Latest news with #LordHanson
The Independent
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Syrian refugees challenge Home Office after being left in limbo over sanctuary applications
Five Syrian refugees in the UK are seeking to challenge the Home Office over a decision to pause all settlement decisions following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The Home Office put all Syrian asylum interviews and decisions on hold on 9 December last year so the department could 'assess the current situation'. They also paused applications by Syrians who have already received refugee status but are seeking to permanently settle in the UK. At least 7,000 people have been left in limbo by the pause in asylum decisions, according to the latest government figures up to the end of March. However the number of Syrian refugees waiting on an outcome to a permanent settlement decision is not clear. Now five Syrian refugees in this situation, represented by law firm Duncan Lewis, have threatened the Home Office with legal action if the decision is not reversed. In pre-action letters sent to the government, lawyers argue that the pause cannot be justified while officials say they are unable to assess the safety of the current situation in Syria. They say that if the Home Office cannot conclude whether their clients will be safe in Syria, they must act now to allow them the right to stay in the UK. In January, Home Office minister Lord Hanson told parliament that decisions were paused as 'we do not yet understand what has happened in Syria on a permanent basis or know how stable Syria is as a whole'. Dame Angela Eagle said in February that 'as soon as there is a sufficiently clear basis upon which to make determinations, asylum decision making will recommence'. The Home Office has said that there is still no stable, objective information available to make assessments on the risk of returning refugees to Syria. Refugees can apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK five years after their asylum grant. In December, former president Assad's regime was overthrown by a rebel offensive led by Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The leader of the group Ahmad al-Sharaa is now Syria's interim president and HTS is still a proscribed terrorist group by the UK government. President al-Sharaa, who previously had a $10m US bounty on his head, met with US president Donald Trump in May, with Mr Trump remarking afterwards that 'I think he has got the potential'. Manini Menon, from Duncan Lewis, said: 'Our clients have all fled violence and persecution in Syria, and sought refuge in the United Kingdom. In granting them refugee status, the home secretary guaranteed our clients the protections afforded by the Refugee Convention, and assured them that they would be treated fairly and in line with the immigration rules as approved by parliament. 'Those rules are clear: as long as the home secretary cannot conclude that individuals who have been recognised as refugees may safely return to Syria (and that they are therefore no longer entitled to refugee status), she must grant their applications for settlement.' A Home Office spokesperson said: "The Home Office has paused decisions on all Syrian asylum cases whilst we continue to assess the current situation, including those for individuals who arrived under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. 'We are keeping this pause under constant review.'
The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Televise grooming gang inquiry given public interest, Labour peer urges
A nationwide inquiry into child grooming gangs should be televised given the public interest, a former top Labour aide has urged the Government. Broadcaster Baroness Hazarika, who was previously a political adviser to former prime minister Gordon Brown, Baroness Harman and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, also called for a two-year time limit on the probe, arguing that 'justice delayed is justice denied'. Speaking in Parliament, the Muslim Labour peer again apologised for the crimes carried out by 'wicked, wicked men' and said many in her community felt 'deeply ashamed'. Responding, Home Office minister Lord Hanson of Flint also said he would like to see the inquiry 'speeded up', but this would be subject to discussion with the chairperson, which the Government was looking to swiftly recruit. The full-scale investigation was announced by the Prime Minister following a major review by Baroness Casey into grooming gangs, leading to accusations of a U-turn by Tory critics. Her report, published on Monday, found the ethnicity of perpetrators had been 'shied away from', with data not recorded for two-thirds of offenders. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper claimed officials had 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. Lord Hanson told peers on Wednesday: 'The Government is determined to root out the horrific crimes of grooming gangs and secure justice for victims.' He pointed out all 12 recommendations made by Lady Casey had been accepted by the administration, including the establishment of a national probe. The minister added: 'The inquiry will be time limited, have statutory powers to direct targeted investigations into local areas with the aim of holding institutions to account for current and historic failures in their response to group-based child sexual exploitation.' Lady Hazarika said: 'I welcome this inquiry. And I just wanted to say that, as a Muslim woman, I want to profoundly apologise for what these wicked, wicked men have done to white working class girls. 'Many of us feel deeply ashamed, and let's not call them grooming gangs. These are rape gangs which operated on an industrial level. 'I hope the inquiry will also hear the voices of Muslim girls who were also abused by these animals.' She added: 'The minister talks about a time limit. Could the inquiry be capped at two years because justice delayed is justice denied? 