Live Home Office Questions House of Commons

Hello and welcome to BBC Parliament's live coverage from the

House of Commons. In an hour, the shadow minister Alan Whitehead will

be asking an urgent question energy on prices and the announcement of an

energy price cap for low-income households by the regulator Ofgem.

That will be followed by two statements, the first from the

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire are on the progress of

talks to resume the Northern Ireland assembly and executive, which passed

their deadline without an agreement last Thursday. The second statement

is from the communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid,

updating the house on the Grenfell Tower fire disaster. The main

business in the chamber will be the second reading of the air travel

organisers licensing bill. The bill seeks to modernise the atoll scheme

which protects travellers in the event that their holiday company

goes bust. Join me for a round-up of the day at 11 tonight. Now over live

to the House of Commons. Order, order. Colleagues, we are

pleased to be join today by the Speaker of the Parliament of

Catalonia, who is visiting London and whom we are delighted to see.

Welcome to you. Questions to be Secretary of State for the Home

Department. Number one, the Mr Speaker. Can I take the opportunity

firstly to welcome the shadow front bench's nude -- new team. I would

like to answer the honourable lady's question... I agree that it is

regrettable that survivors of organised incident -- institutional

abuse have withdrawn from the inquiry. The inquiry is making good

progress with the plan published last year. This is evidenced through

public hearings and other events with victims and survivors and I

retain my confidence in this independent inquiry to deliver its

important work, to get the truth and learn lessons for the future. I

thank the Home Secretary, but this is serious. This is the fourth

victims' group that has left and today we have had the Sutton review,

which reads to me like a total whitewash and suggests that no

lessons have been learned by the inquiry by the government that set

this up. Can she tell me what message she thinks this sends to

everybody in this country who is currently reliant on a public

inquiry to deliver justice for them? I would ask the honourable lady to

reconsider her view. The inquiry have said that the group can always

come back if they want. I would ask her to think again about the people

who are already being helped by this inquiry. There are 60 to 80 people

whose experiences have been referred to the police, which may lead to

prosecutions. That is up to 1000 people whose lives have been changed

and are getting the answers they want. That is real differences that

I would ask the honourable lady not to underestimate. Last year, the

inquiry attracted some helpful headlines on the back of its

internal workings and certain personalities, since when I am glad

to say it has been getting on with its important work. But we were

promised an interim report and greater transparency, particularly

after the sittings with the home affairs select committee. When can

we expect that? I thank my honourable friend and I remember

when he was the acting chair about this matter. Like him, I have

confidence in the new chair. I believe she is getting on with the

job and as I said to the honourable lady a moment ago, we are seeing

results. I have been told we will get an interim report during 2018.

