Clause 29 - Dispersal of groups and removal of persons under 16 to their place of residence
Anti-social Behaviour Bill
3:30 pm
Mr Matthew Green (Ludlow, Liberal Democrat)
I want to increase the threshold level before the decision is taken. The words ''intimidated'' and ''harassed'' are a more significant test threshold than ''alarmed'' and ''distressed''. That is my primary reason. The threshold is being set too low and the message that that sends to young people is that the Government think that young people are a problem. I realise that the Government have done other things to contradict that—I have already acknowledged that—but ''alarmed or distressed'' are unhelpful words when young people are concerned and may make them feel that society does not want them to belong to it.