Crime and Policing Bill 2025-06-17

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Questions not present in this excerpt of the bill's new clauses.

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Referring to the impact of violence against shop workers, Mr. Perkins asked if the Minister could affirm that the Bill will send a clear message to offenders who walk out of stores after committing crimes that they will face serious consequences.

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Asked about neighbourhood policing funding, specifically regarding national insurance costs for police forces.

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Celebrated the introduction of five new neighbourhood police officers in Harlow and asked for confirmation on the commitment to 13,000 by the end of Parliament.

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Concerned about the potential fracturing of purpose due to amendments related to abortion law being attached to the crime Bill.

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The Bill applies to England and Wales but information sharing with Northern Ireland Assembly and Scottish Parliament is important for ensuring security and safety across all regions.

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None provided, but this is part of the statement.

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Having worked for a homelessness charity, I have seen this issue at first hand. Does the Minister agree that when there is an organisation behind the begging, the person forced to beg is actually being exploited, so these laws will help to tackle a form of exploitation?

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Near my constituency, there has been a troubling spate of recent incidents involving younger people filming themselves injuring wildlife using catapults and placing the footage on TikTok. Would the Minister agree that this behaviour goes beyond antisocial behaviour and may require stricter measures?

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I share your concern about the additional police officers we are getting. When looking at our figures for the West Midlands, the boost is coming from deployments rather than actual increases. Can you elaborate on this issue?

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Does he not recognise that there may well be an increase in police numbers, but we have seen a decrease in police staff? In Essex, over 400 police staff were lost during the Conservatives’ period in office.

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Does he agree that the Bill will give the police more confidence in having the right powers, so they can make a difference?

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How does the Minister ensure that mandatory reporting for child sexual abuse is implemented fully in religious groups like Jehovah's Witnesses?

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The hon. Gentleman is making very important points, in particular on the Jehovah’s Witnesses cult. One of the methods Jehovah’s Witnesses use to ensure that issues like this do not escape from the organisation is threatening individuals with the act of disfellowshipping—being cut off from all communication with their own family... [Full text provided]

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I support amendment 19, which seeks to amend clause 94 to make spiking or administering a harmful substance an offence. The majority of victims are women aged around 26 and incidents can happen anywhere.

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My hon. Friend has made a compelling argument regarding the amendment he presented. Is my hon. Friend able to provide any insights into the Government's response, given that the amendment garners cross-party support?

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I have had discussions with the Home Office and individual Ministers. The Government’s position seems to be that reckless acts are covered under intent to annoy, but I believe this is insufficient as not all reckless actions can be classified as intending to annoy. If the Government does not accept my amendment, I urge them to draft their own to address the issue effectively.

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I welcome proposals on fly-tipping but am concerned about public order legislation proposed in relation to demonstrations. The Government's focus is on addressing gaps highlighted by recent protests, including criminal offences for climbing war memorials, possessing pyrotechnic articles at protests, and concealing identity. However, there are issues with the drafting of clause 114 regarding restrictions on protests near places of worship that could be interpreted loosely or lead to unnecessary policing.

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I support amendments 172, 173, and 174 on clean-up costs, cost liability guidance. They build on the principle that those who cause the mess should pay to clear it up...

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Does the right hon. Lady’s calculation of £1 billion account for how people feel, for the degradation of pride in areas where people fly-tip?

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Does the right hon. Member agree that when people see potholes unfilled, litter uncollected, overgrown verges and general disrepair—when they are walking through decline—they feel hopeless...

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Today, I am raising the issue of street racing and antisocial behaviour in Bassetlaw. Residents living close to the A57 are terrified by the noise and risk of accidents due to unofficial road-racing events organised via social media.

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Will she join me in commending the work of the Under 17 Car Club and its Pathfinder initiative, which teaches young drivers about the dangers of driving in that fashion?

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Does she feel that the powers should be strengthened for the police to stop that intimidating and antisocial behaviour?

