Oral QuestionForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office

What steps the Government is taking to support human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia.

Tabled: 2 September 2020Answered: 8 September 2020

Asked by

Grahame Morris

LabourEasington

Answering Minister

the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

Answer from Hansard

The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Shabana Mahmood)

Under this Government, the National Crime Agency has led 347 disruptions of immigration crime networks—its highest level on record, and a 40% increase on the previous year. We are passing legislation to give both the National Crime Agency and law enforcement more powers to arrest those suspected of facilitating people smuggling at a much earlier stage. I was very sorry to see that the hon. Member did not match his rhetoric with real action by voting for those measures when they were before the House.