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Question
Does the Minister agree that police must have necessary resources and support to tackle antisocial behaviour? Also, can she explain how respect orders differ from public space protection or criminal behaviour orders?
Minister reply
The minister acknowledged the importance of adequate funding but did not commit explicitly to matching previous year's funding increase. She outlined differences in respect orders compared to existing powers, emphasising their ability to impose tougher restrictions and criminal penalties for breaches.
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Question
Acknowledging the impact of antisocial behaviour, Matt Vickers questions the necessity and distinctiveness of respect orders compared to existing powers. He cites successful Labour initiatives that led to significant reductions in antisocial behaviour incidents through dedicated funding and uniform patrols.
Minister reply
The Minister responds by addressing the Opposition's lack of acknowledgment regarding cuts to policing during their 14-year tenure, emphasising the current Government’s commitment to tackling antisocial behaviour with additional resources.
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Question
Welcoming measures against antisocial behaviour, Helen Hayes asks for assurances regarding funding challenges faced by the Metropolitan Police and requests confirmation that unique challenges will be fully understood and addressed.
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledges the importance of the Met in national policing but assures that decisions on funding are ongoing. She confirms that concerns about resources needed to tackle antisocial behaviour are taken seriously.
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Question
Concerned about illegal off-road biking, Lisa Smart questions the practical enforcement of new measures and highlights cuts in frontline police numbers under previous Conservative Governments. She asks for details on addressing these challenges.
Minister reply
The Minister commits to providing local police with necessary powers and resources to enforce respect orders effectively. She reassures that putting 13,000 additional officers into communities is a top priority.
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Question
Welcoming the Government’s plans for respect orders, Marsha de Cordova asks if these will address public drinking and drug use to ensure community safety.
Minister reply
The Minister confirms that respect orders will restrict individuals from certain areas due to antisocial behaviour issues such as street drinking or taking drugs. Positive conditions like treatment courses for addiction are also part of the strategy.
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Question
I support the Minister’s intent but am struggling to understand how respect orders differ from antisocial behaviour orders. If materially different, what are these differences? Will perception by a complainant influence their application?
Minister reply
Changes were made in 2014 to weaken antisocial behaviour legislation; civil injunctions can be issued for such behaviour but require police to go through a court process if breached, whereas respect orders allow automatic arrest upon breach. Criminal behaviour orders apply only after conviction and are about preventing harassment, alarm or distress.
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Question
Can the Minister confirm that respect orders will give authorities power to seize off-road bikes, deal with drunken yobs and drug users, and return neighbourhood policing?
Minister reply
Respect orders aim to rebuild neighbourhood presence by putting police officers back in communities to address issues like drinking, taking drugs, riding vehicles, and causing harassment.
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Question
Does the Minister agree with Mark Rowley that local police stations are critical for neighbourhood policing? Will she pledge to stop their closure?
Minister reply
The decision on how many and where police stations should be is a matter for PCCs or, in London, for the Mayor of London; it's not within the Minister’s authority.
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Question
Would the Minister consider Reading as one of the pilot schemes for respect orders?
Minister reply
The Minister will add Reading to the list of potential pilots alongside other constituents' requests.
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Question
How can housing associations be brought to the table to help solve and tackle antisocial behaviour?
Minister reply
Housing associations will be able to apply for respect orders, while existing civil injunctions will be renamed as housing injunctions for dealing with low-level antisocial behaviour between neighbours.
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Question
Does the Minister agree that cutting 21,000 police officers decimated safer neighbourhood teams? Will she address London’s black hole in the budget affecting officer numbers?
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledges the issue of cuts to policing resources and will address it by working with HMICFRS and College of Policing.
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Question
How can police reorder their priorities unless directed by chief constables, given the estimated 60,000 hours spent on non-crime hate incidents?
Minister reply
The Government’s priorities for policing include protecting the public, rebuilding neighbourhood policing and tackling antisocial behaviour; working with HMICFRS and College of Policing to manage resources effectively.
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Question
What are the Government doing to tackle causes as well as crimes themselves?
Minister reply
The Minister will set up the Young Futures programme—the youth hubs—to provide preventive pathways for teenagers who might be getting into trouble.
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Question
What can the Minister do to ensure that Sussex police have sufficient resources to deal with a small number of perpetrators having disproportionate effect?
Minister reply
The Home Secretary has announced an additional half billion pounds for policing; specific figures for Sussex will be made available in due course.
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Question
My constituents feel the impact of antisocial behaviour very keenly, but they will want some assurance from the Minister that there will be sufficient police officers and PCSOs available to issue respect orders in a timely manner. Can she do that?
Minister reply
The minister responded by emphasising the need for additional respect orders and highlighted the neighbourhood policing guarantee involving 13,000 police officers, specials, and PCSOs to ensure adequate resources are deployed effectively.
