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Metropolitan Police: Casey Review
21 March 2023
Lead MP
Suella Braverman
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
Policing & ResourcesCrime & Law Enforcement
Other Contributors: 52
At a Glance
Suella Braverman raised concerns about metropolitan police: casey review in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
The Home Secretary acknowledged Baroness Casey's thorough and professional report on the Metropolitan Police Service, expressing gratitude for her work. The statement highlighted serious failures within the force, including cultural issues, poor planning, lack of accountability, insularity, and a focus away from core policing areas like public protection. Funding for the Metropolitan police is set to be £3.3 billion in 2023, representing an increase since 2010. The Home Office supports Sir Mark Rowley's efforts to restore trust, reduce crime, and maintain high standards. Specific concerns about racism, misogyny, and homophobia within the force were addressed, along with issues related to parliamentary security command. The minister committed to holding London's Mayor and police leadership accountable for implementing necessary changes.
Rehman Chishti
Con
Gillingham
Question
The MP asked the Home Secretary whether she would support a proposal to give powers to police commissioners, as set out in Baroness Casey’s report. He also sought clarification on funding and resources available for the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
Minister reply
The minister responded that the Government will carefully consider Baroness Casey’s recommendations and work with Sir Mark Rowley to implement them where appropriate. She assured that the Home Office is providing extensive support, including up to £3.3 billion funding in 2023 for the Metropolitan Police Service.
Jon Ashworth
Lab
Denton & Reddish
Question
The MP questioned whether the Home Secretary’s statement was sufficient given Baroness Casey's report and asked about measures to improve confidence among women, LGBT communities, racial minorities, and disabled people in police services.
Minister reply
The minister replied that while words are not enough, actions such as vetting improvements and dismissing officers who fall short of standards will be taken. She emphasised the need for Sir Mark Rowley’s plan to address these issues effectively.
Diana Johnson
Lab
Kingston upon Hull North
Question
The MP asked whether the Home Secretary would commit to a national action plan on violence against women and girls, including specialist rape investigation units in every force and specialist domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms.
Minister reply
The minister stated that while such measures are under consideration, it is important for local forces like the Metropolitan Police to implement targeted solutions as part of their broader strategy.
Andy Slaughter
Lab
Hammersmith
Question
The MP questioned whether the Government would commit to ensuring that anyone found guilty of domestic abuse or sexual assault will not be allowed to become a police officer and if they would suspend such individuals from their roles under investigation.
Minister reply
The minister acknowledged these concerns but did not provide a definitive commitment, stating that current processes are being reviewed for improvements.
David Davis
Con
Haltemprice & Howden
Question
The MP asked whether the Government would consider giving police and crime commissioners more powers to ensure better accountability of forces.
Minister reply
The minister confirmed that Baroness Casey’s recommendations will be carefully considered, including those related to police commissioner powers.
Yvette Cooper
Lab
Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley
Question
The report published today by Louise Casey, commissioned by the Mayor of London, into standards and culture in the Metropolitan police service is thorough, forensic and truly damning. It finds that consent is broken, management of the force has failed and frontline policing,—especially neighbourhood policing—has been deprioritised and degraded after a decade of austerity... (Full detailed question as provided)
Minister reply
I must say that I am disappointed by the right hon. Lady’s tone. Today is not a day for crass political point scoring; it is a day for serious and sober consideration of the Met’s shortcomings and how those shortcomings have a devastating impact on people’s lives... (Full detailed answer as provided)
Question
Everyone in the House will back up what the Home Secretary, Baroness Casey and the shadow Home Secretary have said about our reliance on the police and our support for them, but there are times when we have to look at how often the police, the police authority, the Mayor and the Home Secretary have not put things right... (Full detailed question as provided)
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right about the devastating stories of misconduct, inappropriate behaviour, discrimination and poor standards. No one is denying that. Baroness Casey’s review is unequivocal about the failings, cultural and more widespread, within the Met... (Full detailed answer as provided)
Question
The findings of institutional racism in the Met made 24 years ago, the findings of institutional corruption in the case of Daniel Morgan more recently, the homophobia in the botched Stephen Port investigation, the misogyny, homophobia and racism in the Charing Cross inquiry, the criminal misconduct of police officers... (Full detailed question as provided)
Minister reply
It is clear just from the examples to which the right hon. Lady refers and from this report that all the behaviour, including instances of racism, homophobia and misogyny, is completely unacceptable and that standards must improve... (Full detailed answer as provided)
Question
The MP questions whether bringing in more police officers is sufficient to address leadership and recruitment problems at the Met. He suggests considering leaders from other disciplines like the Army or business to provide independent executive scrutiny and promote new ways of working.
Minister reply
Suella Braverman agrees that standards need improvement, emphasising the Mayor's office’s role in providing independent oversight. She acknowledges the shortcomings highlighted by Baroness Casey's report.
Dawn Butler
Lab
Brent East
Question
The MP criticises the Home Secretary for her lack of responsibility and accountability towards the Met, citing various reports that have found institutional issues within the police force. She calls for the Home Secretary to take a more proactive role in reforming the Met.
Minister reply
Suella Braverman directs criticism towards the Mayor of London and emphasises that the Home Office is consulting on dismissal processes and instituting better vetting measures with the College of Policing.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Question
The MP calls for a performance plan to ensure accountability within the Met, referencing the Casey review's recommendations. She suggests supporting the new commissioner and his deputy but insists that given the amount of funding, there should be corresponding outcomes.
Minister reply
Suella Braverman acknowledges the need for change and supports the current commissioner and deputy in their efforts to turn around the force.
Andrew Slaughter
Lab
Hammersmith and Chiswick
Question
The MP seeks guidance on what actions the Home Secretary will take following the damning report to address issues such as racism, misogyny, and homophobia in policing. He asks for measures that can give victims dignity and justice.
Minister reply
Suella Braverman reiterates her commitment to addressing discriminatory attitudes in policing by consulting on dismissal processes and potentially changing laws if necessary.
Kit Malthouse
Con
North West Hampshire
Question
The MP discusses the need for joint accountability between City Hall and the Home Office, highlighting failures of local governance. He also questions the decision to cancel the policing education qualifications framework and asks if it could be reconsidered.
Minister reply
Suella Braverman emphasises the critical importance of local accountability and supports leadership training within the ranks through collaboration with the College of Policing.
Battersea
Question
The MP expresses dismay at the continued existence of institutional racism, misogyny, and homophobia in the Met 25 years after the Macpherson report. She calls for national standards regarding vetting, misconduct, and training.
Minister reply
Suella Braverman confirms that work is underway with the College of Policing to establish statutory codes for recruitment and vetting, aiming to ensure unfit individuals do not enter the force.
Caroline Nokes
Con
Romsey and Southampton North
Question
The MP inquires about measures to support officers who report incidents of unacceptable behaviour without facing career repercussions.
Minister reply
Suella Braverman highlights the turnaround plan's framework for reporting incidents safely, ensuring meaningful sanctions against perpetrators.
Munira Wilson
Lib Dem
Twickenham
Question
The MP expresses concern about whether young women and people of colour can regain confidence in the Met after Baroness Casey’s report. She questions if next time she visits schools or colleges, she could advise young people to consider a career in policing.
Minister reply
Suella Braverman acknowledges the impact of the report on public confidence and emphasises the importance of initiatives like the Soteria programme to restore trust, especially concerning investigations into rape complaints.
Matthew Offord
Con
Hendon
Question
The immediate political acceptance of Baroness Casey’s report demonstrates that nothing has changed since the publication of the Macpherson report 24 years ago. Many think it is a panacea to change by abolishing the Metropolitan Police Service and transferring its operations, but does the Home Secretary agree?
Minister reply
I disagree with abolishing the Metropolitan Police Service; instead, we need a wide-ranging programme of profound reform as outlined in Sir Mark’s turnaround plan. This addresses systemic problems that require root-and-branch reform.
Seema Malhotra
Lab Co-op
Feltham and Heston
Question
I thank Baroness Casey for her report, highlighting the need for specialist units to deal with VAWG. Will the Home Secretary support Labour’s plans or bring forward her own urgent measures?
Minister reply
Violence against women and girls is taken seriously; I have added VAWG to the strategic policing requirement, funded a national policing lead (£3.3 million for domestic abuse), and consulted on increasing police powers.
Nickie Aiken
Lab
Cities of London and Westminster
Question
Baroness Casey’s review reveals grim evidence from brave officers; 30 years after Stephen Lawrence’s murder, we have seen many inquiries but no progress. Does the Home Secretary agree that the time has come to clean up the Metropolitan Police Service with the Mayor of London playing a major part in holding police officers accountable?
Minister reply
Discriminatory attitudes and behaviours, whether racism or misogyny, have no place in policing; we need improved standards, strengthened vetting, better training, and a more diverse leadership pipeline supported by the Mayor.
Hayes and Harlington
Question
The relationship between the Metropolitan police and the Asian community has been damaged; I request the Home Secretary release confidential reports undertaken by the Police Complaints Authority regarding Ricky Reel’s case, which was subsequently discovered to be surveilled by the family. Please can I have a positive reply as soon as possible?
Minister reply
The Met needs to command confidence from all communities including black and ethnic groups; Sir Mark’s plan covers better engagement with communities to rebuild trust; I will look into the specific issue of Ricky Reel.
Louie French
Con
Old Bexley and Sidcup
Question
Today’s findings are concerning, what assurances can be provided that decent police officers can focus on fighting crime? Will she urge the Met to reverse Sadiq Khan’s tri-borough policing policy which continues to negatively impact policing in Bexley?
Minister reply
The Government has increased resources for the Met with a record number of police officers and cash increase since 2010; we work with Sir Mark and his team to ensure proper turnaround.
Catherine West
Lab
Hornsey and Friern Barnet
Question
Some basic policies have gone wrong, such as keeping rape specimens in a refrigerator which broke down during a hot spell last summer. How will the Home Secretary ensure this does not happen again? What is the plan?
Minister reply
Progress has been made on VAWG; there is an increase in investigations and cases referred to CPS for charge, more ISVAs and IDVAs, special measures introduced for victims of rape and serious sexual offences.
Lee Anderson
Reform
Ashfield
Question
Officers who have been there over 20 years are investigating a culture that is well over 20 years old. Does the Home Secretary think it would be wise for more independent people to come into the Met force to investigate?
Minister reply
The vast majority of police officers uphold high standards; we must ensure the Met attracts the best and brightest from all walks of life to bring diversity, expertise, experience, and skills.
Clapham and Brixton Hill
Question
Trust in policing is at its lowest level in Lambeth. Instead of addressing abuses of existing police powers, the Government seems to be creating new unaccountable powers. Will the Home Secretary commit today to ensuring every officer undergoes similar checks? Who is responsible for suspending officers for misconduct?
Minister reply
I have consulted on disciplinary processes; vetting standards are set by the College of Policing via statutory code and authorised professional practice guidance on vetting; I asked inspectorate to review forces’ responses to report’s findings.
Mark Pritchard
Con
The Wrekin
Question
I note the Home Secretary’s support for the commissioner, but could it be the case that the future of the Met hangs on one word: “ambiguous”? Not “institutional” but “ambiguous”. Is there anything ambiguous in either the findings, the recommendations or the terminology that the Home Secretary has seen in the Casey report?
Minister reply
Baroness Casey is clear that the vast majority of serving police officers in the Met uphold the highest professional and cultural standards. This report is not about them but about the unambiguous systemic failings of culture, management and accountability.
Meg Hillier
Lab Co-op
Hackney South and Shoreditch
Question
The Home Secretary is primarily responsible for the funding, which has seesawed, the vetting, which she just touched on, and, critically, the structure of the Metropolitan police. On the latter point, she has talked about the need for reform. Can she tell the House whether she has had any discussions about, or whether she is even considering, breaking up the Metropolitan police to take out counter-terrorism and leave a London police force for Londoners?
Minister reply
Even Baroness Casey does not recommend breaking up the Metropolitan police, so I do not support that proposal. The Met gets 57% more funding per capita than the rest of England and Wales, and 24% more than the next highest-funded force, Merseyside.
Question
Baroness Casey’s review makes stark reading: “too little humility”, “denial”, a culture of covering up problems and a lack of emphasis on the issues that matter most to those the Met is meant to serve. That is compounded by, in the report’s words, “institutional racism, misogyny and homophobia”. When the Home Affairs Committee has been to meet Sir Mark and his team over recent months, it has been clear that they are working hard to turn around this culture and to root out the officers at the heart of doing so much harm to the public’s view of the force, but the public can wait only so long for this turnaround to happen. Can my right hon. and learned Friend confirm by what time and what metrics she will be looking to see whether the right reforms are taking root?
