Disabled Children: Online and Verbal Abuse Debate

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Department: Home Office

Disabled Children: Online and Verbal Abuse

Lord Touhig Excerpts
Wednesday 18th October 2017

(7 years ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait Baroness Williams of Trafford
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I do not agree with the noble Baroness in the sense that reporting has hugely increased. In fact, only this morning I was at the National Black Police Officers Association talking about the very subject of hate crime and getting diversity into the workforce. I disagree about police numbers because the police have the resources that they need to concentrate on the priorities they think are important, and they hold huge reserves.

Lord Touhig Portrait Lord Touhig (Lab)
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My Lords, police data on disability hate crime does not discriminate between offences against people with learning difficulties and autism and all other disabilities, yet research shows that more than 70% of people with learning disabilities and autism experience hate crime. Does the Minister agree that we need to record these offences differently if we are to combat them effectively?

Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait Baroness Williams of Trafford
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I am aware that disability hate crime is not disaggregated in terms of autism and learning difficulties. Faith hate crime is disaggregated in certain police forces. I know that Greater Manchester Police disaggregates faith-related hate crime. I will take that back, but no matter that the police do not disaggregate it, we absolutely need to deal with it with full force because it is utterly unacceptable.