Oral Answers to Questions

Gill German Excerpts

Monday 26th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Graeme Downie (Dunfermline and Dollar) (Lab)]

8. What steps she is taking to tackle antisocial behaviour.

[Gill German (Clwyd North) (Lab)]

10. What steps she is taking to tackle antisocial behaviour.

[Alex McIntyre (Gloucester) (Lab)]

15. What steps she is taking to tackle antisocial behaviour.

--- Later in debate ---

[Sarah Jones]

I am very happy to work with anybody who is committed to tackling antisocial behaviour. The Government have introduced not just respect orders, but extended dispersal directions. We have raised the maximum fixed penalties for public spaces protection orders from £100 to £500. We are passing legislation, putting neighbourhood police into our neighbourhoods and tackling antisocial behaviour.

[Gill German]

My recent Pride in Place survey in Rhyl found that antisocial behaviour such as street drinking and fly-tipping is putting many people off visiting their own town centre. With respect orders coming into force today, what guidance is being given to police to make good use of them against repeat offenders so that people want to visit their own town centre again?

[Sarah Jones]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and I suspect that a lot of similar conversations are happening on Pride in Place boards across England and Wales. In north Wales we have seen an increase of some 60 officers in neighbourhoods since 2015, which will make a very big difference. I have talked to every police force across the country, written to all the chief constables and met all the different agencies that are part of respect orders, and everyone is lined up to do this work. Guidance has been published, and I look forward to seeing the first court cases—hopefully this week.

Community Policing: Government Support

Gill German Excerpts

Wednesday 21st October 2026 Westminster Hall

[Gill German (Clwyd North) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Lewell. For me, community policing is about whether people feel safe in their neighbourhoods, high streets or town centres. It is about public confidence that, when concerns are raised, there will be a visible police presence that knows the community and responds effectively. That is why long-term, consistent funding matters. Trust takes years to build and minutes to lose. Officers and PCSOs need the stability to develop relationships within communities and become familiar faces.

Community policing is also vital in supporting local businesses. Of course, this debate takes place just ahead of USDAW’s Respect for Shopworkers Week, and we all know that retail workers increasingly face abuse, threats and violence simply for doing their jobs. The Crime and Policing Act 2026 is crucial to ensure that the police have the powers they need to tackle low-level offending, and now we must ensure that the powers are matched by the resources and policing presence to enforce them.

I will conclude with the story of an incredible police constable, Jake Hart, who was chasing suspects down the road in Rhyl, when a young boy offered him his bicycle to complete the pursuit. That is not quite the high-tech crime-fighting equipment usually discussed here, but it is a wonderful example of community spirit. More importantly, it showed a young person who trusted the police enough to want to help. It is so important for that trust to be kept—it is invaluable, and it is worth investing in.

Oral Answers to Questions

Gill German Excerpts

Monday 13th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Harpreet Uppal (Huddersfield) (Lab)]

20. What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the high streets organised crime unit.

[Gill German (Clwyd North) (Lab)]

22. What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the high streets organised crime unit.

[The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Shabana Mahmood)]

Last year saw over 3,000 illegitimate premises raided and nearly 1,000 arrests, and I have provided £30 million of additional funding over the next three years to go even further. As a result, thousands more businesses will be raided, hundreds of people will be arrested and millions in cash will be seized as part of a permanent national crackdown.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

I call Harpreet Uppal—not here.

[Gill German]

Many seaside towns, like Rhyl and Colwyn Bay in my Clwyd North constituency, are working really hard to regenerate their high streets and attract investment. Can the Home Secretary confirm that the high streets organised crime unit will ensure that coastal towns facing issues with organised criminal activity receive the same support as larger urban centres?

[Shabana Mahmood]

Let me very clearly offer my hon. Friend that reassurance. The nationwide crackdown, which is led by the National Crime Agency, will involve enforcement activity across the country, including in coastal areas like hers. Enhanced funding is currently available for all police forces to bid for, via the National Crime Agency, and I would encourage her to make sure that her force is involved.

Town and City Centre Safety

Gill German Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd February 2026 Westminster Hall

[Gill German (Clwyd North) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Derby South (Baggy Shanker) for securing the debate.

