23/01/2017 House of Commons

expected to be on the 23 rd February. Over now live to the House

of Commons. THE SPEAKER: Order. Order Mr

Nicholas Brown. Mr Speaker, I beg to move that you

do issue your warrant to the clerk of the Crown to make out a new writ

for the electing of a member to serve in this present Parliament for

the county constituency of Copeland in the room of jameson Ronald Reid,

who since his election for the said county constituency has been

appointed to the office of steward and bailiff of Her Majesty's manner

of north stead in the county of York.

THE SPEAKER: The question is that I do issue my warrant to the clerk of

the Crown to make out a new writ for the electing of a member to serve in

the present Parliament for the county constituency of Copeland in

the room of Jameson Ronald Reid who since his election for the said

county constituency has been appointed to the office of steward

and bailiff of Her Majesty's manner of north stead in the county of

York. As many of that opinion say aye. To the contrary no. The ayes

have it. Order. Order. I beg to move that Mr Speaker do issue his warrant

to the clerk of the Crown to make out a new writ for the electing a

member to serve in this present Parliament for the borough

constituency of Stoke-on-Trent central in the room of Mr Trace

Troon Julian William hunt who since his election for the said borough

constituency has been appointed to the office of steward and bailiff of

her Her Majesty's three Chiltern hundreds of Stoke, desborough and

Burnham in the county of Buckingham. THE SPEAKER: The question is I do

issue my warrant to the clerk of the Crown to make out a new writ for the

electing a member to serve in the current parlt for Stoke-on-Trent

central in the room of trace tram Julian William Hunt, who since the

election for said borough constituency has been appointed to

the office of steward and bailiff of her Her Majesty's county of

Buckingham. As many are of that opinion say aye. To the contrary no.

The ayes have it. Order. LAUGHTER

THE SPEAKER: Order. Questions to the Secretary of State for the home

department. Number one, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, with permission I will

take this question with numbers ten and 11 together. Immigration remains

a reserved matter. We will consider the needs of the UK as a whole,

applying different immigration rules to different parts of the UK would

complicate the immigration system, harming its integrity and cause

difficulties for employers who need the flexibility to deploy their

staff over the UK. Mr Speaker that is a very disappointing response

infused with both arrogance and complacency. There are large

countries such as Canada and Australia which have regional

variations in their immigration and visa policies to take account of

diverse and complicated economic circumstances. Is it not foolhardy

for this Government to rule out the prospect of doing that in the

regions and nations of the United Kingdom? I'm sure the honourable

gentleman shares my view that any changes to any policy should be

informed by the facts and by assessments, which is why we

consulted the migration advisory council to look at regional issues.

They were unequivocal in their conclusions. I urge the honourable

gentleman to take a look at that report. Doesn't the Secretary of

State understand that Scotland needs more immigrants, so given that, why

doesn't she give us the power to choose our own targets for our own

needs, for our own countries? The honourable gentleman must share my

view, surely, that Scotland has a sufficient powers, has its own

powers to do many things it could do, perhaps to improve its education

system, perhaps to improve its health system, but immigrants will

come to a place where they see an improving education and improving

Health Service. Perhaps the SNP should spend more time applying

itself to those issues rather than constitutional ones. We were told

during the referendum campaign that Scotland should have control over

immigration. Now we've already been told that leavinglet EU is meant to

be clear in what it means. Why is it she can keep commitments that will

cost us jobs but not one that might create some jobs? I'm afraid I don't

share the honourable gentleman's views about the outcome of the

referendum. The fact is we have an immigration policy that works for

the whole of the United Kingdom and that's the one we will continue to

support. I repeat my comments to him as I said to his colleague, I would

urge the SNP to apply themselves to making Scotland an attractive place

for immigrants to go to. Does my right honourable friend agree while

it's right we seek to take account of labour market kerbs and

demographic -- concerns and demographic differences, any

immigration policies for Scotland or Wales would risk creating softer

alternative entry points for the rest of the UK. Of course my right

honourable friend puts it so well. Any immigration policy will take

into account needs driven by industry, driven by our skills. It

won't be regionally based. The fact is people like to be able to move

around. It is right they should be able to do so.

During the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014, steps were taken at

the border there to ensure that Commonwealth citizens visiting the

UK could easily transit our borders. Would the secretary look at that to

all borders in the UK. I share my honourable friend's view about how

important the Commonwealth is to the UK. I will certainly take under

consideration his suggestion. Can I urge the Home Secretary to make sure

there is consistency of border security and immigration policies

across the United Kingdom, can she tell the House what conversations

have been had with EuroStar and border force to put an end to the

Lille loophole? We cannot have a situation where profits are put

before protection. I thank my honourable friend for raising that

issue. It is a very serious matter. We are taking forward immediately

actions this week tone sure that it doesn't happen and we'll be having

conversations with both to ensure certainty going forward.

