Live Home Office Questions House of Commons

Order! Order. On the front page of today's order paper, it is noted

that on the 4th of September 1916, Lieutenant Colonel Duncan Frederick

Campbell, Duke of Wellington's raging -- Regiment, West riding,

North Ayrshire, wounded at a battle in 1914 and again on the Western

front in 1916, died from his wounds in Suffolk. We remember him today.

Hear, hear! Questions for the Home Secretary. Amber Rudd. This is a

voluntary scheme whereby local authorities sign up to accept

refugees on a voluntary basis. Up to 2016, June, 2046 people were

resettled across 186 different authorities. There are sufficient

pledges of places across the UK to resettle 20,000 vulnerable Syrians

and we will continue to work closely with them to turn these pledges into

places. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I'm grateful for that answer and I

welcome this government's record in supporting the people of Syria. And

also many councils who are taking in refugees and encouraging -- I am

encouraging my local authorities to do that but they need support. Would

the Secretary of State update the House as to what support as well as

encouragement she is giving to local authorities. I ask my honourable

friend to pass on my congratulations to his local authority for their

support. It is essential that this is done on a voluntary basis. We

provide support over a five-year period and it is tapered. But we

recognise that it is essential to provide central financial support to

the local authorities who are supporting these people. Can I

welcome the Home Secretary to her first Home Office questions and wish

her well in the job and welcome the job that the local authorities are

doing. She will know that some of us met a few weeks ago with a Syrian

teenager in Calais whose family are here in Britain, who was given a

take charge and leave two months ago but is still in Calais, alone, in

dangerous conditions. He has now been given a transfer date of later

this week but only because three MPs and two national newspapers

intervened. There are hundreds more children and teenagers in Calais in

awful conditions. Will she intervene urgently and speed up the

bureaucracy and a sort these cases out? I recognise the excellent work

that the Right honourable lady delves in this area in drawing

attention to these people indicate camp. I would point out to her, and

to the general public, that this is French territory. It is French law

that we have to engage with in order to help these people. We are

identifying the children that we can help and we are now able to speed up

that process and will continue to watch it carefully. Thank you, Mr

Speaker. Would the Secretary of State commend me -- join me in

commending local groups who has set up their own initiatives and

liaising with local councils to make sure that new people coming over,

these are vulnerable Syrian refugees are locally welcomes in our

communities? I do join my honourable friend in making that point, how

important it is for families to be welcomed by the community. These are

not families being foisted on the communities, it is communities

saying they want to welcome them. I commend what is being done in

Richmond and I know other communities and individuals are

volunteering to help and some of them are going on the website, help

refugees in the UK, to find out how they can help. Mayor welcome the

Home Secretary to her first Home Office questions and I welcome the

announcement that there will be enough places for 20,000 Syrians by

2020. I am sure she will wish to congratulate Scotland for welcoming

1000 of those refugees, more than one third of the total in the UK.

But will she now commit to extending the government's resettlement

programme past 2020 and opening it up to other refugees? I do join the

honourable and learn as Lady in congratulating Scotland for the work

they have done and who can forget the early pictures of the refugees

arriving on the Isle of Bute. There is still work to do to welcome the

20,000. I was pleased to announce over the weekend additional funding

for language courses. For now we won't go further but we will keep it

under review continually. I welcome my right honourable friend to her

moored than deserved place. I'm sure the whole house will welcome the

four Syrian families who are housed in my constituency and congratulate

my counsel for their hard work. What assurances can be Home Secretary

gave local councils that financial support will extend for as long as

it takes to keep people safe in our country? I congratulate Broxtowe

Council in the work they have done to welcome those families. I can

reassure her and those councils that the funds are in place for the five

years, that are tapered. And I note the request -- the increase funding

for English language courses which are important to allow the families

to form part of the community. I commend the Home Secretary for the

early initiative she has taken. But she will be aware that there are

many local authorities which have not been required to take refugees

and others who are taking in the would take more. Does that

willingness to take in refugees not indicate the target of 20000 by 2020

was an unnecessarily modest ones and could now be revisited? I am not

ready yet to say that the 20,000 is not enough. We have worked

incredibly hard to make sure that that 20,000 is welcomed, will be

properly looked after. The modern thing is to concentrate on making

sure that everyone of those 20,000 to get the proper support from the

communities in which they are housed and get the language lessons. So I

would ask for his patients, making sure that we support those 20,000.

It is not just a matter of numbers. I'm glad that we're bringing them in

for the Middle East rather than from Calais. I congratulate my local

councils who had taken on refugees. But it is not just a question of the

people, it is a question of finding health care, social care, education

and other infrastructure in the area and jobs for them as well. Not just

bringing them in and leaving them to it. My honourable friend is

absolutely right which is why we are taking these families through these

UNHCR who set them carefully so we get the people who are most in need.

It is the local authorities who can decide whether they have the

capacity, in terms of health places, school places, and I think we are

very fortunate in this country that we do have sufficient authorities

who have come through to volunteer to help. It is testament to the

strength and generosity of the British people. Mrs Baker, with

permission I will answer questions two and six together.