'Given the public interest, can this inquiry be televised? 'And finally, given the incredible work that Baroness Casey has done, can she be appointed the chair? Because in a world of appalling systemic failure, she is the only public figure that many victims trust.' Lord Hanson said: 'She asks about the timescale for the inquiry, Baroness Casey has indicated it would be around three years. I would like to see it speeded up, but we have to discuss that matter with the potential chair of the inquiry. 'And the Government intends to try to recruit the potential chair of the inquiry as a matter of some speed, and we are in the process of doing that now. 'Baroness Casey herself is currently now going to be engaged in a further report, but we will appoint a chair as soon as possible.' He added: 'As to the matter of televising the proceedings, again if she will bear with me, that again will be a matter of discussion with the chair to determine. 'We want to ensure that we take action speedily on this issue.' He pointed out other recommendation made by Lady Casey would be implemented 'in very short order'. These included making it mandatory to collect ethnicity and nationality data of all suspects in child sexual abuse cases, a change in the law so that all adult sex with under-16s was considered rape, and a review of the criminal records of exploitation victims.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Televise grooming gang inquiry given public interest, Labour peer urges
A nationwide inquiry into child grooming gangs should be televised given the public interest, a former top Labour aide has urged the Government. Broadcaster Baroness Hazarika, who was previously a political adviser to former prime minister Gordon Brown, Baroness Harman and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, also called for a two-year time limit on the probe, arguing that 'justice delayed is justice denied'. Speaking in Parliament, the Muslim Labour peer again apologised for the crimes carried out by 'wicked, wicked men' and said many in her community felt 'deeply ashamed'. Responding, Home Office minister Lord Hanson of Flint also said he would like to see the inquiry 'speeded up', but this would be subject to discussion with the chairperson, which the Government was looking to swiftly recruit. The full-scale investigation was announced by the Prime Minister following a major review by Baroness Casey into grooming gangs, leading to accusations of a U-turn by Tory critics. Her report, published on Monday, found the ethnicity of perpetrators had been 'shied away from', with data not recorded for two-thirds of offenders. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper claimed officials had 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. Lord Hanson told peers on Wednesday: 'The Government is determined to root out the horrific crimes of grooming gangs and secure justice for victims.' He pointed out all 12 recommendations made by Lady Casey had been accepted by the administration, including the establishment of a national probe. The minister added: 'The inquiry will be time limited, have statutory powers to direct targeted investigations into local areas with the aim of holding institutions to account for current and historic failures in their response to group-based child sexual exploitation.' Lady Hazarika said: 'I welcome this inquiry. And I just wanted to say that, as a Muslim woman, I want to profoundly apologise for what these wicked, wicked men have done to white working class girls. 'Many of us feel deeply ashamed, and let's not call them grooming gangs. These are rape gangs which operated on an industrial level. 'I hope the inquiry will also hear the voices of Muslim girls who were also abused by these animals.' She added: 'The minister talks about a time limit. Could the inquiry be capped at two years because justice delayed is justice denied? 'Given the public interest, can this inquiry be televised? 'And finally, given the incredible work that Baroness Casey has done, can she be appointed the chair? Because in a world of appalling systemic failure, she is the only public figure that many victims trust.' Lord Hanson said: 'She asks about the timescale for the inquiry, Baroness Casey has indicated it would be around three years. I would like to see it speeded up, but we have to discuss that matter with the potential chair of the inquiry. 'And the Government intends to try to recruit the potential chair of the inquiry as a matter of some speed, and we are in the process of doing that now. 'Baroness Casey herself is currently now going to be engaged in a further report, but we will appoint a chair as soon as possible.' He added: 'As to the matter of televising the proceedings, again if she will bear with me, that again will be a matter of discussion with the chair to determine. 'We want to ensure that we take action speedily on this issue.' He pointed out other recommendation made by Lady Casey would be implemented 'in very short order'. These included making it mandatory to collect ethnicity and nationality data of all suspects in child sexual abuse cases, a change in the law so that all adult sex with under-16s was considered rape, and a review of the criminal records of exploitation victims.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Drivers losing thousands to ghost broker scams – the red flags to watch out for