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The increased orders in the Crime and Policing Bill, such as respect orders, will help to tackle antisocial behaviour. Does my hon. Friend think that they could be a vehicle—sorry, poor choice of word—to address the gatherings that she has described?

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Does she agree that USDAW’s campaign to protect shop workers, which has been going on for years, is brilliant and that it is excellent that this Labour Government are finally introducing the right punishments for people who commit aggravated assaults against shop workers?

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Will she also commend the Co-op party, which, like USDAW, has campaigned so hard for this new law?

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It is important to remember that, although a lot of this antisocial behaviour is committed by young people—it is not exclusively young people; many older drivers and users of motorised vehicles commit antisocial behaviour—and it has a big impact

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The hon. Member is making an excellent speech and raises a serious problem across the country regarding speeding e-bikes. In my constituency, many residents are concerned about these vehicles. I urge Thames Valley Police to take more action on this menace.

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I am pleased to hear that work is ongoing throughout the country.

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I commend the hon. Member for bringing up the issue of young people using off-road bikes, which is tearing up communities and green spaces while putting themselves at severe risk.

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I welcome the Government’s new clauses which strengthen provisions to tackle mobile phone thefts, recover stolen goods, introduce tough respect orders for antisocial behaviour offenders, create a specific offence of assaulting shop workers, and give powers to police in cases of trespassing with intent.

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I rise to support amendment 19, in the name of my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight East (Joe Robertson). I hope that the Minister listened to the compelling case that my hon. Friend made, and to the compelling case made by the hon. Member for Hitchin (Alistair Strathern) on the issue of spiking more generally.

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In the interests of time, I will skip through the many amendments I want to support, but there are a few that will really make a difference to people in Milton Keynes Central. First, I reiterate what my hon. Friend the Member for Bassetlaw (Jo White) said on street racing.

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I was incredibly fortunate to sit on the Bill Committee considering this legislation. It is clear that, although opinions differ on details, we all share a common goal of tackling crime in a meaningful way, so that we can make people feel safe in our communities again.

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Does the Minister agree that my amendment 21 would stop the police from accessing everyone's driving licences to use them for complete surveillance, which is not the intention of the Bill?

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The MP discussed his experience with Jehovah’s Witness groups and the complexity involved in assessing signs and indications of child sexual abuse, raising concerns about a chilling effect on volunteering.

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My hon. Friend the Member for Bolton North East spoke to amendment 20, which relates to encouraging or assisting self-harm in clause 95 and seeks to address sentencing considerations.

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The right hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington spoke to amendment 161, which aims to delete clause 114 regarding conditions on protests near places of worship.

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Campaigner Richard Graham was acknowledged as a pioneer in bringing forward a spiking amendment.

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New clause 53 makes it an offence to arrange or facilitate begging and new clause 54 amends section 38 regarding intent to cause a child to commit offences.

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What steps will be taken to ensure compliance?

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Will there be exemptions for certain groups, such as collectors or sports enthusiasts?

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How does the government plan to address potential misuse of this new law, ensuring it protects women's rights without compromising public safety?

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What measures are in place to prevent women from feeling pressured into making decisions without adequate information or support?

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Asked if there are other areas of law that remove criminal protection for life, focusing on the child's voiceless status in abortion cases.

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Inquired about potential risks and concerns regarding telemedicine abortion practices.

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Can the hon. Member explain why there must never be any prosecution ever, given that she is asking for an absolute prohibition on prosecution in every case?

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Would not this new clause make abortion more dangerous and lonely by decriminalising the woman but not those who may be there to give support?

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If a woman goes all the way through full term and then decides it is an inconvenience, does the hon. Member still think she should be covered by this legal protection?

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Does the hon. Lady believe that a baby should be terminated right up to term, given her support for new clause 1?

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Must we not consider the baby's safety as much as the woman's safety, given tragic cases involving late-term live births?