Does the Home Secretary have any concerns about the fact that the

police have announced that they are going to curtail annual checks on

people on the sex offender register when that register is growing

year-on-year? I would refer the honourable lady to the fact that

different police chiefs are taking different positions on this

depending on their experience and communities. If she has a particular

concern about her community, I would encourage her to talk to myself or

the police minister in due course. Does the independent inquiry have a

role to play in considering the outcome of the ?1 million to your

inquiry into the allegations against the late Sir Edward Heath? If not,

who does? That is a matter for the local police. It is up to the local

operations to decide how to proceed with that matter. And inquiry will

refer where appropriate to the police. Mr Speaker, since 1831,

special constables have made a valuable contribution to local

policing. That is why we should keep under review what the government

does to support that work. Would my right honourable friend

congratulate the 358 special constables in Essex and the push

that Essex Police are doing to encourage even more, and will he

consider making it easier for councils to offer a council tax

rebate for those special constables so we can give something back to

those who serve in our communities? My right honourable friend has been

a tireless champion for both volunteering and special constables

in particular and he represents a county that under the leadership of

PC Roger Hurst is showing leadership in trying to encourage more special

constables to go forward. At the moment, we do provide access to

insurance legal expenses. There is provision for out of allowance

expenses and there is provision in law for discretionary benefits such

as discounts on council tax. I am happy to meet him to discuss how to

go further. While coming back the honourable gentleman the member for

Stroud. I am informed that the honourable gentleman, during his

involuntary absence, has become a doctor of philosophy, upon which the

House wishes to congratulate him, I am sure. Dr David Drew. But I

welcome the police minister to his place and with regard to the

Specials, we all congratulate the work they do because it is

first-rate. But it would seem to me from my experience, and I am meeting

the Specials on Friday, so I'm sure they will tell me if I am right, but

it seems that the new team is no longer the entrance point to the

full-time constabulary. Is there a reason for that, and if it is

because of problems of financial support, with the police minister

look into that and do something about it? I add my voice to that of

congratulations to the honourable member, who I used to serve with on

the environment committee what seems like a thousand years ago. I would

be concerned if what he said was true. That is not what the data

tells me in terms of the number of special constables that go on to

become regular police officers, but it is something I will keep under

review. Louise Haig. As a former special constable, and I am sure

that will not be the last time this is mentioned from the dispatch box,

I saw first-hand the dedication of our front line officers, but I also

witnessed the collapse in morale as the government ignored warnings over

jobs, pay and resources. This has got worse and last month at the

Police Federation conference, the Home Secretary dismissed the

concerns of an officer who told her how pay cuts have left him

struggling to put food on his table. Does the minister agree with the

Home Secretary or the Foreign Secretary over whether our bravest

and best should continue to experience a real terms pay cut

until 2020? I thank the honourable lady for the contribution she has

made as a special constable. In relation to police paid, we want to

make sure front line public services workers are paid fairly, not least

because of the contribution they have made to reducing the deficit we

inherited from the party opposite. And the work they have done to

safeguard thousands of jobs. How we do that in a way that is sustainable

is under discussion. The question number three, Mr Speaker. We will

establish a commission for countering extremism to reinforce

current efforts to tackle extremist ideology in all its forms wherever

it occurs. Already through the 2015 counter extremism strategy, we have

taken steps to protect children from the threat of extremism taken action

hate crime and provided support for places of worship. We also support

civil society groups to tackle extremism in their communities. Ten

years ago last week, we saw the terrorist attack on Glasgow airport

and since then, we have seen instances of extremism and terrorism

in Walsall, Exeter, Manchester and of course in London. Can my right

honourable friend inform the House what is being done with the devolved

administrations as well as the combined regions to ensure that

extremism and terrorism have no place in the UK? I welcome my

honourable friend to his place. I am sure he will make a significant

contribution here at Home Office questions as well as serving his

constituents. He is right to point out that there is no place in our

society for extremism or terrorism. In launching the counter extremism

strategy in 2015, the government agreed with the devolved

administrations that they were not going to be part of the strategy at

the time, but we continue to work with them. And we will carry on

working with them on setting of the commission for countering extremism.

It is important that we work together to keep the whole of the UK

safe. Mr Keith Vaz. Last year, Twitter suspended 125,000 accounts

that were linked to global terrorism, but there still remains

millions of videos on the internet. In Germany, companies can be fined

up to ?43 million for failing to take down illegal views. Could the

minister please explain when the Government intends to introduce

legislation of that kind? The right honourable gentleman is right to

point out the vile hatred that is being spread on the internet. I am

pleased to report the action that we are taking which is enabling

thousands of images to be taken down on a regular basis. But we leave no

stone unturned. The Home Secretary is working with all of those bodies

responsible for the internet to make sure we take more action to make

sure every piece of hatred is removed from the internet.

Canny minister said that what is being done to tackle anti-Semitism

on campus where there is often an intimidatory atmosphere in the face

of Jewish students? I thank her for her question. She is right to raise

anti-Semitism, there is no room at all in our society for hatred of

anyone based on their faith or their race or ideology. What the

Government has done is put a safeguard in responsibility on

universities and schools to make sure that they protect young people

from being exposed to violent hatred and radicalisation. Can I trust the

minister Ollie after she get to chair at the home affairs select

committee? Social media remain a command and control platform of

choice for extremists. I wrote any Home Secretary and the 29th of March

ask whether she was considering the kinds of laws that we had in

Germany, the GCN island where there's a new watchdog being created

to parlay social media giants, or indeed the proposals in the US

Senate is like the Feinstein Bill which would require social media

giants to report terrorism content. Around the world, governments are

taking action was up when is this Government could follow suit? I can

absolutely assure the honourable gentleman that this Government is

taking action I leading the international efforts to make sure

that the internet platforms take their responsibilities seriously.

The Home Secretary has made it absolutely clear that nothing is off

the table. We are considering all options to make sure that this

violent ideology and hatred, that is pumped around the internet, is

stopped as soon as possible. A former constituent who I once

visited being held in prison, because of alleged terrorist

activities, is my honourable friend aware that he has completely turned

his life around, is the founder of an organisation that is dedicated to

tackling extremism in the UK? I thank him for his question. It is

good news to hear that. The Government was to work with the

foundation and any other organisation that seeks to stand up

to extremism and terrorism, and fight against its evil ideology, to

keep us all safe in our country. Thank you, Mr Speaker and thank you

to the Home Secretary borehole welcome. Central to any effective

strategy for tackling extremism is to have a working and workable

definition of what extremism means. Canny minister assure me that the

new commission set up to tackle extremism but not only construct a

definition that this budget or the robust but one that will also be

able to withstand the scrutiny of courts? Not only do I welcome the

honourable gentleman to his place but I very much welcome his views.

