people to listen to experiences of children today
- Backed by the Prime Minister, students to watch Netflix drama Adolescence for free in secondary schools across the country
Today the Prime Minister met with Adolescence creators, charities and young people to discuss the issues raised in the series during a meeting focused on rethinking adolescent safety.

Joined by Adolescence co-writer Jack Thorne and producer Jo Johnson, the group met to discuss the challenges facing children and parents today. It also looked at how the Government can work in collaboration to ensure young people have the right tools, support and environment to learn about healthy relationships.

The meeting comes as Netflix makes the drama free to all secondary schools across the country through the Into Film+ schools streaming service and backed by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons. The series will help students better understand the impact of misogyny, dangers of online radicalisation and the importance of healthy relationships.

Giving children the best start in life, making our communities safer and preventing young people falling into crime are central to this government’s Plan for Change.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

As a father, watching this show with my teenage son and daughter, I can tell you – it hit home hard.

It’s an important initiative to encourage as many pupils as possible to watch the show. As I see from my own children, openly talking about changes in how they communicate, the content they’re seeing, and exploring the conversations they’re having with their peers is vital if we are to properly support them in navigating contemporary challenges, and deal with malign influences.

This isn’t a challenge politicians can simply legislate for. Believe me, if I could pull a lever to solve it, I would. Only by listening and learning from the experiences of young people and charities can we tackle the issues this groundbreaking show raises.

At the meeting, the Prime Minister set out how this issue is personal to him. After years spent working as the Director of Public Prosecutions, he has seen the devastation that misogyny and violence leaves behind, and how it tears through families and communities.

Charities invited to Downing Street include the NSPCC, Movember, Beyond Quality, Children’s Society as well as a young person who shared their own experience of becoming immersed in similar online content.

The Prime Minister was also joined by Netflix and Tender charity who have provided resources and guides for parents, carers and teachers on the issues explored in Adolescence, as well as Into Film, the charity enabling the free viewing in schools via its Into Film+ schools streaming service.

Jack Thorne, Adolescence Co-Writer, said:

We made this show to provoke a conversation. We wanted to pose the question – how do we help stop this growing crisis. So to have the opportunity to take this into schools is beyond our expectations. We hope it’ll lead to teachers talking to the students, but what we really hope is it’ll lead to students talking amongst themselves.

Anne Mensah, Netflix VP UK Content, said:

Adolescence has captured the national mood, sparking important conversations and helping articulate the pressures young people and parents face in today’s society.

We’re incredibly proud of the impact the show has made, and are delighted to be able to offer it to all schools across the UK through Into Film+. As part of this, healthy relationships charity Tender will create resources for teachers and parents to help them navigate the important topics the show explores.

The Government has taken action to ensure it is protecting children from the issues raised in the series.

The Online Safety Act’s illegal content duties have come into force targeting the most harmful material including extreme pornography.

From the summer, platforms will also have to ensure children have an age-appropriate experience online preventing them from seeing dangerous content which includes abusive and hateful misogyny and violence.

The Online Safety Act is not the end of the conversation but the foundation. As the Prime Minister has done so today, the Government is committed to listening and will not hesitate to strengthen the law further where necessary.

The Government is also reviewing the relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance, following a consultation that closed last summer. It is closely looking at the consultation responses, engaging with stakeholders and considering the relevant evidence before setting out next steps to take the guidance forward.

Maria Neophytou, NSPCC Director of Strategy & Knowledge said:

The debates around the Netflix series Adolescence, and the themes within it, are both disturbing and important. Today’s meeting with the Prime Minister was a critical milestone for young people and for the NSPCC; a chance to come together and discuss what we can do to ensure young people are growing up in healthy, happy and safe environments.

The online world is being polluted by harmful and misogynistic content which is having a direct impact on the development of young people’s thinking and behaviours. This cannot be allowed to continue.

It is vital young people have access to high-quality, age-appropriate lessons in school about healthy relationships and understand why misogyny is so harmful and has no place in our society. And that parents have guidance and support around how to keep their children safe online. But we can’t expect teachers and parents to do all the heavy lifting.

Tech companies must now put the wellbeing of children first, as demanded by the Online Safety Act. They have a responsibility to ensure their platforms and sites are safe by design for young users: that age limits are enforced, that children’s privacy is respected, that algorithms are not targeting and bombarding them with harmful content, and that there are clear and simple ways for young users to complain about what they are experiencing online and seek support.
April 1, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Pub-owning businesses agree minimum standards for tenants on short agreements [March 2024]

The press release issued by the Pubs Code Adjudicator on 31 March 2025.