-- Mr Speaker. We continue to work with the French and Italian

authorities to improve processes for unaccompanied children. We have

facilities in Greece and we are working in Italy and we are sending

officials to the French interior ministry. Request under the Dublin

regulation are processed within ten days in general and children

transferred within weeks. 120 children have been accepted for

transfer within Europe this year. There are literally hundreds of

children in Calais as we speak who have a legal right to be reunited

with their families in this country. Literally, those children are trying

to put their lives at risk by jumping on trains and lorries. I

want to know specifically what the government is doing to help those

children in Calais? The honourable gentleman will be aware that we have

an obligation which we are acting on to work with the authorities in

France to remove the children who have a family representatives in the

UK under the Dublin obligation. We have since May, since the

immigration Acts, taken 30... We have agreed to take 30 of which we

have taken approximately half. We have taken under and 20 this year. I

don't think he should underestimate the difficulty in making sure we do

what is lawful under French law and EU law at the same time. The Home

Secretary will be aware of significant concern on this issue

from humanitarian organisations. With the onset of winter just a

couple of months away, and the time it is taking, will she commit

additional resources and to come back in the next couple of months

and tell us how many children she will be taking?

We are aware of the humanitarian need and that is why the Government

is so committed to making sure that we do work in the best interests of

the children. I would say to the honourable gentleman we are always

going to work in the best interests of the children who are there and

always make sure that it is within French and EU law. I welcome any

sense of urgency that comes from the Home Secretary, the members for

Southgate and Castleford and myself visited Calais just two weeks ago

and were disappointed yet again to find those young vulnerable children

there with nobody to support them or look after them. What can the

Minister tell me about whether we can have safeguarding put in place

there when we have identified them, when we have had that take charge

request to look after them there and have a Home Office official based

there, not in Paris? I would like to tell my honourable

friend that I met with my French counterpart last week and also met

with our representatives who do attend the camp. I am sure she is

aware, as many members of the House are aware who have visited the camp,

that it is a fine line between wanting to help and safeguard those

children and making sure that we do not encourage the traffickers to

bring more children to the camp and thereby make more children more

vulnerable. We are doing our best to tread that fine line and make sure

we always support those vulnerable children. But it is not as simple as

she tries to pretend. I understand the natural inclination to look at

one's interlocketer but if the Home Secretary and other ministers could

address the House that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. May

I tell the Home Secretary that the situation in the jungle which I

visited recently is truly horrific. Can I invite her to join me to visit

Dover and Calais to see the situation in the jungle, the evil

activities of the people traffickers and will she work with me to do our

best with Britain and France to end the evil trade of modern slavery

these people traffickers are pursuing? Thank you, I am grateful

to the honourable gentleman and the work that he does to keep me

informed and to support what the Government does to make sure that

there is for instance not just a smooth traffic going through Dover

and Calais but we are always well informed of what is happening there.

Of course I will work with him to make sure that we do our best and

the real criminals here are the traffickers who do their terrible

violent work and take advantage of families. Children arriving at

Greece seeking to be reunited with families in the UK are forced into

immigration detention which is a breach of their human rights. Can

she assure the House that she's in discussion with Greek counterparts

as to how to do that because that will prevent more children having to

come to Calais in the first place? Well, I can tell the honourable

gentleman that we have a sonnedee, in Greece we are wo working closely

with the Greek Government and we are in fact - we have identified some

children who we think we can assist. We anticipate the first arrivals to

the UK this month. The point of those young people and have been

accepted and have family here waiting for them to arrive here.

Surely when we talk about fine lines the fine lines for these young

people where we have accepted - the fine line they're taking at risk of

attack as we saw from young people, risk of exploitation and trafficking

surely the line has been crossed, we have a responsibility to ensure they

get back to family here and avoid being in a position where they're

not safe and let's make them safe rather than risk of exploitation and

trafficking they're facing at the moment. My honourable friend is

right to refer to the fine line. He is right to refer to the fact that

the camp is a place of terror and of danger and we will follow up on our

obligations and as I said in an earlier answer to a question we are

now managing to move more quickly but I would ask him not to

underestimate the difficulties sometimes of dealing with French law

and EU law, we can not simply move in and take action. We have to act

within the law which is what is always in the best interests of the

child. Can I welcome the Home Secretary and tell her I was in

Calais this weekend, the second time I went over, both times I have met

some of those 800 young unaccompanied children who are in

that camp, children who told me they have not spoken in many months

they've been there to a single Government official. A pregnant

woman who said she had tried to claim asylum in France but the

system is so broken she was told it could be months before they would

even begin to process her application. These people are living

in hell because of a lack of bureaucracy. My colleague is right.

They need our safeguarding because they're sleeping in tents with men,

strange men, will she meet with me and other MPs affected by this and

concerned to discuss how we can change that? I would point out to

the honourable lady that the French have already dispersed 5,000 people

from the camp. The interior Minister has already said that he has plans

by the end of the year to make sure that the camp is phased out so that

everybody can be rehoused. It is important for the children to know

as the adults do know that they are not forced to come to the UK to find

a bed. They can claim asylum in France. The French Government is

willing to do that. The honourable lady should have a care not to

encourage unwittingly the traffickers to bring more children

to the camps. Number three, MrSpeaker. Thank you. With your

permission I will answer questions three and nine together. PCSOs have

been playing a key role in policing our communities over recent years

and they should play a greater role in the future and that's why the

police and Crime Bill sets out a series of reforms that will allow

Chief Constables to designate them with a wider range of powers.

Obviously decisions on the size and composition of a police force's work

force are individual police and crime commissioners. Thank you. The

Minister in his former role as housing Minister, St Ives will be

known to you and I am sure you are glad to be rid of that role, this is

a new problem for St Ives. There is a neighbourhood popular police

officer and valued member of the policing team in St Ives. There are

5,000 people who are in support of his current role and yet he has been

moved by Devon and Cornwall Police to an effective back office role

soon. What can the Minister do to support local community policing in

St Ives and safeguard front line policing roles? Well, I congratulate

my friend in highlighting an issue that's clearly important enough to

his constituents to have so many get in behind what must be an impressive

PCSO to get that many people signing his form. Obviously those kind of

operational decisions are for the force's Chief Constable but I will

be visiting my honourable friend's area soon and I hope I will get a

chance to meet a sergeant who can indefiniter to get that kind of

support for his community. In Wrexham town centre we have fewer

police and more antisocial behaviour under this Government. Police

community support officers introduced by a Labour Government

are very welcome and perform a very valuable role but there is a

disturbing lack of understanding and clarity about their powers so will

the review that the Government should undertake make clear to the

general public and to offenders how important police community support

police officers are? Well, the honourable gentleman makes an

important point in terms of community support officers - they do

play a key role. They've increased by about 40% in his part of the

world. It's important in the bill we are giving that power to Chief

Constables to look at what is right for their area to have the power to

give those powers to the people, PCSOs and other volunteers to do the

work needed appropriate for their area. I was with one of the few

remaining PCSOs on Friday for a walk about in the town, it would appear

were it not for the funding provided by the council there would now be no

PCSOs in the Borough at all. Does the Minister agree that PCSOs are

vital for developing the intelligence picture locally and

without them it's difficult to see how frontline officers can do that?

Well, my honourable friend makes a very good point in a sense that when

I was a council leader myself and PCSOs first came in my council

funded them back then and they do play an important part as part of

the remit of powers that the Chief Constables and the PCCs do have to

make sure they're gathering intelligence to prevent crime which

obviously is our first priority. The Minister must be aware of the survey

conducted by Unison which says 78% of PCSOs have said they've become

less visible, that their units have got smaller and they've stopped

doing that patrolling preventive work but are actually doing

callbacks on crime for other police officers. Isn't it true that PCSOs

are no longer doing what we created them for, and as a result our

communities feel abandoned by the police. I would disagree with the

honourable lady. I would say what she needs to think about is yes

crime is changing and the way police forces fight crime needs to be

reflective of the modern world we live in. That's why it's right this

Government has moved crime fighting to being locally driven with PCCs

and the Chief Constables have the powers they need to fight crime

locally in the way they see best. Number four, MrSpeaker. We continue

to strengthen our counter terrorism powers. The 2015 counterterrorism

security act provided the police with new powers and created a

general duty on public bodies to prevent people being drawn into

terrorism. To apprehend terrorist suspects the police and security

agencies need to collect intelligence to support arrests and

develop evidence to secure prosecutions. I am grateful for that

answer. A major terror threat to the United Kingdom comes from people

trafficked into this country and it's vital we maintain the strongest

intelligence sharing relationships and agreements with other nations.

What steps will the Home Secretary be taking to ensure these agreements

are prioritised and protected following the vote to leave the

European Union? Well, I thank my honourable friend

for that important question and I am aware of his expertise as a former

police officer himself and I would like to reassure him that we are

leaving the EU but our co-operation on security with our European and

global allies will be undiminished. We are about to begin negotiations

and it would be wrong to set out uni lat ram positions in advance but I

share his view on this important matter. Thank you, MrSpeaker. Could

I warmly welcome the Home Secretary to her post. I hope she has a long

and successful term as Home Secretary. As she knows earlier this

year - left the country having not handed over his passport to local

police officers and he went to fight for Daesh. Her predecessor, the

Prime Minister, changed the police and Crime Bill to make the situation

tougher for those who seek to go abroad. Will she follow the advice

of the head of counterterrorism and expect suspects to hand over their

passports as a precondition for bail?

Well, I thank the right honourable gentleman for raising this very

important matter. It was a very distressing case where he was able

to go away on bail and go away to do such damage and create such - join

Daesh in Syria. He is absolutely right, this is something that the

former Home Secretary addressed and we are looking at the best way to

implement it and may well be following the particular route he

has said. Rest assured that we do take it very seriously. I

congratulate the Home Secretary on her new role. Will she agree that

the investigatary powers bill is Nell if the intelligence services

are to retain their existing capability to collect - it's crucial

in detecting terrorism and serious crime?

I thank my right honourable friend for that question and she will know

from her former role as Secretary of State in Northern Ireland how

important being able to collect that information is. She's absolutely

right the powers bill is critical to making sure our police and security

services and intelligence services generally have the tools they need

to get to the convictions they hope they will have. Thank you very much.

Can I on behalf of my party welcome the Home Secretary and the entire

team to their role. In Northern Ireland we know the true benefits of

both the police and security services working together. If we can

take the local case of my constituent who was murdered this

year, the chief suspect in his murder has been bailed and despite

having breached bail twice still remains at large. When the police

and security services succeed can the Home Secretary advise what

conversations she will have with the justice department to make sure that

the judiciary play their part as well?

Well, I thank the honourable gentleman for that question. I would

like to point out it's a matter for the judiciary in Northern Ireland

but rest assured it's a matter we take very seriously. In welcoming

the Home Secretary to her new role, may I ask her whether she has had a

chance to see to what extent profiling of those who commit

terrorist atrocities has been examined by her department, by the

police and by the security services. People such as the journalist Peter

Hitchins have noted a Coralation between drug abuse and the

commission of atrocities which is rather greater than at any link

between there having a Muslim faith background than one would normally

expect. Therefore, is profiling is to be carried out successfully will

the appropriate effort be invested? Thank you. I thank my honourable

friend for that question. We do have a behavioural unit in the Home

Office which does try to look at types of behaviour which may lead to

certain actions and rest assured now he has raised that question I will

look at it more seriously. In Birmingham we are only too aware

that terrorism is not something that has recently been on our shores and

I wanted to welcome the Home Secretary and ask her does she agree

with me and most of Birmingham that the relatives of the victims of the

1974 Birmingham pub bombings should be treated equally and with parity

to the relatives of the Hillsborough disaster? And be provided with the

access to legal representations so that they can effectively pass to

say paint in the inquests into the murder of their -- participate into

the inquests into the murder of their loved ones. The honourable

lady has raised this with me before, I know about the campaigning she has

done on behalf of her constituents and the city in general and I don't

know whether she is aware but I am seeing representatives of the

Birmingham families this evening and I will follow up with more

information after that. Number five, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, protecting the public is a priority for this government and

it is important that checks undertaken are thorough. I visited

the Metropolitan Police Service last week to see the work they are

undertaking to tackle the delays and I will be visiting the DBS in the

near future. I will continue to maintain a close interest in

disclosure turnaround times and be DBS.

I welcome the honourable lady but she is taking on intractable

problems in seeing the Metropolitan Police dealing with checks in good

time. I have had cases in the 12 months prior including teachers

unable to get their checks done in time to start work. I wish every

power to her elbow but it has been going on for nearly a decade and

what practical steps is she going to take? I share the honourable lady's

frustration with the delays in the Met police but I can assure based on

my visit last week that the DBS have increased resources made available

to the police and in the last six months alone, over 100 new members

of staff have been recruited. They have made improvements to the

processes that they are undertaking and I'm looking at weekly

performance statistics and she can be assured that I will be doing

everything in my power to speed up the processing of this very

important service. You must try to speed up as we have a lot to get

through and I would like to accommodate colleagues. Jack Dromey.

