Police: Sarah Everard Vigils Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Home Office

Police: Sarah Everard Vigils

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park Excerpts
Wednesday 17th March 2021

(3 years, 8 months ago)

Lords Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Wasserman Portrait Lord Wasserman (Con) [V]
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend the Minister and her ministerial colleagues in the Home Office on giving police and crime commissioners their unequivocal support for the internal review of PCCs, the findings of which were announced earlier this week. I express my hope that the electorate across England and Wales will be encouraged by this review to turn out and vote on 6 May for their local PCC. Given that it now appears that PCCs will be with us for some time, does the Minister agree that PCCs should make it a priority to develop close working relationships with their chief constables so that the operational decisions of their chiefs on matters such as the policing of vigils and other major events are publicly supported by the local PCC on the basis that they had been fully consulted about them beforehand?

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park Portrait The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) (Con)
- Hansard - -

Before the Minister responds, could I ask noble Lords to please keep their questions brief?

Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con) [V]
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his kind words, and of course PCCs have our full support. It is absolutely crucial that the various agencies communicate with each other when such events are to take place and that PCCs are fully keyed into those events. For the most part, the events held over the weekend went very peacefully.