The 6 regulated pub-owning businesses have worked together with the PCA to agree minimum standards in dealing with tied tenants on short agreements over and above what the Pubs Code requires.

A tenancy at will or short agreement is often used by pub companies to enable a tenant to begin operating a pub while a longer-term agreement is finalised. Such an agreement can provide an opportunity for both parties to understand whether the business relationship will work, and it can be a good introduction to the trade for a new operator.

If the business relationship is going to develop well, it is vital that the operator on a short agreement gets off to the right start. These transparent minimum standards for dealing fairly with tenants on short agreements can support them in their businesses.

Most rights in the Pubs Code do not apply to tenants on short agreements. However, those entering into such an agreement do have the right to certain information from their pub company and must be advised to complete pubs entry training unless they have certain business experience. A short agreement under the Pubs Code is a tied agreement which is either a tenancy at will or a tied tenancy which (when considered together with any other agreements) entitles the tenant to occupy the pub for under 12 months.

Using the relevant Pubs Code rights of tenants on substantive agreements as a guide, the pub companies regulated under the Pubs Code have worked together with the PCA to agree minimum standards. While largely reflecting existing business practices, these standards provide clarity to those entering into a short agreement on what they can expect from their pub company in addition to what the Pubs Code requires.

Fiona Dickie said:

“Everyone wants tied tenants to do well, and getting off to a strong start is essential. Those on tenancies at will and other short agreements are entitled to be treated fairly. It is particularly important that they should be advised not to invest their own money in the pub when on agreements which can be terminated at short notice. I’m pleased that the regulated pub companies have agreed to a consistent set of minimum standards to reflect their business practices over and above what the Pubs Code requires them to do. This should help tied tenants to understand what they can expect from their relationship with them”.

The short agreements minimum standards document can be found here: Short agreements – minimum standards (March 2025) – GOV.UK

April 1, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Homes England agrees purchase of key Nottingham regeneration site [March 2025]

The press release issued by Homes England on 31 March 2025.

Acquisition of Broad Marsh site signals boost for city’s regeneration vision  and the start of major redevelopment in Nottingham.

The regeneration of Nottingham city centre has taken a major step forward following an agreement for Homes England to purchase the Broad Marsh site from Nottingham City Council.

The Government’s housing and regeneration agency will acquire the council’s land ownership of the former shopping centre, land to the west of the Green Heart, a multi-storey car park, Severns House and a former college site.

The next stage of development will include de-risking of the site, such as demolition and enabling works, to attract private sector developers with the necessary credentials and proven track record to deliver transformational, exemplar city centre projects.

The development of the site will bring forward around 1,000 homes, up to 20,000 square metres of retail, office and community spaces and create around 2,000 full-time jobs.

Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive of Homes England, said:

The acquisition of Broad Marsh is a major milestone in the city council’s vision of regeneration for this area of Nottingham.

We have worked closely with the council since 2022 to provide professional advice and support. Now that we have acquired the site, our teams will be working with partners to attract the right developer to deliver the new homes, employment spaces and leisure facilities necessary to create a vibrant city centre neighbourhood that the people of Nottingham can be proud of.

Broad Marsh is Nottingham’s top priority regeneration project, with significant progress already made by Nottingham City Council (NCC) in advancing its vision. Key achievements include the establishment of a new Nottingham College hub, the opening of the Central Library, Broad Marsh bus station, car park, and, most recently, the completion of the Green Heart public realm.

Councillor Neghat Khan, Leader of Nottingham City Council, said:

It’s great to finally reveal the name of the buyer for such an important site. I have confidence in Homes England and the work they have already delivered across the country.

This is really positive news for Nottingham and marks the start of a major redevelopment for this key part of our city.

We know that people have wanted to see progress here for a long time and we understand that it has been a frustration for some that this hasn’t happened.

We’re excited by the plans that Homes England has, and we look forward to working closely with them to bring these to fruition.

The project will also benefit from investment by the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA), underlining Broad Marsh’s strategic significance to the region and showcasing the collaboration of organisations skilled in delivering complex regeneration projects, in line with the Government’s new Devolution arrangements.

The Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, said:

Homes England’s purchase of Broad Marsh is an investment into the future of Nottingham – a future that the people of Nottingham have been asking for and the city council has been pushing for, which can now be realised.”

As the Mayor of the East Midlands, I have been pleased to lead EMCCA into investing its resources so that this purchase could occur. This is exactly what the region expected when it chose to have a directly elected Mayor, and EMCCA will continue to work closely with Homes England as they transform the area.

Homes England will maintain close collaboration with the council, ensuring the strategic vision for Broad Marsh is successfully realised. The Agency will also commit to continue the work undertaken so far by the council, to engage residents, partners and stakeholders in shaping the delivery of this important project.

