Clause 40 - Extension of powers of community
Anti-social Behaviour Bill
3:30 pm
Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath, Conservative)
I echo the comments of hon. Member for Gedling—he is absolutely right. We covered some of the ground earlier, but it is important to recognise that the powers in clauses 38 and 40 dovetail—I see the Minister assenting. I want the Minister when he responds to confirm that the Government will at all times keep the matter under review, because we must consider what happens in pilot areas, the age limits and what offences are covered.
I was pleased to hear the Minister say in his remarks on the previous group of amendments that the Government will consider which of the further powers that the police may receive in the future will be appropriate for CSOs and which will not. I am the first to accept that there might be new offences in future and that as long as CSOs exist a decision will have to be made on whether to extend the power corresponding to each of those offences to them and to accredited persons.
The hon. Members for Mid-Dorset and North Poole (Mrs. Brooke) and for Lewes have, in relation to previous legislation, raised the question of whether private firms or security forces will be accredited for certain purposes. That reminded me of some of the debates in the previous Parliament on the Private Security Industry Act 2001. It is important to note that there is an overlap between the powers that are being given to CSOs and those given to accredited persons, who might work for a private sector company. I understand why the hon. Member for Lewes has concerns about that. However, all hon. Members who spoke on the Private Security Industry Bill, including Liberal Democrat Members, recognised that there could be a role for a responsible private security industry.
The forces of law and order all need to work together. I was pleased recently to attend the launch of the new Security Industry Authority at the QE2 centre. The right hon. Member for Walsall, South (Mr. George) has for many years been the great parliamentary expert on the private security industry and he has introduced umpteen private Member's Bills in an attempt to create something like the Security Industry Authority, so he is pleased that it has now been created. The launch was splendid.
With regard to accredited persons or CSOs, for each new set of laws we must ensure that our citizens know who has the authority to issue what and to deal with what. That is why the legislation needs to be kept under review, so I hope that the Minister will confirm that he intends to ensure that that always happens while he is at the Home Office.