as he says, to services and as he says, to community cohesion and integration. that is absolutely the approach of the government and the home secretary and i am considering the challenge. ending the small boat crossings is of course one way of reducing immigration and labour has a five—point plan to do just that. but asylum seekers are only a fraction of the net migration title. the reason that net migration is so high in scotland and across the uk and the reason that businesses are overreliant on migrant labour is the 13 years at the party opposite has failed to train up our home—grown talent. they have slashed the schools budget, they have failed to get people off record high nhs waiting lists and back to work. labour has set out plans to do each of these things because we want and expect immigration to come down. and yet the prime minister and home secretary are clearly at loggerheads on this issue. it appears that the right hand doesn't know what the far

right hand doesn't know what the far right hand doesn't know what the far right hand is doing. so the home secretary, i would ask her if she can confirm is she still committed to the 2019 conservative manifesto pledge of bringing net migration below 226,000? and if so, does she think the prime minister agrees with her? ~ ~ ,,, ., ~ think the prime minister agrees with her? . ~ ,,, ., ~' ~ think the prime minister agrees with her? . ~ ' her? well, mr speaker... mr speaker, let's be absolutely _ her? well, mr speaker... mr speaker, let's be absolutely clear, _ her? well, mr speaker... mr speaker, let's be absolutely clear, this - let's be absolutely clear, this party wants to bring net migration down. i have no idea what the party opposite wants to do. we have heard in the last few days a succession of shadow ministers confused on this issue. the conservative government believes in controlled migration. we only have to look back to the legacy of the last labour government to see that under labour there is always an open door approach to migration. we will control it, the labour party

will control it, the labour party will either open door migration policy. will either open door migration oli . , ., , will either open door migration oli. , ., ~ policy. number four please, mr seaker policy. number four please, mr speaker for _ policy. number four please, mr speaker for science _ policy. number four please, mr speaker for science minister. . policy. number four please, mr| speaker for science minister. mr speaker for science minister. speaker, i am speaker for science minister. speaker, lam in speaker for science minister. speaker, i am in regular correspondence with the devolved administrations about the illegal migration bill. i recently met with the scottish cabinet secretary for the scottish cabinet secretary for the constitution angus robertson and last week i wrote to the cabinet secretary for social justice, proposing a meeting, which i hope will happen later this week. mat will happen later this week. not onl is will happen later this week. not only is this _ will happen later this week. not only is this bill _ will happen later this week. iirrt only is this bill being driven through parliament at breakneck speed but the scottish government has been given no opportunity yet to consider these proposals properly before they are introduced. does the minister therefore agree that any regulations it would amend, repeal or revoke any scottish legislation

on any devolved matter cannot possibly come into force through this bill without the consent of the scottish ministers?— scottish ministers? well, i thinki 'ust make scottish ministers? well, ithinki just make clear— scottish ministers? well, i thinki just make clear that _ scottish ministers? well, i thinki just make clear that i _ scottish ministers? well, i thinki just make clear that i have - scottish ministers? well, i think i. just make clear that i have reached out to colleagues in the scottish government. but immigration is a reserved matter and is a matterfor this parliament to dictate our future borders policy. i hope that the honourable gentleman will support the bill, as from the figures that i have seen, his constituency in midlothian only has no asylum seekers in dispersal accommodation and no in contingency accommodation and no in contingency accommodation such as hotels. zero asylum seekers in the honourable gentleman's constituency. he is, i'm afraid, yet another example of humanitarian nimbyism by the snp. in addition to the devolved administrations, with the minister kindly shared details on the discussions that he has had with

local authorities, local governments and local councils in particular, around the provisions of the bill? and may i ask him as well how does this relate in terms of the government's plans to accommodate people, including those who would be covered under this bill? i’m covered under this bill? i'm crateful covered under this bill? i'm grateful to _ covered under this bill? i'm grateful to my _ covered under this bill? i'm grateful to my right honourable friend. when she was home secretary she set out the policy to create large sites on which to sack to limit house asylum seekers in a more focused —— matt in which to... the home secretary and i have continued that tradition and have set forth plans for three sites, one where scampton and bexhill. the traffic awareness raising _ scampton and bexhill. the traffic awareness raising alliance - scampton and bexhill. the traffic . awareness raising alliance supported hundred and 56 women during a service in 2021 and 2022. of these, 138 women were seeking asylum are

