Latest news with #HomeAffairsCommittee
The Independent
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Louise Casey to appear before MPs after major review of child grooming failures
The author of the major review into grooming gangs which found authorities have 'shied away' from the ethnicity of sex offenders will face questions from MPs. Baroness Louise Casey will appear before the Commons Home Affairs Committee on Tuesday morning, after the Government set out plans to launch a new nationwide inquiry into grooming gangs following her rapid review of the scandal. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper claimed officials have dodged the issue of ethnicity among the groups of sex offenders for fear of being called racist, even though available data showed suspects were disproportionately likely to be Asian men. Speaking in the Commons on Monday as the review was published, the Home Secretary said 'much more robust national data is needed' on the ethnicity of offenders, adding that the authorities 'cannot and must not shy away from these findings'. Doing so would allow 'the criminality and depravity of a minority of men to be used to marginalise whole communities', she added. Lady Casey's report found that: 'The appalling lack of data on ethnicity in crime recording alone is a major failing over the last decade or more. Questions about ethnicity have been asked but dodged for years.' It added: 'We found that the ethnicity of perpetrators is shied away from and is still not recorded for two-thirds of perpetrators, so we are unable to provide any accurate assessment from the nationally collected data.' Multiple convictions of men from Asian ethnic backgrounds should have 'warranted closer examination', it said, adding: 'Instead of examination, we have seen obfuscation. In a vacuum, incomplete and unreliable data is used to suit the ends of those presenting it.' Former Tory government adviser Dominic Cummings meanwhile claimed in an interview with Sky News that officials from the Department for Education were supportive of Rotherham Council's suggestion of going to court in 2011 to prevent the Times' initial reporting of the scandal in Rotherham. Lord Michael Gove, then the education secretary, rejected the request for a judicial review on Mr Cummings' advice, the broadcaster reported. Ms Cooper said the Government would take action 'immediately' on all of Lady Casey's recommendations, after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer committed to launching a national inquiry into the abuse. The recommendations included: – Making it mandatory to collect ethnicity and nationality data of all suspects in child sexual abuse cases – A new national inquiry into child sexual abuse with statutory legal powers, which will co-ordinate the efforts of local investigations led by councils and set out 'strict timescales' for them to follow. – A nationwide National Crime Agency operation, targeting people who have sexually exploited children, and following up on an estimated more than 1,000 cold cases where no one was convicted. – A change in the law so that all adult sex with under-16s is considered rape. – A review of criminal records held by victims of child sexual exploitation. In the Commons, Ms Cooper 'unequivocally' apologised for the failings which had led to grooming and child sexual abuse. The Home Secretary also pledged to exclude convicted sex offenders from the asylum system, while the report warned 'a significant proportion' of live investigations into grooming gangs 'appear to involve suspects who are non-UK nationals and/or who are claiming asylum in the UK'. In her report, Lady Casey said it is time to draw a line in the sand and take action over the issue, which she called 'one of the most heinous crimes in our society'. She also urged opposition politicians not to use the scandal as a 'political football', adding there was a chance to 'create a national reset'.
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Home Office minister has ‘clocked' asylum accommodation break clause next year
The Home Office is piloting different ways to provide asylum accommodation ahead of break clauses for major contracts coming up next year. Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle told a committee of MPs she has 'clocked' the break in the contracts as officials look at ways to evolve away from the current approach. It comes as findings from the National Audit Office revealed the cost of asylum accommodation is expected to be more than three times higher than previously estimated at £15.3 billion over 10 years. Hotel accommodation accounted for 76% of the annual cost of contracts – £1.3 billion of an estimated £1.7 billion in 2024-25. Pilots include working with the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government for a joined-up approach to temporary housing and local authorities on providing accommodation, the Commons' Home Affairs Committee heard. Asked about the break clause, Dame Angela said: 'We are looking closely to see via the pilots what we might be able to do given there are opportunities with the break clause which represent for us to evolve away from the system we're in at the moment to something different. 'I think that's all I can say at the moment, but I've clocked the break clauses.' Pressed on whether they have capacity to come up with other options before the break clauses come in, she added: 'The idea of the work that's going on at the moment, including, and crucially, the pilots that we're going to be doing, are precisely to give those kinds of choices as the break clauses approach.' Dame Angela said told MPs she does not personally like the current model of prime contractors who then use subcontractors, and she did not think it is 'something I would have signed off on'. She added: 'My instinct personally, I would prefer to see something that's a bit more collaborative locally and available locally than have a top down, constant, you know, all encompassing contract with a private company. 'I think that there are different, better ways of trying to achieve this kind of service than the ones that we've inherited.' The minister was also pressed on what the Home Office was doing to get money back from two contractors, Clearsprings and Mears, who had told the committee they had profit shares of £32 million and £13.8 million waiting to be taken back by the department. But Dame Angela said: 'We're doing our own independent checks, and I would expect that people would expect us to have that degree of forensic approach to it, so that we get the right amount paid back, rather than the amount that they're telling us they're keeping.' Elsewhere, Home Office second permanent secretary Simon Ridley told MPs the department has been able to reduce the cost of the asylum system over the last year 'quite considerably', including bringing the cost per person per night, down. He said there is a saving of around £500 million estimated for this financial year.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
UK Jobs: Construction industry in UK is still able to hire foreign workers under visa clampdown, ETHRWorld
