Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Gavin Shuker

Wednesday 21st November 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I say to my right hon. Friend that I am happy to give that commitment. I think it is important for us to recognise that although we are leaving the European Union, we are not leaving Europe; we do want to continue to have not just a good trading relationship and close trading partnership with the EU, but that close security and defence partnership that we have had with the European Union and other countries across Europe as well. As he says, this is what makes sense, not just for the UK, but for all those European Union member states as well.

[Mr Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Lab/Co-op)]

Q9. Since the Prime Minister’s Modern Slavery Bill passed, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and France have joined Norway, Sweden and Iceland in passing a sex-buyer law. That makes us an even more lucrative market for sex traffickers because we are now, in effect, surrounded by states that tackle the demand which drives commercial sexual exploitation. In responding to the independent review of her legislation five years on, will she now commit to looking seriously at a sex-buyer law?

[The Prime Minister]

The hon. Gentleman raises what is obviously an important issue. Having introduced the Modern Slavery Act, I am pleased to say that between 2015 and 2017 we saw a 52% increase in the number of modern slavery offences prosecuted. There is more for us to do, but we should welcome the change that has already taken place.

The hon. Gentleman asked specifically about a sex-buyer law. Separate to the review of the Modern Slavery Act, the Home Office has provided funds for research into the nature and prevalence of sex work in England and Wales, and that follows a Home Affairs Committee report on prostitution. As I am sure the hon. Gentleman will appreciate, we believe it is vital to have an evidence base before we consider any changes in this policy area. The research that is taking place will be completed next spring.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Gavin Shuker

Wednesday 20th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Lab/Co-op)]

Q2. If I can summarise what we have just heard: President Trump has locked up 2,000 little children in cages and is refusing to release them unless he is allowed to build a wall; he has quit the United Nations Human Rights Council; he has praised Kim Jong-un’s treatment of his own people; and he has turned away Muslims. What does this man have to do to have the invitation that the Prime Minister has extended revoked?

[The Prime Minister]

As I said—[Interruption.]

Child Sex Abuse (Rotherham)

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Gavin Shuker

Tuesday 2nd September 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and I commend her for the work she did following the revelations in Oxford to help us to change the legislation to strengthen the ability to deal with such issues. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Policing, Criminal Justice and Victims is waiting for the full evaluation of the pilot. We would want to be able to roll it out, but it is right that we should look to ensure that we do that in the right way. We need to learn the lessons from the pilot.

[Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Lab/Co-op)]

Many of the men who perpetrated these crimes did so not just for their perverse gratification but for the commercial benefits. We must recognise the pattern in so many cases, which is that the grooming of the most vulnerable leads to child sexual exploitation then commercial sexual exploitation. May I urge the Home Secretary and the whole House to examine the relationship between prostitution and the current law on it and child sexual exploitation, with a view to reducing demand for the sale of sexual services? That might lead to cultural change and allow these girls to be heard.

[Mrs May]

I fully accept the hon. Gentleman’s point about how this can lead to commercial exploitation and we should not lose sight of that fact. This case is part of a wider issue in that sense, and, of course, the report commissioned in 2001-02 considered child prostitution, so we must remember, as he says, that this is sometimes not just about personal gratification but about commercial exploitation.

Communications Data and Interception

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Gavin Shuker

Thursday 10th July 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We are very fortunate in the quality of people we have in our security and intelligence agencies. They do a job that they have to do day by day, relentlessly, in the pursuit of terrorists and those who would seek to do this country harm in a variety of ways, and they do that job very well. This House should never shrink from commending them for the work that they do and thanking them, on behalf of the public, for that work.

[Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Lab/Co-op)]

Prior to 8 April, did the Home Secretary receive legal advice that asserted that existing legislation was deficient and that remedial action through a legislative route would be necessary?