Young motorists are being warned to watch out for fake car insurance policies being offered by 'ghost brokers'. The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) has detected an increase in ghost broker activity in recent years. Ghost brokers may leave victims out of pocket and facing criminal consequences for driving uninsured. They are not real brokers but criminals who alter policy details to make them appear cheap. Sometimes it is only when someone tries to make a claim that they realise the policy is not valid. Ghost brokers often use social media to target their victims. Young drivers are particularly at risk because they often pay more for insurance and are only in their early years of dealing with financial matters. A YouGov survey commissioned by the IFB and carried out among more than 2,000 people across the UK in May 2024 found that nearly a fifth (18%) of 18 to 24-year-olds have used social media to search for car insurance. Criminals may try to lure people by offering cheap upfront quotes, despite insurance prices being based on the risk of the individual. Policies are taken out using stolen details which belong to people who are cheaper to insure and sold on at an artificially-reduced rate, or they may simply be copied on to a piece of paper. Ghost brokers may also do further damage to their victims by stealing their personal information to use in other crimes, such as banking fraud. To help protect young drivers, the Association of British Insurers (ABI), the City of London Police and the IFB, in association with the Government's Stop! Think Fraud campaign, have launched a drive to raise awareness of the signs of ghost broking. IFB director Ursula Jallow said: 'New drivers are caught out by ghost brokers because they face higher premiums and have had less experience in purchasing insurance policies for themselves, which unfortunately means they are more likely to be attracted to car insurance deals that are too good to be true. 'The impact is devastating. We've seen victims lose thousands of pounds, have their identities stolen, their confidence and self-esteem shattered, and, in some cases, they have even had their car seized for driving uninsured. 'It's really important that we spread the word to help protect young drivers from ghost brokers.' Around 115,000 fraudulent motor insurance policies were detected by the IFB in partnership with the insurance industry between 2023-24, with ghost brokers believed to be responsible for thousands of cases. Fraud minister Lord Hanson said: 'This type of scam demonstrates exactly why our national campaign is called Stop! Think Fraud. 'In a world where we are all looking for bargain deals, we have to stop and think whether the offers we see online are too good to be true. 'Young people especially need to be aware that the scammers are deliberately targeting them through their social media feeds with attractive and authentic-looking offers which will leave them ripped off and driving uninsured.' Detective Chief Inspector Nik Jethwa, from the City of London Police's Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED), said: 'Always be cautious when buying insurance. Ask yourself: is the insurance broker you are dealing with really who they say they are? If you aren't sure, check the lists of authorised brokers at the Financial Conduct Authority and British Insurance Brokers' Association websites.' Mark Allen, ABI head of fraud and financial crime, said: 'With many households looking to cut costs, no-one can afford to fall foul to fraudsters. 'In our increasingly digital world, we recognise that young people including students may be particularly vulnerable to ghost brokers who advertise fraudulent insurance deals online or across social media. But it's important to remember that anyone, no matter their age, can be a victim of insurance fraud. 'If you're looking for cover online, we recommend contacting insurance companies directly or checking the Financial Services Register to verify broker details. The golden rule is to never act in haste – if a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is.' – Here are some red flags that suggest you may be dealing with a ghost broker: 1. The policy may be unrealistically cheap, with an upfront quote. 2. The seller only wants to communicate in private direct messages on social media or WhatsApp. 3. The advert may look unprofessional. 4. The seller may not have a legitimate website, UK landline number or address. Insurance scams can be reported to the IFB's confidential CheatLine online or by phone.
Daily Mirror
23-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Devices behind millions of scams texts finally set to be banned with huge fines
The Government has announced that SIM farms - which are used by fraudsters to send millions of messages every year - will be outlawed with those found to have them facing unlimited fines The UK will become Europe's first nation to ban equipment that can send thousands of scam text messages in the battle against cruel fraudsters. People found with SIM farms - devices which hold several SIM cards - will face unlimited fines in England and Wales under new laws. Millions of unsuspecting victims receive con messages each year, with official data showing fraud cases are spiralling. Fraud Minister Lord Hanson said: 'Two-thirds of British adults say they've received a suspicious message on their phone - equivalent to more than 35 million people – which is why cracking down on SIM farms is so vital to protecting the public. 'This marks a leap forward in our fight against fraud and will provide law enforcement and industry partners the clarity they need to protect the public from this shameful crime." Figures show fraud shot up by 19% last year, accounting for 40% of all reported crime in England and Wales last year. The SIM farm ban will take effect six months after the Crime and Policing Bill becomes law, the Home Office said. Industry leaders welcomed the move. Rachel Andrews, Head of Corporate Security at Vodafone UK, said: 'As an industry, UK telecoms operators have blocked more than 1 billion suspected scam messages since 2023. "However, we cannot fully tackle fraud in isolation, collaboration between industry and government is crucial." And Nick Sharp, deputy director for fraud at the National Crime Agency, said: "We know that fraud at scale is being facilitated by SIM farms, which give criminals a means and an opportunity to contact victims at scale with relative ease. 'The ban announced today is very welcome. It will give us a vital tool to step up our fight against fraudsters, target the services they rely on, and better protect the public.'
