§ Lord Stallardasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they can confirm that the Vagrancy Act 1824 is used by the police to move people on in the streets; what criteria are used in deciding so to use the Act; and how many times it has been so used in the calendar years 1988, 1989 and 1990.
Earl FerrersThe Vagrancy Act 1824 does not give the police a specific power to move on people on the streets. The Act, as amended by the Vagrancy Act 1935, does enable the police to direct people who are sleeping rough to a reasonably accessible place of shelter.