:00:10. > :00:14.Hello and welcome to BBC Parliament's live coverage from the
:00:15. > :00:17.House of Commons. In an hour, the shadow minister Alan Whitehead will
:00:18. > :00:22.be asking an urgent question energy on prices and the announcement of an
:00:23. > :00:25.energy price cap for low-income households by the regulator Ofgem.
:00:26. > :00:27.That will be followed by two statements, the first from the
:00:28. > :00:31.Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire are on the progress of
:00:32. > :00:35.talks to resume the Northern Ireland assembly and executive, which passed
:00:36. > :00:39.their deadline without an agreement last Thursday. The second statement
:00:40. > :00:42.is from the communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid,
:00:43. > :00:46.updating the house on the Grenfell Tower fire disaster. The main
:00:47. > :00:49.business in the chamber will be the second reading of the air travel
:00:50. > :00:52.organisers licensing bill. The bill seeks to modernise the atoll scheme
:00:53. > :00:57.which protects travellers in the event that their holiday company
:00:58. > :00:59.goes bust. Join me for a round-up of the day at 11 tonight. Now over live
:01:00. > :01:26.to the House of Commons. Order, order. Colleagues, we are
:01:27. > :01:28.pleased to be join today by the Speaker of the Parliament of
:01:29. > :01:34.Catalonia, who is visiting London and whom we are delighted to see.
:01:35. > :01:38.Welcome to you. Questions to be Secretary of State for the Home
:01:39. > :01:46.Department. Number one, the Mr Speaker. Can I take the opportunity
:01:47. > :01:58.firstly to welcome the shadow front bench's nude -- new team. I would
:01:59. > :02:07.like to answer the honourable lady's question... I agree that it is
:02:08. > :02:11.regrettable that survivors of organised incident -- institutional
:02:12. > :02:14.abuse have withdrawn from the inquiry. The inquiry is making good
:02:15. > :02:18.progress with the plan published last year. This is evidenced through
:02:19. > :02:21.public hearings and other events with victims and survivors and I
:02:22. > :02:24.retain my confidence in this independent inquiry to deliver its
:02:25. > :02:30.important work, to get the truth and learn lessons for the future. I
:02:31. > :02:32.thank the Home Secretary, but this is serious. This is the fourth
:02:33. > :02:37.victims' group that has left and today we have had the Sutton review,
:02:38. > :02:41.which reads to me like a total whitewash and suggests that no
:02:42. > :02:45.lessons have been learned by the inquiry by the government that set
:02:46. > :02:49.this up. Can she tell me what message she thinks this sends to
:02:50. > :02:53.everybody in this country who is currently reliant on a public
:02:54. > :02:57.inquiry to deliver justice for them? I would ask the honourable lady to
:02:58. > :03:01.reconsider her view. The inquiry have said that the group can always
:03:02. > :03:07.come back if they want. I would ask her to think again about the people
:03:08. > :03:15.who are already being helped by this inquiry. There are 60 to 80 people
:03:16. > :03:20.whose experiences have been referred to the police, which may lead to
:03:21. > :03:24.prosecutions. That is up to 1000 people whose lives have been changed
:03:25. > :03:30.and are getting the answers they want. That is real differences that
:03:31. > :03:33.I would ask the honourable lady not to underestimate. Last year, the
:03:34. > :03:37.inquiry attracted some helpful headlines on the back of its
:03:38. > :03:40.internal workings and certain personalities, since when I am glad
:03:41. > :03:45.to say it has been getting on with its important work. But we were
:03:46. > :03:47.promised an interim report and greater transparency, particularly
:03:48. > :03:52.after the sittings with the home affairs select committee. When can
:03:53. > :03:57.we expect that? I thank my honourable friend and I remember
:03:58. > :04:02.when he was the acting chair about this matter. Like him, I have
:04:03. > :04:05.confidence in the new chair. I believe she is getting on with the
:04:06. > :04:12.job and as I said to the honourable lady a moment ago, we are seeing
:04:13. > :04:17.results. I have been told we will get an interim report during 2018.
:04:18. > :04:22.Does the Home Secretary have any concerns about the fact that the
:04:23. > :04:26.police have announced that they are going to curtail annual checks on
:04:27. > :04:31.people on the sex offender register when that register is growing
:04:32. > :04:36.year-on-year? I would refer the honourable lady to the fact that
:04:37. > :04:40.different police chiefs are taking different positions on this
:04:41. > :04:46.depending on their experience and communities. If she has a particular
:04:47. > :04:52.concern about her community, I would encourage her to talk to myself or
:04:53. > :04:54.the police minister in due course. Does the independent inquiry have a
:04:55. > :04:59.role to play in considering the outcome of the ?1 million to your
:05:00. > :05:09.inquiry into the allegations against the late Sir Edward Heath? If not,
:05:10. > :05:13.who does? That is a matter for the local police. It is up to the local
:05:14. > :05:22.operations to decide how to proceed with that matter. And inquiry will
:05:23. > :05:33.refer where appropriate to the police. Mr Speaker, since 1831,
:05:34. > :05:37.special constables have made a valuable contribution to local
:05:38. > :05:43.policing. That is why we should keep under review what the government
:05:44. > :05:48.does to support that work. Would my right honourable friend
:05:49. > :05:51.congratulate the 358 special constables in Essex and the push
:05:52. > :05:55.that Essex Police are doing to encourage even more, and will he
:05:56. > :05:58.consider making it easier for councils to offer a council tax
:05:59. > :06:03.rebate for those special constables so we can give something back to
:06:04. > :06:06.those who serve in our communities? My right honourable friend has been
:06:07. > :06:09.a tireless champion for both volunteering and special constables
:06:10. > :06:15.in particular and he represents a county that under the leadership of
:06:16. > :06:20.PC Roger Hurst is showing leadership in trying to encourage more special
:06:21. > :06:24.constables to go forward. At the moment, we do provide access to
:06:25. > :06:27.insurance legal expenses. There is provision for out of allowance
:06:28. > :06:31.expenses and there is provision in law for discretionary benefits such
:06:32. > :06:36.as discounts on council tax. I am happy to meet him to discuss how to
:06:37. > :06:39.go further. While coming back the honourable gentleman the member for
:06:40. > :06:42.Stroud. I am informed that the honourable gentleman, during his
:06:43. > :06:48.involuntary absence, has become a doctor of philosophy, upon which the
:06:49. > :06:52.House wishes to congratulate him, I am sure. Dr David Drew. But I
:06:53. > :06:57.welcome the police minister to his place and with regard to the
:06:58. > :07:00.Specials, we all congratulate the work they do because it is
:07:01. > :07:06.first-rate. But it would seem to me from my experience, and I am meeting
:07:07. > :07:10.the Specials on Friday, so I'm sure they will tell me if I am right, but
:07:11. > :07:13.it seems that the new team is no longer the entrance point to the
:07:14. > :07:19.full-time constabulary. Is there a reason for that, and if it is
:07:20. > :07:21.because of problems of financial support, with the police minister
:07:22. > :07:27.look into that and do something about it? I add my voice to that of
:07:28. > :07:31.congratulations to the honourable member, who I used to serve with on
