My Lords, I support the retention of Clause 14 because it begins to put the responsibility for prostitution onto the man who chooses to buy sex instead of on a seller who, because of exploitation, has no choice. Some people are concerned about the strict liability element of the clause...

My Lords, I support the retention of Clause 14 because it begins to put the responsibility for prostitution onto the man who chooses to buy sex instead of on a seller who, because of exploitation, has no choice. Some people are concerned about the strict liability element of the clause...

My Lords, I can be equally brief. This is a sensible amendment. As the noble Baroness opposite said, the police cannot single-handedly deliver safer communities, so they need to work effectively with partners to achieve success in improving public safety and driving down crime. I, too, am struck at the...

My Lords, I can be equally brief. This is a sensible amendment. As the noble Baroness opposite said, the police cannot single-handedly deliver safer communities, so they need to work effectively with partners to achieve success in improving public safety and driving down crime. I, too, am struck at the...

My Lords, Amendments 2 to 6, proposed by my noble friend Lady Henig, would make changes to the statutory senior appointments panel clause and stem from her concern that the tripartite balance may be damaged in the membership and operation of that panel. This issue was discussed in Committee and...

My Lords, Amendments 2 to 6, proposed by my noble friend Lady Henig, would make changes to the statutory senior appointments panel clause and stem from her concern that the tripartite balance may be damaged in the membership and operation of that panel. This issue was discussed in Committee and...

My Lords, I am very grateful to the Minister. I think that we are probably seeking the same ends but through slightly different means. The detailed clarity to be found in guidance is to be welcomed and I look forward to it. I do not think that we can go...

My Lords, I am very grateful to the Minister. I think that we are probably seeking the same ends but through slightly different means. The detailed clarity to be found in guidance is to be welcomed and I look forward to it. I do not think that we can go...

My Lords, I could have anticipated what the Minister said in response to my arguments. I have asked for the Secretary of State’s powers to be constrained for a very long time and in many ways, and it still seems to fall on deaf ears. However, the Minister has slightly...

My Lords, I could have anticipated what the Minister said in response to my arguments. I have asked for the Secretary of State’s powers to be constrained for a very long time and in many ways, and it still seems to fall on deaf ears. However, the Minister has slightly...

My Lords, once again, I am grateful to the Minister for his reply. I also thank the noble Baroness, Lady Neville-Jones, for her support, especially for joint arrangement working in Amendment 11. Having the promise of guidance and rigorous re-examination of these difficult areas, and having continuing discussions on joint...

My Lords, once again, I am grateful to the Minister for his reply. I also thank the noble Baroness, Lady Neville-Jones, for her support, especially for joint arrangement working in Amendment 11. Having the promise of guidance and rigorous re-examination of these difficult areas, and having continuing discussions on joint...

My Lords, we have some sympathy with Amendment 11, which specifies that when a chief officer is acting under the terms of the collaboration agreement which cuts across a number of force areas, he can be held to account by police authorities jointly. It is important that a mechanism is...

My Lords, we have some sympathy with Amendment 11, which specifies that when a chief officer is acting under the terms of the collaboration agreement which cuts across a number of force areas, he can be held to account by police authorities jointly. It is important that a mechanism is...

My Lords, I recognise the concern behind Amendment 11. However, I do not believe that this point needs further clarification in statute. The Local Government Act 1972 permits police authorities to establish joint committees and to discharge their functions jointly through them. A discharge of the function of holding a...

My Lords, I recognise the concern behind Amendment 11. However, I do not believe that this point needs further clarification in statute. The Local Government Act 1972 permits police authorities to establish joint committees and to discharge their functions jointly through them. A discharge of the function of holding a...

My Lords, the noble Baroness spoke to her amendments in some detail, and I can be brief. They raise an important question: is the Bill consistent with the roles, functions and authority of police authorities set out in existing legislation that gives them the power to ensure that a chief...

My Lords, the noble Baroness spoke to her amendments in some detail, and I can be brief. They raise an important question: is the Bill consistent with the roles, functions and authority of police authorities set out in existing legislation that gives them the power to ensure that a chief...

My Lords, these amendments seek to constrain the Secretary of State’s powers to direct police forces and police authorities to issue guidance about collaboration. It is reassuring that the noble Baroness does not seek to remove these powers completely because she clearly recognises the need to have the tools to...