Can I remind the Home Secretary that it is the right honourable member

for Surrey Heath who said during the EU referendum campaign that

migration should be devolved to Scotland. A starting point might be

to allow EU nationals residing in Scotland to stay. Last week, the

committee for exiting the European Union heard evidence from witnessing

representing both EU nationals living in the UK and witnesses

representing British citizens living elsewhere in the European Union.

Every single one of them said that it's their desire for the British

Government to make a unilateral declaration of continued rights of

EU citizens in the UK. Will she now persuade the Prime Minister to do

that? Well, I would like to remind the right honourable lady that

nothing has changed. We are still in the European Union. Those citizens

still have the same rights. In terms of their ongoing rights, the Prime

Minister was very clear last week when she made her speech. She said

it was going to be an early priority to give them the security they seek.

I would just urge all colleagues here to reassure their constituents

that is our intention. We need to make sure it's reciprocal for UK

citizens as well. ( Across Scotland in common with other parts of the UK

there are applications to remain. Like a Spanish constituent who is

dismayed at having been rejected because they can't prove either five

years continuous service with the same employer or having paid in for

private health insurance. Can the Home Secretary readvise the the

rigid erequirements who penalise EU nationals like her who have been

home makers or students on short-term contracts or

self-employed and end this bureaucratic nightmare. There is no

penalising of people like the lady who the honourable lady was

referring to. We continue to value the important contribution that EU

nationals make to this country. I would repeat and I would urge the

honourable lady to follow the advice that I previously set out which is

to reassure constituents like the one she referred to that in fact we

are doing our best to ensure that their future will be secure and the

Prime Minister says it will be an early priority to do so. Question

number two, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mr Speaker. With permission I will

answer questions two and five on the order paper together. The Government

remains committed to reforming the current police funding arrangements

to ensure fairer, more up to date and transparent formula. We are

currently undertaking a period of detailed engage the with the

policing sector and indeed rerabbit experts including academics. Any new

formula will be subject to public consultation.

I thank the minister for that response much the current formula

for allocating funding to police forces uses data which is 14 years

old. Does the minister agree it's time to update this formula My

honourable friend makes a very good point, which I know he's lobbied on

behalf of his authority for and have spoken to the PCC for Essex as well.

It is true it is out of date. That's why it was in the manifesto to

deliver a fairer funding review. Derbyshire Police force is also

disadvantaged by the current formula. When can they expect the

fair level of funding they deserve? I would say to my honourable friend,

obviously, Derbyshire will get an increase in funding this year. I

appreciate having spoke ton himself and colleagues who have spoken to on

behalf of Derbyshire there is a feeling that the formula at the

moment is not fairly weighted to a number of areas across the country,

that's why it's important to go through this. I'm not going to give

a time scale. We want to go through this in a methodical way. I'm

confident we will get to the right position to have a clear and fair

and transparent formula in good time. (

Would the Minister accept the current proposed settlement is below

the level of inflation and, therefore, the cost is going to fall

on local taxpayers, so in my area, is 3.8% rise will happen? Is that

not just a transfer from central government to local government? I

would say that the government has put in a flat cash funding

protection for police funding over this spending review. That is a good

thing to do, but it is also a result of the fact we inherited a terrible

economic legacy from the previous Labour government who spent money

the country did not have and we have two nature of this country lives

within its means. That is an appropriate and sensible thing to

do. Members of the party opposite should look at that in the future.

We will debt of gratitude to the office of Police and Crime

Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall for having discovered the mistake

that led to the pausing of the review. That was 15 months ago.

There is really no excuse for such a delay. The minister inherited this

problem, but can we please have timetable so local police forces can

know when they can get their funding? I am as keen as he clearly

is to see the new funding formula review completed so he can get it

into place. It is important that we do this correctly, that we work with

the sector. I want to thank everybody across the sector, PCC 's

and Chief constables, who have given me feedback, I made them regularly,

they are happy with the process and the timescale you're working on and

I won't rush. We need to get it right. Northamptonshire Police are

leading the way in combining the delivery of front line services

together with the local fire brigade. Will the police minister

ensure that forces which are undertaking such a radical new

initiatives to improve local efficiency are rewarded through the

new funding formula? My honourable friend Alex and important point that

emergency services following the policing and crime Bill will have

that opportunity to collaborate and a duty to collaborate and bring

together police and fire gives an opportunity for rewards in terms of

savings by working together work collaboratively to deliver a better

front line. Northamptonshire has been a leading light in this over

the past few years. The Scottish police authority is the only

territorial police authority in the United Kingdom which is unable to

recover the VAT it pays. This has cost the Scottish public purse ?75

million since 2013 and has consequences for investment and

resourcing. The First Minister and the finance secretary raised the

issue with the Chancellor this month, can the Minister confirm what

discussions he has had with the Chancellor about this important

issue? In terms of what we are doing around police funding, there are

regular conversations between me and the Treasury. I am happy to feed

back with more detail once we have had our next round of conversations.