The purpose of setting up the counter extremism commission is to

see what more we can do, what further steps we can take. We all

understand what I was shared between values are, and our strategy is

making good progress. Of course one of the actions of the commission

will be to look at at the very definition that the honourable

gentleman mentioned. With permission, I will take this

question with number eight. A raft of new measures to drive greater

collaboration between emergency services, which includes a new duty

to collaborate and enabling PCC is to take on governments are Fire And

Rescue Services where a case is made. This Government continues to

expect the pace and ambition of emergency services collaboration to

increase. I would like to say how grateful I am to my right honourable

friend for heart answer. The crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis has

identified ?3.6 million worth of savings per year with the

integration of police and Fire Services, which he estimated to

boasting front line services in each of the two as well as investing in

preventative measures especially. Does my right honourable friend

agree that where there is a strong local business case, this

integration should progress? I thank her for her question and cheese at

right. Where there is a strong business case, where collaboration

cannot only improve outcomes but also save money, which can then be

used by the front line, it should be encouraged. I welcome the good work

that she has been doing with Matthew Ellis to divide that might deliver

this. Roger Hurst says -- has moved himself and his dad to fire HQ

selling ?1.5 million. He has identified a further ?23 million of

potential savings in governance. What more can be done to encourage

this excellent work in Essex and encourage it across the country? I

thank him to give me another example of the sort of collaboration that we

are trying to encourage, to improve outcomes and save money which can be

used on the. I congratulate him on his good work with his PCC, Roger

Hurst, and wish them well in this new endeavour. Both police officers

and firefighters have told me they are completely called to assist

residents experiencing a mental health crisis. I was very concerned

that the collaboration in Nottinghamshire, which saw a mental

health nurse based on the police control room, was axed in May due to

a lack of funding even though the scheme was described a successful

and valuable. What discussions has she had with chief constables and

cheap fire officers about how best to support their staff who are

dealing with members of the public experiencing mental health problems

of that sort? I share the honourable Lady's view about how important it

is to ensure that people with mental health crises difficulties are

treated differently. If she was to write to me about the particular

example she has set out, I will certainly look at it, but I am

actually proud of the work this Government has done to reduce the

amount, by nearly 80%, of young people going to police cells for

mental health crises, but the more we can do, the better to address

that. Police and Fire Service is already collaborative very closely,

they are looking at ways to do it further. The Home Secretary except

that the deal of financial cuts from her department to police and Fire

Services in Merseyside makes that job much more difficult? I think it

is a good thing that we have protected police funding from 2015

until 2020. I am enormously Dal and mind enormously the work that the

police and Fire Service do, we will continue to look at how better we

can support them, but one of the ways we had been hearing about

today, and I know Merseyside has led on this, is by collaboration which

will allow stronger working, better outcomes and money saved for the

front line. With permission, I will answer question five and 11

together. The reforms aimed for the police force to be agile enough to

adapt to crime and Society changes. We established the college and

leasing of a professional body for policing and it is new pleasing

qualifications framework is designed to ensure policing is fit for the

future. Additionally, innovation recruitment schemes are widening the

talent pool, bringing people from a past range of backgrounds. And

grateful for his reply. The policing crime Commissioner for Suffolk is

recruiting more officers. To help Suffolk police with this task, could

this minister consider expanding the direct entrance scheme and

introducing more flexibility in salaries and promotion within the

ranks so that officers are better able to progress their careers and

are not continually moving into new roles when promoted? Goals and

grateful for the question. We are already encouraging more police

chief to take advantage of the direct entry scheme, and is a range

of innovative examples are the country, including the Chief

Constable in Durham who is going direct to Sheffield University. It

is subordinate to recognise as he says, those bullies already serving,

we fully support the advanced practitioner programme which is

being piloted in 84 Seas, which encourages police to continue

dispatch lies and reward that ever play longer career. With the

minister join me in Hampshire Constabulary on a great specialist

ended packed programme which is helping people find jobs that they

want to do in the police service, keeping the people of North East

Hampshire, there people and property Saint? Goals absolutely. I am

delighted to join with him in paying tribute to his force. It is aborted

that be recognising the 21st century, policing has changed and

those people that can contribute to delivering safe states and

investigations come from all over both education opportunities at

universities are those within forces and other public sector bodies. That

is why direct entry is one of the key at enhancing careers. Given the

falling numbers of uniformed police officers in Lancashire, down 700

systems as the pen, what reassures Terry minister gave to the Muslim

constituents in Burnley who are fearful for their own safety and the

light of recent attacks on mosques and the horrendous recent acid

attacks? I'm grateful to the honourable member, I speak regularly

with the chief cause of Lancashire and they are put in place lots of

measures to make sure that hate crimes do not impact on the

community. It is also important to know that crime has fallen like a

jazz in 2010. It is not simply the case that crime has remained high

and police honours have been cut. At the same time, Lisa doing an amazing

job, visited a parred challenges with the resources they had to

remember we live within our means. Given the fact that 21,000 police

officers have been lost in the last seven years, whether it is more than

crime traditional crime, and given the pressures that police chiefs

have recognised, how many police officers does the minister in Pentre

this Government to recruit this year? As the Right Honourable member

will know, the actual numbers are police required in each force down

to the Chief Constable's of each force, but you should also recognise

because he was doing a simmer job to me in 2009, but because of the

changing nature of policing, it is why we have seen entries increase

funding in places such as National crime agency and specialist pleasing

to tackle that area. That goes alongside normal day-to-day

policing. 2015 of recognition of the Borders the beat cars were both be

protected police spending because we have a firm economy able to deliver

it. The honourable gentleman one over that resource funding for the

South Wales Police force that governs his constituency will be up

the present in the year 2017, he blundered decisions on the size

composition and deployment of the police workforce are operational

matters for individual chief officers and police and crime

commissioners. Ministers should be given credit for making sure they

leave no cliche left unsaid in their attempt to defend their actions in

relation to the police force, but can he remember a time when a

Conservative Government has been so unpopular with police officers?