Minister reply
The new Met commissioner has been in place for only six months. From the moment he was appointed, he has been clear and unequivocal about the size of the challenge he faces and what it will take to turn it around.
Ruth Cadbury
Lab
Brentford and Isleworth
Question
My hon. Friend the Member for Hackney South and Shoreditch (Dame Meg Hillier) specifically asked the Home Secretary about the seesawing, as well as the inadequacy, of funding. The report has a chapter on the inexperience of new officers. Does the Home Secretary now regret her Government’s decision to cut 20,000 officers?
Minister reply
As I said earlier, the Met police has done well on recruitment and now has a record number of police officers—higher than at any time under a Labour Administration.
Question
I am sure the whole House wants to celebrate the contribution of and thank all the women police officers who, we now learn, have had to deal with daily abuse and sexism from their male colleagues as they try to keep us safe. It is simply unacceptable that such behaviour is normalised in a service that is supposed to keep us safe. If my right hon. and learned Friend is serious about tackling violence against women and girls, it simply is not adequate to come to this Dispatch Box and say it will take many years to fix the problems in the Met.
Minister reply
I agree with my hon. Friend that we need to make progress on improving protection and results for victims of rape and serious sexual offences.
Florence Eshalomi
Lab Co-op
Vauxhall and Camberwell Green
Question
We have to pause for a minute and really think about the fact that our national police service has been declared institutionally racist, sexist and homophobic. I think about all the victims in my Vauxhall constituency who continue to be let down. We have to make this a real turning point. Instead of dealing with their trauma, the police criminalise these young girls.
Minister reply
The exploitation of women and girls is unacceptable, whether by gangs or by individual perpetrators, or whether it is structural misogyny.
Question
Baroness Casey said that the Sarah Everard case should have been responded to with the seriousness with which a plane falling out of the sky would be responded to in the aviation sector. Yet some of those now responsible for implementing the fundamental reforms, particularly to vetting and disciplinary procedures, have worked for the Met police for years or even decades.
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right to say that we need to see change. Sir Mark Rowley has been in post for six months and he is clear that we need to see change.
Jeremy Corbyn
Ind
Islington North
Question
Baroness Casey’s report makes it very clear that what campaigners have been saying for years is absolutely true: black Londoners are disproportionately likely to be stopped and searched by the Metropolitan police. It also calls for fundamental change in that whole policy.
Minister reply
As Baroness Casey makes clear, the majority of Londoners support the appropriate use of stop and search. As Sir Mark has made clear, stop and search is a vital tool in keeping Londoners safe.
Question
Baroness Casey’s report makes harrowing reading. We see a police force riddled with misogyny, racism and homophobia; and a place where complainants or whistleblowers, rather than being listened to, are turned on and mistreated, leading to a systemic fear of speaking up.
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right to highlight the need for reform of misconduct procedures.
Clive Efford
Lab
Eltham and Chislehurst
Question
One of the first things I did as a newly elected MP in 1997 was call for an independent inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence. That became the Macpherson report of 1999, and it is a sad indictment that we are back here again with the Metropolitan police being called institutionally racist. People such as Carrick and Couzens are the tip of the iceberg. In order for them to get away with what they got away with, hundreds of other officers have had to turn a blind eye. That is an indictment of the culture that exists within the Metropolitan police and other police forces, and those who want to do the right thing are held back because there is not a disciplinary process to deal with the people who do bad things. So what is the Home Secretary going to do, not just with the Met—do not blame the Mayor—but about our national police force to ensure that a proper disciplinary process is in place that allows the good people to do their jobs properly?
Minister reply
What I am already doing is running a review of the dismissals process. On the issues that the hon. Gentleman raises, this is why the Met commissioner’s establishment of a new anti-corruption and abuse command, with a wider and more proactive remit, is absolutely essential. That will raise internal standards and internal accountability, and it will facilitate and empower people to come forward, challenge and report bad behaviour.
