Oral Answers to Questions

Matt Turmaine Excerpts

Monday 13th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Patrick Hurley (Southport) (Lab)]

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

[Matt Turmaine (Watford) (Lab)]

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

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare) (Lab)]

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

--- Later in debate ---

[Shabana Mahmood]

First, let me say to my hon. Friend that this is not a pilot; it is the real thing. I have made funding available to every force area in the country to take part in this national crackdown. In addition, I have provided enhanced funding to three hotspot areas where the need is greatest. I would say that success means more shops closed, more criminals arrested and more cash seized.

[Matt Turmaine]

I thank the Secretary of State for her answer. Residents in my constituency of Watford are concerned about crime on the high street, whether that is theft, antisocial drinking and drug use, or violence and hate crime. Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is only thanks to this Labour Government that we are finally getting a grip and dealing with it?

[Shabana Mahmood]

We are certainly starting on that long road to making all our communities safe. We have made good progress so far in this Parliament, with knife crime and knife homicides down very significantly. There are of course 3,000 additional police officers and police community support officers in neighbourhood policing as well. We will make more progress as the Government roll out the measures in our Crime and Policing Act 2026, as well as the wider high streets strategy, which includes the crackdown I have announced, but is part of wider work with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.