Apart from when card by most was Home Secretary? Goals, time

shadowing, he devoted no one in the present of a good cliche, what I

would say to him is that I hope any minister of any Government of any

colour would say is that the public safety is the number-1 priority for

any Government, as he has heard from a collie, we have protected police

in real terms since 2015 and increased spending in areas of

specialisation. In the light of the terrible events that have shocked at

all, it is quite right that we go through a process of reviewing with

the police with colleagues from all sides what resources are needed to

be absolutely sure that the police have the resources they need to say.

Minister will be aware that motorbike crime and mopeds crime in

London is on the increase. We need community officers that can directly

deal with that problem. It is an increasing issue. What is the

Government doing about the? Can we please make our committees sabre in

that respect? Goals I totally agree with this. I heard that greatly from

a Sergeant I was walking the beat better at London Bridge the other

day. As he knows, the requirement of the local police chiefs to set the

operational priorities, it is our responsible to make sure they have

the resources they need to meet all the risk that they see. The minister

will agree with community policing is the bedrock on which policing

operates, but when in Greater Manchester Police followed the bomb

which the whole of the police service is working 12 hour days, but

there is nothing to draw people into overtime. But the minister

understand that policing is stretched beyond any capacity to

deliver? As I said I remark, we are very aware that the pressure put on

the police is a result of terrible events, not least of which the one

in Manchester, it has required a surge of police effort and a

fantastic collaboration between forces. Now we have to sit down

rationally with police crime commissioners and police to

understand and test the assertions about pressure on police forces to

make sure they have the resources they need to keep us safe. A West

Midlands Police have done if interesting job in creating that

like cutting crime and doing more with less. With the minister in sure

that police funding formula is reformed to deliver a fair deal for

the West Midlands? I thank him for his question. I hope I can reassure

him that a lot of work is being done to make sure that not only are the

police having the resources, but though the Aussies are allocated,

lay, with no final decision having been made their funding yet, but I'm

happy to sit down with him and colleagues on all sides will have

concerns about the resource allocations for the forces.

Last week the Home Secretary said she was more worried about outcomes

than police numbers. Will the minister tell the House how the Home

Office measures and values the outcomes of community police

officers? Ultimately, what matters is the trend in crime which is what

unsettles our constituents most. Safety is the number one priority.