[Mrs May]

First, Ministers do not refer at the Dispatch Box to legal advice that they have received. As I said earlier, the European Court of Justice case was going through the European Court of Justice, and a number of outcomes could have resulted. Until it made its determination, nobody knew the precise nature of it and the issues that would need to be addressed.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Gavin Shuker

Monday 12th December 2011 Commons Chamber

[Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Lab/Co-op)]

3. What recent assessment she has made of the operational effectiveness of the UK Border Agency.

[The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mrs Theresa May)]

I should like to pay tribute to the many dedicated and hard-working staff of UKBA, who do a good job, working day in, day out to keep our border secure and enforce immigration rules. There is certainly more to be done. The agency’s new chief executive, Rob Whiteman, has a vision to make further improvements. I share that vision.

[Gavin Shuker]

Has the Home Secretary yet received the interim internal report on this summer’s security lapse, and if so can she tell me how many people were wrongly allowed into Luton airport in my constituency?

[Mrs May]

As the hon. Gentleman knows, we have made available some figures from the early assessment of the success rate of the pilot that was run in the summer. We are of course awaiting the independent investigation by the chief inspector of the UK Border Agency, which will not be available until the end of January.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Gavin Shuker

Monday 27th June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Lab/Co-op)]

3. What recent assessment her Department has made of the relationship between numbers of police officers and levels of crime.

[The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mrs Theresa May)]

The Select Committee on Home Affairs said in February:

“We accept that there is no simple relationship between numbers of police officers and levels of crime.”

The Government agree.

[Gavin Shuker]

A 43% reduction in crime was achieved under the last Government, in part, and not least, because of the 17,000 new police officers that were brought in during that period. Why would the Home Secretary put that at risk by cutting 12,000?

[Mrs May]

I have answered the point about the relationship between police numbers and levels of crime and we have been absolutely clear that it is not simple. Our view is backed up by the Home Affairs Committee and by the right hon. Member for Exeter (Mr Bradshaw), who said last September:

“I don’t think it’s possible to make a direct correlation between police numbers and crime reduction”.

Once again, the Government agree.

Protection of Freedoms Bill

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Gavin Shuker

Tuesday 1st March 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

I have been in touch with colleagues across Departments about powers of entry, because they are found in all sorts of places. All Departments will be required to review powers of entry, and duplication is exactly the sort of issue we will be looking at.

We know that powers of entry are of great concern to the public, and another issue of great concern is wheel-clamping. The Bill will protect motorists from cowboy clampers, making it a criminal offence to immobilise, move or restrict the movement of a vehicle without lawful authority. For too long, motorists have fallen victim to extortion and abuse from rogue clamping companies. We have heard stories of drivers being frogmarched to cash points late at night or left stranded by rogue operators who have towed their vehicle away. Clearly that is unacceptable.

[Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Lab/Co-op)]

There will be support from across the House for measures to restrict the efforts of cowboy clampers, but what would the Home Secretary say to my constituent Mary Harrison, who has concerns about her residential area being overrun with cars because the existing structures to enforce parking restrictions are not sufficient?

[Mrs May]

Other powers will be available to control parking, such as barriers and ticketing. I suggest that the hon. Gentleman point out to his constituent the experience in Scotland, where such clamping was banned in 1992, I think. No problems have arisen from that change, so that is a good example for him to consider.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Gavin Shuker

Monday 24th January 2011 Commons Chamber

[Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Lab/Co-op)]

17. What recent assessment she has made of the extent of the activities of the English Defence League.

[The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mrs Theresa May)]

The Government work with a range of partners to assess the activities of the English Defence League and its impact on communities, in order to inform Government policy on tackling extremism, promoting integration and managing public order challenges.

[Gavin Shuker]

On Saturday 5 February, the English Defence League will rally in Luton, leading to the biggest police operations in Bedfordshire’s history. Although there are undoubted concerns about short-term public order offences, does the Home Secretary share my concern and that of many of my constituents about the long-term effects on community cohesion resulting from this extremist group?

[Mrs May]

I do indeed share concerns about the EDL, its actions and its impact on communities when it marches. As I understand it, Bedfordshire police are looking very carefully at the policing arrangements for the march in Luton. We should all be aware of the damage that the EDL’s divisive message can do to communities.