undocumented when they are referred. the human rights and justice committee was told that had the illegal migration bill in place, those women would not been able to access our support. in the face of clear evidence of the harm that the tories illegal migration bill will cause, what possible justification can the minister gave for removing support for trafficked women in scotland and strengthen the hand of those who would support they might exploit them? we those who would support they might exnloit them?— exploit them? we want to break the eo - le exploit them? we want to break the peeple smugglers — exploit them? we want to break the people smugglers and _ exploit them? we want to break the people smugglers and traffickers . people smugglers and traffickers business model. so by supporting this bill, i know she will oppose it, we will stop people doing that and stop people crossing in these dangerous, unnecessaryjourneys and dangerous, unnecessary journeys and such dangerous, unnecessaryjourneys and such as the one is the honourable lady raises. i go back to the point i said to her colleague. if the snp feel so strongly about this issue, why do they do so little to support asylum seekers in scotland? currently, there are 11 contingency

hotels in the whole of scotland, housing 600 migrants. that is i% of all those asylum seekers in the country. she never matches her words with deeds. , country. she never matches her words with deeds._ with - with deeds. number five. with permission. — with deeds. number five. with permission, mr— with deeds. number five. with permission, mr speaker. - with deeds. number five. with permission, mr speaker. i- with deeds. number five. with permission, mr speaker. iwill| with deeds. number five. with - permission, mr speaker. iwill group this with number eight and i3. permission, mr speaker. iwill group this with number eight and 13. we have recently launched our strategy to tackle fraud, as well as measures in the 0nline safety bill that will require companies to prevent fraud and measures in the economic crime and measures in the economic crime and corporate transparency bill to hold companies to account for fraud committed by their employees. we are working with tech companies as well to agree other measures and are improving the support we give to victims. i improving the support we give to victims. ., ~ improving the support we give to victims. . ~ ., ., victims. i thank him for that answer- _ victims. i thank him for that answer. 80% _ victims. i thank him for that answer. 80% of _ victims. i thank him for that answer. 8096 of fraud - victims. i thank him for that | answer. 8096 of fraud comes victims. i thank him for that - answer. 8096 of fraud comes from the answer. 80% of fraud comes from the tech companies he is talking about yet they don't contribute to any of

the costs of reimbursing that fraud, despite making profit effectively from causing it. is it time we looked at them to contribute to reinforcing the remap reimbursing some of the losses are introducing into the system? mr; some of the losses are introducing into the system?— into the system? my honourable friend is raising _ into the system? my honourable friend is raising questions - into the system? my honourable friend is raising questions that l into the system? my honourable l friend is raising questions that we have looked very closely at in the fall strategy. he is right to highlight the disparity dilemma disparity between those who are causing and those who are paying. i look forward to bring forward very soon some areas on which we can discuss this further. the reality is that action fraud has not always helped as well and that is why we are looking at making efficient system. fist are looking at making efficient s stem. �* , , , are looking at making efficient sstem. i, , ., system. at my surgery last month i met catherine. _ system. at my surgery last month i met catherine, whose _ system. at my surgery last month i met catherine, whose father - system. at my surgery last month i met catherine, whose father was i met catherine, whose father was defrauded out of thousands after taking a call from a man who he thought worked for virgin media. catherine only found out about this after her father had passed away, when she found all the e—mails he had sent attempting to get his money back. a battle catherine has now

