Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes in police officer numbers on the ability of police to respond to anti-social behaviour.
Answered by Nick Hurd
Chief Officers and Police and Crime Commissioners are responsible for local operational decisions including allocating appropriate resources to tackle anti-social behaviour. The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police with a wide range of powers to tackle all forms of anti-social behaviour effectively. We have therefore not made any specific assessment of the changes on police officer numbers to respond to anti-social behaviour.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of the level of the 2018-2019 policing budget on police numbers in Northumbria for (a) 2019-20 and (b) 2020-21.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The 2018/19 police funding settlement provided additional flexibility for forces to increase funding through council tax precept and protected Government grant funding to Police and Crime Commissioners in cash terms. The Northumbria PCC used this flexibility and saw an increase in direct resource funding of £5.2m this year.
The size and composition of the police workforce is a local decision for PCCs and Chief Constables.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the rates of financial assistance provided through asylum support.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
The most recent assessment of the adequacy of the asylum support rates is set out in a report published in March 2018, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-on-review-of-cash-allowance-paid-to-asylum-seekers.
We are currently undertaking a further review of the rates and have consulted key stakeholders in the normal way.
The consultation period has now ended and a decision on whether the rates should change will be made shortly.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to measure the effectiveness of police forces' use of drones in response to (a) motorbike, (b) off-road bike and (c) moped related crimes.
Answered by Nick Hurd
Decisions to use drones and in which circumstances are operational matters for the police.
In a study published on 30 November HMICFRS recommended that the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) publish an Air support strategy to consider how drones, rotary and fixed wing aircraft are most effectively used by police forces. The NPCC has accepted this recommendation.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of police forces using drones in response to (a) motorbike, (b) off-road bike and (c) moped related crimes.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Home Office does not collect data on the number of police forces operating drones. Deployment of drones is an operational decision for forces.
In a study published on 30 November HMICFRS reported that 28 Police Forces use drones.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, many police forces in England and Wales use drones in response to (a) motorbike, (b) off-road bike and (c) moped related crimes.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Home Office does not collect data on the number of police forces operating drones. Deployment of drones is an operational decision for forces.
In a study published on 30 November HMICFRS reported that 28 Police Forces use drones.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, why statistics on motorcycle, off-road bike and moped-related crimes and anti-social behaviour are not centrally kept.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Home Office is currently reviewing the law and guidance surrounding police pursuits and response driving, including whether current arrangements need to be changed to ensure that officers who engage in pursuit have the right legal protections. We will finish the review early next year.
The statutory basis for data collection, the Annual Data Requirement (ADR) process, is set by the Police Act 1996. This process works closely with the policy and operational colleagues, other government departments, National Policing Leads and other key police stakeholders to ensure that routine statistical data required on police forces remains proportionate and justified and eliminates unnecessary burdens. This ensures a proper balance between the accountability and efficiency of police operations.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of police pursuit strategies across England and Wales in reducing moped, motorbike and off-road bike-related crimes and anti-social behaviour.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Home Office is currently reviewing the law and guidance surrounding police pursuits and response driving, including whether current arrangements need to be changed to ensure that officers who engage in pursuit have the right legal protections. We will finish the review early next year.
The statutory basis for data collection, the Annual Data Requirement (ADR) process, is set by the Police Act 1996. This process works closely with the policy and operational colleagues, other government departments, National Policing Leads and other key police stakeholders to ensure that routine statistical data required on police forces remains proportionate and justified and eliminates unnecessary burdens. This ensures a proper balance between the accountability and efficiency of police operations.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many motorists have been penalised for using a handheld mobile telephone while driving since 1 March 2017.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Home Office does not hold information for the time period requested.
The Home Office publishes data on the number of fixed penalty notice (FPNs) issued for ‘use of a handheld mobile phone while driving’ in the ‘Police Powers and Procedures, England and Wales’ statistical publication.
The latest available data covers the calendar year 2015, and can be found here:
Data for the calendar year 2016 will be published in autumn 2017.