Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Bridgen Excerpts
Monday 15th July 2013

(11 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Jeremy Browne Portrait Mr Browne
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No, I do not agree. I agree with the Labour Chair of the Home Affairs Committee, the right hon. Member for Leicester East (Keith Vaz), who said:

“I very much welcome the Government’s decision to overhaul the statutory framework for tackling anti-social behaviour.”

While I am at it, I also agree with the chief constable of Thames Valley police who said:

“The fact is, the experience has been that the ASBOs have been quite bureaucratic, in terms of securing them, and maybe not as effective at tackling the problem as we hoped.”

Andrew Bridgen Portrait Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)
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Figures from the Ministry of Justice show that of all ASBOs issued up to the end of 2011, 57% were breached at least once and 42% were breached more than once. What steps will my hon. Friend take to reform antisocial behaviour laws to better clamp down on offenders?

Jeremy Browne Portrait Mr Browne
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My hon. Friend is right to draw the attention of the House to the serious failings of the ASBO system. As I said in my initial answer, the replacement measures will be more streamlined, efficient and effective, and will reduce antisocial behaviour across the country.