Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Lord Stunell

Monday 7th July 2014 Commons Chamber

[Sir Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove) (LD)]

Does the Home Secretary agree that essential to restoring the public’s confidence in the immigration system is not just counting people into the UK, but counting them out of the UK? What progress is being made on that?

[Mrs May]

I can tell my right hon. Friend that this Government are committed to introducing exit checks by the time of the next general election. We have a programme that is working well; we already receive a significant amount of information on people exiting the country from the advance passenger information, provided through the airline industry. I have had discussions with representatives of the rail industry and our ports on how we can ensure that we are also getting exit checks for those who travel out of this country by rail and by sea.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness May of Maidenhead and Lord Stunell

Monday 10th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Sir Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove) (LD)]

1. What resources her Department is making available at a local level to help tackle the harmful effects on communities of excessive drinking.

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

The Government are providing direct support to 20 areas in England and Wales, including Greater Manchester, to tackle the harmful effects of excessive drinking, particularly alcohol-fuelled crime and disorder. We have also overhauled the Licensing Act 2003, giving local areas the tools and powers they need to deal with problem premises, and to secure a financial contribution towards policing the night-time economy.

[Sir Andrew Stunell]

I thank the Home Secretary for that answer, and particularly for the work that will be done in Greater Manchester. May I draw her attention to the plea of the director of public health for Stockport, who is concerned that the action of the alcohol industry is, to some extent, holding licensing authorities to ransom? Will she include that in her consideration of this important matter?

[Mrs May]

My right hon. Friend makes an important point, and we want to ensure that licensing authorities can use the tools and powers that the Government have given them. We gave them those tools and powers for a very good reason and because of our concern on two counts relating to alcohol abuse and the problems that arise from it—the cost to the police and society generally of crime and disorder related to alcohol, and also the health costs that arise.