taken on. can the minister tell the house what he is doing to stop vulnerable people being targeted by fraudsters? first vulnerable people being targeted by fraudsters? , ., ., fraudsters? first of all, can i offer absolute _ fraudsters? first of all, can i offer absolute sympathy - fraudsters? first of all, can i offer absolute sympathy to l offer absolute sympathy to catherine. sadly, although he is citing the incident of an older man who was the target of crime, the reality is this is a crime that affects many people of all ages across our society. it is not specifically connected to the most vulnerable actually, this is a crime that affects predominantly people who are online more often. so as you can imagine that as many, many people across society. we are launching the nationwide roll—out of the national economic crime victim care unit across england and wales for victims whose cases are not investigated by the police. and this group will help victims to recover from fraud and cybercrime is significantly reduce the likelihood of repeat victimisation. if}. significantly reduce the likelihood of repeat victimisation.— of repeat victimisation. 0, mr speaker- _ of repeat victimisation. 0, mr speaker- i— of repeat victimisation. 0, mr speaker. i welcome _ of repeat victimisation. 0, mr speaker. i welcome the - of repeat victimisation. 0, mr i speaker. i welcome the proposal of repeat victimisation. 0, mr - speaker. i welcome the proposalthe speaker. i welcome the proposal the

minister's suggestion action fraud should have greater capacity. i have experienced a number of constituency cases where elderly people have been robbed of their life savings. and there was a feeling that sufficient, insufficient priority was being given to this. can the minister give an assurance that they will be a renewed focus on dealing with these scams that destroy people's lives. i can absolutely give that commitment on the reality is that these scams, which to some people appear victimless, sadly are anything but. the connection to very serious mental health issues that follow is sadly all too clear and many of us in our constituency work have come across individuals for whom these events have resulted in extreme suffering and sometimes even worse. they just interrupting questions theyjust interrupting questions in the house of commons to bring some breaking news. investigating the disappearance of a young british girl is three in portugal 16 years ago to begin searching a remote

portuguese reservoir visited by the suspect christian bruckner. madeline mccann was just four years old when she vanished from her parents�* holiday apartment in praia deletes on the algarve in 2007. kate and gerry mccann from leicestershire continued to hope she was still alive. they continue to start closing off roads leading to the town ahead of the official start of the search and that is set to last two days and beyond that of anything of relevance is found. the suspect, christian bruckner, is currently serving a seven—year sentence for raping a woman in the same area of the algarve where madeline mccann went missing. we are now going to our news correspondent ali price who is in the new scheme. is that this case this reservoir has been searched before? i case this reservoir has been searched before?— case this reservoir has been searched before? i would say first of all this is _ searched before? i would say first of all this is a _ searched before? i would say first of all this is a search _ searched before? i would say first of all this is a search british - of all this is a search british german and portuguese police are yet to confirm. we are getting reports

from local media and scene images from local media and scene images from local media showing it would see area close down head about search as you say should take place tomorrow morning. this is of reservoir about 50 kilometres away from where madeleine mccann disappeared all those years ago back in 2007 but we understand that this investigation is likely to be led by german police. based on, as you say, that personal interest, that suspect they had in custody. he is in prison based on other charges and it's understood this is a reservoir that that suspect has visited when he lived in portugal. as you mentioned, madeleine mccann went missing back in 2007 should. she had been on holiday with her parents backed by a massive investigation you will remember the time and clearly sieving going on for years and years. there hadn't been any major searches in portugal since 2014 so this will be a huge development, of

course, that there is no physical search likely to take place near to where she disappeared. and search likely to take place near to where she disappeared.— search likely to take place near to where she disappeared. and it was on the basis of the _ where she disappeared. and it was on the basis of the tip-off? _ where she disappeared. and it was on the basis of the tip-off? it _ where she disappeared. and it was on the basis of the tip-off? it was - where she disappeared. and it was on the basis of the tip-off? it was on - the basis of the tip-off? it was on the basis of the tip-off? it was on the basis of the tip-off? it was on the basis of _ the basis of the tip-off? it was on the basis of a _ the basis of the tip-off? it was on the basis of a tip-off. _ the basis of the tip-off? it was on the basis of a tip-off. we - the basis of a tip—off. we understand, as you said, at the moment the details about the sketchy but yes. there has been a lot made of the suspect, this christian bruckner who was in by based on other charges. he is in prison in germany on a different rate charge, a rape case that took place a few years ago but his name has been in the frame for a couple of years now. prior to that, no charges remain. of course, he has not been charged yet that the suggestion in this case is that the suggestion in this case is that this is an area he had visited in the past. that this is an area he had visited in the past-— in the past. ellie, thank you very much indeed. _ in the past. ellie, thank you very much indeed. we _ in the past. ellie, thank you very much indeed. we are _ in the past. ellie, thank you very much indeed. we are now- in the past. ellie, thank you very much indeed. we are now going | in the past. ellie, thank you very l much indeed. we are now going to take back to the house of commons whether uk home secretary suella braverman has been in the firing line festival with claim she asked civil servants about the possibility of a private speed awareness course after she was caught driving too fast and also they have been asking her questions a great deal about the

