Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Karen Lumley and James Brokenshire

Monday 12th September 2011 Commons Chamber

[Karen Lumley (Redditch) (Con)]

11. What steps she is taking to reduce antisocial behaviour.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (James Brokenshire)]

This Government are clear that reducing antisocial behaviour is core business for the police and their local partners. Current action includes highlighting effective practice that will help professionals to improve their response to victims and communities, setting out proposals for more effective powers, and making more data available to the public.

[Karen Lumley]

We know that nearly two thirds of under-16-year-olds breach their antisocial behaviour orders. Will the Minister reassure my constituents that despite the protests of the shadow Home Secretary, ASBOs will be replaced with effective sanctions that will actually tackle antisocial behaviour?

[James Brokenshire]

My hon. Friend has made an important point about the measures available to professionals on the front line who are dealing with antisocial behaviour. We are keen to ensure that they have discretion to deal with problems in their localities, and can act speedily to bring relief to communities that are suffering from such behaviour. That is the focus of the Government, that is what we have been consulting on, and we will present our response to the consultation in due course.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Karen Lumley and James Brokenshire

Monday 28th June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Karen Lumley (Redditch) (Con)]

12. What progress she has made reviewing the retention on the national DNA database of records of those who have been neither charged nor convicted of a crime.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (James Brokenshire)]

The Government are committed to adopting the protections of the Scottish model for retaining the DNA profiles of those who have not been convicted of an offence. We will introduce our detailed proposals shortly.

[Karen Lumley]

Is the Minister aware that the previous Government failed to ensure that all prisoners were on the DNA database? Can he reassure the House that steps are being taken to fix that problem?

[James Brokenshire]

My hon. Friend makes a very important point. Despite their desire to retain DNA profiles indefinitely, the then Government did not focus on getting those who were convicted, possibly of serious offences, on to the database to ensure that it was effective in fighting crime. That is certainly something that we are looking at very closely in terms of the proposals that we will introduce in the House in due course.