Contributions
1,139 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDStop and SearchI listen to frontline police officers and I look at the data when I make policy, and the police tell us that stop and search is a vital tool to crack down on criminals and to…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchWe have a range of orders, and one of them is being piloted—the serious violence reduction order. If there is any doubt about what I said, let me clarify: SVROs are for over-18s,…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchWe know that the use of body-worn video has increased dramatically throughout police forces, and it is now a significant element in the transparency and accountability. Several…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchMy hon. Friend raises a very good point. One of the big programmes of work that I am leading at the Home Office relates to freeing up police time and reducing bureaucracy, so that…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchAs I said, it is vital that stop and search is used judiciously, carefully, reasonably and proportionately, and that there is effective community engagement and scrutiny. There…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchI am very proud of what this Government have achieved when it comes to law and order. We have falling crime; we have a record number of police officers—ever, in the history of…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchThere are clear legal limits around the use of stop and search, and it is only applicable for over-18s—the section 60 power. It is vital that the police understand the use of the…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchI disagree with the hon. Lady’s characterisation. Last year, stop and search resulted in almost 67,000 arrests and removed around 14,900 weapons and firearms from our streets.…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchI do not accept that. Of course, there is nothing that any of us can say to someone who has lost a loved one to knife crime that will make it better, but tackling serious violence…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchAs 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…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchMy hon. Friend puts it very well. The police—our frontline partners who are dealing with this issue day in, day out; who have to break that tragic news to parents, every parent’s…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchMy 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…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchIn her inspectorate report of 2021, Wendy Williams confirmed that the majority of stop-and-search decisions were based on “reasonable grounds” —that is the legal test. She said…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchWith permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the police’s use of stop and search. It is utterly devastating when someone is killed by a weapon. Passivity is…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchThis Government and I fully support the police in the fair use of stop and search to crack down on violent crime and to protect communities. Every knife taken off our streets is…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchAs I mentioned in my statement, the Department is trialling a more sophisticated approach to calculating disparity, with a focus on the Metropolitan Police Service. That has…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchI fundamentally disagree with the hon. Lady’s proposition. Stop and search can be used in the case of drugs and it is largely used in those instances. It is a vital tool in the…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchI thank the right hon. Lady for her response. It is not just my view, but the view of police that stop and search is fundamentally about saving lives and keeping the public safe.…19 Jun 2023HANSARDStop and SearchMy right hon. Friend is absolutely right: stop and search is one tool in our armoury in the fight against violent crime. We have increased police resources and broader police…19 Jun 2023HANSARDDaniel Morgan Independent Panel Report: Government ResponseThe former Home Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), on 10 May 2013 announced the formation of the Daniel Morgan independent panel. Two years ago,…15 Jun 2023