Advt Advt Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis. Download ETHRWorld App Get Realtime updates Save your favourite articles Scan to download App Construction workers from abroad will still be able to migrate to the UK despite tighter visa restrictions announced by the government, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said, as Labour attempts to slash migration without damaging critical sectors of the to Parliament's Home Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Cooper said officials had already identified a series of occupations that would not appear on the new Temporary Shortage List . That list will allow employers to bring workers into the country who would not otherwise be eligible, because the job is classed as below degree the construction industry, and other sectors needed by the government to support its economic growth ambitions, will still appear on the list. That will come as a relief to firms in the UK who worried that restricting the migrant workforce would hamper their business.'Construction will continue to be on the Temporary Shortage List,' Cooper told lawmakers, adding that the industry would also have to develop a workforce strategy showing how it would train and recruit more British workers over time. Roles 'will only be able to go on the Temporary Shortage List if they are effectively in critical areas, for example those that are critical to the industrial strategy or something like construction.'Cooper's reassurance to the construction industry comes just weeks after the government unveiled its immigration white paper, which set out a series of changes to the UK's immigration system. Most employers will now only be able to recruit from abroad for roles which are degree level or above, and workers will have to stay in the country for 10 years, rather than five, before they can apply for settled restrictions were an attempt by Labour to stave off the anti-migrant Reform UK party, which has soared in popularity over the last year and won a slew of council seats in local elections last the UK has an Immigration Salary List which allows employers to recruit from abroad for over 1,300 roles where there is currently deemed to be a shortage. Being on that list means employers can recruit overseas nationals into those roles on a salary up to 20% below the general said that system was too lax, and had contributed to the unprecedented number of migrants coming to the UK while providing no incentive for businesses to hire or train out-of-work white paper abolishes the current system to replace it with the Temporary Shortage List. Cooper said the government will cut up to 180 occupations from the current Immigration Salary List — but that would still leave more than 1,000 on it.'We've already identified, as part of the immigration white paper, a series of occupations that will be taken off what used to be the immigration salary list,' Cooper said. 'The number of occupations on the temporary shortage list will be significantly lower than the number of occupations currently on the immigration salary list.'
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
A UK industry is still able to hire foreign workers under visa clampdown
Construction workers from abroad will still be able to migrate to the UK despite tighter visa restrictions announced by the government, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said, as Labour attempts to slash migration without damaging critical sectors of the economy. Speaking to Parliament's Home Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Cooper said officials had already identified a series of occupations that would not appear on the new Temporary Shortage List . That list will allow employers to bring workers into the country who would not otherwise be eligible, because the job is classed as below degree level. ALSO READ: Rising costs and visa hurdles push international students beyond the US,UK by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Motivos para escolher um Sofá de Couro [Descubra] Fiori Sofás Saiba Mais Undo But the construction industry, and other sectors needed by the government to support its economic growth ambitions, will still appear on the list. That will come as a relief to firms in the UK who worried that restricting the migrant workforce would hamper their business. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) 'Construction will continue to be on the Temporary Shortage List,' Cooper told lawmakers, adding that the industry would also have to develop a workforce strategy showing how it would train and recruit more British workers over time. Roles 'will only be able to go on the Temporary Shortage List if they are effectively in critical areas, for example those that are critical to the industrial strategy or something like construction.' Live Events ALSO READ: Oxford University opens applications for Rhodes Scholarship Cooper's reassurance to the construction industry comes just weeks after the government unveiled its immigration white paper, which set out a series of changes to the UK's immigration system. Most employers will now only be able to recruit from abroad for roles which are degree level or above, and workers will have to stay in the country for 10 years, rather than five, before they can apply for settled status. Those restrictions were an attempt by Labour to stave off the anti-migrant Reform UK party, which has soared in popularity over the last year and won a slew of council seats in local elections last month. ALSO READ: UK plans stricter rules for migrants seeking permanent residency Currently, the UK has an Immigration Salary List which allows employers to recruit from abroad for over 1,300 roles where there is currently deemed to be a shortage. Being on that list means employers can recruit overseas nationals into those roles on a salary up to 20% below the general threshold. Cooper said that system was too lax, and had contributed to the unprecedented number of migrants coming to the UK while providing no incentive for businesses to hire or train out-of-work Britons. The white paper abolishes the current system to replace it with the Temporary Shortage List. Cooper said the government will cut up to 180 occupations from the current Immigration Salary List — but that would still leave more than 1,000 on it. 'We've already identified, as part of the immigration white paper, a series of occupations that will be taken off what used to be the immigration salary list,' Cooper said. 'The number of occupations on the temporary shortage list will be significantly lower than the number of occupations currently on the immigration salary list.'
Telegraph
03-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Yvette Cooper faces MPs after record migrant crossings
Yvette Cooper is set to face questions from MPs after record numbers of migrants crossed the Channel over the weekend. Nearly 1,200 made the crossing illegally on Saturday, the highest number of people so far this year. Defence Secretary John Healey later admitted that Britain had 'lost control of its borders'. Ms Cooper, the Home Secretary, will be quizzed by the Home Affairs Committee on issues including small boat crossings at around 2.30. It comes after new Home Office data shows good summer weather could lead to record Channel migrant crossings this year. The number of 'red days' - when Border Force expects a surge in small boats due to calm seas - have been 'unusually high' in 2024-25. Ministers claim the figures go some way to explain why the first five months of this year have seen a record 14,812 crossings, up 42 per cent on the same period in 2024.
