Diana Johnson MP: speeches

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Speeches

21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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There was no proper management of public safety risks posed by individual asylum seekers. [ Interruption. ]
21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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The right hon. Lady says that there is no plan. First, we are working with source and transit companies to stop dangerous journeys before they begin. Secondly, we are stepping up law enforcement, with new powers, more National Crime Agency officers and specialist units in France to disrupt smuggling gangs. Thirdly, we are strengthening border security, with more patrols, drones and legal challenges to stop overcrowded boats. Fourthly, we have secured a new returns agreement with France—something that the shadow Home Secretary could not achieve—so that people arriving illegally by small boat can be sent back, while also accepting a matching number of eligible applicants through a safe route. Finally, we are cracking down on illegal working and reforming the asylum system to close loopholes exploited by gangs and ensure fair, controlled migration. That looks like a plan to me—that is a plan.
21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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Again, that is a matter for each individual Opposition Member to explain to their constituents. I know that this is an issue that people care about. Opposition Members will have to explain their decision to their constituents, including in Croydon.
21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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To the right hon. Gentleman’s specific question, this is about not granting asylum to those who are convicted of a registered sexual offence, so it is not recognising that they have an asylum claim. That is the issue we are legislating for at the moment. The right hon. Gentleman and I understand that there are certain countries in the world to which it is difficult to return individuals—I fully appreciate that—but we are setting out in legislation a clear note that asylum will not be granted to those who are convicted of registered sexual offences.
21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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Let me repeat to the House that any allegation of crime or sexual assault—including by individuals in the asylum system—is incredibly serious and is to be treated so by the authorities and by the Government. I regret the tone that the shadow Home Secretary is taking on such a serious and important matter. I also gently remind him to look at his record and that of the Conservative party on this issue. More than 400 asylum hotels were in operation at their peak, housing over 50,000 people at a cost of almost £9 million a day. Enforced returns were down 50% on 2010. Returns of foreign national offenders had fallen by a thousand. Criminal smuggler gangs were able to exploit our weak border security—
21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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My hon. Friend raises a really important point. After the disorder last summer we did see communities spontaneously coming together and wanting to say that what had happened in their local area was done not by the majority but by a very small number of people. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been working with local authorities on rebuilding community cohesion—which for many years under the last Administration was not seen as important at all—because it is so important that all parts of our society feel safe and valued. Through community cohesion, we stop those who wish to divide and pit people against each other, and recognise the valuable role that all parts of society and our communities play.
21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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As I have said a number of times, this Government are committed to closing all hotels by the end of this Parliament. Fewer hotels are open now than when we came into power last July.
21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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Yes. My hon. Friend puts it very well. Within this, there are people fleeing persecution in other parts of the world. This country, as we all know and have heard many times in the House, recognises our role in the world to offer a safe haven to such people. I fully endorse what he says.
21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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The hon. Gentleman may know that a great deal of work has been undertaken since the disorder of last summer to ensure that intelligence is gathered from the online space, as well as the offline space, and that all the authorities are prepared and ready if there is any sign of disorder again. Just to reiterate, all of us in this House would recognise that peaceful protest is an important part of a democratic society, but not when it crosses over into the disorder and mayhem we saw last year when criminal acts were perpetrated by individuals.
21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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As the House will be aware, on Tuesday 8 July an arrest was made by Essex police following incidents that took place in Epping earlier that day, and a man was subsequently charged. His trial is due to start on 26 August, and he has been remanded in custody until that time. These are very serious allegations and it is vital that criminal justice procedures are able to run their course—Superintendent Tim Tubbs of Essex police has said that “the last thing we want is for any public discussion to hinder an ongoing prosecution.” I thank Essex police both for its swift response on that case and for handling the protests in Essex yesterday evening and in previous days with diligence and professionalism. Criminal activity of any kind is totally unacceptable, wherever it occurs and whoever it is perpetrated by. As outlined following the recent Casey report, we are improving joint protection arrangements between the police and immigration enforcement linked to the asylum system. We are clear that where crimes are committed, every effort must be made to catch, prosecute and punish those responsible. Let there be absolutely no doubt: foreign nationals, including asylum seekers, who abuse our hospitality by breaking our laws should expect to be removed from this country. In the first year of this Government, 5,179 foreign national criminals were removed from the UK—a 14% increase on the previous year. That is important progress, but we want to go further. Through the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, we are changing the law to ensure that individuals convicted of any registered sexual offence are not granted asylum, and we are legislating to allow for the tagging of any migrant considered to pose a threat to public safety or national security, as well as strengthening our crackdown on illegal working. But we must go further to end hotel use. This Labour Government inherited an asylum system in chaos, with 400 hotels in use at the peak in 2023 at a cost of almost £9 million a day. We are changing that, clearing the asylum backlog and increasing returns to end the use of asylum hotels all together by the end of this Parliament. Alongside those actions, we are mounting a comprehensive and wide-ranging effort to tackle small boat crossings, including the intensified co-operation and pilot returns scheme with France outlined by the Home Secretary in her statement last week. There is no quick fix for the chronic problems this Government inherited, but, for the first time in years, there is now a serious and sensible plan to restore order and proper management to the asylum and immigration system. Let me state plainly to the House that we expect rules to be respected and enforced, and we expect the law to be followed. When it is not, we expect those involved to face the full force of the law. We are taking every possible step to deliver the strong border security that the country needs, because nothing matters more than the safety of the British people.
21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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Clearly that is a live matter before the courts, but I want people to be held to account for their actions. If that involves extradition, that is the right thing to do.