Janet Daby
Lab
Lewisham East
Question
The Casey review is truly damning; there is institutional racism, institutional misogyny and institutional homophobia in the Met. On child protection, the review recommends creating a new children’s strategy. Does the Home Secretary support that? If so, what is the top issue on child protection and safeguarding that she wants this strategy to address?
Minister reply
I was disturbed by Baroness Casey’s findings on the issues relating to the work on public protection and safeguarding. That is why that has been expressly dealt with in the turnaround plan set out by the Met commissioner; there are key interventions to invest in the safeguarding teams and achieve national best practice standards. The police want to ensure that there is better data and technology to target perpetrators and protect victims. We want to ensure that there are positive criminal justice outcomes for public protection cases and that safeguarding and the people who work in it are properly supported.
Question
I represent the most diverse constituency in the whole of the UK. Over the past three years, we have faced stabbings and homicides far too frequently. Recently, we have had the awful and avoidable tragedy of the murder of Zara Aleena. Those in my local community want to be able to trust the thin blue line to look after and protect them. Unfortunately, as is set out in the Casey report and in the conversations I have day to day in Ilford, it is clear that people do believe that the Met police is institutionally racist and institutionally misogynistic. I want to be able to go back to them today having heard from the Home Secretary about what she is going to do. I do not want her to pass the buck; I want her to make sure that my constituents can trust the police; that they will not be raped or murdered by people who are police officers; that they can call 999 and know that help will be on the way; and that they will be protected in the way that they should be.
Minister reply
Baroness Casey is clear that the failings in relationships with communities are serious. That is why it is paramount that public trust in the Met is restored. I am going to continue to hold the Met commissioner to account, as well as the Mayor of London, because he has an important role to play here. But it is clear that we need to ensure that the Met has the resources it needs, which is why I am pleased that it now has the record number of police officers in its history on the frontline, working to keep Londoners safe. It has also made significant progress already in achieving some of the stated goals in its turnaround plan.
Stella Creasy
Lab Co-op
Walthamstow
Question
Recognising that the Met has been decreed to be institutionally misogynistic, homophobic and racist is not just about a label; it is about the lived experience of the communities that many of us have served and worked in for generations, and the message we had been trying to get across to the Home Secretary and her predecessors, as well as the Met leadership, for many years. All of us have a role to play in restoring confidence for our communities, but the Home Secretary will know that as of today there are still more than 100 serving officers in the Met being investigated for sexual misconduct and domestic violence. She could do something about that today. Let us be clear: if she wants to bring forward emergency legislation to deal with the issues stopping those officers being dismissed, she will have our support. Will she do it?
Minister reply
I am very proud that a Conservative Government brought in landmark legislation—the Domestic Abuse Act 2021—that, for the first time, increased the powers relating to and the status and seriousness of domestic abuse. We have announced our intention to bring in legislation at the earliest opportunity to ensure that offenders convicted of coercive and controlling behaviour are automatically managed in the same way as violent offenders. We have also run an important measure and are consulting on a lot of investment to support victims of domestic abuse, and I am very proud of this Government’s track record on empowering the police to better support victims of domestic abuse.
Question
Neither the long-standing concerns about police culture identified in the Casey report nor the individual instances of racism, misogyny and homophobia in the police can be laid at the door of the cuts to the police budget over the early part of the last decade and the see-saw funding since then; that would allow those responsible to escape that responsibility. However, does the Home Secretary accept that the collapse of neighbourhood policing, not just in London but across the country, has fundamentally changed the relationship between the public and the police? Will she ensure that the police across Britain—not just in London—rebuild their neighbourhood policing? How will she hold police forces to account in restoring that vital function?
Minister reply
I am very glad that the Met has an increased, record number of police officers. Many of them will be deployed on the frontline to neighbourhood policing teams, so we will have an increase in response. The turnaround plan specifically addresses how the Met will improve its neighbourhood policing response through better powers and quicker responses from the response team, ensuring that antisocial behaviour is dealt with. That is a priority for both the Met and myself.