Number seven, Mr Speaker. Minister Wallace. As crime falls, we as no

that it is changing. The Internet offers criminals new opportunities

to commit fraud and cybercrime. We welcome reporting of this which has

trebled. Collating data with the ONS means that we can better map trends

and cyber security and take steps to combat cybercrime. On the day

Parliament went into recess, the Office for National Statistics

confirmed that there had been 8.9 million incidents of cybercrime in

the last 12 months affecting one in ten of the population. This means

that crime has near doubled. Does the Home Secretary agree that the

legacy of her predecessor, now the Prime Minister, is one of 20,000

fewer police and soaring crime? Mr Speaker, I don't think that is much

of a proper point. Under his government, there was no proper

reporting mechanism for fraud. We set up Action Fraud. That has seen a

300,000 referrals and the best advice we can give our constituents,

rather than play politics, is to say that GCHQ advise that if you change

your passwords regularly, and have up-to-date software you will cut

your exposure to cybercrime. This government has an excellent record

both in tackling crime and cybercrime by setting up the

national cybercrime unit. I wonder whether the new minister, who I

warmly welcome to his position, will use his imagination and energy to

consider a bespoke career path for people and graduate level entering

the police force because those people need different skills from

the police we have relied on hitherto before the growth of

digital crime. Yes, we are working on that and we are working on direct

recruitment to enable the police and NCA get the skills they need. We

have invested in upscaling members of the NCA who host the National

cybercrime unit but it is important that we make everybody understands

that everybody can play a role in defending against cybercrime and

then if they follow the advice of GCHQ, we will go far. If the

Minister satisfied by the support being given to social media

companies and the police to prevent radicalisation online. The police

get the corporation and we would like to see more and we will keep

pressing because it is important that we protect vulnerable people

from the effects that the Internet can have in turning them to

terrorism. Given the increase in cybercrime, will the new Minister

commits to investigate the stories of these hardware and ethical

concerns that destruction orders on hardware containing child

pornography can be successfully challenged by offenders in court? I

think it is important that we make sure that the data is always there

to help people would be convicted of their crime and it cannot be put

aside. I hope the macro will support the investigatory Powers Bill when

it returns to the House because that is one of the best ways to prevent

cybercrime. For clarity, nobody, particularly a child, facilitates

being trafficked. The Minister will know that online child abuse has

reached unprecedented levels and is increasing. The Internet Watch

foundation says there has been a an increase in child images. However,

children and parents are woefully underprepared to recognise or

prevent abuse and exploitation online, despite the fact 65% of 12

to 15-year-olds own a smartphone. What does the Minister plan to do to

prevent child abuse other than changing their password? The obvious

answer to that is first of all that what we need to do is continue to

educate children and parents either in its goal-setting or at home to

make sure that they operate certainly when surfing the net --

either in a school setting. The National crime agency make sure

there are guidelines online for everyone to follow. The National

cybercrime unit is responsible. They are responsible to make sure we

catch people abroad or at home. Whatever side of the channel they

are on. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I will answer questions eight and 17

together. The latest figures show the attempts we have made to prevent

abuse. Reducing the number of migrants coming to the UK will be a

priority for negotiations to leave the European Union. I welcome my

honourable friendfriend to his new role which must be one of the most

challenging in government. The most recent figures demonstrate that

despite their steps already taken by the government, we urgently need

new, clear, workable and effective policies so can my honourable friend

set out when he intends to bring these policies before the House? We

are committed to ringing down net migration to sustainable levels as

soon as possible. That will take time because until we leave the

European Union we will still be affected by the free movement rules.

But we are doing everything we can to ensure the numbers come down. At

every step, we will make sure we get the best possible outcome for the

British people and it would be wrong to set out unilateral positions in

advance of that. The Minister has formally got the

most difficult job in government and he will be a national hero when he

reduces immigration to the tens of thousands... Could you tell the

House how he is going to work with the Ministry for excepting the

European Union? -- for the exit from the European Union? We may have been

on different sides of the campaign but we are one the same side in

delivering net result for the British people. The Home Office will

be the lead department in the biggest nations but forward to

working with the Brexit department and I think the Prime Minister may

be taking an interest given her experience the Home Office. Angela

Eagle. In China, the Prime Minister has unilaterally announced that

Britain will not be adopting the points-based system which the Leave

campaign put so much emphasis on giving the referendum but we will be

doing something more effective. Can you tell us what it is? When the

Labour Party introduced a points-based system, the numbers

went straight up. In Australia, they have such a system and they have

higher in interrogation per capita than Britain. It points -- higher

immigration. An immigration system that works for Britain would decide

who can come into the country. The practices, GP practices in my

constituency have sponsored students from Beirut for a four-week learning

experience. This week's student, a Syrian national, has been refused

entry although he has come on the same basis as previous applicants.

Woody Home Secretary -- with the Minister review of this with me as

he is due to arrive shortly. It is true that those who want to come to

our blue-chip universities can come and study and understand there are

particular cases and I will come with the honourable lady and try and

facilitate this particular case. Can I welcome my honourable friend to

his post. Would he agree with me that while it is essential that our

excellent universities continue to attract universities from all over

the world, it is not sustainable to go on with a situation where almost

two thirds of all non-EU students who come into this country, stay. Al

existing rules need to be enforced. It is certainly very important that

when people come here to study from abroad that given the qualification

they get, they can take those back to their country and improve the

development of those countries from where they came. It is not intent on

getting a place from the University in the UK is a licensed estate in

the UK for ever. It decade ago, Labour introduced a points-based

system and in the referendum campaign, many MPs pledged to extend

it. Today, without consultation or debate, the Prime Minister ruled it

out and failed to tell us what would come instead. This comes as the

Italian government gave his warning, the more they limit people in the

UK, the more we will emit goods. Just as country -- -- we will limit

goods. The country lacks leadership. Can we finally have a proper debate

about what Brexit means for Britain? He may have heard somebody this

morning saying this morning -- that this poison a system is not a

panacea. The system is broken, people were allowed to, were allowed

to enter and search parties were sent out... A complete nonanswer.

People at home wondering why we are getting no answers and it is because

they told the civil service not to plan for Brexit. But he could

address the situation of EU nationals in Britain. This is

causing uncertainty and hostility to some nationals. The whole country

was appalled by the attack in Harlow in late August which led to the

death of a Polish national. It is in the Home Secretary's gift to change

this climate. Will they respect the unanimous vote of the House and

confirm the status of all EU nationals already here? We have

already made clear that the status of EU nationals is not under threat

at all and indeed, we have always made the point that during the

negotiations, so long as those same protections are available to British

nationals abroad, then those protections would be there for those

who come from the rest of Europe. I would commend the contribution made

by the British economy for those from further afield. Want to attract

the brightest and best but we will curtail those who come.

