The safety and security of our citizens is the Government’s top priority. It is in everyone’s interest that we reach an agreement with the European Union that equips operational partners on both sides with the capabilities that help protect citizens and bring criminals to justice.

We remain committed to seeking a balanced and reciprocal agreement with the EU that provides for cooperation between the UK and Europol, and delivers fast and effective mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, including asset freezing and confiscation.

In keeping with the promotion of practical cooperation between law enforcement and judicial authorities, we will continue working closely with European partners to share financial intelligence and facilitate the tracing of the proceeds of crime in any scenario following the end of the Transition Period.

The Home Office is responsible, along with the Ministry of Justice, for negotiating EU legislation in the Justice and Home Affairs area. The Home Office provides Explanatory Memoranda to Parliament on any proposals defined by the terms of reference of the parliamentary EU scrutiny committees, which can be found online.

We continue to work closely with our European partners to address all aspects of the current migration situation as it continues to develop, including regular bilateral and multilateral discussions. There have been no specific discussions on the use of tear gas.

Public order is a matter for national governments and we expect all our international partners to ensure that migrants’ human rights are fully respected.

We are clear that protection in the region of origin is often the best solution, including for refugees, and that those reaching the EU should claim asylum in the first Member State they enter (as per EU rules) rather than seeking to travel further across Europe to their destination of choice.

A meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council took place in Brussels on 25 February, which my Rt. Hon Friend the Home Secretary attended on behalf of the UK.

It is protocol for a Written Ministerial Statement (WMS) to be made in Parliament after each JHA Council, reporting the meeting and setting out the position taken by the UK. In this instance, a WMS will be made in both Houses on Thursday 3 March, which is within the agreed timescale.

The Government’s system-wide approach to tackling Organised Immigration Crime is based on information and intelligence from a wide variety of sources. The Government takes Organised Immigration Crime very seriously – we are working to smash the criminal gangs that are fuelling this terrible trade in people. In June 2015 the Prime Minister announced the creation of the Organised Immigration Crime Taskforce bringing together officers from the NCA, Border Force, Immigration Enforcement and the Crown Prosecution Service. The Taskforce was subsequently expanded in November 2015 to more than 100 officers, and has had its funding extended until 2020. The Government values the intelligence-led approach to tackling Organised Immigration Crime Europol helps to facilitate, including through Joint Operational Team Mare, and welcomes the launch by Europol on 22 February 2016 of the new European Migrant Smuggling Centre which will proactively support EU Member States in dismantling criminal networks involved in organised migrant smuggling. The UK has been at the forefront of calls in the EU for a robust approach to tackling Organised Immigration Crime.

The UK supports the Turkey-EU Action Plan of which the EU Refugee Facility is part of, which was signed on 29 November between the EU and Turkey. Implementation will not be straightforward given the volume of numbers and the determination of individuals to cross land and sea borders. The facility will positively impact on the numbers of refugees leaving Turkey. The Refugee facility will provide immediate humanitarian support and access to schools, hospitals, housing and employment required over the longer term to support refugees and the communities which host them. The Action Plan is just one aspect of efforts to respond to the migration crisis seen in the Mediterranean last year.

The proposal for a European Border and Coast Guard builds on provisions of the Schengen aquis in which the UK does not participate; the UK will not therefore be bound by the new regulation. The new proposal will however allow the UK to continue the same arrangements as those we have currently with Frontex, whereby we are able to support operations and other activities with the agreement of the Frontex Management Board on a case by case basis.

The UK is supportive of steps to increase the security of the external Schengen border - we have a strong interest in effective management of the EU’s external border, not just in combating illegal migration, and cross-border crime but also as part of the EU-wide counter-terrorism effort.

The UK has been involved in many discussions with other Member states. That includes participation in EU Council of Ministers meetings, as well as bilateral discussions with other Member States. The Home Secretary will continue to discuss these matters with EU partners including at forthcoming Justice and Home Affairs Council meetings.

The European Commission proposal on resettlement is in the form of a Recommendation and is therefore not legally binding on Member States.

Her Majesty's Government has been very clear that resettlement of refugees is a matter for national governments, not the EU. We will not participate in any EU proposals for mandatory resettlement. But we will continue to decide and run our own national schemes as part of our wider asylum and migration policy and the EU proposals on resettlement explicitly recognise this. We expect to resettle up to 2,200 refugees over the next two years under our existing national schemes.

The Government continues to have regular discussions with our EU partners in order to ensure that all member states operate effective asylum and border management systems, including through cooperation with countries of origin and transit beyond the EU. This includes the UK's participation in the EU's Task Force Mediterranean, established following the Lampedusa tragedy last year to develop actions to prevent further deaths at sea.

