Knife Crime — [Sir Graham Brady in the Chair]

Part of the debate – in Westminster Hall at 5:06 pm on 25 March 2019.

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Photo of Sharon Hodgson Sharon Hodgson Shadow Minister (Public Health) 5:06, 25 March 2019

My hon. Friend is making an excellent series of points. I was hoping that we would cover that the break- down of the fabric of society is part of this. We cannot point to only one thing such as the 21,000 reduction in police officers. There are also schools exclusions, including unofficial exclusions. Kids are out on the streets, and there is a lack of youth provision and other preventive stuff. All that should be looked at in the round. Does he agree that austerity has had an effect, and that this issue could be a consequence of it?