Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Paul Maynard and Jeremy Browne

Monday 15th October 2012 Commons Chamber

[Paul Maynard (Blackpool North and Cleveleys) (Con)]

2. What steps she is taking to promote better recording of hate crimes against disabled, homosexual and transgender people.

[The Minister of State, Home Department (Mr Jeremy Browne)]

Tackling hate crime is an issue that the Government take very seriously, and we are committed to improving the recording of such crimes. Last month the Home Office published the first set of official statistics on hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales, which will help police forces and police and crime commissioners focus resources on where they are most needed.

[Paul Maynard]

Will the Minister join me in grimly welcoming the increase in reported disability hate crime, which is due not least to the efforts of the Government and individual Ministers to encourage an environment in which people feel able to report such crimes? That includes local initiatives such as the third-party reporting centre that we have opened in Blackpool.

[Mr Browne]

I strongly agree with my hon. Friend. One of the difficulties is giving people the confidence and the practical means to report hate crimes in the first place, but we are keen to encourage and facilitate that process. Of course, the level of recorded crime is sometimes higher although the baseline is the same or even falling because people are being encouraged to come forward, but we want them to come forward, and we are making it easier for them to do so.