Oral Answers to Questions

Peter Swallow Excerpts

Monday 21st October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Peter Swallow (Bracknell) (Lab)]

8. What steps her Department is taking to improve neighbourhood policing.

[Deirdre Costigan (Ealing Southall) (Lab)]

24. What steps her Department is taking to improve neighbourhood policing.

--- Later in debate ---

[Yvette Cooper]

My hon. Friend makes an important point. This is a challenge we are facing across the country. The proportion of people saying that they barely ever see the police is now nearly half, up from a quarter when the Conservatives came to power in 2010. This has been deeply damaging to public confidence, and we need the police back on the beat, but they also need the powers to act. That is why we will also bring forward new powers to tackle shoplifting and antisocial behaviour, especially in our town centres.

[Peter Swallow]

Residents in Bracknell are concerned about the increasing numbers of drug users and dealers on our streets. I raised this issue when I recently met our neighbourhood policing team. What more support can be given to local police and other local services to get drug dealers off our streets?

[Yvette Cooper]

My hon. Friend makes an important point. Drug dealing, drug misuse and other forms of antisocial behaviour and crime are a real challenge in many communities. First, we need to get neighbourhood police back on the beat to address these challenges. Secondly, neighbourhood police need greater powers, and we will introduce respect orders that allow the police to take action against repeat offenders and to make sure that our streets and communities can be kept safe.