Improving community safety in Clwyd North is one of my top priorities. It has been great to work alongside North Wales police through meetings and walkabouts, and to talk directly to retail workers and residents out and about in the town centre. I have seen how antisocial behaviour is being tackled through better community cohesion. Local PCSOs and shopkeepers are connected by radio in our town centres, staying in regular contact so that they can quickly share information about what is happening on the street and, crucially, step in when issues arise. That kind of everyday co-operation is making a difference by deterring antisocial behaviour before it escalates, reassuring residents and businesses with a visible presence, and bringing a sense of order and safety, which is so important. That really matters because it shows people that antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated, and that our communities, and crucially our high streets, belong to the law-abiding majority.

We have got more PCSOs in every Clwyd North neighbourhood with a named officer in each one. We have got local initiatives, such as Operation Restore and Operation Vroom, to tackle violent offences, antisocial behaviour and persistent nuisance behaviour like e-bikes and disruption on our streets. In short, I can see first hand from being out and about in Clwyd North that Government-backed initiatives are being backed up by the local police’s confidence to really tackle issues. We have more PCSOs in our neighbourhoods, safer streets and stronger local communities. It makes a real difference and makes people feel secure.

Oral Answers to Questions

Gill German Excerpts

Monday 15th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Shabana Mahmood]

That definition sought to give context to patterns of behaviour. Let me be clear for the hon. Gentleman and the whole House: there is absolutely no excuse for, or hiding of, the criminality of those who engage in heinous crimes such as those involving rape or grooming gangs. That is why the Government will take forward the Casey recommendations and have that national inquiry. He knows that the Government are working with a working group on a definition of Islamophobia. We have been absolutely clear that we will not pursue any measures that would impinge on our ancient right of freedom of speech.

[Gill German (Clwyd North) (Lab)]

Ensuring that our town centres are safe, vibrant and welcoming is hugely important in Clwyd North. I warmly welcome the Government’s safer streets summer initiative in Rhyl and Colwyn Bay. From walkabouts I have done recently with local police, it is clear that a strong community police presence is crucial to tackling antisocial behaviour where it arises. Will the Home Secretary ensure that North Wales police have all the resources they need all year around in Rhyl, Denbigh, Abergele and Colwyn Bay to help build back our town centres?

[Sarah Jones]

So far, we have had really good feedback from over 500 town centres that have taken part in the safer streets summer initiative. That initiative finishes at the end of September, so we will have proper analysis then, but it is our priority to ensure that our police have the resources they need all year round.

Licensing Hours Extension Bill

Gill German Excerpts

2nd reading
Friday 17th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Gill German (Clwyd North) (Lab)]

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Andrew Ranger) on his private Member’s Bill, and I am proud to be a named supporter.

As a Welsh MP, I know that few things unite Welsh people like supporting our rugby and football teams, and love for our local pubs runs deep. Places such as the Mayquay in Kinmel bay, the Mason’s Arms in Denbigh and the Station in Colwyn bay are vibrant hubs of our communities, and they bring people together during moments of national significance. This Bill builds on that important role by ensuring that communities can gather for major events, while boosting local economies. I am sure that we have all heard from the hospitality sector in our constituencies about the challenges they have faced, particularly in recent years.

The hospitality industry is a fundamental part of Welsh culture, and it is vital to the economy of Clwyd North. However, pubs are closing at concerning rates across the UK, with the number of licensed premises down by 30% since 20 years ago. More needs to be done to encourage tourism in smaller pockets of the country, such as mine. In my view, supporting our pubs is a crucial step.

This Bill would bring together locals and visitors in north Wales during significant national sporting events, be they football, rugby or something else. I am proud to champion Welsh rugby union games at Parc Eirias in my constituency. I believe it is vital that we support such games in north Wales, and this Bill allows us more opportunity to celebrate successes together locally.

To be clear, this Bill is not about diminishing local authority control; it is about ensuring fairness and efficiency when large-scale events call for a national approach. Coming from a local authority background, I know that the provisions in the Bill would ease the pressures on councils and their licensing committees. It is a common-sense proposal that will unite communities, bolster the hospitality sector and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy. I urge Members from across the House to back this Bill.

Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

Gill German Excerpts

Thursday 16th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Yvette Cooper]

Yes, the victims and survivors panel will include people from right across the country. The inquiry into child sexual abuse had cross-party support, and I really hope that there will be cross-party support for implementing the action that we need, which I have set out today.

[Gill German (Clwyd North) (Lab)]

As my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby (John Slinger) pointed out, the victims and survivors panel really needs countrywide representation. Given that I am a Welsh MP, can the Secretary of State confirm that Welsh voices will be heard loud and clear?

[Yvette Cooper]

We will ensure that Welsh voices are heard loud and clear.