21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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The hon. Gentleman is a relatively new Member of this House, but I have been in the House a while and certainly that did not happen under the previous Administration. There are always opportunities to improve and local Members of Parliament, local councils and the police are all engaged when people are moved into certain areas of the country. I know that happens, although I am sure it could be better, but I am happy to raise this again with the Immigration Minister because I have not had sight of the letter that she sent to the hon. Gentleman.
21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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That is a very important point and there are ongoing conversations with the Home Office and other Government Departments to ensure that it is addressed. That has been a problem particularly in the terrorist field, and action has been taken speedily to get such postings down.
21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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The hon. Lady raises an important point. Over the past few years, the online space in particular has been used for misinformation and downright lies. It is important that we all recognise that we should look carefully at social media sites. We should use critical thinking, as we teach our children in school. We should always ask why that piece of information has been put out and whether it is from a reliable source, and look for reliable media sources if we are seeking information about what is happening—that is important. We in this House have perhaps not been as quick as we should be to recognise how social media has moved things on in society in a way that we need to deal with. There is an enormous amount of work in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Home Office to consider what more we can do in relation to social media and the online space.
21 Jul 2025 · Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity · Hansard source
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I am the Policing Minister, but I know that work is already under way on that issue. The Immigration Minister has had a number of conversations, particularly with employers, as I have just said, about where work should not be taking place because of individuals’ immigration status. There has been investment in the National Crime Agency—additional officers are working on this issue—and work is under way on smashing the gangs who were behind bringing people across in the small boats. There are also our international arrangements and treaties that we are signing with various countries, which the previous Government were unable to do.
7 Jul 2025 · Shoplifting · Hansard source
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This month, we have supported police and the retail industry to launch the new retail crime strategy, and the Home Secretary launched a safer streets blitz in town centres, with targeted action to tackle retail crime. Under the previous Government, shop theft soared to record levels and assaults against retail workers spiralled out of control. That is why, in addition to investing in neighbourhood policing, we are introducing in our Crime and Policing Bill a new stand-alone offence of assaulting a shop worker, because everybody has a right to feel safe on the job.
7 Jul 2025 · Shoplifting · Hansard source
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The right hon. Gentleman raises a really important point. We will continue to crack down on the organised gangs that target retailers. As we have set out, we will provide £5 million over the next three years to continue to fund a specialist analysis team within Opal, the national police intelligence unit for serious organised acquisitive crime, to share information and make sure that retailers are part of the conversation. We are doing everything we can to tackle organised gangs.
7 Jul 2025 · Shoplifting · Hansard source
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It is totally unacceptable that shop theft and violence and abuse towards retail workers have continued to rise, particularly over the last two years of the previous Government, when they went up by 60%. We are asking retail workers to perform a significant act of public service as they enforce restrictions on the sale of items including cigarettes, alcohol and knives. As I have set out, the bespoke offence in the Crime and Policing Bill will help to shine a spotlight on the problem and ensure that we bring perpetrators to book. The Bill will also ensure that the sanction of a criminal behaviour order can be attached to a conviction for assaulting a retail worker, which will help to protect retail workers.
7 Jul 2025 · Community Policing and Neighbourhood Health Teams · Hansard source
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With the recently launched 10-year health plan, we are moving away from those siloed services towards a more joined-up approach, including the preventive model of care. That aligns very much with policing and keeping people safe, and supporting wellbeing. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the national neighbourhood health implementation programme and to ensure that policing is part of the conversation from the outset. By working more closely with health and care partners, we can reduce inappropriate demand on policing. Officers should not be left to pick up the pieces when other support services are better placed to help. This is about getting it right—and getting that tailored support—first time.
7 Jul 2025 · Community Policing and Neighbourhood Health Teams · Hansard source
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My hon. Friend speaks with a great deal of experience in health matters. There are regular discussions between ministerial colleagues about how we can best join up public services. We know that joined-up working results in better outcomes at a local level. Collaboration and engagement between neighbourhood policing and neighbourhood health teams already exists to tackle mental health issues, and drug and alcohol addiction. I hope that this Government’s investment in neighbourhood policing will enable more of that work to continue.
7 Jul 2025 · Community Policing and Neighbourhood Health Teams · Hansard source
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It was a pleasure to meet the right hon. Gentleman’s constituents; I think that was way back in February—it was a very cold day in North Yorkshire. I fully recognise what he says about the mental health and wellbeing impact of some of the crime challenges facing rural communities. That is why the neighbourhood policing guarantee is so important for areas like the one that he represents. As I have said a number of times in this House, we support the implementation of the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act, and we plan to bring forward regulations shortly.
7 Jul 2025 · Off-road Bikes · Hansard source
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Yes, I am very happy to look into that issue and to meet my hon. Friend to discuss it. He may want to know that the 60 additional officers that are going to be available in his police force area by the end of this year will help to tackle some of the antisocial behaviour involving e-bikes and other vehicles.
7 Jul 2025 · Off-road Bikes · Hansard source
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Our Crime and Policing Bill, which Opposition Members voted against on Third Reading, is giving the police greater powers to clamp down on off-road bikes and other nuisance vehicles that cause chaos in our communities. Once the changes come into force, officers will no longer be required to issue a warning before they seize a bike that is being used antisocially. On 28 May, we published a consultation to explore changes to the circumstances in which the police can seize and destroy these vehicles, and we will not hesitate to go further if needed.
7 Jul 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
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I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this issue; I know he has experience as a police officer. I regularly meet the Police Federation and its officers and chief executive. I will raise his concerns directly with them.
7 Jul 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
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As the Home Secretary just pointed out, we have provided an additional £200 million this year to support new neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs for all our communities. I am very happy to meet the hon. Gentleman if he would like to discuss policing further, but this Government are committed to making sure that the police have the resources they need.

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