Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that the democratic right to protest is maintained through the provisions of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

The freedom to peacefully protest across the country is a fundamental right that this Government is proud to support. Most protest activity in this country does not require a police response and we expect that to continue. The public order measures in the PCSC Bill are targeted at non-violent protests that cause serious disruption to the lives of others.

As with all existing powers to manage protests the police must not act incompatibly with the European Convention on Human Rights, namely articles 10 and 11 on the freedoms of expression and assembly, when making use of these measures.