, Lib Dem MP for Oxford West and
Abingdon, has slammed the Government as ‘duplicitous’ for
including a clause in the new Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill
which would allow for the reintroduction of the recently repealed
Vagrancy Act.
The clause allows for the Secretary of State for DLUHC to
re-criminalise rough sleeping, despite the House of Commons
voting to repeal the Vagrancy Act earlier this year. The
Government claims that this is ‘placeholder text’ which will be
amended at the Committee Stage of the Bill, but has not given
assurances that rough sleepers will be protected from the return
of this legislation.
The repeal of the Vagrancy Act was the culmination of a campaign
which began in 2018 for Layla, after it was brought to her
attention by a group of students in Oxford. It garnered
cross-party support and the support of cross-party groups such as
Crisis. The passing of an amendment to the Police, Crime,
Sentencing and Courts Act confirmed the repeal of the act,
subject to a consultation on how to replace the powers contained
within it.
Liberal Democrat MP said:
“I am disgusted that this placeholder text seems to expose the
true motivations of this duplicitous Government. They promised
over and over again to fully scrap the Vagrancy Act.
“The revelation that they intend to bring it back in different
words is a betrayal to those who campaigned long and hard for it
but especially for the vulnerable people left out cold in the
streets.
“I am writing to the minister to seek a meeting to urgently
clarify the meaning of his clause and urge them to bring forward
the full text so it can receive proper scrutiny.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
-
The full text of the clause (Clause 187) can be found in the
bill here, or below:
Vagrancy and begging
(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision
about conduct which is, or is similar to conduct which is, an
offence under— (a) section 3 of the Vagrancy Act 1824 (offences
relating to begging), or (b) section 4 of that Act (persons
committing certain offences deemed to 20 be rogues and
vagabonds), disregarding the repeal of that Act by the Police,
Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
(2) Regulations under subsection (1) may, in particular, include
provision— (a) creating criminal offences or civil penalties; 25
(b) about providing assistance to people who engage in conduct
within subsection (1).
2. The full text of Layla’s letter to is below:
Dear Secretary of State,
I am writing to you as a matter of urgency to seek a meeting
regarding the incredibly concerning clause 187 of the Levelling
Up and Regeneration Bill.
I’m sure you are aware of the huge amount of work that was put
in, cross-party, to secure the repeal of the Vagrancy Act earlier
this year. I was overjoyed to see that we thought we had finally
condemned this archaic and cruel legislation to history.
However, the clause that has been inserted to this new Bill would
give you, or the holder of your office, the power to criminalise
rough sleepers once again. I am appalled that this could be on
the agenda, as I truly believed we had managed to take an
important step forward as a country to come together and agree
that this was simply wrong.
It would be a truly shameful act to see such an important promise
reneged upon, and to snatch hope away from those who are sleeping
rough that they may finally have been treated as equals by the
Government, and not criminals.
I would be incredibly grateful if you would meet with me at your
earliest convenience, so that I can put across to you how
important it is that the Vagrancy Act remains in the dustbin of
history, where it belongs, and its Dickensian powers do not
somehow crawl back on to our statue books.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
