Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what evidence the Department considered in concluding that existing premises closure order powers are insufficient; what estimate has been made of the number of cases in which current maximum closure periods were considered inadequate; whether police forces have been asked to provide evidence supporting legislative change; whether an impact assessment or post-implementation review of the existing regime has been completed; and whether she will publish the evidence underpinning the consultation.

Since the High Street Organised Crime Unit was launched earlier this year, the Unit has been engaging the full range of stakeholders to understand the challenges faced by local responders in tackling high street illegality and the actions required to address them. Stakeholders, including from Trading Standards and law enforcement have repeatedly advised on the need for closure orders to be increased to bring about long-term disruption against those behind high street illegality. The Unit drew on reports such as that of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute which provided statistics on the scale of the problem, and included a number of recommendations, including in relation to closure powers hidden-in-plain-sight-tackling-crime-on-the-uks-high-streets.pdf

The matter was also raised in Parliament during the passage of the Crime and Policing Act, which led to a concessionary Government amendment, giving the Government the power to extend the maximum duration of closure orders via regulations, subject to the Government consulting those persons the Secretary of State considered appropriate. The issue has since been raised in Westminster Hall debates with calls for closure powers to be strengthened.

As part of the targeted consultation the Home Office launched on 19 June, views are being sought on increasing the duration of closure orders from those involved in the response, including the police and Trading Standards, as well as businesses and business associations themselves. The consultation will close at the end of July. The Home Office will then collate and analyse the responses. A Written Ministerial Statement be laid before Parliament.