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I am delighted to support the hon. Member's amendment as it highlights the reality of coercion against women seeking abortions.

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I urge the hon. Lady to reconsider her position as there is no change proposed in new clause 1 that would decriminalise abortion up until term.

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Late-term abortions have increased in jurisdictions after decriminalisation, indicating that criminal law acts as a deterrent.

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While I understand the hon. Lady's concerns about safety, her amendment could significantly hinder access for victims of domestic violence and those in rural areas.

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I propose new clause 20 to decriminalise abortion and ensure compliance with human rights standards as defined by CEDAW.

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There is a difference of principle on the question of human rights, because there are two lives involved in these decisions. That is the fundamental problem.

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The intervention in 2019 led to extreme abortion laws in Northern Ireland and a significant increase in unregulated abortions.

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The hon. Member referred to Northern Ireland as an example, but why should we follow this precedent?

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Will the hon. Lady give way?

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There are concerns that new clause 20 would remove outdated laws.

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I rise to speak for new clause 106 and against new clauses 1 and 20. I am grateful for this opportunity to place on the record my grave concerns about this hurried attempt to significantly alter our nation’s abortion laws.

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I rise to speak in support of new clause 1, tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Gower (Tonia Antoniazzi), which would remove women from the criminal law on abortion.

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Due to medical advancements, we can save the life of a foetus at 21 weeks, yet we can legally terminate a foetus at 24 weeks. Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that we should actually be reducing the window in which it is possible to have an abortion?

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In support of new clauses 1 and 20, Maya Ellis discusses women’s issues in the UK, including maternity ward safety, childcare costs, medical negligence, and Sure Start decimation. She criticises those who speak against abortion without addressing these broader issues.

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I believe that both lives matter in every pregnancy—both the mum’s life and the child’s life. Abortion providers pushed for pills-by-post without proper verification, leading to complications and dangerous late-term abortions. The public supports a return to in-person consultations (supported by new clause 106).

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It is worth being absolutely clear about what new clause 1 would and would not do. It would simply remove the threat of prosecution for women who end their own pregnancy: it would not change the abortion time limit, which remains.

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A constituent came to see me yesterday and explained that when she was 16 she was coerced into a forced marriage by her family. She had not been allowed to have any sex education, so when she became pregnant she did not even realise. It was only when her mum noticed that she managed to access a legal abortion, but she told me that she could have been in a situation in which she would have had to get out of that marriage in order to have a late abortion.

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I rise to speak against new clauses 1 and 20, and in support of new clause 106, tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham (Dr Johnson). First, it is important for me to say that I fully support women’s reproductive rights.

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I rise to oppose new clauses 1 and 20 and to support new clause 106. All the new clauses concern the issue of abortion.

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The MP's speech, which includes concerns about the risks of late-term abortions and backstreet procedures if current abortion laws are changed.

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Asked her hon. Friend to give way but did not have the opportunity to speak fully during the debate.

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Rising to speak against new clauses 1 and 20, expressed concerns about rushed changes to abortion laws and their potential consequences for women and unborn children.

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Asked hon. Members to give way multiple times to address specific points but did not receive full responses during the debate.

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Supported her hon. Friend, agreeing that women take abortion decisions very seriously and should be supported in making them.

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Articulated support for constituents concerned about access to safe and legal abortions without criminal repercussions.

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There is a calumny at the heart of this, which is that these new clauses are compatible with the ’67 Act. When breaching an Act of this Parliament ceases to be unlawful, it loses its force and therefore its purpose, and that calumny cannot be allowed to stand on the record.

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As is usual on matters of conscience, these votes will not be whipped by my party today, as I believe is the case across the House. That said, my party passed relevant policy at our party conference, and I will lay out that policy before talking a little about my predecessor’s work on the 1967 Act...

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Will the Minister give way?

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We have made a significant change to abortion law today without proper scrutiny or debate. How can we ensure that such major changes are not rushed through in the future?