April 1, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : New government fund to go after people smuggling gang bosses [March 2025]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 31 March 2025.

Nearly £1 million in government funding will support Iraq in its fight to take down the kingpins of organised immigration crime.

The evil linchpins at the top of people smuggling gangs who consider themselves untouchable will be hunted down and brought to justice thanks to nearly £1 million in government funding to support Iraq to combat organised immigration crime.

The Home Secretary’s groundbreaking partnership with Iraq is making significant headway to tackle organised immigration crime and fortify border security in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). New funding, specialist technology and bolder investigation processes have been pursued since the landmark agreement was signed just 4 months ago.

The nearly £1 million in new government funding will support the passing of new anti-smuggling legislation in the KRI, which is a critical milestone in the region’s ability to prosecute organised crime groups involved in people smuggling. It will also be used to provide targeted training, specialist technological support, and community engagement to address key security challenges in the region.

Successful implementation of the new law will also bolster wider National Crime Agency (NCA) operations, supporting them to disrupt high-profile criminal networks operating in the region. The NCA already has more than 70 investigations into top tier immigration crime networks, including those from or within the KRI.

Earlier this year, the NCA worked with KRI law enforcement partners on a joint operation for the first time ever, which resulted in the arrest of 3 high profile members of a people smuggling network impacting the UK.

The UK-Iraq partnership has also led to a major crackdown on the use of fraudulent documents by people smuggling gangs to move migrants through the Iraqi border. Over 100 Iraqi border and airline officials are being trained to detect false papers, and the UK has distributed specialist forgery detection devices across forensic labs in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Dohuk.

The UK is a world leader in false document detection and has shared expertise, specialist equipment and intelligence with the KRG to help them take down a key route used by people smugglers, who are risking the lives of those they transport and compromising border security.

Joint action between the Home Office, NCA and international partners is also targeting the abhorrent business model of these criminal networks, including their use of social media platforms, financial flows, and maritime equipment such as boats and engines. This multi-faceted approach is having a significant impact, with over 8,000 social media accounts taken down in 2024, and more than 600 boats and engines seized by European partners working with the NCA, before they could be used in life-threatening crossings.

The news comes ahead of the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister hosting the first Organised Immigration Crime Summit on 31 March and 1 April, where the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government will co-chair a collaborative session tightening supply chain controls.

Iraq is a key partner in tackling organised crime groups, to ensure the prosperity and security of UK and Iraqi citizens, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.

The Home Office remains committed to supporting the Government of Iraq and the KRG in tackling the root causes of organised crime, strengthening the rule of law, and safeguarding vulnerable individuals from the dangers posed by criminal networks.

Minister for Security, Dan Jarvis, said:

The ‘Mr Bigs’ of people-smuggling gangs are cowards who hide in other countries and use their stooges to do their dirty work, while they count the grubby blood money they receive. They do not care about the people they are endangering who are being recklessly crammed into increasingly crowded, flimsy boats.

We are using every power in our disposal to hunt them down, bring them to justice and dismantle their evil people smuggling networks. The UK’s partnership with Iraq is a cornerstone in this fight, with both of our countries making significant progress in just a matter of months. Criminal ‘lords’ in Iraq who had previously thought themselves untouchable are now being sent a clear message that their abhorrent business model will fail.

March 31, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister announces massive surge in immigration enforcement as returns reach 24,000 since the election [March 2025]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 31 March 2025.

The Prime Minister today (Monday 31 March) announced the government has returned more than 24,000 individuals with no right to be in the UK since the General Election – the highest returns rate for eight years.
- More than 24,000 people with no right to be here returned since July
- Highest rate of returns in eight years
- 21% increase enforced returns as government begins to restore order to immigration system under the Plan for Change
The Prime Minister today (Monday 31 March) announced the government has returned more than 24,000 individuals with no right to be in the UK since the General Election – the highest returns rate for eight years.

Speaking at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, where over 40 countries and organisations have come together to agree new action to smash people-smuggling gangs, the Prime Minister outlined how the government is finally restoring order to the immigration system after years of failure.

The continued rise in removals includes a 21% increase in enforced returns and a 16% increase in foreign national offenders being removed from the UK since July 5th, including the 4 biggest returns charter flights in the UK’s history, with a total of more than 850 people on board.

The massive surge in removals followed the government’s immediate action to redeploy staff across the Home Office to work on policies that deliver results.

At the Summit the Prime Minister set out the approach this government is taking to finally take on organised immigration crime – one that moves beyond gimmicks and instead delivers hard graft, international leadership, and delivers on working people’s priorities for secure borders.

