Extract from Commons
debate on Rape and Sexual Violence
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home
Department ():...I thank all Members who
have spoken in this debate. They have raised a number of points.
Time does not allow me to address all of them in detail, but I
will start with the issue of stalking, which has been mentioned
by many Members. Stalking is a very serious matter that has a
broad spectrum of manifestations. We are, of course, looking at
this issue in the context of domestic abuse, and also of
harassment. That is why we awarded £11.3 million to Police and Crime
Commissioners to fund programmes for domestic abuse
perpetrators and perpetrators of stalking, whether or not it
takes place in a domestic abuse context. A wide range of
sentences are currently imposed for stalking offences, reflecting
the broad spectrum of manifestations of this behaviour. The most
serious offences could result in a maximum of 14 years’
imprisonment...
For context, CLICK HERE
Extracts from
Westminster Hall debate on Metropolitan Police: Misogyny and
Sexual Harassment
(Basingstoke) (Con):...It is
International Women’s Day, Mrs Cummins, so I hope you can forgive
me for referring to some of the policewomen in my own
constituency. In Hampshire, we are blessed with a wide range of
talented police officers who are women, who play an enormous part
in tackling the issue that the hon. Member for Richmond Park has
brought before us today. They include Olivia Pinkney, who is now
chief constable; Karen McManus, who is another very senior
officer; Maggie Blyth, who we were fortunate to have in Hampshire
and who I believe is now at the Met; and the astonishingly
energetic , who is our police and
crime commissioner. In Hampshire we are fortunate to
have some formidable women helping to lead on these issues, along
with a lot of female Members of Parliament. That is important, as
I will come to later, because diversity in the police force is
crucial...
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home
Department ():...We will not shy away
from taking action. I will set out some of the actions we are
taking and will continue to do to tackle these appalling issues.
We work closely not only with the Met police and the
commissioner—whoever the new commissioner will be—but
the Mayor of London, who is the police and crime commissioner for
the capital. The Mayor has significant influence and powers, and
tools at his disposal vested in him by the police and crime
settlement...
...We have spent significant amounts of money on various schemes,
investing in measures to keep women safe at night in the
night-time economy, on public transport and in public
spaces—issues we have discussed many times in Westminster Hall.
We have also awarded significant funding to Police and Crime
Commissioners across the country for programmes to
tackle perpetrators of domestic abuse and stalking...
For context, CLICK HERE