Whichever way you cut it, the cute is just too small. More than 20,000

police officers cut since 2010 and now we know from the ONS that crime

is twice as high as the government says. When will the Minister

recognised that the combination of high crime and low police numbers

leaves the public at risk? Well, I would just respectfully say to the

honourable lady, she will want a clear and transparent set of

figures. What she has said is not accurate at all. The reality is the

ONS has, for the first time, included cybercrime in its figures

with fraud. Cybercrime and fraud is an area that has been recorded for

the first time. It is not true to say the figures are double. I am sad

that the Labour Party, when in government, never give these

figures. It is right. I would also congratulate them for recording more

crime. The honourable lady does not have to give us an imitation of

Bruce Forsyth. She has asked a question and should with a reply. I

think people can see those ONS figures and see the reality. It is

also clear, and I am proud of the fact to be part of the government

which has seen a fall in crime since 2010. The resort area of Cleveland

has suffered a spate of vandalism and anti-social behaviour in recent

weeks. Can the Minister assure me that adequate resources will be

provided to Humberside Police and other forces to do with this sort of

anti-social behaviour? My honourable friend raises an important point

about making sure we have local accountability through the Police

and Crime Commissioner is to look at where the crime is in areas, where

they focus resources, work with excellent chief constables around

the country and have a fairer funding formula that has principles

agreed across the sector that will contribute to making that more

fairer in the future. Number three, Mr Speaker. Ministers recently

sought views from a public consultation on whether proceedings

of part two of the live is an enquiry was proportionate,

appropriate and in the public interest. Interested parties could

make clear their views which will help inform the decision by the

Culture Secretary and Home Secretary. Sur le Gutsul will be

consulted before a decision is taken. I thank the Minister for that

question, which bore no relation to the question I asked the sub 30

public officials have gone to prison as a result of the love is an

enquiry. How can it be appropriate to even consider cancelling Levinson

to which would look at the question of police corruption and the role of

politicians in not? The question for no summons to the answer I gave

earlier. It is clear, the reason we are having a consultation on the

love is an enquiry is to make sure we get this right. Journalists have

broken their lot with sickness incredibly seriously and that is why

the honourable lady will be pleased to hear that of the recommendations

by Sir Brian Levenson covering police and press, all of those

recommendations are underway to being in fermented. When the

concentration complete on January and after a pending court case, the

government will make its position clear. The entire house knows the

Levinson enquiry was always meant to have two parts. The government seems

poised to break a promise, hiding behind a completely gratuitous

enquiry. The whole house knows about cases like Millie Dowler and also

the totally innocent is different Jeffries in Bristol this photo was

plastered all over the tabloids as a murder suspect as a consequence of

collusion between the police and the media. Why cannot the Minister see

that it would be nothing less than a betrayal of the victims of phone

hacking, like Millie Dowler and Christopher Jeffries, if this

government blocks the second half of Levinson? The honourable lady will

know the consultation finished on the 10th of January. There was

140,000 responses to this consultation. I don't know about the

honourable lady, but it takes time to go through those 140,000. We also

have to deal with the current court case that would make it harder for

us to respond to this consultation until that hearing is complete. Once

it is complete I assured the honourable lady we will be happy to

meet with and discuss further the recommendations. Question number

four, Mr Speaker. The resettlement programme is on track to deliver the

commitment to resettle 20,000 vulnerable Syrians during this

Parliament. The of October 2015 and the end of September 2016 4162

people had been resettled under the Syrian honourable person's

resettlement scheme across 175 local authorities. My constituents have

been deeply moved by the refugee crisis and have asked me what they

can do to help. I welcomed the launch of the community sponsorship

scheme accepted my honourable friend update the House and the progress of

this scheme and what he is doing to harness the generosity of the

British people? The community-based sponsorship scheme was launched in

July 20 16. The scheme put in the Prime Minister is Home Secretary to

develop a scheme to allow individuals, charities, faith

groups, churches and businesses to support those refugees. My

honourable friend's constituents are part of that generous giving,

wanting to help some vulnerable people. They help refugees in the UK

web page has been developed to make any member of the public to support

refugees in the UK and allow local authorities to focus support and the

goods and services refugees need. Those granted refugee status from

Syria can apply for immediate family members to join them here. Since the

Home Office stopped funding DNA tests for such relatives, refusals

from many countries have shot up. But what good will the Home Office

review on this matter have been completed and published? The

honourable gentleman makes some valid points. I will come back to

you with the exact details of the timescale and, to help inform them

of refugees further than just Syria is well on that scheme. Would the

honourable member like to congratulate councils like Kingston

Council who have come forward to host vulnerable Syrian refugees and

families he have done so and explain that it is still the case that

individual housing is required, rather than joining a family in an

existing house because lots of these people are victims of terrible

atrocities? The honourable member makes an important point. It is

important for this scheme to work that people come forward and many

local authorities and the Scottish Government have been incredibly

generous in offering and holding out the hand of friendship. We do need

more. We need community groups to come through but I have two warm

members that when charities and the third sector come forward with make

sure we do due diligence to make sure the very vulnerable people are

given exactly the right support they need to nature it is sustainable.