Helen Hayes
Lab
Dulwich and West Norwood
Question
For many of my constituents, reading Baroness Casey’s report will be the first time that their experiences of policing have been validated and vindicated. The same cannot be said for the Home Secretary’s response. It is hard to overstate the frustration and betrayal that so many Londoners have felt when they have raised concerns with the police and have been met with a stone wall of defensiveness, excuses and denial. Among many, many issues that Baroness Casey highlights are serious problems with transparency and accountability. My experience in raising complaints about two very serious matters of police conduct is that there is no accountability because the IOPC will refer complaints back to the Met to be investigated, and internal investigations simply cannot deliver. What will the Home Secretary do to resolve the situation in which the police mark their own homework and there is no accountability or change?
Minister reply
As Baroness Casey’s report made clear, primary accountability sits with the Mayor of London. It is for the Mayor, rather than the inspectorate or any other body, to hold the commissioner directly to account for taking the rigorous action needed to address concerns. It was frankly shocking to read that the Mayor has not chaired a board for several years. I am very glad that he has now agreed to start discharging his role appropriately, but it is clear that governance and accountability need to improve. That is why that constituted a significant element of the report.
Fleur Anderson
Lab
Putney
Question
Putney constituents will find the report shocking but not surprising in many ways. Cuts have consequences. A major culture change is essential, but the Casey report lays out that the cuts resulted in the culture problem increasing. The Home Secretary said that funding for the force will be up to £3.3 billion, but in 2011, the funding was £3.7 billion, so there is a real-terms cash cut. Along the way, there has been £1 billion of cuts, and the funding for the Met is now 18% lower in real terms than it was in 2011, which is equivalent to 9,600 police officers. We see in the report that police officers have been taken away from our streets, that the number of senior police officers has been cut, which reduces accountability, and that there were cuts to rape investigation units. Does the Home Secretary accept her part in that and in the report’s findings about national cuts? Will she fund the reforms that are needed to win back trust?
Minister reply
In 2023-24, the Met police will receive up to £3.34 billion in funding. That is an increase of up to £97.6 million on the previous year and £177.8 million compared with 2010. The average funding per head of population for the Metropolitan police is higher than for any other force. In terms of funding, resources and police numbers, which I mentioned, there is no reason why the Met cannot succeed in turning this around.
Question
The Casey review shines a damning light on racism, misogyny and homophobia in the Met police, but that is not isolated. There are other organisations where such behaviour goes unpunished. The hon. Member for Wrexham (Sarah Atherton) published her report on the experiences of women in the armed forces, which was similarly damning. What discussions has the Home Secretary had with Cabinet colleagues about shining further light on major organisations—such as the armed forces—in which the public should have absolute trust?
Minister reply
I only have responsibility for the police. That is why earlier this year, I asked for all forces to go through their data, wash it and check for cases where police officers should not be serving on the frontline or, indeed, in the force at all. Forces are coming forward with that information and that will be a good thing to ensure that the police force nationally rids itself of those who are unfit to wear the badge.
Liz Kendall
Lab
Leicester West
Question
I thank Louise Casey for her report and service to the country. To give an example, sexual offences units kept rape kits in broken fridges next to lunchboxes—absolutely appalling—and armed police units wasted money on unnecessary kit. My constituents will want to understand whether there are wider implications. What assessment has the Home Secretary made of the degree to which these failings are happening in other forces? What action will she take?
Minister reply
I expect every report of rape to be treated seriously and thoroughly. The rape review exposed inadequacies, prompting a programme of work including Operation Soteria to improve the investigation of rape and prosecution outcomes.
Wendy Chamberlain
Lib Dem
North East Fife
Question
As a former police officer, I was shocked by Baroness Casey’s report. Training for police sergeants is inadequate, amounting to just 23 slides of PowerPoint. Will the Home Secretary task the College of Policing to ensure this standard is not maintained in other forces and to support improvements? Also, will she consider further assessments on dismantling the Met?
Minister reply
The hon. Lady is right about leadership training; it must start early in a police career. Existing training is inadequate, and reform will be announced soon. The decision on whether to dismantle the Met will not come now but may be reconsidered later.
Warrington North
Question
Among the most harrowing parts of Baroness Casey’s report, she quotes a serving police officer who says of rape: ‘you may as well say it’s legal in London.’ This is not just an issue for London or the Met. The national charge rate for rape has dropped to 1.6%. Is this a national problem and her responsibility?
Minister reply
We commissioned the end-to-end rape review because of problems with investigation and prosecution of rape. The number of charges for adult rape offences increased by 79% in the last year, indicating progress.
