Monday Volume 626 3 July 2017 No. 10 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday 3 July 2017 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2017 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 869 3 JULY 2017 870 Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con): House of Commons Last year, the inquiry attracted some unhelpful headlines on the back of its internal workings and certain personalities, since when, I am glad to say, it has been Monday 3 July 2017 getting on with its important work. But we were promised an interim report and greater transparency, particularly after the Home Affairs Committee sittings, so when The House met at half-past Two o’clock might we expect those? PRAYERS Amber Rudd: I thank my hon. Friend for his question, and I remember well giving evidence about this very [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] matter when he was the acting Chair of that Committee. Mr Speaker: Colleagues, we are pleased to be joined Like him, I have confidence in the new inquiry chair, today by Speaker Carme Forcadell, the Speaker of the Alexis Jay; she is getting on with the job, and as I said to Parliament of Catalonia, who is visiting London, and the hon. Member for Wigan (Lisa Nandy), we are whom we are delighted to see. Welcome to you. seeing real action and real results from the progress that is being made. I have been told that we will get an interim report during 2018. Oral Answers to Questions Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab): Does the Home Secretary have any concerns about the HOME DEPARTMENT fact that the police have announced that they are going to curtail annual checks on people who are on the sex The Secretary of State was asked— offender register, when it is growing year on year? Child Sexual Abuse Inquiry Amber Rudd: I refer the hon. Lady to the fact that different police chiefs are taking different positions on 1. Lisa Nandy (Wigan) (Lab): Whether she has held this, depending on their experience in their particular discussions with the independent inquiry into child communities. If she has a particular concern about the sexual abuse since the withdrawal of the charity Survivors situation in her community, I encourage her to come of Organised and Institutional Abuse from that inquiry. and talk to myself or the police Minister in due course. [900114] The Secretary of State for the Home Department James Gray (North Wiltshire) (Con): Does the (Amber Rudd): May I take the opportunity, first, to independent inquiry have a role to play in considering welcome the new shadow Front-Bench team—the hon. the outcome of the £1 million, two-year Operation Members for Torfaen (Nick Thomas-Symonds), for Conifer—the inquiry into the allegations against the Derby North (Chris Williamson), for Sheffield, Heeley late Sir Edward Heath? If it does not, who does? (Louise Haigh) and for Manchester, Gorton (Afzal Khan)? They are welcome indeed. Amber Rudd: That is a matter for local policing. It is I agree that it is regrettable that Survivors of Organised up to local operations to decide how they will proceed and Institutional Abuse has withdrawn from the inquiry. with that matter; it is not for the inquiry. The inquiry is The inquiry is making good progress, in line with the making its inquiries, having the truth sessions and then plan it published last year. This is evidenced through referring, where appropriate, to the police. public hearings and other events with victims and survivors. I retain my confidence in this independent inquiry to Special Constables deliver its important work, to get the truth and to learn lessons for the future. 2. Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con): What financial support is in place for special constables. [900115] Lisa Nandy: I thank the Home Secretary for that, but this is now really serious: this is the fourth victims’ The Minister for Policing and the Fire Service (Mr Nick group that has left, and today we have had the Sutton Hurd): Since 1831, special constables have made a genuinely review, which reads like a total whitewash and suggests valuable contribution to local policing. That is why we that no lessons have been learned by the inquiry or by should keep under regular review what the Government the Government that set it up. What message does she do to support that work. think that sends to everybody in this country who is currently relying on a public inquiry to deliver justice Robert Halfon: Will my hon. Friend congratulate the for them? 358 special constables in Essex, and congratulate Essex Amber Rudd: I ask the hon. Lady to reconsider her police on their push to encourage even more people to view. The inquiry has said that the group can always become special constables? Will he consider making it come back if it wants to, and I ask her to think again easier for councils to offer council tax rebates to special about the people who are already being helped by the constables so that we can give something back to those inquiry. There are 60 to 80 people whose experiences who serve in our communities? and attacks have been referred to the police, which may lead to prosecutions, and there are up to 1,000 people Mr Hurd: I thank my right hon. Friend for that. He whose lives have been changed and who are getting the has been a tireless champion for volunteering, and for answers that they want. Those are real differences, special constables in particular. He represents a county which I ask the hon. Lady not to underestimate. that, through the leadership of police and crime 871 Oral Answers 3 JULY 2017 Oral Answers 872 commissioner Roger Hirst, is showing real leadership in The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the trying to encourage more special constables. At the Home Department (Sarah Newton): We will establish a moment, we provide access to insurance for legal expenses. commission for countering extremism to reinforce current There is provision for out-of-allowance expenses, and efforts to tackle extremist ideology in all its forms there is provision in law for discretionary benefits such wherever it occurs. Already, through the 2015 counter- as discounts on council tax, but I am happy to meet my extremism strategy,we have taken steps to protect children right hon. Friend to discuss how we can go further. from the threat of extremism, taken action on hate crime, and provided protective support for places of Dr David Drew (Stroud) (Lab/Co-op) rose— worship. We are also supporting civil society groups to tackle extremism in their communities. Mr Speaker: In welcoming back the hon. Member for Stroud (Dr Drew), I am informed that during his enforced and involuntary absence he has become a doctor of Andrew Bowie: I thank the Minister for that answer. philosophy, upon which the House wishes to congratulate Ten years ago last week we saw the terrorist attack on him, I am sure. Glasgow airport, and since then we have sadly seen instances of extremism and terrorism in Walsall, Exeter, Dr Drew: I had to do something with my wasted years. Manchester, Yorkshire, and of course here in London. I welcome the police Minister to his place. We all What is being done with the devolved Administrations, congratulate the specials on the work they do, which is as well the combined authorities and regions, to ensure of course first-rate, but it seems to me from my that extremism, and therefore terrorism, has no place in experience—I am going out with the specials on Friday, the United Kingdom? so I am sure they will tell me in no uncertain terms whether I am right—that being in the specials is no Sarah Newton: I very much welcome my hon. Friend longer an entrance point to the full-time constabulary. to his place. I am sure he is going to make a significant Is there a reason for that? If it is because of problems of contribution here at Home Office questions, as well as release or of financial support, will the Minister look serving his constituents. He is quite right to point out into that and do something about it? that there is simply no place in our society for extremism or terrorism. In launching the counter-extremism strategy Mr Hurd: I add my voice to the congratulations to in 2015, the Government agreed with the devolved the hon. Gentleman, with whom I used to serve on the Administrations that they were not going to be part of Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural the strategy at the time, but we continue to work with them. Affairs; it seems like 1,000 years ago. I would be concerned As we carry on working with them on setting up the if what he says were true. It is not what I hear and not commission for countering extremism, we will consult what the data tell me about the number of specials who them widely. It is very important that we work together go on to become regular police officers, but I will keep it and learn together to keep the whole of the United under regular review. Kingdom safe. Louise Haigh (Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab): As a former special constable—I am sure that will not be the last Keith Vaz (Leicester East) (Lab): Last year, Twitter time that is mentioned from this Dispatch Box—I saw suspended 125,000 accounts that were linked to global at first hand the dedication and bravery of our frontline terrorism, but millions of videos of such material remain officers, but I also witnessed a collapse in morale as the on the internet.