Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle violent assaults in Solihull constituency.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Tackling knife crime and violent assaults is a priority and the Government is determined to crack down on the scourge of violence devastating our communities.
As a result of the Government’s Police Uplift Programme (PUP) the West Midlands Force recruited 1,376 additional uplift officers against a total three-year allocation of 1,218 officers. On 31 March 2023, there were 8,067 police officers in West Midlands, a total growth of 1,376 additional officers against the baseline (6,691) at the start of the Police Uplift Programme.
The Government is proposing a total police funding settlement of up to £18.4 billion in 2024-25, an increase of up to £842.9 million when compared to 2023-24. Assuming full take up of precept flexibility, overall police funding available to PCCs will increase by up to £922.2 million (6.0% in cash terms). West Midlands funding will be up to £789.4 million for 2024/25, an increase of up to £50 million when compared to 2023/24.
West Midlands Police are delivering additional policing in their areas worst affected by serious violence via the Grip programme funding, including in Solihull City Centre. This is a combination of regular visible patrols in the streets and neighbourhoods (‘hotspot areas’) experiencing the highest volumes of serious violence to immediately suppress violence and provide community reassurance, and problem-oriented policing. Problem-oriented policing is bespoke to the local areas to tackle the local underlying drivers of crime, using a more comprehensive menu of policing interventions and enforcement. Interventions in the Force area have included targeted open space knife sweeps, knife crime education in schools, and conducting safeguarding referrals. Grip-funded analysts monitor operational police activity within the hotspots, as well as crime levels, to understand the effects of additional patrols on violent crime.
Violence Reduction Units (VRUs) bring together local partners to understand and tackle the drivers of serious violence in their area. They facilitate the sharing of data across organisational boundaries to build a shared understanding of the root causes of violence locally.
In the West Midlands its VRU delivers a range of preventative interventions, including Hospital and Custody Navigators (youth workers in settings steering young people away from violence at a ‘teachable moment’), cognitive behavioural therapy programmes and sports-based diversionary programmes.
Violence Reduction Units, in combination with Grip, have delivered a statistically significant reduction in hospital admissions for violent injuries since funding began in 2019 (an estimated 3,220 admissions have been prevented in areas where the programmes operate). VRUs have supported over 271,000 young people through funded initiatives in in their fourth year of operation alone.
We also recently consulted on new legislative proposals to tackle knife crime and as a result, in the Criminal Justice Bill, we have introduced provisions to provide more powers for police to seize knives held in private that could be used in crimes, increase the maximum penalty for the offences of selling prohibited weapons and selling knives to under 18s. When Parliamentary time allows, the Government intends to introduce a new ban on zombie-style machetes and knives.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to introduce a Violence Reduction Unit within the Dorset constabulary to tackle knife crime in Bournemouth.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is committed to ensuring that the police have the resources they need to tackle violent crime. That is why I have recently confirmed Dorset’s police funding settlement of £179.8 million in 2024/25, an increase of up to £11.1 million when compared to 2023/24. In addition, in recognition of recent exceptional policing demand arising in Bournemouth, I am pleased to have recently approved, on an exceptional basis, an additional £600k in 23/24 to enable Dorset Police to respond to this pressure.
Serious Violence is strongly linked to specific geographies, and, to ensure maximum impact, Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) funding is accordingly allocated in accordance with volumes of serious violence (as measured by hospital admissions relating to injury with a sharp object). This means that Violence Reduction Unit funding is allocated to 20 Police Force Areas, not including Dorset, which collectively account for around 80% of total relevant admissions.
However, the Government also recognises that a preventative approach to tackling violence will also benefit in other parts of England and Wales with lower levels of violent crime and that is why we have introduced the Serious Violence Duty, which requires relevant agencies to work in partnership to tackle violence. Funding has also been provided to support implementation of the duty (for Dorset amounting to £292kin the 23/24, with funding continuing in 24/25) which can be used to support delivery of a Violence Reduction Unit based approach in Dorset.