:07:32. > :07:35.the environment committee what seems like a thousand years ago. I would
:07:36. > :07:39.be concerned if what he said was true. That is not what the data
:07:40. > :07:42.tells me in terms of the number of special constables that go on to
:07:43. > :07:49.become regular police officers, but it is something I will keep under
:07:50. > :07:52.review. Louise Haig. As a former special constable, and I am sure
:07:53. > :07:56.that will not be the last time this is mentioned from the dispatch box,
:07:57. > :08:00.I saw first-hand the dedication of our front line officers, but I also
:08:01. > :08:03.witnessed the collapse in morale as the government ignored warnings over
:08:04. > :08:08.jobs, pay and resources. This has got worse and last month at the
:08:09. > :08:10.Police Federation conference, the Home Secretary dismissed the
:08:11. > :08:14.concerns of an officer who told her how pay cuts have left him
:08:15. > :08:18.struggling to put food on his table. Does the minister agree with the
:08:19. > :08:21.Home Secretary or the Foreign Secretary over whether our bravest
:08:22. > :08:27.and best should continue to experience a real terms pay cut
:08:28. > :08:30.until 2020? I thank the honourable lady for the contribution she has
:08:31. > :08:36.made as a special constable. In relation to police paid, we want to
:08:37. > :08:42.make sure front line public services workers are paid fairly, not least
:08:43. > :08:51.because of the contribution they have made to reducing the deficit we
:08:52. > :08:56.inherited from the party opposite. And the work they have done to
:08:57. > :09:04.safeguard thousands of jobs. How we do that in a way that is sustainable
:09:05. > :09:17.is under discussion. The question number three, Mr Speaker. We will
:09:18. > :09:22.establish a commission for countering extremism to reinforce
:09:23. > :09:29.current efforts to tackle extremist ideology in all its forms wherever
:09:30. > :09:32.it occurs. Already through the 2015 counter extremism strategy, we have
:09:33. > :09:38.taken steps to protect children from the threat of extremism taken action
:09:39. > :09:43.hate crime and provided support for places of worship. We also support
:09:44. > :09:50.civil society groups to tackle extremism in their communities. Ten
:09:51. > :09:54.years ago last week, we saw the terrorist attack on Glasgow airport
:09:55. > :09:58.and since then, we have seen instances of extremism and terrorism
:09:59. > :10:01.in Walsall, Exeter, Manchester and of course in London. Can my right
:10:02. > :10:04.honourable friend inform the House what is being done with the devolved
:10:05. > :10:08.administrations as well as the combined regions to ensure that
:10:09. > :10:15.extremism and terrorism have no place in the UK? I welcome my
:10:16. > :10:20.honourable friend to his place. I am sure he will make a significant
:10:21. > :10:24.contribution here at Home Office questions as well as serving his
:10:25. > :10:30.constituents. He is right to point out that there is no place in our
:10:31. > :10:36.society for extremism or terrorism. In launching the counter extremism
:10:37. > :10:40.strategy in 2015, the government agreed with the devolved
:10:41. > :10:44.administrations that they were not going to be part of the strategy at
:10:45. > :10:51.the time, but we continue to work with them. And we will carry on
:10:52. > :10:54.working with them on setting of the commission for countering extremism.
:10:55. > :11:02.It is important that we work together to keep the whole of the UK
:11:03. > :11:07.safe. Mr Keith Vaz. Last year, Twitter suspended 125,000 accounts
:11:08. > :11:12.that were linked to global terrorism, but there still remains
:11:13. > :11:17.millions of videos on the internet. In Germany, companies can be fined
:11:18. > :11:26.up to ?43 million for failing to take down illegal views. Could the
:11:27. > :11:32.minister please explain when the Government intends to introduce
:11:33. > :11:39.legislation of that kind? The right honourable gentleman is right to
:11:40. > :11:43.point out the vile hatred that is being spread on the internet. I am
:11:44. > :11:49.pleased to report the action that we are taking which is enabling
:11:50. > :11:55.thousands of images to be taken down on a regular basis. But we leave no
:11:56. > :12:04.stone unturned. The Home Secretary is working with all of those bodies
:12:05. > :12:07.responsible for the internet to make sure we take more action to make
:12:08. > :12:13.sure every piece of hatred is removed from the internet.
:12:14. > :12:19.Canny minister said that what is being done to tackle anti-Semitism
:12:20. > :12:23.on campus where there is often an intimidatory atmosphere in the face
:12:24. > :12:29.of Jewish students? I thank her for her question. She is right to raise
:12:30. > :12:33.anti-Semitism, there is no room at all in our society for hatred of
:12:34. > :12:39.anyone based on their faith or their race or ideology. What the
:12:40. > :12:41.Government has done is put a safeguard in responsibility on
:12:42. > :12:47.universities and schools to make sure that they protect young people
:12:48. > :12:52.from being exposed to violent hatred and radicalisation. Can I trust the
:12:53. > :12:57.minister Ollie after she get to chair at the home affairs select
:12:58. > :13:00.committee? Social media remain a command and control platform of
:13:01. > :13:03.choice for extremists. I wrote any Home Secretary and the 29th of March
:13:04. > :13:07.ask whether she was considering the kinds of laws that we had in
:13:08. > :13:13.Germany, the GCN island where there's a new watchdog being created
:13:14. > :13:16.to parlay social media giants, or indeed the proposals in the US
:13:17. > :13:21.Senate is like the Feinstein Bill which would require social media
:13:22. > :13:26.giants to report terrorism content. Around the world, governments are
:13:27. > :13:30.taking action was up when is this Government could follow suit? I can
:13:31. > :13:34.absolutely assure the honourable gentleman that this Government is
:13:35. > :13:38.taking action I leading the international efforts to make sure
:13:39. > :13:42.that the internet platforms take their responsibilities seriously.
:13:43. > :13:46.The Home Secretary has made it absolutely clear that nothing is off
:13:47. > :13:51.the table. We are considering all options to make sure that this
:13:52. > :13:57.violent ideology and hatred, that is pumped around the internet, is
:13:58. > :14:01.stopped as soon as possible. A former constituent who I once
:14:02. > :14:05.visited being held in prison, because of alleged terrorist
:14:06. > :14:12.activities, is my honourable friend aware that he has completely turned
:14:13. > :14:18.his life around, is the founder of an organisation that is dedicated to
:14:19. > :14:22.tackling extremism in the UK? I thank him for his question. It is
:14:23. > :14:26.good news to hear that. The Government was to work with the
:14:27. > :14:33.foundation and any other organisation that seeks to stand up
:14:34. > :14:39.to extremism and terrorism, and fight against its evil ideology, to
:14:40. > :14:43.keep us all safe in our country. Thank you, Mr Speaker and thank you
:14:44. > :14:47.to the Home Secretary borehole welcome. Central to any effective
:14:48. > :14:52.strategy for tackling extremism is to have a working and workable
:14:53. > :14:57.definition of what extremism means. Canny minister assure me that the
:14:58. > :15:02.new commission set up to tackle extremism but not only construct a
:15:03. > :15:05.definition that this budget or the robust but one that will also be
:15:06. > :15:11.able to withstand the scrutiny of courts? Not only do I welcome the
:15:12. > :15:15.honourable gentleman to his place but I very much welcome his views.
:15:16. > :15:21.The purpose of setting up the counter extremism commission is to
:15:22. > :15:26.see what more we can do, what further steps we can take. We all
:15:27. > :15:30.understand what I was shared between values are, and our strategy is
:15:31. > :15:34.making good progress. Of course one of the actions of the commission
:15:35. > :15:41.will be to look at at the very definition that the honourable
:15:42. > :15:49.gentleman mentioned. With permission, I will take this
:15:50. > :15:55.question with number eight. A raft of new measures to drive greater
:15:56. > :15:58.collaboration between emergency services, which includes a new duty
:15:59. > :16:04.to collaborate and enabling PCC is to take on governments are Fire And
:16:05. > :16:09.Rescue Services where a case is made. This Government continues to
:16:10. > :16:15.expect the pace and ambition of emergency services collaboration to
:16:16. > :16:19.increase. I would like to say how grateful I am to my right honourable
:16:20. > :16:25.friend for heart answer. The crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis has
:16:26. > :16:28.identified ?3.6 million worth of savings per year with the
:16:29. > :16:32.integration of police and Fire Services, which he estimated to
:16:33. > :16:37.boasting front line services in each of the two as well as investing in
:16:38. > :16:40.preventative measures especially. Does my right honourable friend
:16:41. > :16:46.agree that where there is a strong local business case, this
:16:47. > :16:51.integration should progress? I thank her for her question and cheese at
:16:52. > :16:54.right. Where there is a strong business case, where collaboration
:16:55. > :16:57.cannot only improve outcomes but also save money, which can then be
:16:58. > :17:00.used by the front line, it should be encouraged. I welcome the good work
:17:01. > :17:08.that she has been doing with Matthew Ellis to divide that might deliver
:17:09. > :17:14.this. Roger Hurst says -- has moved himself and his dad to fire HQ
:17:15. > :17:17.selling ?1.5 million. He has identified a further ?23 million of
:17:18. > :17:21.potential savings in governance. What more can be done to encourage
:17:22. > :17:27.this excellent work in Essex and encourage it across the country? I
:17:28. > :17:31.thank him to give me another example of the sort of collaboration that we
:17:32. > :17:35.are trying to encourage, to improve outcomes and save money which can be
:17:36. > :17:39.used on the. I congratulate him on his good work with his PCC, Roger
:17:40. > :17:45.Hurst, and wish them well in this new endeavour. Both police officers
:17:46. > :17:50.and firefighters have told me they are completely called to assist
:17:51. > :17:53.residents experiencing a mental health crisis. I was very concerned
:17:54. > :17:56.that the collaboration in Nottinghamshire, which saw a mental
:17:57. > :18:01.health nurse based on the police control room, was axed in May due to
:18:02. > :18:05.a lack of funding even though the scheme was described a successful
:18:06. > :18:09.and valuable. What discussions has she had with chief constables and
:18:10. > :18:13.cheap fire officers about how best to support their staff who are
:18:14. > :18:18.dealing with members of the public experiencing mental health problems
:18:19. > :18:23.of that sort? I share the honourable Lady's view about how important it
:18:24. > :18:25.is to ensure that people with mental health crises difficulties are
:18:26. > :18:29.treated differently. If she was to write to me about the particular
:18:30. > :18:32.example she has set out, I will certainly look at it, but I am
:18:33. > :18:37.actually proud of the work this Government has done to reduce the
:18:38. > :18:40.amount, by nearly 80%, of young people going to police cells for
:18:41. > :18:45.mental health crises, but the more we can do, the better to address
:18:46. > :18:48.that. Police and Fire Service is already collaborative very closely,
:18:49. > :18:53.they are looking at ways to do it further. The Home Secretary except
:18:54. > :18:57.that the deal of financial cuts from her department to police and Fire
:18:58. > :19:03.Services in Merseyside makes that job much more difficult? I think it
:19:04. > :19:12.is a good thing that we have protected police funding from 2015
:19:13. > :19:15.until 2020. I am enormously Dal and mind enormously the work that the
:19:16. > :19:18.police and Fire Service do, we will continue to look at how better we
:19:19. > :19:21.can support them, but one of the ways we had been hearing about
:19:22. > :19:25.today, and I know Merseyside has led on this, is by collaboration which
:19:26. > :19:36.will allow stronger working, better outcomes and money saved for the
:19:37. > :19:41.front line. With permission, I will answer question five and 11
:19:42. > :19:46.together. The reforms aimed for the police force to be agile enough to
:19:47. > :19:50.adapt to crime and Society changes. We established the college and
:19:51. > :19:54.leasing of a professional body for policing and it is new pleasing
:19:55. > :19:58.qualifications framework is designed to ensure policing is fit for the
:19:59. > :20:01.future. Additionally, innovation recruitment schemes are widening the
:20:02. > :20:08.talent pool, bringing people from a past range of backgrounds. And
:20:09. > :20:12.grateful for his reply. The policing crime Commissioner for Suffolk is
:20:13. > :20:17.recruiting more officers. To help Suffolk police with this task, could
:20:18. > :20:20.this minister consider expanding the direct entrance scheme and
:20:21. > :20:23.introducing more flexibility in salaries and promotion within the
:20:24. > :20:28.ranks so that officers are better able to progress their careers and
:20:29. > :20:32.are not continually moving into new roles when promoted? Goals and
:20:33. > :20:34.grateful for the question. We are already encouraging more police
:20:35. > :20:38.chief to take advantage of the direct entry scheme, and is a range
:20:39. > :20:42.of innovative examples are the country, including the Chief
:20:43. > :20:47.Constable in Durham who is going direct to Sheffield University. It
:20:48. > :20:52.is subordinate to recognise as he says, those bullies already serving,
:20:53. > :20:55.we fully support the advanced practitioner programme which is
:20:56. > :20:57.being piloted in 84 Seas, which encourages police to continue
:20:58. > :21:04.dispatch lies and reward that ever play longer career. With the
:21:05. > :21:08.minister join me in Hampshire Constabulary on a great specialist
:21:09. > :21:11.ended packed programme which is helping people find jobs that they
:21:12. > :21:16.want to do in the police service, keeping the people of North East
:21:17. > :21:19.Hampshire, there people and property Saint? Goals absolutely. I am
:21:20. > :21:23.delighted to join with him in paying tribute to his force. It is aborted
:21:24. > :21:27.that be recognising the 21st century, policing has changed and
:21:28. > :21:32.those people that can contribute to delivering safe states and
:21:33. > :21:35.investigations come from all over both education opportunities at
:21:36. > :21:38.universities are those within forces and other public sector bodies. That
:21:39. > :21:46.is why direct entry is one of the key at enhancing careers. Given the
:21:47. > :21:52.falling numbers of uniformed police officers in Lancashire, down 700
:21:53. > :21:57.systems as the pen, what reassures Terry minister gave to the Muslim
:21:58. > :22:03.constituents in Burnley who are fearful for their own safety and the
:22:04. > :22:10.light of recent attacks on mosques and the horrendous recent acid
:22:11. > :22:15.attacks? I'm grateful to the honourable member, I speak regularly
:22:16. > :22:18.with the chief cause of Lancashire and they are put in place lots of
:22:19. > :22:20.measures to make sure that hate crimes do not impact on the
:22:21. > :22:25.community. It is also important to know that crime has fallen like a
:22:26. > :22:28.jazz in 2010. It is not simply the case that crime has remained high
:22:29. > :22:33.and police honours have been cut. At the same time, Lisa doing an amazing
:22:34. > :22:39.job, visited a parred challenges with the resources they had to
:22:40. > :22:43.remember we live within our means. Given the fact that 21,000 police
:22:44. > :22:47.officers have been lost in the last seven years, whether it is more than
:22:48. > :22:50.crime traditional crime, and given the pressures that police chiefs
:22:51. > :22:54.have recognised, how many police officers does the minister in Pentre
:22:55. > :23:02.this Government to recruit this year? As the Right Honourable member
:23:03. > :23:06.will know, the actual numbers are police required in each force down
:23:07. > :23:10.to the Chief Constable's of each force, but you should also recognise
:23:11. > :23:14.because he was doing a simmer job to me in 2009, but because of the
:23:15. > :23:18.changing nature of policing, it is why we have seen entries increase
:23:19. > :23:22.funding in places such as National crime agency and specialist pleasing
:23:23. > :23:28.to tackle that area. That goes alongside normal day-to-day
:23:29. > :23:32.policing. 2015 of recognition of the Borders the beat cars were both be
:23:33. > :23:44.protected police spending because we have a firm economy able to deliver
:23:45. > :23:46.it. The honourable gentleman one over that resource funding for the
:23:47. > :23:54.South Wales Police force that governs his constituency will be up
:23:55. > :23:58.the present in the year 2017, he blundered decisions on the size
:23:59. > :24:00.composition and deployment of the police workforce are operational
:24:01. > :24:06.matters for individual chief officers and police and crime
:24:07. > :24:09.commissioners. Ministers should be given credit for making sure they
:24:10. > :24:13.leave no cliche left unsaid in their attempt to defend their actions in
:24:14. > :24:19.relation to the police force, but can he remember a time when a
:24:20. > :24:23.Conservative Government has been so unpopular with police officers?
