Business of the House
Debate between Harpreet Uppal and Lucy Powell(2 months, 4 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Harpreet Uppal (Huddersfield) (Lab)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and as a fellow Yorkshire woman I welcome you to your place.
On a recent walk around Huddersfield town centre, I found that tackling antisocial behaviour and retail theft were important priorities for my constituents and small businesses. Could the Leader of the House allow time for a debate on tackling those important issues?
Lucy Powell
My hon. Friend will know that under the previous Government, retail crime was effectively decriminalised. Those seeking to shoplift, sometimes on an industrial scale and in a very organised fashion, were completely let off the hook. That is why we are committed to rectifying that situation in our forthcoming criminal justice Bill, to tackle the scourge of retail crime.