Antisocial Behaviour

I am grateful for the opportunity to take part in today's debate. The Committee's inquiry focused on three areas of antisocial behaviour: the antisocial behaviour of young people, neighbour nuisance and alcohol-related disorder. There are many causes of antisocial behaviour, and we considered whether the current definitions of antisocial behaviour are too wide. We concluded, however, that they should not be changed. Any persistent antisocial behaviour can be devastating for those affected by it. One issue that we considered is whether much antisocial behaviour by young people is a matter of a lack of tolerance or of intergenerational conflict. We concluded that, for the most part, that simply is not true. Even the most seemingly innocent activity, such as persistently kicking a football at a house wall, can cause distress to the person living in that house. Sometimes the sheer number of young people grouped together can be threatening to older people. There needs to be greater understanding between the generations, but there also needs to be appropriate action to tackle antisocial behaviour in whatever form it takes. It is also important to remember that antisocial behaviour is not just about young people behaving badly. I share the welcome by the National Children's Bureau for the clear Government statement in the respect action plan that tackling disrespect is not a youth issue any more than antisocial behaviour is. More than half of antisocial behaviour orders are issued to adults. The respect drive will address antisocial adults and families, as well as antisocial young people. We should also remember that the vast majority of young people behave well and are a credit to their families and communities. The respect action plan points out that young people should be proud of themselves. For example, 45 per cent. of 16 to 24-year-olds participate at least once a month in informal volunteering, which is the highest level for any age group. The action plan recognises that constructive and purposeful activities have enormous benefits for young people. They can encourage and enable children and young people to contribute to their communities and can help to divert them from antisocial behaviour. In the Green Paper ““Youth Matters””, the Government set out their commitment to ensure that all young people have access to activities that they find interesting and exciting in their local area. That should include a full range of cultural, art, sport, environmental and community-based activities. It is right that we should increase the opportunities for all our young people, while at the same time targeting disadvantaged young people through more activities such as sport. We must also continue to tackle the problem of the minority who act antisocially, making the lives of many in our communities a misery. The Committee welcomes the introduction of ASBOs and the development of acceptable behaviour contracts. I have spoken to my local police, and I can say that ABCs, especially if used in conjunction with meetings with the young people and their families, are proving very effective. About 50 have been issued, only seven of which needed to lead on to ASBOs. There is also clear recognition that there is a need to introduce other measures to prevent the need for ASBOs and to support them if they become necessary. The Committee supports that view, and paragraph 170 of the report states:"““We welcome the introduction of individual support orders (ISOs): these usefully complement the aims of ASBOs in preventing ASB. We note, however, that take-up of these is not matching expectations.””" I am therefore glad that the Government response to recommendation 20 states:"““We and the YJB are keen to see ISOs used effectively within local strategies on anti-social behaviour and will be working with YOTs to ensure that this intervention is used to its full potential.””" The Committee also welcomes the introduction of parenting orders, stating at paragraph 159:"““We note the observation by Barnardo's that in many cases parents have been seeking help with their children's behaviour for some time, but assistance is rarely given. Whilst funding has been made available for all parenting classes attached to ASBOs, there is more limited provision for parenting classes as an earlier preventative tool.””" I am pleased that the Government's respect action plan contains recognition of the need to support families and a commitment to improve parenting provision nationally through children's centres, extended schools and measures to improve the capacity of the work force through the national parenting academy. As other hon. Members have said, being a parent is probably one of the most difficult jobs to do, and we need to increase the support that is available in our communities. The development of children's centres and the involvement of organisations such as Home Start, which works with local families in my constituency, are crucial in helping to support families. In welcoming parenting orders, the Committee also recognises that a coercive approach is sometimes necessary and can ultimately be of great benefit to the parents concerned. Indeed, I believe that parenting orders can empower parents. We were concerned that parenting orders were not being used sufficiently, and I am pleased that the Government have said that they will legislate to expand their use. One concern that has been expressed by the British Council of Disabled People is that ASBOs are being issued to young people with disabilities such as Asperger's and Tourette syndrome. I would be grateful if the Minister commented on that. Families of children suffering from those conditions are particularly in need of support, not punishment. Turning to alcohol-related disorder, the Committee concluded that there is no clear-cut evidence as to whether more flexible licensing hours will make the problem better or worse. It clearly existed before the introduction of the new licensing laws, which caused such great media concern. However, having spoken to the police in my constituency, I know that there has been no change in the number of incidents caused by alcohol abuse since the new licensing laws came in, although such incidents now tend to be more spread out, necessitating a review of shift patterns. It is clear that we should continue to tackle binge drinking and alcohol-related disorder. The Committee welcomes the introduction of new powers to target individuals, including fixed penalty notices, which have allowed the police to deal better with drunken and disorderly behaviour. We also welcome efforts to tackle the sale of alcohol to those under age. I represent the brewing town of Burton upon Trent, now also known, of course, for its heroic football team. [Hon. Members: ““Hear, hear.””] I recognise the efforts that the alcohol industry is making to try to tackle alcohol abuse. Measures include voluntary unit labelling on all cans and bottles, and the ““Take it Easy”” campaign of messages on drink containers, paper cups and also—through Carling's work with the National Union of Students—on campus cash machines. We need to use many strategies to tackle antisocial behaviour and to ensure that we encourage people to respect each other, their communities and, perhaps most of all, themselves.