Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle street crime against women and girls in Selby and Ainsty constituency.

On 27 March, the Government launched the Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/anti-social-behaviour-action-plan) ensuring the police, local authorities and other relevant agencies have the powers and tools they need to tackle the blight of anti-social behaviour facing communities across England and Wales.

The plan is backed by £160m of funding. This includes up to £60m to fund an increased police and other uniformed presence to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, targeting hotspots. Initially we are working with 10 police force areas, but from 2024 we will support a hotspot approach across every police force area in England and Wales. We are also providing up to £50m to support the provision of Immediate Justice, by issuing out of court disposals with conditions to swiftly repair any damage – the aim being for them to start within 48 hours of referral. This will start in 10 initial trailblazer police force areas and be rolled out across England and Wales from 2024.

The Government is committed to ensuring that women and girls both are and feel safe on our streets. We have supported Rt Hon. Greg Clark MP’s Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Bill, which is currently passing through the House of Lords. This provides that if someone commits an offence under section 4A of the Public Order Act 1986 (intentional harassment, alarm or distress) and does so because of the victim’s sex, they can receive a longer sentence.

Through Round 4 of the Safer Streets Fund, North Yorkshire PCC has been awarded approximately £809,000. The funding has been invested in a number of interventions aimed at tackling street harassment and stalking.