The Government’s police reforms will protect and strengthen neighbourhood policing by freeing local forces from national responsibilities so they can focus on issues that matter most locally, like anti-social behaviour (ASB). Every police force in England and Wales now has an ASB lead in place who will work with communities, stakeholders and the general public to implement their individual ASB Action Plans, which were published at the start of April. Further information on the Metropolitan Police ASB action plan can be found here: https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/asb/asb/antisocial-behaviour/antisocial-behaviour-action-plan/

Through our Crime and Policing Act, we are making our streets and neighbourhoods safer by strengthening the powers available to the police and other agencies to tackle anti-social behaviour, including increasing the upper limit for fixed penalty notices for breaches of CPNs and PSPOs from £100 to £500, increasing the time a dispersal direction can be implemented for from 48 to 72 hours and giving registered social housing providers the power to issue closure notices, amongst others.

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of tools and powers, including Public Spaces Protection Orders, that they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour. However, the powers in the ‘2014 Act’ are deliberately flexible in nature, and it is for local agencies to determine whether their use is appropriate in the specific circumstances of each individual case.

Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) are designed to stop individuals or groups committing ASB in a public place. Romford has an existing PSPO in place to restrict alcohol related nuisance and any amendment or new PSPO would require consultation with local authorities, police and relevant local agencies: https://www.havering.gov.uk/community-1/public-space-protection-orders-pspo.

The Department’s position is that local communities are best placed to make decisions about procuring, locating, and maintaining automated external defibrillators (AEDs) that are managed outside of the National Health Service, including in the Romford constituency.

There are over 110,000 defibrillators registered in the United Kingdom on The Circuit, the independent AED database, and over 30,000 of these have been added in the past two years. Additionally, decisions on the provision of first aid equipment are generally taken locally by communities, organisations, and site owners.

The government have been very supportive of Gallows Corner scheme and provided the GLA with £54.3 million. However, the delivery of this scheme is a matter entirely for the GLA and TfL.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 18th May is attached.

As transport in London is devolved, it is up to Havering to work with the Mayor of London and Transport for London to make decisions on investment in local roads. The Government is committed to supporting local highway authorities to maintain their local roads effectively, and to this end Havering is eligible to receive over £13.9 million of highways maintenance funding between 2026/27 and 2029/2030. The Government has also provided the Greater London Authority with £53.5 million of funding for the Gallows Corner scheme, which is being delivered by TfL and expected to be completed by Spring 2026.

The operation and maintenance of Junction 29 of the M25 is the responsibility of National Highways, which regularly monitors the performance of the junction and surrounding strategic road network.

The Church of England has committed to ‘Growing Younger’ as part of its Vision and Strategy for the 2020s, which prioritises creating a church that is younger and more diverse. The central goal is to double the number of children and young active disciples by 2030.

Most recently, £16.3 million was allocated by the National Church Institutions to youth evangelism projects nationwide, including £6.45 million for the Diocese of Chelmsford’s “Believing in Barking” youth and community mission project, which will also include projects in Romford.

The Diocese of Chelmsford and its clergy are actively engaging people under 40 in the life of the Church, supporting a variety of initiatives and vocations in worship, ministry, youth work, schools, and community outreach.

There are three specific projects in the Romford Constituency about to get underway; the projects detailed below constitute a direct investment in the constituency of over £ 1.25 million across the next 5 years. The Hon member for Romford may wish to visit the projects once they are commenced.

• All Saints Ardleigh Green, where the parish is recruiting a Children, Young People and Families Worker in the new year, is shared with St Andrews Hornchurch. This role will focus on children, young people, and family support, particularly working with NewCity Academy. An additional stipendiary role is also planned at Holy Cross Church in 2026 with another CYPF worker shared with St Andrews.

• St Albans Romford – will be recruiting a missional priest, with specific responsibility for developing a younger demographic within the existing congregation.

• St George’s, Harold Hill – As one of the active estate churches within the diocese, it will receive additional support and funding to support its children and youth provision.

The Barking Episcopal Area of the Chelmsford Diocese has some specific priorities:
• To “double the number of churches with >25 children and young people attending”
• To increase the number of trained lay volunteers within children, young people and family ministry and work

• To have Deanery children, young people and family in place

Further projects that cover the Romford Constituency are in the early stages of development, to support:
• Ministry and support for low-income communities
• Resourcing children and young people's clubs and organisations
• Making worship more engaging/accessible
• Nurturing the faith of children, young people and their families.

I fully appreciate that everyone in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency will want to see progress on this matter as soon as possible. I would point out that Gallows Corner has been in a state of disrepair for many years. In fact, under the previous Conservative Government, Transport for London received no substantive support, but this Labour Government committed more than £50 million to finally make the structure safe and reliable again in the spending review. Responsibility now sits with TfL.

The Secretary of State will know, because I have raised it so many times, about the appalling situation at the Gallows Corner A12-A127 junction. It is affecting everybody on the east side of London and well into Essex, including all my constituents. It is total incompetence by Transport for London and the Mayor of London. Will the Secretary of State take charge of the situation, overriding the Mayor of London and TfL, and ensure that this infrastructure project is completed no later than spring 2026? It has been delayed for six months already.

Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.

Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.

At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.

Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closed 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.

Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.

Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.

Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.

At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.

Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closing 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.

Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.

Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.

Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.

At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.

Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closing 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.

Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.

Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.

Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.

At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.

Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closing 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.

Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.