Oral Questions: 27th June 2005

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Mr. Nicholas Soames (Mid-Sussex) (Con): What assessment he has made of the use of antisocial behaviour orders. [6861]

The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Charles Clarke): From the summer we will be conducting an evaluation of ASBOs. This evaluation will provide us with information on the extent to which and the circumstances in which ASBOs are effective in tackling antisocial behaviour, and how they work as part of wider strategies to tackle antisocial behaviour. Published findings from that work will be available in 2006, and will enable us to maximise the impact of future ASBOs.

Mr. Soames: I am sure that the House will look forward with anticipation to the information being made available, but given the pretty high level of breaches of ASBOs, does the Home Secretary not agree that although they are useful, it must be for the police to deal with such matters in an energetic and robust manner, and that in order for them to do that, we need more police, particularly in Mid-Sussex?