Question number seven, Mr Speaker. He published the latest statistics

on response times to fires in England on the 19th of January. They

do show that times do continue to increase gradually and some areas

sought reductions, such as house fires and commercial buildings

fires, which had a reduction and, luckily unfortunately, due to the

good work of the Fire Service, fires and five related fatalities have

been on a downward trend for a number of years, reaching

historically low levels recently. I thank the Minister for his response,

however, continued cuts are having a profound impact on firefighter and

public safety. Increased response times, they are having to travel

further afield, which means they are pitching more serious fires.

Minister agree that these cuts have gone far gone far too far? I would

say that in terms of house fires, in house fires we have seen a reduction

in the response times to fires in homes and in buildings more

generally, but in terms of the finance issue, I would say that what

we have seen the Fire Service over the last three years is 154%

increase in reserves. Her own Fire Service has gone from 7 million to

some ?29 million in reserve all of which can be used to find

efficiencies and finance services. Fire related deaths have gone up 15%

in England and 14% in Scotland over the last year, which is clearly

unacceptable and must surely sent a signal that the cuts have gone too

far. Will the Minister look at both the funding, but also the

organisations which are taking fire crews further away from the areas

they need to service? I would say to the honourable gentleman, as I said

in the previous question, the response to house in Paris and

Berlin fires has improved in the last year. It is important that and

death as a result of fire is unacceptable. We all want to see no

deaths. That is why good work done by fire authorities, health and

safety work in our homes is important. We must always stay

vigilant. That is why people should test and have smoke alarms. I would

say to all fire authorities to nature to find efficiencies to be

given to nature of the money is on the front line to deliver people

every day. According to the Home Office own figures, published last

Thursday, deaths from house fires are up by 18% on previous years and

response times are slower. Fire crews are being deprived resources

and Fire Service jobs are being lost. Will the Minister not accept

that the current round of cuts are putting the public at risk and

demoralising hard-working, dedicated fire officers? Well, I would say, as

I said earlier on, we need to be clear about the figures. There has

been a 52% reduction in the total number of reported fires in recent

years. Five related fatalities are down 22%, while response times to

house fires and building fires are slightly down and improved. We do

need to be vigilant, we need to be clear about the fact as well. Number

eight, Mr Speaker. The response by the government includes a law

enforcement agencies are taking action against online offenders

developing new capabilities defined and Cisco victims and working with

the internet industry to remove illegal images. We have led a global

response to current expedition, working with countries, companies,

civil Latest Government statistics show in

2015 over 500 children in Wiltshire were victims of online abuse and

became subjects of a child protection plan. What impact is the

image database having to help catch those who perpetrate this vile

crime? The database makes it much easier

for our National Crime Agency and other assets to tackle the threat

posed by paedophiles online. That's why we're determined that the powers

given to us can add to that to make sure we add these people. Child

sexual abuse is horrific and carries on on the internet across the

country. Can I urge the House that people recommend to their

constituents that a process of contributing to keeping their own

children safe is to take time out to look at the think you know campaign

on the National Crime Agency because we all, I as a parent have a role in

making sure my parent knows what's safe online. Actually, don't

children need to be educated about how to help themselves stay safe

online? And wouldn't it be the case if we had compulsory sex and

relationship education that every school could make sure that every

child knew how to you safe online? Can I ask the honourable lady to go

onto the website of the National Crime Agency and look at the think

you know campaign, it is tailor made for children to go through the ewe

tore online and it's broken down by age. So my young children have an

appropriate curriculum to look at and it makes a real difference.

There's even one for her so she can follow and understand how she can be

safe online and make sure children are as well. Would my reasoned not

agree with me that the Wiltshire constabulary might be better

spending the ?1 million and applying the 18 fulltime officers that

they're currently looking into bogus allegations against Sir Edward Heath

into looking at those 500 cases? My honourable friend will know that

priorities for the police are set by the police. It is not for ministers

to interfere with knows decisions they make. It is very important that

we investigate all allegations of sexual abuse, without fear or safer

and get to the bottom of it and put away those people causing such harm.

The minister is being far too glib on this. All the research shows the

best intermediary for teaching children is someone they trust in a

school. That is the truth. Online work doesn't actually prove very

effective. Isn't the truth that bullying, exploitation is rampant.

Isn't it about time we stopped making excuses and took on the

Googles and the people who allow this to be transmitted. The

honourable gentleman misses point, we are taking on the big internet

companies and if he spends time in the schools, in the primary schools

where my children go, to they are given classes on how to stay safe

online. This is not just a website. It's teachers, parents, everyone has

their role in it. That is being delivered. The challenge we have in

the world of the internet is keeping pace with the huge numbers of

referrals we get every month from international paedophiles who abuse

the internet to exploit our children and take advantage of the latest

technology to keep our, to make sure our law enforcement agencies are

having to constantly go the extra mile to catch them.