question of migration. let's go there now. it. and we now have the officers behind it. this is an extremely important area of crime and is an area of crime that we have been taken seriously in order to make sure that it reduces, alongside other areas of crime. and that is exactly what this government is going to do. exactly what this government is going to do— going to do. according to the government, _ going to do. according to the government, fraud _ going to do. according to the government, fraud is - going to do. according to the government, fraud is now. going to do. according to the | government, fraud is now the going to do. according to the - government, fraud is now the most common crime in the uk, costing almost 7 billion a year with one in 15 people falling victim. a number of victims of fraud have skyrocketed amidst the cost of living crisis with victims left without any hope. police forces up and down the country are crying out loud to have resources in place to tackle the and advancing ways in which criminals exploit people to commit fraud. if the government cares and is serious about fraud and its victims, why does the government ministers persistently exclude ford from the crime statistics? this persistently exclude ford from the crime statistics?— crime statistics? this is a slightly stranue crime statistics? this is a slightly strange man _ crime statistics? this is a slightly strange man because _ crime statistics? this is a slightly strange man because it _ crime statistics? this is a slightly strange man because it is - crime statistics? this is a slightly strange man because it is in - crime statistics? this is a slightly strange man because it is in the. strange man because it is in the

crime surveys in england and wales. i'm afraid i simply don't understand which survey she is looking at. it is worth pointing out that she maybe thinking of the crime surveys from before 2010, which makes it very hard to compare them because labour didn't count fraud and we do.- didn't count fraud and we do. number six lease, didn't count fraud and we do. number six please. mr— didn't count fraud and we do. number six please, mr speaker. _ didn't count fraud and we do. number six please, mr speaker. over- didn't count fraud and we do. number six please, mr speaker. over 24,000| six please, mr speaker. over 24,000 --eole six please, mr speaker. over 24,000 people have — six please, mr speaker. over 24,000 people have arrived _ six please, mr speaker. over 24,000 people have arrived in _ six please, mr speaker. over 24,000 people have arrived in the _ six please, mr speaker. over 24,000 people have arrived in the uk - six please, mr speaker. over 24,000 people have arrived in the uk from i people have arrived in the uk from afghanistan under since the operation, of which 21,000 have been resettled under schemes. there isn't a visa application centre in afghanistan for security reasons but those who have left the country can make a visa application in the normal way. the ac rs is designed to support vulnerable people such as women and girls at risk.— support vulnerable people such as women and girls at risk. thank you, mr speaker- — women and girls at risk. thank you, mr speaker. for _ women and girls at risk. thank you, mr speaker. for the _ women and girls at risk. thank you, mr speaker. for the fourth - women and girls at risk. thank you, mr speaker. for the fourth time - women and girls at risk. thank you, mr speaker. for the fourth time in i mr speaker. for the fourth time in recent weeks i feel compelled to raise on the floor of this house the case of five british children who have been in hiding in kabulfor the

last few months. several are british passport holders and only one is allowed to attend school. i am i team have not been able to bring them to safety to be with a family in uk because their afghan mother cannot secure a visa. i'm grateful that the minister has looked at this case personally but it has stalled again because his officials are insisting she travels to pakistan to do her biometrics. he will be aware that it do her biometrics. he will be aware thatitis do her biometrics. he will be aware that it is totally unsafe for a woman to risk her life to travel on her own without a shoppers dilemma chaperone to pakistan, even if pakistan grant her a visa to travel there. so please will the minister waive the biometric requirement in this case and for other women and girls who face mortal danger like this family do? i'm grateful to the honourable lady for the tenacious way in which she has represented her constituents. she knows i intervened personally to seek a swift resolution to this

case.