Cooperation between the European Union and European member state has

continued after the referendum results, including on European

arrest warrants. We are exploring opportunities for further

cooperation once the UK has left the EU. We will do what is necessary to

keep people safe but it would be wrong to set out unilateral

positions before the negotiations. But the Brexit secretary has always

campaign for us to leave the European Arrest Warrant and so has

the Foreign Secretary. Does she agree with them or does she agree

with her predecessor, now the Prime Minister, who, when we debated this

in this House, said that there were 901 suspected serious criminals,

including paedophiles, rapists and murderers, who were extradited out

of this country thanks to the European Arrest Warrant. Would it

not be better for her to say that now she would -- say that she will

protect British people by ensuring we remain within the European Arrest

Warrant. We know how important it has been to

keep people safe. When people voted to leave the European Union, they

did not vote for a less safe country. We will make sure that

whatever the outcome of the negotiations are that we protect

people and we do so in a way that is as effective as with the European

arrest warrant. I too welcome the Home Secretary to her first

questions but I do hope we will get better answers than the ones we just

had the immigration Minister. I will give it one more go. This time on

security. Last week in relation to the discussions with the French

Government about Calais a senior Government source bereaved the Times

that the UK might withdraw co-operation on counterterrorism if

it doesn't get its way, references the Nice attack. At a time when

France is facing an unprecedented terror threat this is utterly crass

but it is also counterproductive as the same networks that threaten

France could have Lynx here. Will she today distance herself from this

and commit to maintaining co-operation with our EU

counterparts including to maintain our involvement in the European

arrest warrant. MrSpeaker, there are something

differently derisory with the right honourable gentleman trying to

lecture this side of the House on security measures when we know how

divided his shadow front bench is with a leader of his party that

refuses to defend this country with a Shadow Chancellor who calls for

the disbandment of the police and does not support MI5. This side of

the House is absolutely clear that we will do what is right to support

this country and to protect this country and he is right on one

element, which is when I had my many conversations with European

counterparts I always said to them that we will work with them,

irrespective of Brexit to ensure our joint security. Thank you,

MrSpeaker. The Prime Minister has been clear that she wants to protect

the status of EU nationals here. The only circumstances I have already

said in which that would not be possible is if British citizens

rights in other EU member states were not protected in return. Thank

you. In the two months since the EU referendum the EU citizens in my

conconstitute yens sri have become increasingly anxious, they lie

awaits at nights wondering if they're still going to be able to

call my constituency their home. Can the Home Secretary do the decent

thing and guarantee that no EU citizens will be used as bargaining

chips in the forthcoming negotiations following the

triggering of Article 50? Can I repeat again that there is no change

in the status of EU nationals living and working in the UK. But the issue

is not sichlly about the immigration status of an individual, EU

citizens' rights are far broader than just the right to reside in the

UK, the right to work, entitlement to benefits and pensions, rights of

access to public services as well as the ability to be joined by family

members from countries outside the EU. All these need to be discussed.