THE SPEAKER: I gently remind the honourable lady who nodded sagely at

me to denote her interest in this matter, that on the whole it is

prudent to stand. As the Speaker has many qualities but he is not

psychic. I do apologise, we have had a dreadful local case where an

international paedophile ring such as the one the minister mentioned

infiltrated a chat room aimed at nine-year-olds with dreadful

consequences for those children. Could the minister help us with what

investment the Government is making to help the police and other law

enforcement agencies deal with and stamp out this sort of abuse? I'm

grateful to my honourable friend. The National Crime Agencies child

exploitation and online protection command received an extra ?10 poll

this year in. November of 2015, the NCA joined up with GCHQ in a joint

operations cell to make sure we tackle some of the most complicated

crimes online. Those two are just part of the whole process. I would

be happy to brief my honourable friend further on the whole spectrum

of efforts we range against paedophiles and online abuse. The

key to this is we can all contribute to that safety - teachers, parents,

law enforcement agencies and community leaders to make sure we

are aware of how paedophiles operate and shut them down and put them

away. Number nine, Mr Speaker. I will answer questions nine and 17

together. This Government is absolutely committed to tackling all

forms of domestic abuse. This morning I chaired the domestic abuse

national oversight group which oversees the delivery of important

HMIC recommendations. Victims who experience extreme psychological and

emotional abuse can now bring their perpetrators to justice. The college

of pleating has updated its guidance. Every police force has a

domestic abuse action plan. I thank my right honourable friend for her

response. That's welcome new. In Bath a charity called Voices

provides support to those victims or survivors of domestic violence. What

is my right honourable friend doing tone sure where there is violence

against women and girls at home and also abroad that they too can get

similar support? I thank my honourable friend and I welcome the

work that Voices does helping women and girls. We are a global leader in

tackling violence against women and girl at home and overseas. Since

2010 we have invested ?184 million and doubled our campaigns overseas

from 64 programmes in 2012 to 127 in 2016. We've hosted various important

international conferences such as global call to action on protecting

women and girls in emergencies, the global summit to end sexual violence

summit and the ground breaking girl summit. Can I also add my thanks to

my right honourable friend's answer as well. Operation encompass which

helps fight domestic violence through the school system, began in

my constituency. Will she join me in praising the return of sergeant

David Carney hayworth in setting up the operation and will ensure this

is spread as many police forces across the country too? I am

delighted to join him in congratulating the work of David

Carney Hayworth I would say to him what he has brought our attention to

is a good example of local practice. It is local practice, local

initiative, local momentum that is really going to help the women and

girls we want to reach. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can the minister update

the House in relation to the violence against women and girls

strategy, in particular with reference to the promised additional

funding of ?18 million. How can this fund be accessed? And what's the

criteria? Yes, I'm very happy to update the honourable lady. ?40

million of the money is apportioned by DCLG, particularly for

accommodation. We have access to most of the rest of it. I

particularly draw her attention to the ?15 million which organisations

are bidding for. It is a combination of commissioners and local

organisations which she may like to access to support her constituents.

The... Proposing an offence of domestic abuse. They want to end

violence against women and girls at the earliest opportunity. Can the

secretary speak to the ratification of the bill? I'm delighted to work

with the Scottish Government on this important subject. I no thee they

have put aside ?20 million to work on this particular topic. I welcome

that initiative. If the honourable gentleman would like to come and see

me or a colleague we can discuss his proposal. Any victim of domestic

violence should receive equal support and respect regardless of

their heritage and faith. Does my right honourable friend share my

concerns about the report that CPS are dropping so-called honour cases

for the fear of offending Asian communities? I do share my

honourable friend's commitment to ensuring that so-called honour based

violence is not neglected in any way, any type of violence against

women and girls is something that this Government will not shy away

from tackling. I'm certainly happy to work with her on this important

matter. Number 12 Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The policing and

crime bill has now completed the Lord stages. That introduces a new

duty to collaborate between the emergency services and it enables

Police and Crime Commissioners to take on the governance of Fire

Rescue Service. Thanks to the excellent efforts of my honourable

friend it will allow the Police and Crime Commissioners to become the

police, fire and Crime Commissioners. We are working with

key stake holder groups and I know a number of PCCs are looking athat the

model. I'd like to thank the minister for his response and the

fact that we will be changing the name of the Police and Crime

Commissioners. Where there is a strong case for Police and Crime

Commissioners to take the responsibility for the Fire Rescue

Service, such as in Staffordshire, can my right honourable friend

outline the process and the time frames that we'll be Lookmanning at

in terms of -- looking at it terms of this change? I know the Police

and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire is keen to move

forward with this. It will be for the Police and Crime Commissioner to

put forward a business case outlining their proposal to do this.

