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Proceeding contribution from Dawn Butler (Labour) in the House of Commons on Thursday, 5 June 2008. It occurred during Topical debate on Knife Crime.


Knife Crime

No, it is absolutely a good idea to use technology to speed up the process. I am concerned, however, that we should not eradicate that process. Stop-and-search accountability should be there to stay because it exists for a specific reason. It was introduced to counteract a problem that came about because that accountability was not there from the beginning. If we took it away, we would cause further problems, and we should not be short-sighted in our approach. I wonder whether the Minister could expand on the £1 million campaign that the Government are going to roll out shortly to stop the glamorisation of crime. Finally, there are lots of relevant voluntary groups and religious institutions. My right hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz) mentioned the From Boyhood to Manhood Foundation. There are also Boyz 2 Men, Not Another Drop, Reallity and Respectism; there are hundreds and hundreds of voluntary organisations. I know that the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Corby (Phil Hope), who is the Minister for the third sector, has been working hard with those organisations, but I wondered whether we might be able to get some of them together so that we can further explore the invaluable work that they are doing in our community. I agree with the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Coaker), when he says that we have to reach out to all these voluntary organisations to help us resolve the situation of the crime on our streets today.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
476 c956-7 
Session
2007-08
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Crime Homicide Police Offensive weapons Voluntary organisations Young people
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk