§ 10. Alan Howarth (Newport, East) (Lab)What discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) National Assembly for Wales Ministers concerning measures to tackle antisocial behaviour in Wales. [177363]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Don Touhig)My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I regularly meet Cabinet colleagues and Assembly Ministers to discuss matters affecting Wales.
In March this year the police were given greater scope for combating antisocial behaviour when the third set of new powers contained in the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 came into force. [Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The House must allow the right hon. Member for Newport, East (Alan Howarth) to put his supplementary question.
§ Alan HowarthHas my hon. Friend noted that reports of antisocial behaviour and disorder in Newport have fallen by 25 per cent. over the last year? Will he congratulate Gwent police and Labour-led Newport city council on working in increasingly effective partnership? Has he also noted that absolutely no ideas of any interest or use on the matter of antisocial behaviour have been put forward by any of the other political parties?
§ Mr. TouhigThe Government are cracking down on those who make life a misery for hard-working families. Those families expect us to do something about that situation and to act against those who commit the quality-of-life crimes of intimidation, petty vandalism, yobbery and so on. I am delighted about the real progress that has been made in Newport through the partnership between the Gwent police and the Labour-run Newport council, which after the election tomorrow will still be a Labour-run council.