Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the level of use of Community Protection Warnings in cases involving people experiencing a mental health crisis; and what guidance exists on the use of those powers.

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, 2014 (‘the 2014 Act’) provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of tools and powers that they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour. This includes Community Protection Warnings and Notices which can be used to stop a person aged 16 or over, business or organisation committing anti-social behaviour which spoils the community’s quality of life.

While the details of how the powers are used in individual cases are an operational matter, the Home Office provides statutory guidance to support local agencies in the use of the powers and tools in the 2014 Act. The guidance highlights the importance of considering the needs and circumstances of vulnerable perpetrators when applying the powers.

The Home Office does not currently collect data on the reasons why the ASB powers were issued.