The Minister will be aware that the NHS would currently not be able to

function without the input of skilled migrants from across the

world. Indeed there are presently 236 known non-Irish EU migrants

employed by the health board in North Wales alone. What assurances

can he give about the status of existing EU migrants working within

the NHS and post Brexit how does he see future migration policy taking

into account the needs of the health service? Well, I hope I have already

made that clear. I do recognise that EU citizens make an invaluable

contribution to our economy, our society and our daily lives. They

provide vital services, including in the NHS where almost one in ten

doctors and one in 15 nurses are from an EU country. That is why the

Government will seek an early resolution to this issue. Thank you,

MrSpeaker. Last week in a statement issued by the Scottish Conservative

and unionist party press office a Conservative member of the Scottish

parliament, Alexander Burnett, questioned the rights of EU citizens

resident in Scotland to participate in Scottish politics. This has

caused great concern in Scotland. Will he unreservedly condemn this

statement and give EU citizens resident in Scotland and indeed

across the UK, the assurance they are still welcome to participate in

politics? So long as we are members of the EU the status of those

citizens does not change. We are running late and I fear colleagues

are making up for unspoken words in August with spoken words in

September. That said I am very keen to accommodate two further

inquiries. Thank you, MrSpeaker. Fraud is a behindous crime that can

have a devastating effect on individuals, families, the most

vulnerable members of society. That's why this Government launched

a joint fraud task force last February with law enforcement and

banks and has committed is spending ?1. 9 billion over the next five

years on cyber security including tackling cyber enabled fraud. I

thank my honourable friend for that answer. Can I ask what assessments

he has made of fraud in my area? The joint fraud task force will cover

all the UK and the members of the banks etc who are on that will be

involved in making sure when people commit fraud they can't take the

money out of the country and we at least give time for people to track

it back. I would also like to congratulate the Dorset Police who

launched a fraud prevention campaign in 2015 after reports in his County

had lost over ?1 million to fraud. I am still not cop Vinced about what

the Home Secretary said about European co-operation. Could the

Minister confirm we will remain members of euro poll which will

tackle fraud across Europe. I think you might have to wait for the

answer, because the Home Secretary and the colleague are meeting with

Europol. What we continue to do is to continue with Interpol and all

the other forces of the European Union to make sure this country is

safe and secure. Thank you. Question 13. Thank you. The police and Crime

Bill will introduce statutory safeguards to the precharge balance

process including time limits and judicial - will increase

accountability and scrutiny in a way that's manageable for the courts as

well. I have met with a 18-year-old conconstitute yept in Lincoln and

his family, there has been no admission of guilt nor the police or

CPS in a charge to charge or take my constituent to charge. I am aware

this is an operational matter for the police but my constituent's

right to a family life and education are being severely detrimental

impacted but what I feel is the police's underfunded and

understaffed investigation. Will my honourable friend agree to meet to

discussion the situation and how best for police forces across the

country to avoid lengthy periods of precharge bail for particularly

young suspects. My honourable friend makes an important point and it's

not right some people can spend months or years on precharge bail

with little safeguards. I am happy to meet to discuss how reforms in

the case he talks about and we will be bringing forward further

amentments to the police and criminal evidence ability of 1984 to

ensure 17-year-olds are treated as children and safeguarded as such.

Topical questions. Number one, MrSpeaker. Thank you, MrSpeaker. We

are meeting this September after terrible events over the summer in

Nice, Normandy and Munich and we must step up international efforts

to keep our people safe and tackle violent extremism. I have spoken to

a number of my counterparts other the summer, not least the French

interior Minister and they all agree that the UK must not step back from

international co-operation on security and counterterrorism and we

will not shirk from that. In 2015 Northumbria Police were involved in

13 extraditions. If the Home Secretary is unable to commit to

retaining the European arrest warrant and I listened to her

earlier answers which didn't offer a great deal of comfort, can she set

out in much more detail how she will make sure that we will continue to

have the powers that we need to tackle cross-border crime, keep our

country safe and bring criminals to justice? Can I remind the honourable

Rab lady that nothing has changed yet. -- we will still have the

European arrest war apt in place. The Prime Minister has said she will

not be triggering Article 50 until next year. I would urge her to work

with her police force and to reassure them that nothing has

changed for now. We can carry on with the European arrest warrant. I

am assisting a constituent who has been the victim of a fraudulent scam

losing over ?30,000 of their life savings. The case has been referred

to action fraud. The Minister spoke about an increased referrals to

action fraud but it's result that is matter. The cases I have dealt with

show poor results. What action is being taken to ensure that action

fraud improve their performance? First of all, through further

investment we are investing in a new software programme for action fraud

that not only will improve the and lips of crimes reported to it but

also will allow victims of fraud to task their case in lifetime online.

I have also asked officials in response to my honourable friend's

concerns to look at how action fraud communicate with members of the

public because it's really important that we remember these people are

victims, very often they've done nothing brong whatsoever and have

been prayed upon by some of the worst people in society. Thank you,

MrSpeaker. The Home Secretary will be aware of continuing concerns

about the historical conduct of South Yorkshire Police. I understand

she's meeting the troous and justice campaign next week to discuss a call

for a public inquiry. Is she also aware of the tragic case of Terry

Coles, a Swansea City supporters who have trampled to death by a police

force at a football match in 2,000? Would she agree to look at the

evidence and accept that unless we have the truth about all these past

injustices we won't be able to restore trust in South Yorkshire

police? I thank the honourable lady for the question. She's right I am

meeting with the truth and justice and look forward to having that

opportunity to hear from them. This Government has not shirked at

looking at historical cases and if she wants to bring any other to my

attention I will certainly look at them. Thank you, MrSpeaker. Red dish

Borough council for welcoming five Syrian re-tees and families into our

town, over a third more promised than the County of Worcestershire.