He set out how this is based on giving law enforcement tougher powers than ever to smash the smuggling gangs, ramping up removals to record levels, surging illegal working raids to end the false promise of jobs used by gangs to sell spaces on boats and leading a renewed international law enforcement effort.

Since taking office the government has reset its approach to global cooperation, striking new bilateral agreements with key international partners including France, Germany, Italy, and Balkan states to disrupt smuggling networks and accelerate removals.

This is backed by the work of Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt who has been negotiating new agreements to bring together international policing, intelligence, and border enforcement to dismantle organised immigration crime networks at home and abroad.

This work has already seen arrests of major people smuggling kingpins through joint investigations with the National Crime Agency.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

Immigration crime funds the vile people-smuggling gangs that trade in human misery, breach our borders and threaten Britain’s economic security. This government is taking back control, doing the hard graft needed to deliver results, working with our international allies to smash these gangs and secure our borders.

We’ve already removed more than 24,000 people with no right to be here and we’re finally shutting down exploitative illegal working, dismantling criminal networks, while forcing people-smuggling gangs out of business.

For too long, the UK was a soft touch. That ends now. No more gimmicks, no empty promises, just serious action for British security.

With over 40 international partners joining the UK’s call to treat people-smuggling like terrorism, today’s summit marks the beginning of a new global coalition to take the fight to the criminal gangs at every stage of the smuggling chain.

This is backed by landmark legislation through the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, giving new powers to seize migrants’ phones to identify smugglers, criminalise those who endanger lives at sea, and ensure every business carries out right-to-work checks – ending the exploitation of illegal labour for good.

Additional information:

Between 5 July and 22 March 2025 there were 24,103 returns, the highest 9 month period compared to any 9-month period since 2017. Prior to this from Jan – Sept 2017, returns were 25,225.

Of total returns since 5 July 2024:
- there were 6,339 enforced returns of people with no legal right to remain in the UK
- 3,594 were of foreign national offenders (FNOs)
- 6,781 were asylum related returns
From 5 July 2024 to 22 March 2025 there have been 46 charter flights for returns to countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America

The full stats can be seen here.
March 31, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Zalo campaign to rebut people smugglers’ lies in Vietnam [March 2025]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 31 March 2025.

The government is launching adverts for the first time on Zalo, as it expands its campaign warning people about the dangers of trusting people smuggling gangs.

Zalo, the Vietnamese instant messaging and social platform, has over 77 million monthly users.

The ads will run on Zalo and Vietnamese news aggregator Báo Mới in the coming weeks, the first time the UK government has ever advertised on these platforms, helping to secure our borders as part of the Plan for Change.

The campaign forms part of the government’s response to a deluge of false claims spread on social media platforms encouraging people to come to the UK illegally. Posts frequently use coded messages to evade content moderation, such as referring to small boat crossings as a ‘game’. People smugglers have also offered discounts to those who film their journey so the footage can be used as promotional material.

The campaign launch comes as the UK hosts the landmark Organised Immigration Crime Summit at Lancaster House on 31 March to 1 April.

The summit will bring together delegates from over 40 countries and marks a step change in the international community’s approach to tackling OIC. It is a critical opportunity to strengthen global co-operation, disrupt criminal networks, and prevent further loss of life.

Representatives from Meta, X and TikTok are attending the summit to discuss how to jointly tackle the online promotion of irregular migration, such as illegal people smuggling networks. The National Crime Agency announced in January that it had triggered the removal of more than 8,000 accounts linked to people smuggling last year, working closely with social media companies.

The government is currently running ads on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to counter this content in Vietnam, which has already reached over 53 million people since the campaign launched in December.

Vietnamese nationals remain among the top nationality groups crossing the Channel illegally. They accounted for 17% of small boat arrivals in the first half of 2024, reducing to 6% in the second half. Further campaigns have recently been launched in Albania and Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, said:

People smugglers are always looking for new ways to peddle their vile trade and we are exposing their lies at every opportunity.

This government is securing our borders and delivering on our Plan for Change, dismantling the criminal gangs who abuse our borders and warning migrants about the risks and realities of coming to the UK illegally.

Founder and CEO of the Vietnamese Family Partnership, Quynh Nguyen, said:

As representatives of the Vietnamese community in the UK, we support the expansion of the social media campaign on Zalo to prevent irregular migration.

Zalo is widely used in Vietnam and introducing adverts on the channel will help to reach many more vulnerable people to warn them of migrant smugglers’ lies.

Our community understands the importance of legal routes, and we are committed to sharing this message with families in Vietnam. We aim to inform and support our community by highlighting the dangers of illegal migration and the importance of seeking legal and safe pathways.

March 31, 2025