Extracts from Home Office Questions - June 10

Tuesday, 11 June 2019 07:31

Antisocial Behaviour Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD): What steps he is taking to tackle the recent increase in levels of antisocial behaviour. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Victoria Atkins): We are committed to tackling antisocial behaviour, which is why we reformed the powers available to local areas through the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Although we recognise there has been a small increase in the...Request free trial

Antisocial Behaviour

Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD): What steps he is taking to tackle the recent increase in levels of antisocial behaviour.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Victoria Atkins): We are committed to tackling antisocial behaviour, which is why we reformed the powers available to local areas through the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Although we recognise there has been a small increase in the number of people who have experienced or witnessed antisocial behaviour in their local area, we would expect local areas to use the powers in the Act to tackle ASB.

Tom Brake: The Minister is correct; more than a third of respondents to the latest crime survey have experienced or witnessed ASB. Whether we are talking about drug dealing, vandalism, or people riding motorbikes or quad bikes in public places, for example, in our parks, it has a real, damaging effect on people’s lives. Will she therefore support Lib Dem calls to invest more in community policing? Will she also publicise more effectively the community trigger, so that people know that it exists?

Victoria Atkins: I thank the right hon. Gentleman for raising the point about the community trigger. We, as constituency MPs, can really help to publicise the power of the community trigger and how members of the public can use it to review decisions with which they do not agree. On police funding, he will know that we have just voted through up to an extra £1 billion, with the help of Police and Crime Commissioners, to put into policing. Of course the Home Secretary has set out his commitment to resources as well.

Topical Question

Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con): What measures is the Home Office taking to increase police funding and get more officers on the streets of Fylde?

The Minister for Policing and the Fire Service (Mr Nick Hurd): My hon. Friend has been persistent in making the case for more funding for Lancashire police, so he will welcome the additional £18.4 million of cash in 2019-20, on top of the exceptional grant for the costs of fracking. Chief Constable Andy Rhodes is recruiting additional officers, and I know that my hon. Friend will play his full part in lobbying the police and crime commissioner and Andy to make sure that Fylde gets its fair share of that additional resource.