Mentions:
1: None Set against population growth, that is a huge reduction in this crime, which meant that multiple hundreds - Speech Link
2: Alex Norris (LAB - Nottingham North) When citing the statistics on crime reduction that the Minister cited in his opening speech, about which - Speech Link
3: Chris Philp (Con - Croydon South) When we talk about a 56% reduction in crime since 2010 to on a like-for-like basis, which I am sure I - Speech Link
4: Alex Norris (LAB - Nottingham North) Knife crime is a scourge in this country. It devastates communities and families. - Speech Link
5: Alex Norris (LAB - Nottingham North) on broader knife crime, is whether they would take off the streets a weapon like the one that killed - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Alex Chalk (Con - Cheltenham) That is why we are funding over 1,000 independent sexual violence advisers and independent domestic violence - Speech Link
2: Julie Marson (Con - Hertford and Stortford) , but that the crime fits the crime? - Speech Link
3: Chris Law (SNP - Dundee West) I am pleased to say that the latest Scottish crime and justice survey has shown that the volume of crime - Speech Link
4: Alex Chalk (Con - Cheltenham) We of course welcome any reduction in crime, and I am happy to congratulate Police Scotland on its work - Speech Link
Jan. 03 2024
Source Page: Correspondence relating to the discussion of violence among pupils in Scotland's schools: FOI releaseFound: Correspondence relating to the discussion of violence among pupils in Scotland's schools: FOI release
Dec. 22 2023
Source Page: I. Children’s social care data and digital strategy. 13p. II. Children’s social care national framework: statutory guidance on the purpose, principles for practice and expected outcomes of children’s social care. 66p. III. Working together to safeguard children 2023: a guide to multi-agency working to help, protect and promote the welfare of children. Incl. appendices. 169p. IV. Letter dated 14/12/2023 from David Johnston MP to the Deposited Papers Clerk regarding 3 documents for deposit in the House libraries. 1p.Found: Children’s social care data and digital strategy. 13p. II.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle knife crime in (a) Romford constituency and (b) England.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Tackling knife crime is a priority and the Government is determined to crack down on the scourge of violence devastating our communities.
As a result of the Government’s Police Uplift Programme (PUP) the Metropolitan Police Service now has over 35,000 officers (35,411), the highest number on record.
On 31 January, the Government confirmed a total police funding settlement of up to £17.2 billion in 2023/24, an increase of up to £313.8 million when compared to 2022/23. The Metropolitan Police’s funding will be up to £3.3 billion in 2023/24, an increase of up to £102.3 million when compared to 2022/23.
Since 2019, we have provided over £43 million to develop and run the London Violence Reduction Unit, which covers Havering, including Romford. Violence Reduction Units deter people, particularly young people, from becoming involved in serious violence by bringing together partners from health, probation, policing, housing and beyond and investing in the best evidence-based interventions.
Since 2019 we have provided the Metropolitan Police, who serve Havering, with over £61 million to deliver targeted enforcement action to tackle serious violence. The Grip programme suppresses and prevents serious violence by using data to identify the top violence hotspots and targets visible police activity in those areas.
We recently consulted on new legislative proposals to tackle knife crime and as a result, in the Criminal Justice Bill, we have introduced provisions to provide more powers for police to seize knives held in private that could be used in crimes, increase the maximum penalty for the offences of selling prohibited weapons and selling knives to under 18s. When Parliamentary time allows, the Government intends to introduce a new ban on zombie-style machetes and knives that have no practical use.
Finally, we are also providing £200 million over 10 years for the Youth Endowment Fund, to test and evaluate what works to ensure those young people most at risk are given the opportunity to turn away from violence. This includes a variety of projects across London.
Dec. 16 2023
Source Page: Correspondence in relation to offshore wind: FOI releaseFound: crime.
Mentions:
1: Wendy Morton (Con - Aldridge-Brownhills) in Walsall for a walk of peace to reflect on violence and knife crime. - Speech Link
2: Wendy Morton (Con - Aldridge-Brownhills) and programmes were set up, such as the Youth Endowment Fund and violence reduction units. - Speech Link
3: Florence Eshalomi (LAB - Vauxhall) knife crime, which used to be called the APPG on knife crime and youth violence. - Speech Link
4: Rob Butler (Con - Aylesbury) crime, including a focus on 20 violence reduction units and funds for hotspot policing in the most seriously - Speech Link
5: Michael Tomlinson (Con - Mid Dorset and North Poole) Let me touch on serious violence reduction orders. - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Marsha De Cordova (Lab - Battersea) Nationally, serious violence is up by 60% since 2015, with knife crime, gun crime and robbery all increasing - Speech Link
2: Marsha De Cordova (Lab - Battersea) and divert young people away from violence and crime. - Speech Link
3: Tom Pursglove (Con - Corby) We have funded 20 violence reduction units across the country since 2019, investing £160 million, and - Speech Link