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Question
In my constituency, Cambridgeshire Constabulary is overstretched. Will the Minister review the police allocation formula so that it receives its fair share of funding?
Minister reply
The minister confirmed that additional funding has already been allocated for policing and that she will continue to work on allocating resources effectively, with an additional half a billion pounds announced for policing in 2025-26.
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Question
Does my right hon. Friend agree that councils such as mine provide professional community wardens with enforcement powers, and does she agree that Rugby might be a suitable pilot area?
Minister reply
The minister commended the use of community wardens in dealing with antisocial behaviour and added Rugby to the list of potential pilot areas.
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Question
I welcome the commitment to neighbourhood policing but my local police commissioner warns me that he is expecting to have to work very hard to maintain the force’s current headcount due to budgetary pressures. Can the Minister explain this disconnect?
Minister reply
The minister acknowledged the difficult decisions and tough choices being made, emphasising that additional funding has already been put into police forces for pay increases.
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Question
Will there be new powers for the police to seize illegal bikes, get them off our streets, and tackle this terrible problem?
Minister reply
The minister confirmed that they are looking at getting rid of the requirement for a warning when seizing illegal bikes and will consider further measures to address the issue.
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Question
There is a particular problem in Fore Street, where those who abuse drugs and alcohol gather and make a nuisance of themselves. Will she please consider adding Bridgwater to her list of possible candidates for the pilot scheme?
Minister reply
The minister was pleased to hear a Conservative Member requesting to be added to the list of pilot areas and agreed to do so.
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Question
Can the Minister tell us how soon we will get on with crushing the bikes?
Minister reply
The minister confirmed that they are moving forward with seizing and crushing illegal bikes without notice, although she could not provide a specific timetable at this point.
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Question
What will the Minister do to ensure that our local police have the resources and capacity needed to attend shoplifting incidents?
Minister reply
The minister emphasised the importance of a visible police presence in deterring shoplifting and ensuring consequences for those who engage in it, noting the introduction of respect orders and removing the £200 threshold.
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Question
Does my right hon. Friend agree that respect orders could play a key role in reducing antisocial behaviour in Haxby, and will she meet me to discuss this in more detail?
Minister reply
The minister agreed to meet the MP to discuss how respect orders can be used effectively to reduce antisocial behaviour.
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Question
Does the Minister agree with the Liberal Democrat proposal that every police force should have a specialist co-ordinator in its rural crime team?
Minister reply
The minister agreed to discuss rural crime further with the MP, emphasising the importance of a visible police presence and effective response mechanisms in both urban and rural areas.
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Question
Does she agree that the capacity for councils and housing associations to apply for and issue respect orders is a vital part of the new powers?
Minister reply
The minister agreed, emphasising the need for collaboration between police forces, councils, social housing providers, and other agencies in tackling antisocial behaviour.
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Question
Does the Minister agree that antisocial behaviour is a plague throughout the UK, and that the remedy lies across several Departments? Does she agree that we need investment across multiple Departments dealing with matters from policing to education?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman's point on mission-led government is noted. The mission on safer streets is cross-governmental, involving all parts of Government alongside local authorities and housing providers.
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Question
Welcoming the Minister’s announcement on respect orders, can they be piloted in St Austell? What impact does the Minister expect these orders to have?
Minister reply
The purpose of piloting respect orders is to see what works. They aim to speed up actions against breaches by allowing arrest without warning.
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Question
Does the Minister agree that respect orders will be a useful intervention tool for dealing with repeat offenders and tackling root causes of their behaviour?
Minister reply
Respect orders are intended to solve underlying problems such as drug or alcohol addiction through interventions like treatment courses.
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Question
What will today’s announcement do to stop car racing in West Brom and give residents peace?
Minister reply
The new laws aim to remove the requirement for a warning before action can be taken, enabling quicker intervention.
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Question
Can the Minister tell me more about how measures might help shop workers in St Helens North and agree that resources are needed to make a real difference?
Minister reply
Proposals on retail crime will be included in next year’s Crime and Policing Bill, addressing assaults on retail workers with cross-party support.
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Question
What reassurance can the Minister give constituents that respect orders will be applied as liberally as possible?
Minister reply
Respect orders will apply to adults causing harassment, alarm or distress; youth injunctions will remain for young people.
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Question
Could the Policing Minister outline how new respect orders will help Hemel police with antisocial behaviour?
Minister reply
The minister joins in paying tribute to local police and other agencies for their work. Respect orders aim to give them more powers.
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Question
Do the Minister believe that new powers will finally allow Bracknell constituents to get a good night’s sleep?
Minister reply
Respect orders should help remove vehicles causing problems late at night, aiming for quieter streets and better sleep.
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Question
Does the Minister recognise public anger about antisocial behaviour not being addressed by the Conservative Party? How will today’s measures restore trust?
Minister reply
There is a huge amount of anger over how things got to this point due to cuts in policing. We need investment in neighbourhood policing.