My Lords, these amendments seek to constrain the Secretary of State’s powers to direct police forces and police authorities to issue guidance about collaboration. It is reassuring that the noble Baroness does not seek to remove these powers completely because she clearly recognises the need to have the tools to...

12: Clause 5, page 7, line 31, at end insert— "( ) Before issuing guidance under this section, the Secretary of State shall consult— (a) the Association of Police Authorities, (b) the Association of Chief Police Officers."

12: Clause 5, page 7, line 31, at end insert— "( ) Before issuing guidance under this section, the Secretary of State shall consult— (a) the Association of Police Authorities, (b) the Association of Chief Police Officers."

My Lords, I shall speak also to Amendments 13 and 14, the last relating to Clause 5. They follow from our discussion on this part of the Bill in Committee. I am acutely conscious of the need to improve the resilience of policing at a strategic level and, in the...

My Lords, I shall speak also to Amendments 13 and 14, the last relating to Clause 5. They follow from our discussion on this part of the Bill in Committee. I am acutely conscious of the need to improve the resilience of policing at a strategic level and, in the...

My Lords, I spoke to a number of related amendments in Committee and supported earlier versions of both Amendments 11 and 15 in this group. However, I shall speak first to my Amendment 11. The Minister’s response at that time focused more on other amendments in the group and did...

My Lords, I spoke to a number of related amendments in Committee and supported earlier versions of both Amendments 11 and 15 in this group. However, I shall speak first to my Amendment 11. The Minister’s response at that time focused more on other amendments in the group and did...

My Lords, I return to this topic having taken careful note of what the Minister said in Committee. I have considered carefully his view that a duty on local partners to co-operate with the police in delivering the Government’s confidence target for policing is not necessary. He believed that it...

My Lords, I return to this topic having taken careful note of what the Minister said in Committee. I have considered carefully his view that a duty on local partners to co-operate with the police in delivering the Government’s confidence target for policing is not necessary. He believed that it...

My Lords, I shall be brief in rising to support the amendment tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Henig, which would place a duty on top-tier authorities to co-operate with police authorities in delivering the Secretary of State’s strategic priorities and the confidence target. I was shocked, although perhaps I...

My Lords, I shall be brief in rising to support the amendment tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Henig, which would place a duty on top-tier authorities to co-operate with police authorities in delivering the Secretary of State’s strategic priorities and the confidence target. I was shocked, although perhaps I...

My Lords, having listened to what has been said on this issue, while I do not remotely pretend to be an expert in the area, I must say that I am convinced that rather more action needs to be taken in view of the small number of authorities that have...

My Lords, having listened to what has been said on this issue, while I do not remotely pretend to be an expert in the area, I must say that I am convinced that rather more action needs to be taken in view of the small number of authorities that have...

My Lords, Clauses 11 and 12 are valuable and necessary to improve information systems in policing. The proposed amendments would prevent the Secretary of State being able to make these regulations for a smaller number of forces and thereby prevent more effective collaboration below the national level. I do not...

My Lords, Clauses 11 and 12 are valuable and necessary to improve information systems in policing. The proposed amendments would prevent the Secretary of State being able to make these regulations for a smaller number of forces and thereby prevent more effective collaboration below the national level. I do not...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply. I am glad to hear that the Government share the desire for greater effectiveness and efficiency, which needs to be brought about by increased interoperability. I do not accept that my amendments would impede that. However, I am reassured by what...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply. I am glad to hear that the Government share the desire for greater effectiveness and efficiency, which needs to be brought about by increased interoperability. I do not accept that my amendments would impede that. However, I am reassured by what...

18: After Clause 12, insert the following new Clause— "Police authorities: co-operation with local authorities Any relevant council (as defined by section 20 (questions on police matters at council meetings)), and Schedules 2 (police authorities established under section 3) and 2A (metropolitan police authority) of the Police Act 1996 (c....

18: After Clause 12, insert the following new Clause— "Police authorities: co-operation with local authorities Any relevant council (as defined by section 20 (questions on police matters at council meetings)), and Schedules 2 (police authorities established under section 3) and 2A (metropolitan police authority) of the Police Act 1996 (c....