Oral Answers to Questions Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Laurence Turner Excerpts
Monday 29th July 2024

(3 months, 3 weeks ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Alex Barros-Curtis Portrait Mr Alex Barros-Curtis (Cardiff West) (Lab)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

13. What steps her Department is taking to tackle antisocial behaviour.

Laurence Turner Portrait Laurence Turner (Birmingham Northfield) (Lab)
- Hansard - -

15. What steps her Department is taking to tackle antisocial behaviour.

Leigh Ingham Portrait Leigh Ingham (Stafford) (Lab)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

16. What steps her Department is taking to tackle antisocial behaviour.

--- Later in debate ---
Laurence Turner Portrait Laurence Turner
- View Speech - Hansard - -

Crime and antisocial behaviour was the No. 1 issue on the doorstep during the election, and my constituents in Birmingham Northfield are paying the price for years of cuts to community services and neighbourhood policing. Figures released last week show that there was a 10% fall in recorded crime in Birmingham last year, but the number of shoplifting reports was up by a third. Will the Minister arrange a meeting with me, Simon Foster the West Midlands police and crime commissioner, and Birmingham city council, to discuss how respect orders and other measures can reduce the crime and antisocial behaviour that is blighting our communities?

Diana Johnson Portrait Dame Diana Johnson
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

My hon. Friend is absolutely right about this being one of the top issues on the doorstep during the general election campaign. It is worth reflecting on the fact that the powers in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 actually weakened the response to antisocial behaviour, and for far too long the Conservatives wrote this off as just low-level crime. That is why we are introducing respect orders and stronger powers for the police to tackle persistent antisocial behaviour offenders and get them out of our town centres. Of course I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss this issue.