Police and Justice Bill

Yes, that is it. Could the proposal allow one persistent, complaining constituent to divert resources on unreasonable complaints? I am a local councillor—I am sure that other. Members are or have been local councillors—and it is not unknown for those who should the loudest for our attention to hijack resources, time and issues on a repeated and regular basis. Those who need police action and who cannot get a police response will not necessarily trigger that function or use that power. On the extension of powers on antisocial behaviour, youth offending teams will be able to issue parenting orders if they believe not only that a child is engaging in antisocial behaviour, but that a child may engage in such behaviour, which continues a worrying trend of legislation involving the prediction of bad behaviour. Although the Government’s intention is obviously to help all parents to ensure that their children do not engage in bad behaviour in the future, and to help those parents who are not currently coping—which is a measure that I heartily support—the proposal may stigmatise children who have done no wrong. When I intervened on the Home Secretary, I mentioned that youth offending teams have some experience on which to base such a judgment about a child or parent, but the Bill extends the right to make parenting contracts and apply for parenting orders to registered social landlords. Those issues are difficult for communities and my concern is that the decision should be made by those with the right expertise, which I am not convinced that the RSLs have got.