Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of police response to reports of antisocial behaviour in Newport West.

The Government is committed to tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour (ASB). We know the serious impact that persistent anti-social behaviour can have on both individuals and communities.

We provided the police, local authorities, and other local agencies with a range of tools and powers that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to ASB through the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

However, it is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers 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.

Home Office statutory guidance was updated in January 2021. It supports for local areas to make effective use of the anti-social behaviour powers. The guidance highlights the importance of multi-agency approaches (this is not limited to use of powers).

On 20 April, I was delighted to chair a roundtable with PCCs to share best practice in responding to ASB.