Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

County Lines

Monday 19 December 2022 · 6 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 4 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government has invested 145 million in a three-year county lines programme, leading to the closure of over 2,900 drug dealing lines and over 8,000 arrests.
  • The police covenant board is designed to help with mental health pressures faced by police officers, and a new chief medical officer position has been instituted to look after serving and retired police officers.
  • Violence reduction units are being introduced to identify at-risk individuals and take interventions through social services or education to divert younger people away from crime.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Antony Higginbotham
Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

The question focuses on the progress made by the government in tackling county lines drug operations.

Question

What progress her Department has made on tackling county lines drugs gangs. I am concerned about the detrimental impact of these criminal networks in my constituency and the need for concrete action.

Answer from Chris Philp

The Government are determined to crack down on county lines gangs who are exploiting our children and devastating communities. That is why we have invested £145 million in our county lines programme over three years, resulting in the closure of over 2,900 drug dealing lines and over 8,000 arrests since 2019.

Answered
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Q2 Dean Russell
Policing & Resources Mental Health
Context

The MP participated in a dawn raid with Watford police officers to tackle serious organised crime, raising concerns about the mental health of officers.

Question

I recently took part in a dawn raid as part of a national operation against serious organised crime. Can my right hon. Friend confirm what support is being put in place for police officers' safety and mental health?

Answer from Chris Philp

I thank my hon. Friend for his question and for taking part in the dawn raid. The police covenant board is designed to help with mental health pressures faced by police officers, and a new chief medical officer position has been instituted to look after serving and retired police officers.

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Q3 Antony Higginbotham
Policing & Resources Crime & Law Enforcement
Context

The MP highlights the successful work of his neighbourhood policing taskforce in disrupting drug dealing gangs.

Question

A key driver of our neighbourhood policing is the Government's combating drugs strategy, but most funding is geared towards treatment and prevention. Will my right hon. Friend agree to meet me and discuss how we can improve enforcement?

Answer from Chris Philp

I am always happy to meet my hon. Friend and his colleagues from Lancashire. We are recruiting more police officers, increasing Border Force resources, and enhancing violence reduction units to combat drug activities.

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Q4 Andrew Gwynne Ind Gorton and Denton
Crime & Law Enforcement Children & Families
Context

The MP emphasises the exploitation of vulnerable young people by county lines gangs.

Question

Smashing the county lines business model is a top priority. What more cross-agency work can be done to ensure that a life of criminality is not a viable option for young people?

Answer from Chris Philp

Introducing violence reduction units, which identify at-risk individuals and take interventions through social services or education, is an important action we are taking to divert younger people away from crime.

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Q5 Ruth Cadbury Lab Brentford and Isleworth
Crime & Law Enforcement Children & Families Local Government
Context

The MP highlights the challenges faced by young students who are studying full time but also working multiple jobs to make ends meet.

Question

Last week, I met West Thames College students struggling to balance studies and work. They asked for adequate youth services to protect them from county lines and violent crime. Does the Minister regret cuts to local councils since 2010?

Answer from Chris Philp

We are establishing well-funded violence reduction units, including in London constituencies, which aim to divert younger people away from a life of crime and gang culture. Funding is directed towards these units to prevent such issues.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific cuts since 2010 are not addressed directly, instead the focus is on new initiatives.

How: Changing Subject

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Q6 Jess Phillips Lab Birmingham Yardley
Immigration Safeguarding & DBS Children & Families
Context

British children were identified as potential slaves in county lines gangs, with only one conviction last year. A constituent waited two years to be classified as a victim of slavery after being groomed for sex and criminal exploitation since the age of 13.

Question

Contrary to current rhetoric on modern slavery, thousands of British children were enslaved for sex and crime this year. Last year, there was only one conviction for modern slavery offences involving children. A constituent was left waiting by the Home Office for two years to be classified as a victim after being groomed since age 13. Can the Minister confirm what 'objective factors' mean in the national referral mechanism? Why was there only one conviction last year?

Answer from Chris Philp

A lot of work is going on. £145 million has been provided to investigate county lines, resulting in 2,900 lines being shut down and 9,500 individuals engaged with safeguarding interventions. The national referral mechanism is overwhelmed by claims often linked to immigration proceedings. Introducing objective criteria will help focus resources on genuine cases like the one mentioned.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Why there was only one conviction for modern slavery offences involving children last year

How: Focusing On Overall Work And Funding Without Addressing Specific Convictions

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