If there isn't local agreement it will come forward and be assessed by

an ept group. That process will be agreed with the local Government

association to make sure it's clear and transparent. Hopefully by the

end of this year we will see the first areas coming forward. In

Staffordshire, Matthew ellist, the police -- Ellis, the Police and

Crime Commissioner has identified so million worth of savings if only the

two can cooperate. I'm sure this is going to be the case and

incidentally, welcomed by firefighters throughout

Staffordshire. I'm sure it's the case in other parts of the United

Kingdom too. So what sort of time table does he actually think will be

the case when we can see such mergers? My honourable friend makes

a very good point and highlights the considerable savings that allows

that money to go back into the frontline for both police and fire

as we move forward by bringing together and finding efficiencies.

The time frame will be down to the business case speed with which the

Police and Crime Commissioner will put that forward. If they have local

agreement, I would hope to see the first commissioners coming forward

in a matter of months after it is granted. I'm very grateful to my

honourable friend for raising such an important matter. We made forced

marriage a criminal offence in 2014 to better protect victims and send a

very clear Eid -- clear message that this abhorrent practice will not be

tolerated in the UK. We want to see more victims having the confidence

to come forward to report this often hidden crime. That's why we're

introducing lifelong anonymity for victims through the police and crime

bill. I thank the minister to that answer. I'm glad that this country

is leading the way on tackling violence against women and girls.

Does the minister agree with me, we need to keep up the pressure to

eradicate child marriage as that's a particular pernicious form of

violence. I do indeed. The UK is a world leader in the fight to stamp

out forced marriage. I'm clear that to end these crimes in the UK, we

must end them overseas too. That's why we're pursuing an ambitious

programme of work at an international level, a ?36 million

programme to end child, early and forced marriage. Number 14 perfect

Speaker. -- Mr Speaker. The Government recognises that

international students make an important contribution during their

time here. And they help make education system one of the best in

the world. We are in regular contact with the sector. There is no limit

on the number of genuine international students who can come

here to study in the UK. International students bring

academic and cultural benefits to our universities, contribute

billions of pounds to the economy, support the creation of tens of

thousands of jobs and enable these institutions to innovate buildings

with businesses and invest in every region of the UK. Would the minister

ensure the House that his Government has no plans to reduce the number of

international students coming to UK universities and what steps will he

take to increase numbers? I've got to say I agree with her absolutely.

Certainly as I mentioned already, there is no limit on the number of

students that come here. Since 20 so, we've seen a 17% increase in

university applications from outside the EU and the Russell group an

amazing 47% increase. The whole House knows it's vital to maintain

our global reputation as an open and fair place to study. But in

mid-December last year, the Home Office lost a major test case

against international students, because the Home Office claimed the

students had made bogus claims about English language skills. Can I ask

the minister were the total legal costs in this test case? How many

other cases were initiate and had to be dropped? And what estimate has

been made from the potential liability of the students deported

from evidence free claims but right now have a right to sue for wrongful

deportation? I'm delightly surprised that the honourable lady has the

brass neck to refer to bogus students in bogus colleges. We had

to take away the licenses from 920 colleges to take bogus students for

bogus courses. I will get back to her specifically on that legal case.

Thank you Mr Speaker. In January 2016, this Government changed

legislation to the benefit of widows, widowers and civil partners

of police officers in England and Wales who have died on duty. As a

result, those survivors who qualified for a survivor pension

will now continue to receive their survivors benefits for life

regardless of remarriage. The stock elsewhere in the UK,

police widow pensions have been reinstated regardless of the date of

their remarriage. Does my right honourable friend agree with me that

all police widows should be treated the same regardless of where police

officers served in the United Kingdom and would he need with other

colleagues to discuss this? I know my honourable friend has campaigned

on this. I would be happy to meeting to discuss it. He will be aware that

there is a clear tradition that successive governments have held

around at other retrospective changes of this nature. I am happy

to discuss it further with them. Question number 16. Long-term

migration statistics are produced by the independent office for National

statistics. These figures estimate that in the year ending June 2000

16, known EU nationals came here to study. In that same year, 45,000

non-EU nationals who were former students left. For EU nationals the

corresponding figures are 34000 and 18,000 respectively. I thank the

Minister for the detailed response. I accept that students are

internationally classified as an instant when figures are published,

would not be a good idea to state how many of those people are

students, bringing money this country? I can confirm to my

honourable friend that the statistics are produced and

presented by the ONS figures for students are clearly separately

identified within them. And this immigration related matter I would

call the number, if you were standing, that if he doesn't want.

This government's immigration family is separating families because of

restrictive rules on evidence of financial support. When when these

rules be changed to support the real needs of family units? It is

certainly very important when we do have family reunification,

especially for spouses, that we have rules in place to ensure these

people are not a burden upon the taxpayer. The level set would be a

higher figure for Scotland given that average incomes are higher than

in the UK overall. Question number one. We are determined to protect

children and vulnerable people. That is why the government has tabled an

important amendment to the Digital economy Bill. It will give the

police power to go to the court to compel foreign companies to shut

down phone lines being used by county lines gangs to sell drugs.