So the ultimate outcome is the crime statistics, and I am sure he will

welcome the long term decline we have seen since 2010. Question

seven. The Secretary of State, who is

making a statement this afternoon on Grenfell Tower, has established an

expert panel to provide independent advice on measures that may need to

be put in play to make buildings safer residents following the

Grenfell Tower tragedy. Survivors and relatives of the victims of the

grand Astor are concerned at the proposed scope of the public

inquiry. Does he agree that government departments including his

own should act now to address many of the concerns raised? Those

concerns include the safety of building materials, the resilience

of the Fire Service across the country, the enforcement of

regulations and a lack of trained professionals to carry out fire

inspections as thoroughly and often as are needed. The Grenfell tragedy,

which should never have happened, and subsequent events in terms of

what we are learning about fire safety, means there is a failure out

there that has been allowed to build up over too many years. It is

imperative that we don't just wait for a public inquiry, but we get on

with the work of reviewing not just regulation, but the whole system of

enforcement and management of risk and that we are informed by an

inquiry. I, like all members, have been inundated with e-mails from

constituents demanding immediate changes to fire regulations. Would

my right honourable friend agree that it is important to look at what

changes need to be made to fire regulations, but also what changes

need to be made in the documentation of current and existing regulations

to ensure that tragedies such as Grenfell do not happen again in the

future? I agree with my honourable friend. As I was saying, there has

been system failure and we need to address that is a matter of urgency

with analysis underpinned by evidence. And of course, we will

look at the regulations and whether they are effective enough. My

instinct is that the biggest failure here has been around the system of

enforcement, inspection and risk management. Yvette Cooper. The

Detective Chief Superintendent Fiona Bone MacCormack, conducted some of

the inquiries, has said that the insulation has proved "More

flammable than the cabin". Has the Home Office had representations from

the police or the Fire Service on this, and does he sit on the

government task force and if not, does whichever Home Office minister

does sit on the task force, have they raised the testing of the

insulation with the Communities Secretary and if not, will they do

so urgently and call for testing of insulation to be done? But the Home

Secretary and I have sat on the regular Cobra meetings that have

addressed this and I sit regularly on the subgroup as well. She is

right. Testing of the cladding was a priority, but it is becoming clear

that it is not just about the cladding, there is a significant

issue about insulation and fitting, and considerable questions about the

safeguarding of risk inside buildings. This is what we have to

understand better and be informed both by the police investigation and

the public inquiry as to exactly what happened, but get on with the

business of stress testing our current systems. Banning flammable

cladding is clearly a no-brainer. This material should never have been

used in these buildings, or indeed any other flammable materials. As we

start to beef up the rules and regulations, will he ensure that the

guidance is not only spread around every local authority within the UK

and action is followed, but also work with other governments in other

countries where they also have tower blocks so that the tragedy that has

befallen the people of the UK will never before another country? I

agree with that sentiment. These materials, particularly the panels,

should not have been used on these buildings. We are now using the best

evidence available to re-examine our landscape of policy and regulation

both in terms of the regulation and what is meant to happen in terms of

building inspection. These concerns about fire prevention and safety are

vital issues, but does the minister agree with me that we should not

lose sight of the immediate plight of the survivors of the Grenfell

Tower, their families and community? Does the minister understand that

one of the things stopping people coming forward, either for the help

they need or to give the information that we need, is concerns about

their immigration status? I am aware that the minister has said that

their papers will not be checked, but will the minister consider

announcing an immigration amnesty for the survivors of Grenfell Tower?

Otherwise, there will be people who have died that we will never know

about and too many people who need help that will not get it. The right

honourable lady is right. This is an issue. I know this from

conversations I have had with survivors. One problem we have is

not being able to identify fully who was in the building on that night,

and concerns about immigration status are part of that. So we have

communicated some advice which was meant to reassure and we are

reviewing whether that advice is sufficient. Question nine, Mr

Speaker. I hope the honourable lady will

welcome that fire incidents in Avon are down by a quarter since 2010.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service will receive stable funding for 2019-20

of the government considers that a fair settlement. I thank the

minister for that response but they have lost ?5 million in funding in

recent years and 200 front-line firefighting jobs have gone.

Meanwhile, the police and crime commission is saying that they are

being pushed to Bellamy and have been past to cut another 20 million

and they say it can't be done. Do we have to wait until we have an

incident in Bristol like Grenfell Tower or a terrorist attack before

it is brought home to the government just what pressure these services

are under? Resources have to be allocated in the light of risk, and

risk has fallen in Avon since 2010. Obviously, we cannot be complacent

about that and I hope I have signalled clearly that in terms of

fire safety risk, there will be a profound re-examination. I come back

to my point about police resources. I am committed to engaging with

police authorities to understand their concerns and make sure

decisions are based on evidence rather than assertion. I spoke with

my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the

department of the Environment, food and rural affairs on this issue. He

is engaged in the National Farmers' Union and I will meet to discuss

with him shortly. Every summer, farmers in my constituency require

thousands of workers to pick their delicious fruit, but there are only

705 people in Faversham and Mid Kent unemployed and claiming job-seeker's

allowance, so it is difficult for them to recruit enough workers

locally. Good my honourable friend consider a seasonal permit scheme

for agriculture workers? My honourable friend makes a good point

about the excellent food in Kent. As we continue as members of the

European Union, we have the free movement of Labour which farmers can

benefit from, but both myself and my right honourable friend the

Secretary of State will continue to engage with the sector about what we

look at post-leaving the European Union. As the honourable gentleman

knows, agriculture is a devolved area and rules could have an impact

on the Welsh production sector. If there is to be a Brexit outside the

single market, does he agree that there will need to be a geographical

visa system to protect key sectors of the Welsh economy? We are

determined to make sure we have an immigration system that continues to

encourage the brightest and the best and to make sure all of our sectors

are able to flourish going forward. I am not going to predict the

outcome of what we will be doing after we leave the European Union

and after those negotiations. On the 26th of June, we published a

paper in Parliament that outlines our offer for EU citizens. We want

to make sure they have certainty about the future and that we have a

fair and serious offer that we are confident will lead to a good

agreement with our colleagues in the European Union. Somebody married to

an EU national, I can assure the minister that EU nationals don't

feel any certainty from this government. Does he agree that the

prime minister's offer will reduce the rights of EU citizens in the UK

and UK citizens living in the EU, and can he explain why the Prime

Minister made no reference to the superior offer set out by the EU on

June 12? I hope the honourable gentleman will join me and

colleagues in making it clear that anybody who is here from the

European Union at the moment can have confidence about the future.

