Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle county lines drug trafficking and safeguard children from exploitation; and whether she plans to increase funding to (a) Enfield and Haringey Metropolitan Police Service, (b) Enfield Council and (c) grassroots community organisations in Enfield North constituency to help tackle drug trafficking and safeguard children from exploitation.

The Government recognises the devastating impact of county lines activity on children and vulnerable people.

We are determined to disrupt these ruthless gangs and put an end to exploitation. On 20 January the Government announced £40m of dedicated investment for 2021/22 to tackle drugs supply and county lines, doubling our investment from last year. This includes funding for The Metropolitan Police’s Operation Orochi, which provides a dedicated taskforce to tackle county lines activity.

Since it was launched, in November 2019, our County Lines Programme has already seen more than 780 lines closed, over 5,100 arrests, £2.9 million in cash and significant quantities of drugs seized, and more than 1,200 vulnerable people safeguarded.

In addition, we continue to fund specialist support available for those affected by county lines exploitation including through Missing People’s SafeCall service. This national service provides confidential, specialist advice and support to young people and their families/carers who are affected by county lines exploitation anywhere in England and Wales.

From 2019-2022, £105.5 million has been invested in multi-agency Violence Reduction Units (VRUs) in the 18 areas worst affected by serious violence, with £21,000,000 allocated to the MOPAC to develop the London Violence Reduction Unit.

We are also driving targeted action to respond to exploitation through the Home Office-funded Prevention Programme, delivered by The Children’s Society. The Prevention Programme has coordinators in each of the ten policing regions, including London.

This financial year, the Home Office is also continuing to fund Young People’s Advocates in London to support young women and girls at risk of or experiencing exploitation by gangs including county lines.