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 understand where the hon. Lady is coming from and she is right about the officer who decides whether to use the power, but a constable can then use that power on reasonable grounds. We shall come to clauses under which the constable does not have to make a record or issue a written notice; once the power is in place, he can use it 24 hours a day. I have no doubt that senior officers will be careful about how they use the provision, but in the likely areas where a senior officer might want to make use of the powers, ''intimidated'' or ''harassed'' will easily fit. There is no need for ''alarmed'' or ''distressed''. It is the behaviour of such people, not their presence, that is critical. It is very serious to say that someone's presence is the reason that one would want to see them moved on. The right to free assembly and the like immediately spring to mind.