Crimes of Violence

(asked on 27th January 2020) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made on implementing the conclusions of the Serious Violence Strategy.


Answered by
Victoria Atkins Portrait
Victoria Atkins
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
This question was answered on 5th February 2020

Since publishing the Serious Violence Strategy in April 2018, we have now delivered major commitments and actions. This includes:

  • establishing the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre;
  • delivering in Offensive Weapons Act;
  • investing £220 million in early intervention and prevention initiatives to support children and young people at risk of exploitation and involvement in serious violence, through the £22 million Early Intervention Youth Fund and £200 million Youth Endowment Fund; and,
  • appointing Dame Carol Black to lead a major review that is looking into the ways in which drugs are fuelling serious violence.

The work to tackle serious violence is ongoing and evolves according to the knowledge and understanding of our partners and the changing methodologies of criminals.

The Government is also recruiting 20,000 extra police officers over the next three years, ensuring violent criminals face swift and robust sentencing and expanding stop and search powers. As announced in the Queen’s Speech we are also introducing the Serious Violence Bill, which will put a duty on police, councils and health authorities to prevent and reduce serious violence. We have announced an additional £25 million of targeted investment to increase our efforts to tackle county lines, including expanding the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre. And through the Serious Violence Fund we have provided £100million in 2019/20 to the 18 police force areas worst affected by serious violence. A further £35 million was announced for Violence Reduction Units for 2020/21 on 29 December 2019.

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