:24:24. > :24:31.Apart from when card by most was Home Secretary? Goals, time
:24:32. > :24:39.shadowing, he devoted no one in the present of a good cliche, what I
:24:40. > :24:42.would say to him is that I hope any minister of any Government of any
:24:43. > :24:45.colour would say is that the public safety is the number-1 priority for
:24:46. > :24:51.any Government, as he has heard from a collie, we have protected police
:24:52. > :24:56.in real terms since 2015 and increased spending in areas of
:24:57. > :24:59.specialisation. In the light of the terrible events that have shocked at
:25:00. > :25:06.all, it is quite right that we go through a process of reviewing with
:25:07. > :25:08.the police with colleagues from all sides what resources are needed to
:25:09. > :25:14.be absolutely sure that the police have the resources they need to say.
:25:15. > :25:19.Minister will be aware that motorbike crime and mopeds crime in
:25:20. > :25:24.London is on the increase. We need community officers that can directly
:25:25. > :25:27.deal with that problem. It is an increasing issue. What is the
:25:28. > :25:31.Government doing about the? Can we please make our committees sabre in
:25:32. > :25:36.that respect? Goals I totally agree with this. I heard that greatly from
:25:37. > :25:41.a Sergeant I was walking the beat better at London Bridge the other
:25:42. > :25:45.day. As he knows, the requirement of the local police chiefs to set the
:25:46. > :25:48.operational priorities, it is our responsible to make sure they have
:25:49. > :25:54.the resources they need to meet all the risk that they see. The minister
:25:55. > :26:01.will agree with community policing is the bedrock on which policing
:26:02. > :26:05.operates, but when in Greater Manchester Police followed the bomb
:26:06. > :26:11.which the whole of the police service is working 12 hour days, but
:26:12. > :26:14.there is nothing to draw people into overtime. But the minister
:26:15. > :26:22.understand that policing is stretched beyond any capacity to
:26:23. > :26:26.deliver? As I said I remark, we are very aware that the pressure put on
:26:27. > :26:29.the police is a result of terrible events, not least of which the one
:26:30. > :26:34.in Manchester, it has required a surge of police effort and a
:26:35. > :26:37.fantastic collaboration between forces. Now we have to sit down
:26:38. > :26:43.rationally with police crime commissioners and police to
:26:44. > :26:45.understand and test the assertions about pressure on police forces to
:26:46. > :26:52.make sure they have the resources they need to keep us safe. A West
:26:53. > :26:57.Midlands Police have done if interesting job in creating that
:26:58. > :27:03.like cutting crime and doing more with less. With the minister in sure
:27:04. > :27:09.that police funding formula is reformed to deliver a fair deal for
:27:10. > :27:13.the West Midlands? I thank him for his question. I hope I can reassure
:27:14. > :27:18.him that a lot of work is being done to make sure that not only are the
:27:19. > :27:22.police having the resources, but though the Aussies are allocated,
:27:23. > :27:27.lay, with no final decision having been made their funding yet, but I'm
:27:28. > :27:30.happy to sit down with him and colleagues on all sides will have
:27:31. > :27:36.concerns about the resource allocations for the forces.
:27:37. > :27:41.Last week the Home Secretary said she was more worried about outcomes
:27:42. > :27:46.than police numbers. Will the minister tell the House how the Home
:27:47. > :27:52.Office measures and values the outcomes of community police
:27:53. > :28:00.officers? Ultimately, what matters is the trend in crime which is what
:28:01. > :28:04.unsettles our constituents most. Safety is the number one priority.
:28:05. > :28:07.So the ultimate outcome is the crime statistics, and I am sure he will
:28:08. > :28:11.welcome the long term decline we have seen since 2010. Question
:28:12. > :28:25.seven. The Secretary of State, who is
:28:26. > :28:29.making a statement this afternoon on Grenfell Tower, has established an
:28:30. > :28:33.expert panel to provide independent advice on measures that may need to
:28:34. > :28:38.be put in play to make buildings safer residents following the
:28:39. > :28:44.Grenfell Tower tragedy. Survivors and relatives of the victims of the
:28:45. > :28:47.grand Astor are concerned at the proposed scope of the public
:28:48. > :28:55.inquiry. Does he agree that government departments including his
:28:56. > :28:58.own should act now to address many of the concerns raised? Those
:28:59. > :29:02.concerns include the safety of building materials, the resilience
:29:03. > :29:04.of the Fire Service across the country, the enforcement of
:29:05. > :29:08.regulations and a lack of trained professionals to carry out fire
:29:09. > :29:19.inspections as thoroughly and often as are needed. The Grenfell tragedy,
:29:20. > :29:23.which should never have happened, and subsequent events in terms of
:29:24. > :29:27.what we are learning about fire safety, means there is a failure out
:29:28. > :29:31.there that has been allowed to build up over too many years. It is
:29:32. > :29:36.imperative that we don't just wait for a public inquiry, but we get on
:29:37. > :29:41.with the work of reviewing not just regulation, but the whole system of
:29:42. > :29:47.enforcement and management of risk and that we are informed by an
:29:48. > :29:50.inquiry. I, like all members, have been inundated with e-mails from
:29:51. > :29:53.constituents demanding immediate changes to fire regulations. Would
:29:54. > :29:58.my right honourable friend agree that it is important to look at what
:29:59. > :30:01.changes need to be made to fire regulations, but also what changes
:30:02. > :30:05.need to be made in the documentation of current and existing regulations
:30:06. > :30:10.to ensure that tragedies such as Grenfell do not happen again in the
:30:11. > :30:16.future? I agree with my honourable friend. As I was saying, there has
:30:17. > :30:21.been system failure and we need to address that is a matter of urgency
:30:22. > :30:25.with analysis underpinned by evidence. And of course, we will
:30:26. > :30:30.look at the regulations and whether they are effective enough. My
:30:31. > :30:33.instinct is that the biggest failure here has been around the system of
:30:34. > :30:40.enforcement, inspection and risk management. Yvette Cooper. The
:30:41. > :30:44.Detective Chief Superintendent Fiona Bone MacCormack, conducted some of
:30:45. > :30:48.the inquiries, has said that the insulation has proved "More
:30:49. > :30:51.flammable than the cabin". Has the Home Office had representations from
:30:52. > :30:58.the police or the Fire Service on this, and does he sit on the
:30:59. > :31:01.government task force and if not, does whichever Home Office minister
:31:02. > :31:07.does sit on the task force, have they raised the testing of the
:31:08. > :31:10.insulation with the Communities Secretary and if not, will they do
:31:11. > :31:18.so urgently and call for testing of insulation to be done? But the Home
:31:19. > :31:21.Secretary and I have sat on the regular Cobra meetings that have
:31:22. > :31:27.addressed this and I sit regularly on the subgroup as well. She is
:31:28. > :31:30.right. Testing of the cladding was a priority, but it is becoming clear
:31:31. > :31:36.that it is not just about the cladding, there is a significant
:31:37. > :31:39.issue about insulation and fitting, and considerable questions about the
:31:40. > :31:46.safeguarding of risk inside buildings. This is what we have to
:31:47. > :31:49.understand better and be informed both by the police investigation and
:31:50. > :31:54.the public inquiry as to exactly what happened, but get on with the
:31:55. > :32:03.business of stress testing our current systems. Banning flammable
:32:04. > :32:08.cladding is clearly a no-brainer. This material should never have been
:32:09. > :32:12.used in these buildings, or indeed any other flammable materials. As we
:32:13. > :32:15.start to beef up the rules and regulations, will he ensure that the
:32:16. > :32:20.guidance is not only spread around every local authority within the UK
:32:21. > :32:24.and action is followed, but also work with other governments in other
:32:25. > :32:28.countries where they also have tower blocks so that the tragedy that has
:32:29. > :32:36.befallen the people of the UK will never before another country? I
:32:37. > :32:39.agree with that sentiment. These materials, particularly the panels,
:32:40. > :32:47.should not have been used on these buildings. We are now using the best
:32:48. > :32:50.evidence available to re-examine our landscape of policy and regulation
:32:51. > :32:57.both in terms of the regulation and what is meant to happen in terms of
:32:58. > :33:01.building inspection. These concerns about fire prevention and safety are
:33:02. > :33:05.vital issues, but does the minister agree with me that we should not
:33:06. > :33:10.lose sight of the immediate plight of the survivors of the Grenfell
:33:11. > :33:16.Tower, their families and community? Does the minister understand that
:33:17. > :33:20.one of the things stopping people coming forward, either for the help
:33:21. > :33:25.they need or to give the information that we need, is concerns about
:33:26. > :33:29.their immigration status? I am aware that the minister has said that
:33:30. > :33:35.their papers will not be checked, but will the minister consider
:33:36. > :33:42.announcing an immigration amnesty for the survivors of Grenfell Tower?