The Task Force involves member states, the European Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and key EU agencies {including Frontex, the European Asylum Support Office and Europol). It has developed a series of coherent actions, including cooperation with third countries and combating the organised criminals who facilitate many of these dangerous sea crossings.

The Government strongly supports the Task Force proposal to develop information campaigns in countries of origin and transit as part of wider prevention efforts, and has shared our experience in this area with EU partners.

By issuing a subsidiarity "yellow card" against the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), national Parliaments have sent a clear signal to the Commission that the proposal is in breach of the principle of subsidiarity.

The Commission's decision to "maintain" the proposal in response to the serious concerns raised by national Parliaments is unwelcome.

The principle of subsidiarity has important significance within the treaties and the associated role of national Parliaments in the subsidiarity control mechanism must be respected. All national Parliaments that issued Reasoned Opinions against the EPPO will wish to consider their response to the Commission.

The Government do not rule out any available options at this time.

The coalition agreement is clear that the UK will not participate in any European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). The UK has also not opted in to the European Commission's parallel proposal to reform Eurojust. One of the Government's considerations in taking that decision was to ensure that we have clarity about the relationship between Eurojust and the EPPO, including any exchange of personal data between the organisations. The Government has undertaken to review its decision on participation in a reformed Eurojust, in consultation with Parliament, at the point the new regulation is adopted. The future direction of the EPPO is currently unclear pending a decision by the Commission on whether to maintain, amend or withdraw the proposal following the yellow card issued by national Parliaments challenging the proposal on the grounds of subsidiarity.

The Home Office and operational law enforcement partners are actively participating in the recently agreed EU organised crime priorities, which include the illicit trafficking of firearms and component

parts (such as ammunition). The National Ballistic Intelligence Service (NABIS) and other law enforcement agencies from the UK (such as the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and United Kingdom Border Force (UKBF)) also regularly liaise with European partners, including Europol, exchanging information and intelligence on ballistics, as necessary.

[holding answer 1 July 2013]: The Commission has yet to publish its new proposal to reform Eurojust. It is expected to be published soon, after which negotiations will commence. Upon publication it will be deposited with the Scrutiny Committees under cover of an explanatory memorandum in the usual way. The proposal will trigger an opt in decision, on which it is anticipated that debates will take place in both Houses.

The EU’s Radicalisation and Recruitment Action Plan was established in 2005, and revised in 2007. The EU encourages the implementation of all measures of the action plan in all member states, including the UK.

The principles of the EU’s Radicalisation and Recruitment Action Plan are consistent with the UK’s Prevent strategy.

[holding answer 22 October 2012]: The United Kingdom Central Authority for the Exchange of Criminal Records (UKCA-ECR) has made 8,639 requests out to other member states for the previous criminal records of individuals subject criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom since EU Framework Decision 2009/315/JHA came into effect on 27 April 2012. In the same period it has received 2,127 requests in from other member states about individuals subject to criminal proceedings elsewhere in the EU.

The UKCA-ECR has also made 258 requests out under Article 6(1) of the Framework Decision for purposes other than criminal proceedings since 27 April 2012 and has received 671 requests in for purposes other than criminal proceedings in the same period.

[holding answer 28 June 2012]: We attach high importance to the exchange of information and co-operation in relation to terrorism offences however we do not record the name of the legal instrument under which such requests are issued and received.

[holding answer 5 July 2012]: Since 2010 the UK has not:

(a) informed the Europol Security Coordinator or other party of a data breach under Article 3(2) of EU Council Decision 2009/968/JHA.

(b) been informed by the Europol Security Coordinator or other party of a data breach under Article 3(2) of EU Council Decision 2009/968/JHA.

[holding answer 28 June 2012]: Framework decision 2009/905/JHA requires accreditation in relation to DNA profiles by 30 November 2013 and accreditation in relation to fingerprint data by 30 November 2015.

Forensic suppliers who process DNA samples to produce DNA profiles which are added to the National DNA Database are all already compliant with ISO 17025 and EU Council Framework Decision 2009/905/JHA. As a matter of practice, the standards required by Framework Decision 2009/905/JHA are also inserted into all commercial contracts awarded by police services in this area.

A Forensic Quality Standards Project has been set up within the National Policing Improvement Agency's (NPIA) Forensics 21 portfolio to assist police forces with the accreditation process mandated by this Framework Decision.

Police forces are working towards accreditation: 22 forces have submitted their applications to the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS): 12 have undertaken a UKAS pre assessment; and two have been recommended for accreditation in the mandated areas. This approach has received the endorsement and backing of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the Forensic Science Regulator.

The UK takes a comprehensive approach to the regulation of services in this field, including the publication of Codes of Practice and Conduct by the Forensic Science Regulator. It is not possible to disaggregate the costs relating to implementation of the Framework Decision from the wider costs of related work.