Oral Answers to Questions

Nickie Aiken Excerpts

Monday 27th June 2022 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

No, but there is more to do.

[Nickie Aiken (Cities of London and Westminster) (Con)]

I was very proud when this Government repealed the Vagrancy Act 1824 under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, and the last thing we should do is demonise and criminalise people who rough-sleep and beg. I absolutely appreciate that there can be antisocial behaviour with aggressive begging, but we have legislation —more robust and more modern legislation—that deals with that. Therefore, I was concerned to see that clause 187 of the new Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill disregards the repeal of the Vagrancy Act. When is a repeal not a repeal?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The question was too long.