Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Public Space Protection Orders in reducing antisocial behaviours; and what the evidential basis of that assessment is.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of tools and powers, including Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO) that they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour.

In November 2023, the Home Office published a report on GOV.UK which looked at police perceptions of powers within the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which can be found on the GOV.UK website.

It is for local authorities to decide how best to effectively implement PSPOs depending on the specific circumstances. They are best placed to understand what is driving the behaviour in question, the impact that it is having, and to determine the most appropriate response.

The Government recently announced Respect Orders, which will be introduced in the forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill. Respect Orders can be applied for by police and local councils and are issued by the courts. They will enable courts to place wide-ranging restrictions on the behaviour of the most persistent and disruptive ASB offenders. They will include a power of arrest for any suspected breach, meaning officers can take action quickly to disrupt ongoing ASB. Breach will be a criminal offence, which is heard in the criminal courts with a wide range of sentencing options, including community orders, unlimited fines and, for the most severe cases, up to two years’ imprisonment.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) diplomatic and (b) operational steps his Department has taken to help secure the release of (i) Emily Damari and (ii) other hostages held by Hamas in the last three months; how many (A) instances of direct engagement and (B) negotiations involving UK officials have taken place in this period; and what measurable outcomes he can provide to demonstrate progress in this area.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We have consistently supported hostage talks, and continue to work alongside our allies and partners in the region, exercising every possible diplomatic lever to see the hostages immediately and unconditionally released. Negotiations remain the best chance to get hostages home to their loved ones, and we call on all parties to return to the negotiating table. It is utterly appalling that hostages taken by Hamas terrorists on 7 October are still being held captive, including one British national, Emily Damari, and three other hostages with strong British links. In support of the ongoing hostage rescue activity, the UK Ministry of Defence conducts surveillance flights over the Eastern Mediterranean, including operating in airspace over Israel and Gaza. Surveillance aircraft are unarmed, do not have a combat role and are tasked solely to locate hostages.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much (a) United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and (b) Lincolnshire Community Health Services spent on (i) translation and (ii) interpretation services in each of the last five years.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The following table shows the amount of money United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust spent on translation and interpretation services each of the last five financial years:

In addition, the following table shows the amount of money Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust spent on translation and interpretation services in each of the last five financial years:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, spend on translation and interpretation services reduced due to the reduction in planned activity across the providers’ sites. Since then, providers have significantly increased the number of patients they see and treat, which has resulted in increased interpretation and translation costs.

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