Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the issue of spiking in nightclubs, bars and pubs.

Reports of spiking, whether that is adding substances to drinks or injecting people with needles, are extremely concerning. We have every sympathy with victims and anyone who might feel unable to enjoy a night out without fear. No one should feel frightened or vulnerable when they go out. We utterly condemn the people who perpetrated those attacks, and they should be brought to justice. This is an issue that the Government takes very seriously.

The Home Secretary has already asked the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to urgently review the extent and scale of the issue, and we are receiving regular updates from the police. The police are working locally, regionally and nationally, including with our partners in the National Crime Agency.

The NPCC has convened a group of policing leads, including Deputy Chief Constable (DCC) Jason Harwin, the lead on drugs, and DCC Maggie Blyth, the Government’s new lead on violence against women and girls, which is meeting regularly, with the aim of understanding the issue and ensuring that there is a strong police response.

My officials are working closely with NPCC leads and wider government to understand the scale of the issue and identify solutions to bring these offenders to justice. 11. There are a range of initiatives around the country that are already taking multi-agency action that we can seek to learn from. Several areas have introduced safe spaces – areas where a combination of medical assistance, supervised recovery and other support services is provided to intoxicated, injured or vulnerable individuals.

The abhorrent crimes of spiking also speak to broader issues of violence against women and girls. We published our new cross-Government tackling violence against women and girls strategy this summer, to help to ensure that women and girls are safe everywhere. We are delivering a pilot £5 million safety of women at night fund, focused on preventing violence against women and girls in public spaces at night, particularly in the night-time economy. That is in addition to the £25 million safer streets fund, which focuses on improving public safety, with an emphasis on the safety of women and girls, and their feelings of safety in public spaces.