These can use children and vulnerable people to move drugs and

money to and from urban areas. Once caught up in county lines there are

risks of extreme violence and trafficking behind those people

behind this despicable crime. We can disrupt this criminality and the

expedition which is an integral part of drug stealing. During the recent

delegation is part of the all party Parliamentary group against

anti-Semitism became clear that international Parliamentary

colleagues are concerned about the rise of hate crime and in particular

anti-Semitism from the left in UK universities. Will my honourable

friend agree with me and Baroness Royale, when she says that Labour

does not take anti-Semitism seriously because of the inaction of

the members at Oxford University accused of anti-Semitism and that

this has a wider impact on hate crime in general? I thank my

honourable friend for raising this important matter, especially during

Holocaust memorial week. He will note the government published a new

hate crime action plan to drive forward action to tackle all forms

of hate crime across government and to work with police and communities.

I completely agree with him that all organisations, including

universities, and political parties, have an obligation to stamp out

anti-Semitism wherever it is encountered. Recent revelations from

the public Law Project indicates that country guidance in Eritrea was

offered to suggest diminished risk of human rights abuses where there

was no evidence to support this, only in order to lower the number of

refugees allowed entry. A significant case in the upper

immigration tribunal last October found that the new Home Office

guidance on Eritrea was not credible. We note the guidance has

since been withdrawn, but was the then Home Secretary involved in the

initiation of that misleading guidance and can be Secretary of

State say how many refugees may have been wrongly denied entry and how

many of them were children? The honourable lady has raised an

important part of our immigration policy and that is to make sure that

you keep all countries where the returning people to under review.

Quite rightly, stuff from the Home Office will visit appropriate

countries and Eritrea in 2014, to make the country assessments. I am

confident that the processes at the Home Office are delivered in the

correct way. We will always keep it under review. Despite the current

police funding formula not being fully applied to Leicestershire

police, meaning a loss of ?5.6 million annually, even under this

and fairer funding formula, Chief Constable Simon Cole and his

excellent team have continued to drive down crime locally. Can I red

honourable friend reassuringly and that day and Worcestershire will get

a fair funding the very soon? My honourable friend makes a good point

around the excellent work done by Chief Constable Simon Cole and his

team in Leicestershire. Can I say, we are working to make sure we get a

fair and transparent review funding formula through with all the Chief

constables and the Police and Crime Commissioner. We will deliver that

work as quickly as we can. Waffle is all we are getting in answers on

dealing with Facebook and Twitter and take crime on the internet. If

Germany can find these companies half ?1 million every time they feel

to take down hate speech within 24 hours, why can we not have practical

action to hold them to account for their feelings on dealing with hate

speech? The honourable gentleman makes a really important point. Hate

crime has no place in our society whatsoever. It destroys communities

and lives. We are taking every action possible. We have the

strongest legislative framework of any country in the world and that

includes working with internet providers. I can absolutely assure

him that where it is identified we have a grievance with internet

providers and they will take the horrendous stuff down. Cheshire

Constabulary are currently rolling out operation Shield which allows

the -- people to mark valuables with a unique DNA liquid proving

ownership of stolen items in the event they recovered. What is the

Department in to support similar crime-fighting initiatives? My

honourable friend highlights a good example of using modern technology

to fight crime and I congratulate Cheshire police and that forward

thinking work. We are supporting this kind of work through the police

translation fund. Innovative ideas like that, through the police

themselves to move things forward and be efficient and effective in

the future. Off-road bikers are vandalising the mountains in my

constituency. These troublemakers turn up the land, they intimate

local people and frightened animals. It is the Tories. Because off-road

bikers often don't where the police cannot, can the Home Office looking

to providing resources, agreement and licensing on the use of drones

to help us tackle this problem? I do recognise the challenge of dealing

with people who inappropriately use that parts and ruin it for the

majority of people and the rest of society and it is right and the

credit and the police for wanting to track down on this. Drums are

another good example of modern technology. Police forces and fire

brigades are using it and sharing it. That is exactly the kind of

thing the police translation fund might be useful in. In light of

recent terrorist threats, can my honourable friend update the House

and what steps the government is taking the nature we are not

vulnerable to a similar attack? My honourable friend is right to

highlight that counterterrorism is always ongoing. In 2015 we committed

to updating the contest review, that is the strategy to deal with

counterterrorism here and abroad and I can inform my honourable friend

that the update will be published soon. In addition, the government is

committed to increasing by 30% in real terms funding for

counterterrorism in the lifetime of this Parliament. Blackwood

University in my constituency has seen its international students

numbers fall by nearly 45% since 2010. In a university that in 2016

was listed by the times in the top 200 most international universities.

As the honourable member has outlined, the benefit international

students bring to a city like Bradford cannot be overstated. What

will the Minister do to reverse this trend and which at one of our

greatest assets continues to attract pupils? I say to the honourable lady

I Sherrock about the importance of overseas students and especially

perhaps at the University of Bradford. Some universities have

seen an increase Konzen have seen a decrease. More students are coming

from China, less from India. This is the market. Work with university and

perhaps come back as with any suggestions she might have had to

improve the outcome for them. We referred in this place to the good

work of the police officers, men and women and police community support

officers before now. It is only right that they receive their fair

share of the money of the policing budget. What matters is the

Department taking teenager Devon and Cornwall police received a fair

funding settlement? I think my honourable friend for his question.

