Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Simon Wright Excerpts
Monday 11th February 2013

(11 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Mark Harper Portrait Mr Harper
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This is an area where there are often legal judgments by the European Court of Justice that we have to take into account. We have to change the immigration rules accordingly before we can process applications. That is the sort of thing that tends to cause the delays, rather than what my hon. Friend suggests. If he has any particular cases that have to be dealt with urgently for whatever reason, I suggest that he write to me and I will do what I can to expedite them.

Simon Wright Portrait Simon Wright (Norwich South) (LD)
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14. What steps she is taking to enable local communities to tackle antisocial behaviour.

Jeremy Browne Portrait The Minister of State, Home Department (Mr Jeremy Browne)
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The Government have published a draft Bill that sets out measures that will put victims and communities at the heart of the response to antisocial behaviour. It includes the community trigger, which will give people the power to make agencies take persistent problems seriously; the community remedy, which will give victims a say in the punishment of offenders out of court; and faster, more effective powers to enable front-line professionals better to protect the public.

Simon Wright Portrait Simon Wright
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Much of the antisocial behaviour experienced by my constituents in Norwich is associated with excess alcohol consumption. I welcome the new early morning restriction orders, but I urge the Government to end the abundant supply of pocket-money priced alcohol in response to their recent consultation on alcohol pricing.

Jeremy Browne Portrait Mr Browne
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My hon. Friend is right to remind the House that in October the Government introduced early morning restriction orders along with a provision on the charging of a late-night levy as part of a package of measures to deal with concerns that had been brought to our attention about alcohol licensing and consumption. He will know that the consultation on minimum unit pricing and other alcohol-related measures finished last week. We will consider properly the representations that we have received and make an announcement in due course.