:33:43. > :33:45.Otherwise, there will be people who have died that we will never know
:33:46. > :33:51.about and too many people who need help that will not get it. The right
:33:52. > :33:56.honourable lady is right. This is an issue. I know this from
:33:57. > :33:59.conversations I have had with survivors. One problem we have is
:34:00. > :34:03.not being able to identify fully who was in the building on that night,
:34:04. > :34:09.and concerns about immigration status are part of that. So we have
:34:10. > :34:12.communicated some advice which was meant to reassure and we are
:34:13. > :34:16.reviewing whether that advice is sufficient. Question nine, Mr
:34:17. > :34:32.Speaker. I hope the honourable lady will
:34:33. > :34:36.welcome that fire incidents in Avon are down by a quarter since 2010.
:34:37. > :34:40.Avon Fire and Rescue Service will receive stable funding for 2019-20
:34:41. > :34:46.of the government considers that a fair settlement. I thank the
:34:47. > :34:49.minister for that response but they have lost ?5 million in funding in
:34:50. > :34:53.recent years and 200 front-line firefighting jobs have gone.
:34:54. > :34:56.Meanwhile, the police and crime commission is saying that they are
:34:57. > :34:59.being pushed to Bellamy and have been past to cut another 20 million
:35:00. > :35:04.and they say it can't be done. Do we have to wait until we have an
:35:05. > :35:07.incident in Bristol like Grenfell Tower or a terrorist attack before
:35:08. > :35:14.it is brought home to the government just what pressure these services
:35:15. > :35:19.are under? Resources have to be allocated in the light of risk, and
:35:20. > :35:23.risk has fallen in Avon since 2010. Obviously, we cannot be complacent
:35:24. > :35:25.about that and I hope I have signalled clearly that in terms of
:35:26. > :35:31.fire safety risk, there will be a profound re-examination. I come back
:35:32. > :35:34.to my point about police resources. I am committed to engaging with
:35:35. > :35:39.police authorities to understand their concerns and make sure
:35:40. > :35:50.decisions are based on evidence rather than assertion. I spoke with
:35:51. > :35:52.my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the
:35:53. > :35:55.department of the Environment, food and rural affairs on this issue. He
:35:56. > :36:02.is engaged in the National Farmers' Union and I will meet to discuss
:36:03. > :36:04.with him shortly. Every summer, farmers in my constituency require
:36:05. > :36:11.thousands of workers to pick their delicious fruit, but there are only
:36:12. > :36:14.705 people in Faversham and Mid Kent unemployed and claiming job-seeker's
:36:15. > :36:19.allowance, so it is difficult for them to recruit enough workers
:36:20. > :36:25.locally. Good my honourable friend consider a seasonal permit scheme
:36:26. > :36:35.for agriculture workers? My honourable friend makes a good point
:36:36. > :36:38.about the excellent food in Kent. As we continue as members of the
:36:39. > :36:42.European Union, we have the free movement of Labour which farmers can
:36:43. > :36:44.benefit from, but both myself and my right honourable friend the
:36:45. > :36:48.Secretary of State will continue to engage with the sector about what we
:36:49. > :36:56.look at post-leaving the European Union. As the honourable gentleman
:36:57. > :37:00.knows, agriculture is a devolved area and rules could have an impact
:37:01. > :37:03.on the Welsh production sector. If there is to be a Brexit outside the
:37:04. > :37:07.single market, does he agree that there will need to be a geographical
:37:08. > :37:14.visa system to protect key sectors of the Welsh economy? We are
:37:15. > :37:17.determined to make sure we have an immigration system that continues to
:37:18. > :37:21.encourage the brightest and the best and to make sure all of our sectors
:37:22. > :37:25.are able to flourish going forward. I am not going to predict the
:37:26. > :37:33.outcome of what we will be doing after we leave the European Union
:37:34. > :37:41.and after those negotiations. On the 26th of June, we published a
:37:42. > :37:44.paper in Parliament that outlines our offer for EU citizens. We want
:37:45. > :37:48.to make sure they have certainty about the future and that we have a
:37:49. > :37:53.fair and serious offer that we are confident will lead to a good
:37:54. > :38:01.agreement with our colleagues in the European Union. Somebody married to
:38:02. > :38:03.an EU national, I can assure the minister that EU nationals don't
:38:04. > :38:09.feel any certainty from this government. Does he agree that the
:38:10. > :38:12.prime minister's offer will reduce the rights of EU citizens in the UK
:38:13. > :38:18.and UK citizens living in the EU, and can he explain why the Prime
:38:19. > :38:25.Minister made no reference to the superior offer set out by the EU on
:38:26. > :38:28.June 12? I hope the honourable gentleman will join me and
:38:29. > :38:32.colleagues in making it clear that anybody who is here from the
:38:33. > :38:35.European Union at the moment can have confidence about the future.
:38:36. > :38:39.The offer we have given them gives them certainty and I will hope he
:38:40. > :38:42.would encourage nod at his other half, but others about that. The
:38:43. > :38:45.offer we have made will mean that anybody who is settled here from
:38:46. > :38:49.across the European Union will have the same rights as any other UK
:38:50. > :38:55.citizen. That is a fair and serious proposal. Would the minister agree
:38:56. > :38:59.that the Prime Minister has made a very sensible offer, and this matter
:39:00. > :39:06.could be settled tomorrow if not for the EU's intransigence? My
:39:07. > :39:10.honourable friend makes a good point in saying that the Prime Minister
:39:11. > :39:17.has made a fair and serious offer that gives European citizens the
:39:18. > :39:21.same rights as UK citizens. I am hopeful that this is something we
:39:22. > :39:26.and our partners in the European Union can reach agreement on. Mr
:39:27. > :39:29.Hilary Benn. The minister talked about giving competence to EU
:39:30. > :39:34.citizens. Given that just under 30% of applications currently being made
:39:35. > :39:41.for EU permanent resident cards are being turned down, what assurance
:39:42. > :39:44.can he give the House that the new application process set out in the
:39:45. > :39:49.White Paper will not lead to the same outcome, and will those EU
:39:50. > :39:56.citizens who are refused under that new process be required then to
:39:57. > :40:01.leave the UK? As we outlined last week in laying this paper out, we
:40:02. > :40:04.want to make sure that when we announce the system next year, it
:40:05. > :40:08.will be a simple and clear system making use of digital technology so
:40:09. > :40:12.that the 3 million Europeans living and working here and contributing to
:40:13. > :40:18.our culture and economy can go through that process as quickly as
:40:19. > :40:25.possible. As my honourable friend the member for Kilmarnock has
:40:26. > :40:29.highlighted, it is bizarre that the Prime Minister expects the European
:40:30. > :40:33.Union to reciprocate an offer which falls short of the offer that the
:40:34. > :40:37.European Union made on the 12th of June. Can the minister confirm that
:40:38. > :40:42.the Prime Minister expects the European Union to water down their
:40:43. > :40:46.offer, and if so, how does he think this will reassure British nationals
:40:47. > :40:52.living abroad, never mind EU nationals in the UK? I would say two
:40:53. > :41:00.things to the honourable lady. Firstly, I met one of the ministers
:41:01. > :41:03.from the department last week to go through the position we have taken.