It was useful last week. I also want to thank his Police and Crime

Commissioner and his Chief Constable for feeding into a working trip the

new funding formula is fair and transparent and has the input from

forces across the country. Violence against doctors, nurses, paramedics

and other health workers has been on the rise in England and Wales over

the last few years. In Scotland have a specific law, a specific criminal

offence of such violence. Isn't it the same had the same in England and

Wales? The honourable gentleman does raise an important point and it

links closely with the work we are going around making sure that

offences against police officers are dealt with in the strongest possible

terms. The punishments are there but we have the nature of that

sentencing council have these things available. We are working with

colleagues at the Ministry of Justice to look at this very issue.

I was pleased recently to attend the little little litter pickers

celebration organised by the innovative Falcon one team in

Taunton Deane. The litter pickers are just one aspect of this

commendable one team community partnership bringing together the

police, social workers, teachers and local residents to tackle serious

deprivation with real results in terms of tackling crime and

anti-social behaviour. Does the Minister agree with me that they can

Act as a model across the country and would she join me in commending

all their hard work, especially that of Sergeant Andy Murphy? I am

absolutely delighted to commend the work of this multi agency team which

operates in her constituency. It is indeed a marvellous example of where

the police and local agencies work together in their communities with

vulnerable people, tackling environmental issues and providing

young people with a constructive alternative to avoid them being

dragged into a life of crime and anti-social behaviour. In the light

of Holocaust Memorial Day this week, would the Minister join me in paying

tribute to the Holocaust memorial day trust and the Holocaust

educational trust the reminders of the worst example we have ever

witnessed as to where anti-Semitism can lead and in light of the

forthcoming publication of the community security trust 2016

anti-Semitic incident report next week, bearing in mind we saw the

third highest level, annual level we have always seen of an increase in

hate incidents last year, what is the government doing to combat

rising levels of anti-Semitism? I think the honourable lady for the

opportunity to join her in thanking the Holocaust Memorial Day trust and

the Holocaust education trust for the extraordinary work they do in

reminding us of what took place and I am one of the MPs, I am sure there

are many, he took the opportunity to visit and will always remember the

impact that had. I work closely with the CST. I need the hate crime

action plan my priority. We will work with them to do

Over 30 unaccompanied -- over 30,000 unaccompanied child refugees arrived

in Calais last year. Can we have an update when those children will

agree from Greece and Italy under the Dubs criteria? In 2016 we

transferred over 900 unaccompanied asylum seeking children. Following

consultation with local authorities I remind the House that the

Government will transfer a specificed number of children in

accordance with section 67 of the Immigration Act who meet the spirit

behind rot vision. This includes over 200 children already

transferred from France. We will announce in due course the basis on

which the remaining places will be filled from Greece, Italy and the

final number. This afternoon, we've been talking

about police funding in the abstract. But there's a human cost

as well. This weekend a police officer was shot and badly wounded

in north Belfast. Will the Home Secretary hand on to Chief Constable

the unqualified support for the whole House on the work that the

PSNI are doing and the deepest sympathy to the friends and family

of the police I thank the right honourable

gentleman for the opportunity to do exactly that. We are very lucky the

good work, the bravely, the courage that takes place by the PSNI. I will

on his behalf and of the whole House pass on those good wishes and

thanks. The French dispersal centre which took children from Calais is

set to close on February 10. What steps is he taking ensure that the

cases of all the children who might have rights of entry to the UK are

being considered before then? I thank the honourable gentleman for

that question. I spoke just this morning to my new French counterpart

about actions we are taking together to ensure that the correct

assessment is continuing on the children who would like to come to

the UK. There are still a substantial number of centres open.

We still have a number of staff out there. We will be reducing our work

going forward, as the Calais camp has largely dispersed. We will

continue to have an interest and ensure we work closely with the

French to stop a new camp coming up. My constituent has twice tried to

get his family from Morocco to Scotland to visit while they sort

out their visa arrangements, twice the Home Office have frustrated this

process. And I quote they have said Eric right to family life can be

enjoyed in Morocco. He has a genetic disorder which can only be treated

in the UK. Will she commit to look at this case again and meet with me

to work out how this family can be reunited and live together? Can I

say briefly, I'd be more than happy to meet with the honourable lady to

discuss this specific case and see what can be done. Thank you Mr

Speaker. Is the police minister aware of the stark warning given to

his predecessor by Cumbrian chief cub stab Jerry Graham about the

failure of the previous funding formula's ability to take into

account the cost premium for the sparsity rurality and geographical

isolation of Cumbria. Will he meet with all Cumbria's MPs to discuss

this very important issue before his new proposals come out? I am very

aware of the changes, this is why it's important we do this work me

noedically. I have been - I will talk to Cumbria's Chief Constable

and take input from any source. THE SPEAKER: We must move