Would she update the House on progress being made to follow they

follow the example of Redditch Borough council? Can I thank my

honourable friend for that question. It's local authorities leading by

example and showing how to welcome families into their community. I

particularly welcome Redditch council for leading ahead of the

pack and doing so. 188 councils so far are participating. We hope that

number will grow. Given the level of public concern about British

citizens who travel to fight with Daesh and attempt to return to this

country, can a Minister tell me when the numbers of those attempting to

return will actually be published and what action will be taken to

keep us safe in this country? It's incredibly important that when

people return and we hope that they do return, that they are properly

managed back into Saturday, not only if they pose a threat, that that

threat is managed but if they can be removed from radicalisation we take

the right steps to do so. I will certainly review her request to

publish the numbers of passports etc that have been with held from

individuals but first and foremost what I can assure the honourable

lady is that we have steps in place to make sure that these people are

not just left alone or indeed that we lose track of them so that

further risk can be put to the British people. Thank you, Mr

Speaker. Fraud and Scrams have a huge impact upon individuals,

particularly the elderly who are seen as easy pray. Does my right

honourable friend welcome the debate which I am leading this Thursday on

scams and commit to review what more can be done to tackle this rank

criminality? Can I congratulate the member for his leadership he has

shown, both on fraud but also on consumer rights and making sure that

the vulnerable in society are not taken advantage of. That's why we

set up the joint fraud task force and have invited people like Age

Concern to make sure the elderly, for example, are protected and we do

more to make sure in future the people that commit those crimes are

caught and the elderly are defended from unscrupulous behaviour. Thank

you, MrSpeaker. One of my constituents has recently returned

from Greece, she was work as a volunteer in a refugee centre and

brought back harrowing accounts of conditions facing in particular

young unaccompanied refugees. What steps is the Secretary of State

taking to make sure young unaccompanied refugees if they have

a right to move to the UK with families are allowed to do so

without any delay? Well, I thank the honourable gentleman for that

question. We take very seriously our obligations under the Dublin

agreement and will always look at how we can help unaccompanied

refugees, we have sonneded officials working with Greece, Italian and

French counterparts and hope to be able to speed up the process going

forward. Thank you, MrSpeaker. The Minister will be aware that the

Police Federation called for a review of the position regarding

police officers and visible. Will the Minister be able to give me

assure and shoons the Home Office has no intention of relaxing the

current guideline as soon as I thank my honourable friend for that

question and decisions on wlp to recruit are for the chief officer of

the police force kerbed and each case should be treated on its

merits. We have no plans to change guidance and the guidance is clear,

should not have tattoos that can cause offence or undermine the role

of a police constable. Leading os such as freedom from torture are

very concerned that the definition of torture used in imnebt statutory

guidance of adults at risk in immigration and detext should be

wide enough to cover. Will she agree to meet to discuss these concerns

urgently? I am more than happy to meet with the honourable member. I

understand exactly the point he makes where groups like Daesh and

the Taliban can be indulging in terrible acts and we need to make

sure we address that situation. With the minister be willing to meet

with the Metropolitan Police and why they are not prepared to meet with

people who prevented -- presented a dossier about Tower Hamlets which

showed a damning dossier of coronal intent on why this has not been

taken forward by the police? From -- criminals tend. I would be

willing to meet with Councillor Peter goals. This is an ongoing

situation and questions have been put in to investigate.

Can I understand from the Home Secretary's earlier answer is that

it is her intention that the relatives of those killed in the

Birmingham pub bombings should have access to legal representation at

the fresh inquest? I'm afraid the honourable gentleman has got a

little ahead of the meeting I am having this afternoon in order to

address exactly that proposal. No decision has been made yet. Better

to be a head than behind! The general consensus on that point. Sir

David Amis. I recently visited a UN gift box event organised by a

charity. Will my honourable friend agree with me that the general

public should do everything they can to cooperate with the police and

other authorities to stamp out this terrible trade. I agree entirely.

The public has a vital role in tackling this horrendous crime and

in July 2015, the Home Office ran an online campaign and on TV and radio

raising awareness around human trafficking and those campaign

materials are available on the website. A UN resolution in May, the

targeting of medical facilities of the Syrian government has

exacerbated the refugee crisis will be Home Secretary work with

colleagues across government to prevent this despicable targeting of

hospitals by Syrian government and international law is complied with.

The honourable lady raises a valuable point and yes, I will, we

will do everything we can to help the people of Syria who are

undergoing those terrible circumstances. Tragically,

ex-footballer Dalian Atkinson recently died outside his father's

house outside his father 's -- in my constituency after eight days was

used. Body cans were not being used, with the police -- body cameras were

not be in use, with the Minister agree that they should be? The

deployment of body cameras is matter for the police but it is

inappropriate for me to comment as there is an inquest. I have a young

couple in my constituency from Slovakia to have been in Scotland

for 15 years and began the process of applying for citizenship after

the Brexit diverge. The first stage is permanent right of residence. The

lady in this couple was refused and I cannot understand, when the Home

Secretary describes that nothing has yet changed, how and EU National

could be refused residency after living here for 14 years? It is a

difficult to comment on individual situations like that. But I will ask

the honourable lady issue will invite my department to have a look

and I would ask her and other honourable members to reassure their

constituents that at the moment, nothing has changed. There is no

point in naming the French for the mess in Calais if we continue to be

a magnet for illegal migrants. We grant asylum to more it legal --

illegal migrants and deport fewer than France. Half applications were

granted and of the ones refuse, only half were deported. With the Home

Secretary take steps to deal with illegal migration? I'm always keen

to take action to follow the law where it is appropriate. I would say

to the right honourable gentleman, there are many reasons why we are

more popular than other countries for asylum seekers. It is often to

do with language, family, it is not the whole process around asylum

seeking. But we take it seriously to get those numbers down. As the Home

Secretary seen the report from the NSPCC that suggests that people as

young as 11 are becoming the victims of revenge attacks. When will the

Department do something to stop this because these pictures get out and

become a child abuse images. The government has brought in

legislation to make new offensive and also educate young people and

their families of the risks they are taking in sharing images of

themselves online. We will everything we can do to protect

young people. We must move on. Argent question, Mr

Hilary Benn. Will the Secretary of State for foreign and, love affairs

make a statement on government assessments of breaches of

international humanitarian law in the Yemen? I call the Minister at

the Foreign Commonwealth Office, Mr Tobias Ellwood. I would like to

thank the honourable member for raising this issue and pay tribute

to him for the work that he does in keeping the House up-to-date in

these matters. Recognising the importance of this, my honourable

friend the Foreign Secretary that adds a written statement to update

Parliament on the situation in Yemen. It includes references to

international humanitarian law. We are aware of reports of alleged

violations of international humanitarian law by parties to

conflict. And as I have said on many occasions,