The offer we have given them gives them certainty and I will hope he

would encourage nod at his other half, but others about that. The

offer we have made will mean that anybody who is settled here from

across the European Union will have the same rights as any other UK

citizen. That is a fair and serious proposal. Would the minister agree

that the Prime Minister has made a very sensible offer, and this matter

could be settled tomorrow if not for the EU's intransigence? My

honourable friend makes a good point in saying that the Prime Minister

has made a fair and serious offer that gives European citizens the

same rights as UK citizens. I am hopeful that this is something we

and our partners in the European Union can reach agreement on. Mr

Hilary Benn. The minister talked about giving competence to EU

citizens. Given that just under 30% of applications currently being made

for EU permanent resident cards are being turned down, what assurance

can he give the House that the new application process set out in the

White Paper will not lead to the same outcome, and will those EU

citizens who are refused under that new process be required then to

leave the UK? As we outlined last week in laying this paper out, we

want to make sure that when we announce the system next year, it

will be a simple and clear system making use of digital technology so

that the 3 million Europeans living and working here and contributing to

our culture and economy can go through that process as quickly as

possible. As my honourable friend the member for Kilmarnock has

highlighted, it is bizarre that the Prime Minister expects the European

Union to reciprocate an offer which falls short of the offer that the

European Union made on the 12th of June. Can the minister confirm that

the Prime Minister expects the European Union to water down their

offer, and if so, how does he think this will reassure British nationals

living abroad, never mind EU nationals in the UK? I would say two

things to the honourable lady. Firstly, I met one of the ministers

from the department last week to go through the position we have taken.

The Prime Minister is right to make sure that the people living in the

UK have the same rights as a UK citizen. I don't think anybody who

is a UK citizen would expect anything more or less from the

British government. The point is that the EU offer would give both EU

nationals in the UK and British nationals abroad more rights than

the Prime Minister's offer. One thing the minister could do to

reassure EU nationals in the UK is to state that access to the National

Health Service will be considered sufficient by the Home Office to

fulfil the requirement for comprehensive sickness insurance.

That was the cross-party recommendation of the exiting the EU

select committee in the last Parliament. What or who is stopping

the Home Office from implementing that recommendation now? It is the

EU that is stopping that. As we leave the European Union, we are

very much looking forward to being able to deal with them. It is right

as a UK Government that we say people have the same rights as a UK

citizen. The Prime Minister's recent remarks

on the status of EU nationals where too little and too late. They have

failed to reassure long-standing EU nationals living here and have

failed to prevent the train of much-needed staff and high-value

industries, academia and also students. Will the minister clarify

the position of EU students studying in the UK who will be partly through

their courses when we leave the EU? Pot of all, I welcome the honourable

gentleman, hit to his new position, but I would say this is an offer

that applies to all EU residents if they are in this country want to

take Steckel 's that access or status, they will be able to do so.

It makes locating the position of students. -- makes no change. Their

crime is that we have in place are requirements that currently promoted

not just family values but they promote integration and also getting

that powers are around the situation, making sure that we have

the balance in terms of burdens on the taxpayer as well. A fair balance

between family integration and the taxpayer's position. My constituent

in medical staging from Port Glasgow... Spousal visas which

currently say the amount is due to has decided because of the Dublin's

increasing, increasing students will emigrate. Scott The Millers not only

his medical expertise but that of his partner, a qualified social

worker. Considering his situation, with the Home Secretary abandoned

plans to increase the income requirement? I would say to him that

if there is a specific age, I am very happy to have a look at a

specific case, but as a general point I would say that he is right,

we look to making sure that everyone across the United Kingdom has the

same position to deal with, so it is their cross the system and also fair

to taxpayers. If someone is bringing a member of the family into this

country, they can afford to then be had, and I would point out to him

that the figure of ?18,600 is several thousand pounds below the

minimum wage in Scotland. Ideally freedom of movement rules, EU

citizens are not obliged to meet that minimum income threshold if

they want to bring in family members. However UK citizens do have

two meet the minimum income threshold which these aspects of

being court has said causes hardship and ignores the rights of children.

Would it not be fair to say that this new regime proposed by the

Government made EU citizens will lose their current rights to family

life and actually represent a levelling down? The honourable lady

has like they misunderstood the situation. Someone from the EU will

have the ability to have settled status if they have not been here

for five years but stable five years they will be able to attain that

right. I would also point out that family life cannot be established at

the taxpayersexpense. Migrants must be able to integrate. That is what

our family integration rules achieve. The Supreme Court has

endorsed it. There is substantial interest in the House about this

Government's policy about removing counterterrorism online. I would

like to update the House briefly. Last week in Ottawa, we secured

support from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US for the

Government campaign to take terrorist material off-line.

Together we announced that companies including Facebook, Google,

Microsoft and Twitter, will form a new global industry forum to tackle

terrorist use of the internet. We made it clear that hateful content

used to recruit and radicalise should not be allowed on their

platforms and must be removed faster and more proactively. The commitment

from fellow members to a shared approach and their backing of a new

industry group is a vital step forward. I plan to travel to the

West Coast of America to continue it discusses a major technology

companies and see what progress they are making on the forum and I will

share these findings. The key to successful action here is to making

sure that we have truly global initiative, engage in other

countries and the international headquarters of these businesses.

