Clause 42 - Offering or agreeing to re-programme a mobile telephone
Violent Crime Reduction Bill
8:15 pm
Hazel Blears (Minister of State (Policing, Security and Community Safety), Home Office; Salford, Labour)
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. His welcome Bill could not proceed because the session ended, but it was an excellent one, and I know that he has campaigned on the issues.
About 50 per cent. of robberies involve a mobile phone and in almost a third only a mobile phone is taken. Much of the trouble consists of young people stealing each other’s mobile phones. If it is possible to get them reprogrammed, that is the market for them. Therefore, as my hon. Friend said, the industry is right behind us. In fact, we are working in partnership with the mobile phone industry. I ask the hon. Lady to withdraw her amendment, because the clause will make prosecution more effective.