Thursday Volume 531 11 August 2011 No. 192 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 11 August 2011 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2011 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/parliamentary-licence-information.htm Enquiries to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 1051 11 AUGUST 2011 Public Disorder 1052 In recent days, individual police officers have shown House of Commons incredible bravery and have worked in some cases around the clock without a break, and they deserve our support Thursday 11 August 2011 and our thanks. But what became increasingly clear earlier this week was that there were simply far too few police deployed on to our streets, and the tactics that The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock, notice they were using were not working. Police chiefs have having been given by Mr Speaker (Standing Order been frank with me about why this happened. Initially, No. 13.) the police treated the situation too much as a public order issue, rather than essentially one of crime. The PRAYERS truth is that the police have been facing a new and unique challenge, with different people doing the same [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] thing—basically, looting—in different places but all at the same time. To respond to this situation, we are Public Disorder acting decisively to restore order on our streets, to support the victims of this terrible violence and to look 11.35 am at the deeper problems that led such a hard core of The Prime Minister (Mr David Cameron): With young people to decide to carry out such appalling permission, I would like to make a statement. First, let criminality. Let me take each in turn. me thank you, Mr Speaker and right hon. and hon. First, restoring order. Following the meetings of Members for returning. When there are important events Cobra that I chaired on Tuesday and Wednesday, and in our country, it is right that Parliament is recalled and again this morning, we have taken decisive action to that we show a united front. I am grateful to the Leader help ensure more robust and more effective policing. of the Opposition for the constructive approach he has As a result of decisions made by Metropolitan police taken over the past few days. I have tried to speak with Commissioner Tim Godwin and other police chiefs up many of the Members whose constituencies have been and down the country, there are now more police on affected, and I would like to pay particular tribute to the streets, more people being arrested, and more the right hon. Member for Tottenham (Mr Lammy) for criminals being prosecuted. The Metropolitan police his powerful words and actions over recent days. increased the number deployed on the streets of What we have seen on the streets of London and in London from 6,000 to almost 16,000 officers, and this other cities across our country is completely unacceptable, number will remain throughout the weekend. We have and I am sure that the whole House will join me in also seen large increases in deployments of officers in condemning it. Keeping people safe is the first duty of other affected areas. Leave in affected forces has been Government. The whole country has been shocked by cancelled, and police officers have been bussed from the most appalling scenes of people looting, violence, forces across the country to areas of greatest need. vandalising and thieving. It is criminality, pure and Many businesses have quite rightly released special simple—and there is absolutely no excuse for it. We constables to help, and they performed magnificently have seen houses, offices and shops raided and torched, as well. police officers assaulted and fire crews attacked as they More than 1,200 people have now been arrested try to put out fires. We have seen people robbing others across the country. We are making technology work for while they lie injured and bleeding in the street, and us, by capturing the images of the perpetrators on even three innocent people deliberately run over and CCTV, so even if they have not yet been arrested their killed in Birmingham. We will not put up with this in faces are known and they will not escape the law. As I our country. We will not allow a culture of fear to exist said yesterday, no phoney human rights concerns about on our streets, and we will do whatever it takes to publishing these photographs will get in the way of restore law and order and to rebuild our communities. bringing these criminals to justice. Anyone charged First, we must be clear about the sequence of events. with violent disorder and other serious offences should A week ago today, a 29-year-old man named Mark expect to be remanded in custody, not let back on the Duggan was shot dead by the police in Tottenham. streets; and anyone convicted should expect to go to jail. Clearly, there are questions that must be answered, and Courts in London, Manchester and the west midlands I can assure the House that this is being investigated have been sitting through the night, and will do so for as thoroughly and independently by the Independent Police long as is necessary. Magistrates courts have proved Complaints Commission. We must get to the bottom of effective in ensuring swift justice. The Crown courts are exactly what happened, and we will. now starting to deal with the most serious cases. We are Initially, there were some peaceful demonstrations keeping under constant review whether the courts have following Mark Duggan’s death and understandably the sentencing powers they need, and we will act if and quite appropriately the police were cautious about necessary. how they dealt with them. However, this was then used As a result of the robust and uncompromising measures as an excuse by opportunist thugs in gangs, first in that have been taken, good progress is being made in Tottenham itself, then across London and in other restoring order to the streets of London and other cities cities. It is completely wrong to say there is any justifiable around our country. As I have made clear, nothing causal link. It is simply preposterous for anyone to should be off the table. Every contingency should be suggest that people looting in Tottenham at the weekend, looked at. The police are already authorised to use still less three days later in Salford, were in any way baton rounds. As I said yesterday, while they would not doing so because of the death of Mark Duggan. Young be appropriate now, we do have in place contingency people stealing flat-screen televisions and burning shops— plans for water cannon to be available at 24 hours’ that was not about politics or protest, it was about theft. notice. 1053 Public Disorder11 AUGUST 2011 Public Disorder 1054 [The Prime Minister] To minimise the costs facing businesses, the Government will enable local authorities to grant business rate relief, Some people have raised the issue of the Army. The by funding at least three quarters of their costs. We will acting Commissioner of the Metropolitan police said to defer tax payments for businesses in greatest need, me that he would be the last man left in Scotland Yard through Time to Pay and other practical support. And with all his management team out on the streets before for houses and businesses that have been the most badly he asked for Army support. That is the right attitude damaged, we have instructed the valuation office to and one I share, but it is the Government’s responsibility immediately stop liability for council tax and business to make sure that every future contingency is looked at, rates. including whether there are tasks that the Army could A specific point was raised with me in Wolverhampton undertake that might free up more police for the front line. yesterday—that planning regulations make it difficult Everyone watching these horrific actions will be struck for shops to put up protective shutters. We will weed out by how they were organised via social media. Free flow unnecessary planning regulations to ensure that businesses of information can be used for good, but it can also be can get back on their feet and feel secure as quickly as used for ill, so we are working with the police, the possible. intelligence services and industry to look at whether it On supporting local communities, I can confirm that would be right to stop people communicating via these the Bellwin scheme to support local authorities will be websites and services when we know they are plotting operational. However, to ensure that urgent funding is violence, disorder and criminality. immediately available, we are today establishing a new I have also asked the police whether they need any £10 million recovery scheme to provide additional support other new powers. Specifically on facemasks, currently to councils in making areas safe, clean and clear again. they can only ask for them to be removed in a specific The Government will also meet the immediate costs of geographical location and for a limited time. I can emergency accommodation for families made homeless announce today that we are going to give the police the by the disturbances. The Secretaries of States for discretion to require the removal of face coverings Communities and Local Government and for Business, under any circumstances where there is reasonable suspicion Innovation and Skills have made available to the House that they are related to criminal activity.