Stop and Search

Debate between Suella Braverman and Desmond Swayne

Monday 19th June 2023 Commons Chamber

[Suella Braverman]

As I said, the use of stop and search is, at its core, about saving lives and preventing crime—that is what it is about. I have been incredibly encouraged and reassured by the evidence emerging from local forces. In Manchester, for example, Chief Constable Stephen Watson has said that a 260% increase in the use of stop and search over a defined period correlated with a 50% reduction in firearms discharges and a fall in the number of complaints. I think there is a concerted effect to improve and increase the way in which stop and search is applied. It must be applied judiciously, proportionately and legitimately, but it is a vital tool in saving lives.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Of the 220,000 arrests, how many were for repeat offences, and of those, how many resulted in a custodial sentence?

[Suella Braverman]

My right hon. Friend makes a very good point. That is exactly why we are piloting serious violence reduction orders, which empower the police to place an order on an individual who already has a conviction for a knife-related offence and give police greater powers to stop them should they breach the terms of their order. The initial reports are very positive about the way this extra power is being used by the police.

Antisocial Behaviour Action Plan

Debate between Suella Braverman and Desmond Swayne

Monday 27th March 2023 Commons Chamber

[Suella Braverman]

As Home Secretary, my responsibility covers police forces in England and Wales only, but I have met senior police officers in Northern Ireland. They do a great job and, within the realms of what is appropriate, I am always happy to liaise with them and support them in whatever way I can.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Will the plan end the opportunity to complete community service orders by working from home?

[Suella Braverman]

I do not envisage working from home to be used as a way of remedying the damage caused by antisocial behaviour. What I foresee, building on the very effective community payback scheme that we rolled out throughout the country, is people involved in graffiti, vandalism and criminal damage having to roll up their sleeves and make amends in real and direct ways to the community they have harmed. The consequence linked to their actions will send a powerful message and teach them a powerful lesson.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Suella Braverman and Desmond Swayne

Monday 6th February 2023 Commons Chamber

[Suella Braverman]

I am sorry, but the hon. Gentleman is living on another planet if he thinks that everybody who is coming to this country on a small boat—breaking our laws, putting themselves at risk, and paying huge amounts of money to unlawful and criminal people smugglers—is welcome. Those people should not be taking that journey, and there will be a robust response from our laws if they continue to do so.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

T8. What is being done to reduce the impact of fraud?

Migration and Economic Development

Debate between Suella Braverman and Desmond Swayne

Monday 19th December 2022 Commons Chamber

[Suella Braverman]

What I think is clear is that there are evident challenges with the way in which international conventions and agreements relating to migration are working in the 21st century. I think there are legitimate questions that, at an international level, all nation states are grappling with; I have seen that at first hand when I have spoken to my counterparts in the Calais group or other international partners. There is an unprecedented scale of illegal migration and there is unprecedented pressure on domestic resources. I think that looking at how we can forge a new set of agreements to work better together is definitely a reasonable approach.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Were more safe and legal routes to be made available, they would quickly be taken up and the trade in small boats would then continue unabated—wouldn’t it?

[Suella Braverman]

Yes.

Western Jet Foil and Manston Asylum Processing Centres

Debate between Suella Braverman and Desmond Swayne

Monday 31st October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Suella Braverman]

I set out those details in the letter today and I have made it clear that there were no issues about national security being compromised.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

I thank the Home Secretary for her dedication and the work that she is doing. What are the prospects of securing an alternative airline carrier to make the Rwanda plan a reality?

[Suella Braverman]

I am committed to delivering the Rwanda plan, which took a huge amount of work and commitment by my right hon. Friend the Member for Witham (Priti Patel) and the former Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson), and is crucial to our multifaceted approach to the problem. We can look at the Australian experience of tackling a similar problem, and they would say that one very powerful tool was had from the moment at which they could return people or move them out of the territory to Papua New Guinea or Nauru. That had a massive deterrent effect, and that is what we want to deploy.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Suella Braverman and Desmond Swayne

Thursday 24th September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill.

[The Attorney General (Suella Braverman)]

I regularly meet the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to discuss important issues of common interest. The United Kingdom Internal Market Bill is an essential and landmark piece of legislation, which will safeguard and enrich our precious Union. The Bill is a prudent step to create a legal safety net and to take powers in reserve, whereby Ministers can guarantee the integrity of the UK and protect the peace process.

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

So it does not break any law, does it?

[The Attorney General]

Consideration of and voting for this Bill do not constitute a breach of the law. However, there are powers in the Bill which, if and when exercised, will operate to disapply treaty obligations at the international law level—in particular, article 4 of the withdrawal agreement, and articles 5 and 10 of the Northern Ireland protocol. Parliamentary supremacy means that it is entirely constitutional and proper for Parliament to enact legislation, even if it breaches international treaty obligations. I am glad that my right hon. Friend voted in support of section 38 of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020, which made it clear that parliamentary supremacy will prevail over international law.