:41:04. > :41:09.The Prime Minister is right to make sure that the people living in the
:41:10. > :41:12.UK have the same rights as a UK citizen. I don't think anybody who
:41:13. > :41:16.is a UK citizen would expect anything more or less from the
:41:17. > :41:20.British government. The point is that the EU offer would give both EU
:41:21. > :41:26.nationals in the UK and British nationals abroad more rights than
:41:27. > :41:30.the Prime Minister's offer. One thing the minister could do to
:41:31. > :41:34.reassure EU nationals in the UK is to state that access to the National
:41:35. > :41:38.Health Service will be considered sufficient by the Home Office to
:41:39. > :41:41.fulfil the requirement for comprehensive sickness insurance.
:41:42. > :41:43.That was the cross-party recommendation of the exiting the EU
:41:44. > :41:49.select committee in the last Parliament. What or who is stopping
:41:50. > :41:56.the Home Office from implementing that recommendation now? It is the
:41:57. > :42:02.EU that is stopping that. As we leave the European Union, we are
:42:03. > :42:07.very much looking forward to being able to deal with them. It is right
:42:08. > :42:08.as a UK Government that we say people have the same rights as a UK
:42:09. > :42:19.citizen. The Prime Minister's recent remarks
:42:20. > :42:23.on the status of EU nationals where too little and too late. They have
:42:24. > :42:30.failed to reassure long-standing EU nationals living here and have
:42:31. > :42:34.failed to prevent the train of much-needed staff and high-value
:42:35. > :42:38.industries, academia and also students. Will the minister clarify
:42:39. > :42:46.the position of EU students studying in the UK who will be partly through
:42:47. > :42:50.their courses when we leave the EU? Pot of all, I welcome the honourable
:42:51. > :42:54.gentleman, hit to his new position, but I would say this is an offer
:42:55. > :42:58.that applies to all EU residents if they are in this country want to
:42:59. > :43:03.take Steckel 's that access or status, they will be able to do so.
:43:04. > :43:14.It makes locating the position of students. -- makes no change. Their
:43:15. > :43:18.crime is that we have in place are requirements that currently promoted
:43:19. > :43:20.not just family values but they promote integration and also getting
:43:21. > :43:25.that powers are around the situation, making sure that we have
:43:26. > :43:30.the balance in terms of burdens on the taxpayer as well. A fair balance
:43:31. > :43:37.between family integration and the taxpayer's position. My constituent
:43:38. > :43:44.in medical staging from Port Glasgow... Spousal visas which
:43:45. > :43:53.currently say the amount is due to has decided because of the Dublin's
:43:54. > :43:57.increasing, increasing students will emigrate. Scott The Millers not only
:43:58. > :44:02.his medical expertise but that of his partner, a qualified social
:44:03. > :44:05.worker. Considering his situation, with the Home Secretary abandoned
:44:06. > :44:12.plans to increase the income requirement? I would say to him that
:44:13. > :44:15.if there is a specific age, I am very happy to have a look at a
:44:16. > :44:18.specific case, but as a general point I would say that he is right,
:44:19. > :44:22.we look to making sure that everyone across the United Kingdom has the
:44:23. > :44:27.same position to deal with, so it is their cross the system and also fair
:44:28. > :44:30.to taxpayers. If someone is bringing a member of the family into this
:44:31. > :44:34.country, they can afford to then be had, and I would point out to him
:44:35. > :44:42.that the figure of ?18,600 is several thousand pounds below the
:44:43. > :44:44.minimum wage in Scotland. Ideally freedom of movement rules, EU
:44:45. > :44:48.citizens are not obliged to meet that minimum income threshold if
:44:49. > :44:52.they want to bring in family members. However UK citizens do have
:44:53. > :44:57.two meet the minimum income threshold which these aspects of
:44:58. > :45:01.being court has said causes hardship and ignores the rights of children.
:45:02. > :45:05.Would it not be fair to say that this new regime proposed by the
:45:06. > :45:13.Government made EU citizens will lose their current rights to family
:45:14. > :45:17.life and actually represent a levelling down? The honourable lady
:45:18. > :45:22.has like they misunderstood the situation. Someone from the EU will
:45:23. > :45:24.have the ability to have settled status if they have not been here
:45:25. > :45:27.for five years but stable five years they will be able to attain that
:45:28. > :45:34.right. I would also point out that family life cannot be established at
:45:35. > :45:39.the taxpayersexpense. Migrants must be able to integrate. That is what
:45:40. > :45:48.our family integration rules achieve. The Supreme Court has
:45:49. > :45:54.endorsed it. There is substantial interest in the House about this
:45:55. > :45:58.Government's policy about removing counterterrorism online. I would
:45:59. > :46:02.like to update the House briefly. Last week in Ottawa, we secured
:46:03. > :46:05.support from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US for the
:46:06. > :46:10.Government campaign to take terrorist material off-line.
:46:11. > :46:14.Together we announced that companies including Facebook, Google,
:46:15. > :46:18.Microsoft and Twitter, will form a new global industry forum to tackle
:46:19. > :46:21.terrorist use of the internet. We made it clear that hateful content
:46:22. > :46:26.used to recruit and radicalise should not be allowed on their
:46:27. > :46:30.platforms and must be removed faster and more proactively. The commitment
:46:31. > :46:35.from fellow members to a shared approach and their backing of a new
:46:36. > :46:39.industry group is a vital step forward. I plan to travel to the
:46:40. > :46:41.West Coast of America to continue it discusses a major technology
:46:42. > :46:46.companies and see what progress they are making on the forum and I will
:46:47. > :46:52.share these findings. The key to successful action here is to making
:46:53. > :46:54.sure that we have truly global initiative, engage in other
:46:55. > :46:59.countries and the international headquarters of these businesses.
