Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Crime Reduction

Monday 22 March 2021 · 8 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 8 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government have doubled the size of the safer streets fund to improve public safety and protection.
  • Police and crime commissioners are accountable to the communities they serve and should be strong voices in fighting crime.
  • The Home Secretary praised the work of Thames Valley police for its dedication and efforts in crime reduction.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Robert Largan
Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

The question arises from concerns about rising crime levels and the need for effective interventions.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to reduce crime?

Answer from Priti Patel

The Government have doubled the size of the safer streets fund, which will go towards neighbourhood measures designed to improve public safety and protection.

Partly answered
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Q2 Felicity Buchan
Policing & Resources
Context

Knife and gang crime are issues in the constituency, but two police stations in the north of it are under threat. Notting Hill police station is planned to be sold by Sadiq Khan and Lancaster Road's lease is due to expire.

Question

Does my right hon. Friend agree that, given this Government's huge investment in the police, we need physical police stations in London and in the north of my constituency?

Answer from Priti Patel

I am incredibly disappointed by what she said about police stations closing in her constituency. Police and crime commissioners are elected to be accountable to the communities they serve, and with that, they also need to be a strong voice when it comes to fighting crime.

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Q3 Ian Levy
Policing & Resources Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

A temporary mobile police station was created in Blyth marketplace last year, which received positive feedback from local residents. There is a desire for more permanent fixtures including the installation of CCTV.

Question

Will my right hon. Friend support me, the police and the residents of Blyth Valley in our endeavours to create a safer environment for all?

Answer from Priti Patel

I commend him because, again, he is a tour de force locally, giving strong voice and representation to safer streets and safer communities. He will know that when it comes to the funding for these schemes, the money is there from central Government.

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Q4 Nickie Aiken
Women & Equalities
Context

The reopening of the call for evidence on violence against women and girls is a critical step in understanding their experiences.

Question

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is vital that we listen to victims of violence and all women and girls to really understand their experiences in their daily lives?

Answer from Priti Patel

We have already had in excess of 135,000 people writing in to the survey since it has been reopened. We want their views because their views matter, but so do their personal experiences whether or not someone has been a victim.

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Q5 Rob Butler
Policing & Resources
Context

Over the past year, robberies have fallen by 35% and many more criminals have been brought to justice for violent offences in Aylesbury Vale.

Question

Will my right hon. Friend join me in congratulating the superb officers at Thames Valley police's Aylesbury police station on those achievements?

Answer from Priti Patel

My hon. Friend will have heard me speaking with great praise for Thames Valley police and for its incredible work and dedication, down to great leadership, resourcing, new police officers, visibility, money into crime reduction and surge funding.

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Q6 James Sunderland
Policing & Resources Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

Constituents have expressed concern about anti-social behaviour including nuisance neighbours, drug abuse, speeding cars and general disorder.

Question

Could my right hon. Friend please confirm what is being done to curb this behaviour?

Answer from Priti Patel

We absolutely stand with them in our determination to stamp out criminality and also antisocial behaviour. The funding for more police officers within his force and his constituency, along with the money for the safer streets fund, will go a long way to delivering for his constituents.

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Q7 Robert Largan
Policing & Resources Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

Gangs of bicycle and car thieves are operating in High Peak, coming from Greater Manchester and Yorkshire. The local Derbyshire police is struggling to tackle this issue.

Question

Recently, gangs of bicycle and car thieves have been targeting the High Peak, travelling into the area from Greater Manchester and Yorkshire. Derbyshire police is working hard to try to tackle this problem, but can I urge the Home Secretary to do more to ensure that the different police forces, including the British Transport police, work more closely together to tackle the criminal gangs that operate over county lines?

Answer from Priti Patel

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight the blended way in which forces should come together, because county lines cross boundaries. Whether it is the British Transport police, his own police or the neighbouring forces, we need them to pull together to deal with the level of criminality that he has spoken about.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions or commitments for closer cooperation between different police forces were not provided.

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Q8 Sarah Jones Lab Croydon West
Crime & Law Enforcement Women & Equalities
Context

The number of stalking and harassment offences recorded by the police has more than doubled in four years, reaching 500,000 last year. Most women do not report street harassment.

Question

The shadow Home Secretary will speak about the violence last night in his remarks. I simply want to say that there is never an excuse for violence, and as shadow Policing Minister, my thoughts are obviously with the police who were on duty. I wish them a swift recovery... Will the Home Secretary work cross-party to introduce a law similar to the one introduced in France in 2018 to make street harassment a specific criminal offence?

Answer from Priti Patel

I say to the hon. Lady that street harassment—in fact, all harassment against individuals, male and female, but particularly women and girls—is absolutely unacceptable... This will be part of our strategy on violence against women and girls. The hon. Lady will know of the work that is taking place on the VAWG consultation right now, and we are going to build on that.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific commitment was given regarding introducing a law similar to France's street harassment legislation.

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