The Scottish affairs select committee, Scottish Chamber of

Commerce and is the jute of directors have all said that

Scotland requires a different immigration policy for its unique

demographic needs. Although she considered the report by Professor

Stena Boswell and the University of Edinburgh evaluating the options for

a differentiated approach to immigration policy in Scotland? I

don't think that we should have a different immigration policy for

different part of the UK. But I do think that we should have a fair and

open and inclusive immigration system that will attract the

brightest and best, the right students, the people who are

legitimately coming here to join a family, and will make sure that when

we consult with stakeholders and businesses the summer, we have

Scotland and other parts of the country in mind. In light of the

recent cyber attack on parliament and the National crime agency was

like an announcement that due to underreporting, the skill of

cybercrime is significantly underestimated, can I ask the

Secretary of State outline what specific steps the Government is

taking to tackle this threat? And grateful for her question. Any

national side is the duty programme we are investing ?1.9 billion in

cyber security. We are investing in a Nasa crime agency and cybercrime

unit, national cyber Security Centre, we are investing in regional

organiser crime unit at local level to make China is a regional response

and we are given and a September Liam to improve action fraught

response to constituents. The Government is also consolidating to

make sure there is a consistent method in cyber aware so that all

colleagues and the public understand what they needed to keep themselves

safe online. Or the avoidable tragedy Grenfell Tower, will be Home

Secretary tell us why the review into the building regulations that

were promised by Gavin Barwell in the wake of the deadly House fire

failed to materialise? Mr Barwell was the housing minister at the

time, did he suppress the review? I don't think there is any evidence

that our former colleague suppress any review. Plenty of work was

ongoing to this. I would say as I said before clearly the Grenfell

Tower tragedy which should never have happened and we have found that

sense in terms of the five safety of the building means we have today

would and branch review, not just of regulation but of inspection and

risk management. When I was a district councillor and less oxygen,

I helped to House six Syrian refugee families, and I have seen regularly.