:47:00. > :47:02.The Scottish affairs select committee, Scottish Chamber of
:47:03. > :47:06.Commerce and is the jute of directors have all said that
:47:07. > :47:08.Scotland requires a different immigration policy for its unique
:47:09. > :47:14.demographic needs. Although she considered the report by Professor
:47:15. > :47:16.Stena Boswell and the University of Edinburgh evaluating the options for
:47:17. > :47:22.a differentiated approach to immigration policy in Scotland? I
:47:23. > :47:27.don't think that we should have a different immigration policy for
:47:28. > :47:30.different part of the UK. But I do think that we should have a fair and
:47:31. > :47:34.open and inclusive immigration system that will attract the
:47:35. > :47:36.brightest and best, the right students, the people who are
:47:37. > :47:40.legitimately coming here to join a family, and will make sure that when
:47:41. > :47:44.we consult with stakeholders and businesses the summer, we have
:47:45. > :47:50.Scotland and other parts of the country in mind. In light of the
:47:51. > :47:55.recent cyber attack on parliament and the National crime agency was
:47:56. > :47:59.like an announcement that due to underreporting, the skill of
:48:00. > :48:02.cybercrime is significantly underestimated, can I ask the
:48:03. > :48:09.Secretary of State outline what specific steps the Government is
:48:10. > :48:12.taking to tackle this threat? And grateful for her question. Any
:48:13. > :48:17.national side is the duty programme we are investing ?1.9 billion in
:48:18. > :48:22.cyber security. We are investing in a Nasa crime agency and cybercrime
:48:23. > :48:26.unit, national cyber Security Centre, we are investing in regional
:48:27. > :48:29.organiser crime unit at local level to make China is a regional response
:48:30. > :48:32.and we are given and a September Liam to improve action fraught
:48:33. > :48:36.response to constituents. The Government is also consolidating to
:48:37. > :48:39.make sure there is a consistent method in cyber aware so that all
:48:40. > :48:47.colleagues and the public understand what they needed to keep themselves
:48:48. > :48:51.safe online. Or the avoidable tragedy Grenfell Tower, will be Home
:48:52. > :48:54.Secretary tell us why the review into the building regulations that
:48:55. > :48:59.were promised by Gavin Barwell in the wake of the deadly House fire
:49:00. > :49:07.failed to materialise? Mr Barwell was the housing minister at the
:49:08. > :49:11.time, did he suppress the review? I don't think there is any evidence
:49:12. > :49:19.that our former colleague suppress any review. Plenty of work was
:49:20. > :49:22.ongoing to this. I would say as I said before clearly the Grenfell
:49:23. > :49:25.Tower tragedy which should never have happened and we have found that
:49:26. > :49:28.sense in terms of the five safety of the building means we have today
:49:29. > :49:33.would and branch review, not just of regulation but of inspection and
:49:34. > :49:37.risk management. When I was a district councillor and less oxygen,
:49:38. > :49:42.I helped to House six Syrian refugee families, and I have seen regularly.
:49:43. > :49:46.One of the things that is heartening is how the integrated into our
:49:47. > :49:49.society in terms of school places and employment, and I wonder if the
:49:50. > :49:52.minister could tell us what steps the Government is taking to make
:49:53. > :49:59.sure that that integration takes place with an efficiently will stop
:50:00. > :50:02.I thank him for his question. My honourable friend's constituency has
:50:03. > :50:07.generously welcomed a number of families, and so far we have
:50:08. > :50:11.accepted 7000 under the scheme. Today additionally I can confirm
:50:12. > :50:14.that we are taking advice on the UNHCR to widen eligibility for the
:50:15. > :50:20.scheme for vulnerable refugees, so that we include them for any
:50:21. > :50:23.nationality who are impacted by selling prices which will be good
:50:24. > :50:27.for families and good for making sure that we help the most
:50:28. > :50:35.vulnerable in the region. Merseyside Police have had to cut ?7 million
:50:36. > :50:38.and over 1000 officers as 2010, and notwithstanding the Home Secretaryed
:50:39. > :50:43.bizarre claim earlier that police budgets have been protected, they
:50:44. > :50:49.are being expected to cut another ?80 million over the next three
:50:50. > :50:54.years, leading to 540 staff and officers being under threat, while
:50:55. > :50:57.submitting a crimewave which has seen 100 shootings in the last 18
:50:58. > :51:02.years. When the Home Secretary agreed to meet with me and a
:51:03. > :51:05.delegation of Merseyside MPs to discuss why hire department has just
:51:06. > :51:08.turned down a bid for extra resources to deal with theirs, which
:51:09. > :51:14.she herself and her ministers invited? I am grateful to the
:51:15. > :51:21.honourable lady for raising this question. We did meet, I met along
:51:22. > :51:25.with the other MPs for Merseyside, and I have met with the Chief
:51:26. > :51:31.Constable, and I can absolutely confirm that both the National crime
:51:32. > :51:36.agency and the regional organisation by giving a great deal of support to
:51:37. > :51:42.help tackle the appalling increase that we have seen in gun crime in
:51:43. > :51:49.Merseyside, and we can actually say we will continue to do everything we
:51:50. > :51:52.can to support the police. When I spent some time on the night shift
:51:53. > :51:56.on the local police, they tell me that when they arrest a person, they
:51:57. > :52:01.spend most of the remainder of the shift actually filling in. This
:52:02. > :52:04.leave the police have to be accountable when they are depriving
:52:05. > :52:09.someone of their limited, but surely that system can be speeded up. Is
:52:10. > :52:13.that honourable friend knows, we have done a lot to cut the rocker
:52:14. > :52:16.the focus on what matters, I have to say the issue of post-arrest
:52:17. > :52:20.administration has not been raised so far in debate, but I will make
:52:21. > :52:30.sure that I will raise it in future meetings. Under section 67 of the
:52:31. > :52:33.immigration act 2016, 480 unaccompanied refugee children were
:52:34. > :52:37.expected to come to the UK. Last week we learned in House of lies
:52:38. > :52:41.that only 200 arrived. What are the Government doing to ensure that 280
:52:42. > :52:46.other vulnerable children are at risk of eggs by patients and are
:52:47. > :52:49.able to come to the safety of our shores promptly? It is a very good
:52:50. > :52:53.question. I am aware of these numbers and we have made it clear to
:52:54. > :52:57.the countries that are currently providing a home for those children,
:52:58. > :53:02.which is largely Italy and Greece and some in France, that we already
:53:03. > :53:05.stand able to take those children. We'll continue to engage with them
:53:06. > :53:09.to try and do that. Part of the issue is that those children come
:53:10. > :53:13.some of them have already settled in the country they are, but we have
:53:14. > :53:17.remained engaged to see what else we can do to help those children who we
:53:18. > :53:23.would like to bring over, we haven't settled and whose interests are best
:53:24. > :53:30.served by coming here. Kent continues to be one of the main
:53:31. > :53:34.entry places for illegal workers. What steps are the Government taken
:53:35. > :53:43.to make it easier for businesses and elsewhere to identify when Summers
:53:44. > :53:46.working here legally or not? We have implemented the immigration act to
:53:47. > :53:52.make legal working a criminal offence -- illegal working. It is
:53:53. > :53:56.also used the actor you stronger sanctions against employers of
:53:57. > :54:03.illegal workers, and is also from the point of view of a balance to
:54:04. > :54:07.make sure people in... 'S lead and right to work for those not from the
:54:08. > :54:09.EU, if businesses have done those checks, then businesses are in a
:54:10. > :54:16.position where they have a defence against any action to make it
:54:17. > :54:21.appropriate for them. The worst Assembly member for Vale applied,
:54:22. > :54:25.successfully stayed to Welsh Government legislation to make
:54:26. > :54:31.compulsory sprinklers in new-builds and retrofit and refurbished
:54:32. > :54:35.residential buildings. Money Home Secretary follow the example of the
:54:36. > :54:43.Welsh Government and work with her Cabinet colleagues towards making
:54:44. > :54:49.this a UK wide policy? Can I refer the honourable lady back to what I
:54:50. > :54:53.said before? The secular state is making a state this afternoon, the
:54:54. > :54:57.Prime Minister has made a number of statements about the way forward in
:54:58. > :55:02.terms of how we review regulation, guidance and her regime of
:55:03. > :55:07.inspection and monitoring. That will include guidance on spec list, which
:55:08. > :55:13.she will know, has dithered applications for different
:55:14. > :55:16.locations. No one size fits all. Yesterday evening Gatwick Airport
:55:17. > :55:22.had closed its runway on a number of occasions and quite a few flights
:55:23. > :55:25.were cancelled, due to the irresponsible use of a drone. Can my
:55:26. > :55:31.right honourable friend say whether the Government is going to look at
:55:32. > :55:36.reviewing the use of unmanned aerial vehicles about airports? My
:55:37. > :55:40.honourable friend makes an important point about the dangers drones can
:55:41. > :55:45.pose to aircraft, but also the current use of drowned in illegally
:55:46. > :55:47.supplying drugs into prisons and indeed used by terrorists and
:55:48. > :55:53.criminals further afield. That is why this Government set up a group
:55:54. > :55:57.chaired by me and the Ministry of Defence is to look at measures we
:55:58. > :56:03.can put in place to not only perhaps deal with the technology but also be
:56:04. > :56:07.counted drones in a way that fits with the idea of an open society
:56:08. > :56:16.where law-abiding citizens can today to use drones for their pleasure
:56:17. > :56:21.work. The prohibitive cost of testing for psychoactive substances
:56:22. > :56:24.is causing considerable expense to police forces in enforcing the
:56:25. > :56:30.current law. We'll be Home Office team please initiate and immediate
:56:31. > :56:37.review of the law on this, because the present Larsson is not working.
