House of Commons · Urgent Question
28 April 2025 · 11 other contributors
Opened by Alex Sobel Lab/Co-op Leeds Central and Headingley
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Alex Sobel raised concerns about headingley incident 2025-04-28 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
Key points
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Will the Minister confirm that she will publish a response on providing further controls on the use, ownership and supply of crossbows after Saturday's horrific attack? The community is deeply concerned about public safety and the potential for lethal weapons to be misused.
Question
Will the Minister ensure that there is as much transparency as possible in the release of information about this case? Additionally, what measures are being taken to ensure young women and girls feel safe in Leeds following this incident?
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledges the importance of transparency but emphasises that it is a live police investigation. She confirms that operational matters related to policing presence in Headingley and Leeds are decided by the chief constable with consideration for community needs.
Question
Will my right hon. Friend assure me that West Yorkshire police has the necessary resources to investigate not only this incident but serious crime taking place in the area more broadly?
Minister reply
The Minister reassures Anna Dixon that all police forces have additional resources, with up to £19.6 billion going into policing for the new financial year. She expresses confidence in West Yorkshire's effective mayor and deputy mayor who lead on policing matters.
Question
Can the Minister confirm when the Government’s formal response to the call for evidence will be published?
Minister reply
The Minister confirms that the Government's formal response to the call for evidence on crossbow regulations will soon be published, and she notes the commitment to halving violence against women and girls over the next decade.
Question
The Minister mentioned her meeting with Laura Sugden, and I pay tribute to Laura for her campaigning on the issue. It is more than seven years since Anthony Lawrence brutally murdered Laura’s partner Shane Gilmer. Laura was attacked with a crossbow, and was pregnant at the time. Can the Minister give us more detail about the timetable for that response? What next steps will we likely see?
Minister reply
In answer to the hon. Gentleman, I cannot give a specific date. However, I am doing my best to ensure that we respond to the consultation from last year as soon as possible.
Question
I express my sympathies and those of the people of Central Ayrshire to the victims of this horrific attack, and those affected by it. Does the Minister support the excellent work that the Mayor of West Yorkshire is leading to keep women and girls safe in West Yorkshire? Will the Minister commit to working with mayors, and police and crime commissioners, across the country to tackle the rise of misogyny?
Minister reply
I am very conscious of the excellent work done by the Mayor of West Yorkshire and her deputy, Alison Lowe, on violence against women and girls, and their real commitment to making policies that will have a dramatic effect on the women and girls of West Yorkshire.
Question
Let me put on record my deepest sympathies for the victims of this terrible incident and their families. Is there any more that we can do as a Government to support victims of these terrible attacks and their families?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend has raised the important issue of how victims of such attacks are supported. As I said, this morning I talked to Joan about the support that she received after the horrific attack on Dave Peck, and I have heard about the support and help that Laura Sugden has received since she was attacked with a crossbow; but I am well aware that there is more to do, and I will talk to my counterpart in the Ministry of Justice about that.
Question
Does the Minister share my surprise at just how easy it is to get hold of one of these weapons? A few clicks will buy someone a Guillotine X+ compound crossbow for £324.91 plus £6.99 for delivery, or a Jaguar Deluxe for £129.95, with free delivery. These things are as deadly as shotguns, yet we do not licence them as such. Will the Minister, in the plans that she has heralded, consider seriously going down the same route as other European countries and ensuring that these deadly weapons are properly controlled?
Minister reply
In just a few sentences, the right hon. Gentleman has made a compelling case for why change is needed in this regard. I cannot go any further today, but I hear what he says, and I share his concern about the fact that people can go online and, with a few clicks, buy one of these items.
Question
What conversations have the Government had with local authorities and other partners to ensure that university students and parents feel supported and reassured? May I also echo the sentiments of Members on both sides of the House who have thanked the emergency services?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman has made an important point about reassurance for the public, so that they can feel confident about going out in local communities. West Yorkshire police is ensuring that through the extra police presence, and my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds Central and Headingley will be working with community groups and the university. Also, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and the Minister for Security were properly briefed about the incident over the weekend.
Question
Will the Minister join me in condemning the recent statement by the so-called Irish rap band Kneecap, who are reported to have told their audience that they should kill their local MP, and that the only good Tory is a dead Tory?
Minister reply
Yes, of course I would condemn any such comments. Clearly, I cannot comment on anything that was posted online in relation to the case we are talking about today, but the hon. Gentleman will know that we work in partnership with technology companies to ensure that they understand their responsibility to tackle illegal content on their platforms.
Question
Like others, I believe that such incidents highlight the fact that police officers, and particularly police community support officers, need to be on the ground so that they can deal with the use of crossbows, put in place measures to ensure public safety, and send the message that the police are close by. That needs to be the case not just in Headingley, but across all of this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman makes the case for what this Government are doing on neighbourhood policing. We are putting 13,000 police officers and PCSOs back into local areas and communities to provide not only a police presence, but public reassurance, which is so important to the people we all represent.
Government Response
The Minister stated that she thanks Alex Sobel for raising this urgent question. She acknowledges the shock caused by the incident in Headingley, Leeds, on Saturday, which involved a male with lethal weapons causing injuries to two women. The police are conducting an ongoing investigation led by Counter Terrorism Policing North East and West Yorkshire Police. The Government has tabled amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill to strengthen age verification controls on crossbows, and they will soon publish their response to last year's consultation on licensing systems for crossbows.