Dwyfor Meirionnydd
Question
The Casey review’s conclusion that the Met is institutionally broken is damning. This Government have allowed the Westminster model of policing to fail in Wales. When will she acknowledge this reality and devolve policing to our Parliament?
Minister reply
I do not support devolving policing to Wales. We oversee all forces in England and Wales, including those in Wales which responded well to my call for chiefs to look at their data and vetting.
Jon Trickett
Lab
Normanton and Hemsworth
Question
A mature woman constituent had been abused by her father; the police did not address it until we eventually managed to get a prosecution. Is handing over new police powers, such as stop and search without suspicion of crime being committed, reckless with a racist, homophobic and misogynist force? What guarantee can she give?
Minister reply
We are reviewing the dismissals process to improve standards in recruitment and application by chief constables and senior leaders. We will take action based on evidence from that consultation.
Question
Institutional racism, misogyny, and homophobia are bad enough but the deliberate deprioritisation of women’s safety and child protection is serious and unforgivable. We have policy capture by proponents undermining activities that are of concern: women’s safety and child protection. Is it not time for an independent regulator?
Minister reply
I added violence against women and girls to the strategic policing requirement as a national threat. I am proud of tools such as stalking prevention orders, sexual harm and risk orders, forced marriage and female genital mutilation protection orders.
Tonia Antoniazzi
Lab
Gower
Question
Baroness Casey’s finding of a “boys’ club” is not surprising. The report shows the urgent need for action to make policing more transparent. I urge the Home Secretary to bring in legislation to address lack of transparency regarding affiliations and memberships such as Freemasons.
Minister reply
Vetting standards are set by the College of Policing via its statutory code of practice on vetting, with inspectorate looking into whether these standards are being properly applied. We are strengthening the statutory code for police vetting.
Question
Baroness Casey’s report underlines that the Met is systematically dysfunctional and discriminatory. Gangs of sergeants troop up to ridicule, abuse, and coercively control women and minority officers who seek support in their workplace when they complain. Will she introduce civilian management resources and independent accountability?
Minister reply
We are undertaking a review of the process for police officer dismissals due to conclude in May which will cover some issues but we need to consider all outcomes before determining next steps.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
I thank the Secretary of State for her statement. Baroness Casey’s report is devastating in the detail and extent of problems and difficulties. Nothing short of a complete overhaul will engender restoration of public trust. However, does she agree that the thousands of good Met officers cannot be tarred with same brush? What steps will she take to support them?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman is right to pay tribute to the vast majority of serving police officers in the Met and throughout the country who do a good job, uphold highest standards. Many prevent crime, protect victims and secure justice thanks to their bravery. We need to back leadership and brave police officers so that together we can create a fit-for-purpose Met.
Andrew Gwynne
Ind
Gorton and Denton
Question
The Casey review highlights significant issues within the Metropolitan police, which are also relevant to other police forces. Andrew Gwynne inquires about Chief Superintendent John Webster's commitment to upholding professional standards in his division of Greater Manchester Police and asks what measures the Home Secretary is taking to ensure such commitments are adhered to by all police officers nationwide.
Minister reply
In response, Suella Braverman highlights the turnaround achieved under the leadership of Chief Constable Stephen Watson at Greater Manchester Police. She emphasises that this force has improved from a failing one with serious issues to a successful and effective crime-fighting organisation, attributing this progress to strong leadership, high standards, accountability, and prioritising public needs in policing.
Shadow Comment
Yvette Cooper
Shadow Comment
The shadow Home Secretary criticised the Home Office’s complacency in addressing Baroness Casey’s report, noting a lack of new action despite damning findings. Yvette Cooper highlighted issues like reduced funding, deprioritised neighbourhood policing, and failures in public protection for women and children. She urged immediate measures to prevent officers involved in domestic abuse or sexual assault from continuing their roles and called for mandatory vetting requirements under law. The Labour MP also pointed out broader Home Office failings, such as inadequate oversight of forces in special measures and a need for plans to address systemic issues like misogyny and institutional racism.
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About House of Commons Debates
House of Commons debates take place in the main chamber of the House of Commons. These debates cover a wide range of topics including government policy, legislation, and current affairs. MPs from all parties can participate, question ministers, and hold the government accountable for its decisions.