Local Resilience Forums

Baroness Pidgeon Excerpts

Thursday 16th April 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

My noble friend Lord Hanson, who has the next Question, may be better placed to answer that question. I agree that there was a real error made in decriminalising shoplifting. We are addressing that now and work is being done on it. As the noble Lord, Lord Hogan-Howe, carries on his review of police structures, which will report this summer, the Home Office is absolutely committed to ensuring that local policing remains at the heart of any changes to force structures. The policing White Paper is clear that responsive local policing will be guaranteed through local policing areas, with local officers focused on tackling the epidemic of everyday local crime. That undermines our communities; it causes great distress in them, and both our mayors and our police service want to tackle that as quickly as possible.

[Baroness Pidgeon (LD)]

My Lords, with the establishment of new strategic authorities, the Minister has indicated that the Government plan to publish guidance on their duties and responsibilities. Can the Minister confirm that this guidance will clearly cover how these authorities and their mayors can most effectively work with local resilience forums going forward, and key partners, to ensure we continue collaboration, co-ordinated working and, importantly, operational readiness for major incidents?