Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle aggressive begging.

Begging is a complex issue, though where it causes a nuisance or distress to communities, local areas need appropriate tools to maintain community safety.

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 already provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of flexible tools and powers to respond to ASB, including ASB that occurs in the context of begging.

The Home Office will be updating their statutory guidance to ensure it is clear to agencies how ASB powers could be used in this context if an individual’s aggressive begging reaches the ASB threshold. The Home Office have also introduced measures in the Crime and Policing Bill to tackle exploitative organised begging facilitated by others.