One of the things that is heartening is how the integrated into our

society in terms of school places and employment, and I wonder if the

minister could tell us what steps the Government is taking to make

sure that that integration takes place with an efficiently will stop

I thank him for his question. My honourable friend's constituency has

generously welcomed a number of families, and so far we have

accepted 7000 under the scheme. Today additionally I can confirm

that we are taking advice on the UNHCR to widen eligibility for the

scheme for vulnerable refugees, so that we include them for any

nationality who are impacted by selling prices which will be good

for families and good for making sure that we help the most

vulnerable in the region. Merseyside Police have had to cut ?7 million

and over 1000 officers as 2010, and notwithstanding the Home Secretaryed

bizarre claim earlier that police budgets have been protected, they

are being expected to cut another ?80 million over the next three

years, leading to 540 staff and officers being under threat, while

submitting a crimewave which has seen 100 shootings in the last 18

years. When the Home Secretary agreed to meet with me and a

delegation of Merseyside MPs to discuss why hire department has just

turned down a bid for extra resources to deal with theirs, which

she herself and her ministers invited? I am grateful to the

honourable lady for raising this question. We did meet, I met along

with the other MPs for Merseyside, and I have met with the Chief

Constable, and I can absolutely confirm that both the National crime

agency and the regional organisation by giving a great deal of support to

help tackle the appalling increase that we have seen in gun crime in

Merseyside, and we can actually say we will continue to do everything we

can to support the police. When I spent some time on the night shift

on the local police, they tell me that when they arrest a person, they

spend most of the remainder of the shift actually filling in. This

leave the police have to be accountable when they are depriving

someone of their limited, but surely that system can be speeded up. Is

that honourable friend knows, we have done a lot to cut the rocker

the focus on what matters, I have to say the issue of post-arrest

administration has not been raised so far in debate, but I will make

sure that I will raise it in future meetings. Under section 67 of the

immigration act 2016, 480 unaccompanied refugee children were

expected to come to the UK. Last week we learned in House of lies

that only 200 arrived. What are the Government doing to ensure that 280

other vulnerable children are at risk of eggs by patients and are

able to come to the safety of our shores promptly? It is a very good

question. I am aware of these numbers and we have made it clear to

the countries that are currently providing a home for those children,

which is largely Italy and Greece and some in France, that we already

stand able to take those children. We'll continue to engage with them

to try and do that. Part of the issue is that those children come

some of them have already settled in the country they are, but we have

remained engaged to see what else we can do to help those children who we

would like to bring over, we haven't settled and whose interests are best

served by coming here. Kent continues to be one of the main

entry places for illegal workers. What steps are the Government taken

to make it easier for businesses and elsewhere to identify when Summers

working here legally or not? We have implemented the immigration act to

make legal working a criminal offence -- illegal working. It is

also used the actor you stronger sanctions against employers of

illegal workers, and is also from the point of view of a balance to

make sure people in... 'S lead and right to work for those not from the

EU, if businesses have done those checks, then businesses are in a

position where they have a defence against any action to make it

appropriate for them. The worst Assembly member for Vale applied,

successfully stayed to Welsh Government legislation to make

compulsory sprinklers in new-builds and retrofit and refurbished

residential buildings. Money Home Secretary follow the example of the

Welsh Government and work with her Cabinet colleagues towards making

this a UK wide policy? Can I refer the honourable lady back to what I

said before? The secular state is making a state this afternoon, the

Prime Minister has made a number of statements about the way forward in

terms of how we review regulation, guidance and her regime of

inspection and monitoring. That will include guidance on spec list, which

she will know, has dithered applications for different

locations. No one size fits all. Yesterday evening Gatwick Airport

had closed its runway on a number of occasions and quite a few flights

were cancelled, due to the irresponsible use of a drone. Can my

right honourable friend say whether the Government is going to look at

reviewing the use of unmanned aerial vehicles about airports? My

honourable friend makes an important point about the dangers drones can

pose to aircraft, but also the current use of drowned in illegally

supplying drugs into prisons and indeed used by terrorists and

criminals further afield. That is why this Government set up a group

chaired by me and the Ministry of Defence is to look at measures we

can put in place to not only perhaps deal with the technology but also be

counted drones in a way that fits with the idea of an open society

where law-abiding citizens can today to use drones for their pleasure

work. The prohibitive cost of testing for psychoactive substances

is causing considerable expense to police forces in enforcing the

current law. We'll be Home Office team please initiate and immediate

review of the law on this, because the present Larsson is not working.

I thank him for his question. I would just simply... I don't agree,

the psychoactive substances act has proven to be an incredibly useful

tool for police officers to identify really harmful substances and keep

people safe. Following the very tragic and fatal stabbing at the

weekend before last in my constituency, I wondered if the Home

Secretary could update the House on what plans have been undertaken to

tackle knife crime. I thank her for raising this very important and

tragic case of James Billy, who was so brutally knifed and killed in her

constituency. I don't know that the local police force have got the

investigation is well underway, there is a huge amount of work that

is being done to tackle knife crime, the local police force, West

Midlands Police force, often take part in a robbery that back

operation sector, the next one is about to happen in July. Every

member of this House, has a really important role to play to go out

there and tell young people in their communities about the real dangers

they are presenting to themselves by carrying knives.

Northumbria Police have just announced they are closing every

single Newcastle police station from desk outside of working hours. Given

all of the reassurances we have heard today, why is Northumbria

Police still be obliged to make operational decisions based on

cost-cutting and not preventing and detecting crime? I would say to the

honourable lady that we have protected police spending...

Honourable members can have their own views, they cannot have their

own facts. These aren't the cases. As long as individual councils use

the maximum amount of 2% on their precept, they can raise the money.

We have additional support available from the police transformation

formed and we always make sure we use it to keep communities safe and

provide the best policing available. In Northamptonshire, are excellent

Police and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mould is dramatically

investing in police buildings. For example opening the new command

centre in north Northamptonshire. What my right honourable friend

agree that it is that investment in buildings which are fit for purpose,

that modernisation that is so important for driving outcomes? Can

I congratulate Stephen Mould for his impressive leadership and innovation

and I look forward to visiting personally with him. West Yorkshire

Police are still reeling from cuts dating back to 2010 when they lost

20% of their force. Can we look now at budget again so they can restore

the number of police officers on our streets to give them a fighting

chance of dealing with crime. Can I take the opportunity to clarify the

situation with police funding. From 2010-2015 there were indeed cuts but

what is so remarkable is the good work of local policing and local

communities, meant that crime came down by a third. Since 2015 until

2020 we will continue to collect police money to make sure crime

continues to come down and losing our communities get the necessary

support. What progress is being made to improve the cooperation between

action Ford and individual police forces to make sure, as in the case

of a couple of my constituents, not passed from pillar to post when

they're trying to seek information from one of those organisations? My

honourable friend is right and has raised the issue before, that is why

we have given extra funding to action fraud to manage the triage,

and at the same time we are starting to see money going into the

investment we require and working with senior police leadership we are

also trying to make sure the response from forces to cyber crime

is consistent because as he knows it is very inconsistent at the moment

on the to long some forces don't think cyber belongs to them and

other forces do a good job of it. My right honourable friend the Member

for Leeds Central pointed out 30% of applications the permanent residency

are turned down, to a large extent because of the complexity of the

process. Wouldn't it be sensible to simplify that process now instead of

waiting for the new system next year? That is correct the system we

are currently using is not the one that was designed for leaving the

European Union and for allowing European Union members here to apply

for subtle status. That's why the Prime Minister announced we will be

providing a new system which will be available by the end of next year.

We will be allowing people to make sure they get additional information

as it comes along to make sure their name registered so they get sent the

information but we need time to build that system and we are

confident it will be ready by the end of next year, and provide a

streamlined online system for the application is to go through. In the

birthday Honours list last month, Andrew Murray received an OBE for

his work -- Alex Murray. Would she recognise the need for a fair

funding settlement going forwards? I would like to congratulate Alex

Murray and all of the other police constables who work was so rightly

recognised and recognise all the work done by police and emergency

services, particularly over the last three and a half months given the

tremendous strain there has been on the work they have had to do. The

provision of accommodation for asylum seekers is the responsibility

of the Home Office and its contractors so can I ask what recent

discussions have had to make sure such accommodation complies with

fire prevention and safety regulation? The honourable gentleman

makes a good point and I was seeing some of those centres myself last

week, we will be writing to all suppliers across the country to make

sure they are fully aware of their duty of care and to make sure fire

safety is of paramount importance for them. They must move on, demand

has exceeded supply as is often the case in this