:56:38. > :56:43.I thank him for his question. I would just simply... I don't agree,
:56:44. > :56:49.the psychoactive substances act has proven to be an incredibly useful
:56:50. > :56:57.tool for police officers to identify really harmful substances and keep
:56:58. > :57:00.people safe. Following the very tragic and fatal stabbing at the
:57:01. > :57:05.weekend before last in my constituency, I wondered if the Home
:57:06. > :57:11.Secretary could update the House on what plans have been undertaken to
:57:12. > :57:17.tackle knife crime. I thank her for raising this very important and
:57:18. > :57:21.tragic case of James Billy, who was so brutally knifed and killed in her
:57:22. > :57:24.constituency. I don't know that the local police force have got the
:57:25. > :57:28.investigation is well underway, there is a huge amount of work that
:57:29. > :57:32.is being done to tackle knife crime, the local police force, West
:57:33. > :57:36.Midlands Police force, often take part in a robbery that back
:57:37. > :57:41.operation sector, the next one is about to happen in July. Every
:57:42. > :57:45.member of this House, has a really important role to play to go out
:57:46. > :57:48.there and tell young people in their communities about the real dangers
:57:49. > :57:55.they are presenting to themselves by carrying knives.
:57:56. > :58:00.Northumbria Police have just announced they are closing every
:58:01. > :58:06.single Newcastle police station from desk outside of working hours. Given
:58:07. > :58:10.all of the reassurances we have heard today, why is Northumbria
:58:11. > :58:16.Police still be obliged to make operational decisions based on
:58:17. > :58:20.cost-cutting and not preventing and detecting crime? I would say to the
:58:21. > :58:28.honourable lady that we have protected police spending...
:58:29. > :58:34.Honourable members can have their own views, they cannot have their
:58:35. > :58:40.own facts. These aren't the cases. As long as individual councils use
:58:41. > :58:45.the maximum amount of 2% on their precept, they can raise the money.
:58:46. > :58:48.We have additional support available from the police transformation
:58:49. > :58:56.formed and we always make sure we use it to keep communities safe and
:58:57. > :58:59.provide the best policing available. In Northamptonshire, are excellent
:59:00. > :59:03.Police and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mould is dramatically
:59:04. > :59:07.investing in police buildings. For example opening the new command
:59:08. > :59:11.centre in north Northamptonshire. What my right honourable friend
:59:12. > :59:16.agree that it is that investment in buildings which are fit for purpose,
:59:17. > :59:24.that modernisation that is so important for driving outcomes? Can
:59:25. > :59:29.I congratulate Stephen Mould for his impressive leadership and innovation
:59:30. > :59:33.and I look forward to visiting personally with him. West Yorkshire
:59:34. > :59:39.Police are still reeling from cuts dating back to 2010 when they lost
:59:40. > :59:42.20% of their force. Can we look now at budget again so they can restore
:59:43. > :59:47.the number of police officers on our streets to give them a fighting
:59:48. > :59:55.chance of dealing with crime. Can I take the opportunity to clarify the
:59:56. > :59:59.situation with police funding. From 2010-2015 there were indeed cuts but
:00:00. > :00:08.what is so remarkable is the good work of local policing and local
:00:09. > :00:11.communities, meant that crime came down by a third. Since 2015 until
:00:12. > :00:15.2020 we will continue to collect police money to make sure crime
:00:16. > :00:19.continues to come down and losing our communities get the necessary
:00:20. > :00:25.support. What progress is being made to improve the cooperation between
:00:26. > :00:30.action Ford and individual police forces to make sure, as in the case
:00:31. > :00:33.of a couple of my constituents, not passed from pillar to post when
:00:34. > :00:39.they're trying to seek information from one of those organisations? My
:00:40. > :00:43.honourable friend is right and has raised the issue before, that is why
:00:44. > :00:49.we have given extra funding to action fraud to manage the triage,
:00:50. > :00:54.and at the same time we are starting to see money going into the
:00:55. > :00:58.investment we require and working with senior police leadership we are
:00:59. > :01:03.also trying to make sure the response from forces to cyber crime
:01:04. > :01:08.is consistent because as he knows it is very inconsistent at the moment
:01:09. > :01:16.on the to long some forces don't think cyber belongs to them and
:01:17. > :01:20.other forces do a good job of it. My right honourable friend the Member
:01:21. > :01:23.for Leeds Central pointed out 30% of applications the permanent residency
:01:24. > :01:28.are turned down, to a large extent because of the complexity of the
:01:29. > :01:32.process. Wouldn't it be sensible to simplify that process now instead of
:01:33. > :01:37.waiting for the new system next year? That is correct the system we
:01:38. > :01:42.are currently using is not the one that was designed for leaving the
:01:43. > :01:46.European Union and for allowing European Union members here to apply
:01:47. > :01:49.for subtle status. That's why the Prime Minister announced we will be
:01:50. > :01:53.providing a new system which will be available by the end of next year.
:01:54. > :01:56.We will be allowing people to make sure they get additional information
:01:57. > :02:00.as it comes along to make sure their name registered so they get sent the
:02:01. > :02:04.information but we need time to build that system and we are
:02:05. > :02:08.confident it will be ready by the end of next year, and provide a
:02:09. > :02:15.streamlined online system for the application is to go through. In the
:02:16. > :02:23.birthday Honours list last month, Andrew Murray received an OBE for
:02:24. > :02:34.his work -- Alex Murray. Would she recognise the need for a fair
:02:35. > :02:37.funding settlement going forwards? I would like to congratulate Alex
:02:38. > :02:42.Murray and all of the other police constables who work was so rightly
:02:43. > :02:47.recognised and recognise all the work done by police and emergency
:02:48. > :02:50.services, particularly over the last three and a half months given the
:02:51. > :02:56.tremendous strain there has been on the work they have had to do. The
:02:57. > :02:59.provision of accommodation for asylum seekers is the responsibility
:03:00. > :03:02.of the Home Office and its contractors so can I ask what recent
:03:03. > :03:05.discussions have had to make sure such accommodation complies with
:03:06. > :03:11.fire prevention and safety regulation? The honourable gentleman
:03:12. > :03:16.makes a good point and I was seeing some of those centres myself last
:03:17. > :03:19.week, we will be writing to all suppliers across the country to make
:03:20. > :03:24.sure they are fully aware of their duty of care and to make sure fire
:03:25. > :03:30.safety is of paramount importance for them. They must move on, demand
:03:31. > :03:31.has exceeded supply as is often the case in this