In the last week, I have been contacted by many
constituents about the Emergency Workers (Offences) Bill. Last Friday, I was one of the MPs
that stayed in London to vote for the Bill to protect emergency workers. In the
end, there was a consensus on all sides of parliament and a vote was not
required, meaning that the Bill has now passed all its Commons stages and will
now be considered by the House of Lords.
I
think that strengthening the law to protect staff in our emergency services who
are just doing their job is now needed. In the current internet age,
there has been a coarsening of our society with more people showing aggression
and intolerance and more people finding themselves on the receiving end of
abuse. We see it in the nature of some of our political debate with
intolerant attitudes which can undermine freedom of speech.
We
have also sadly seen an increase in abuse and physical attacks aimed at front
line staff in our emergency services. This is totally unacceptable. The
great strength of our emergency services stems from the men and women who work
in them and the commitment they bring. We owe emergency service workers a debt
of gratitude for the courage, commitment and dedication they demonstrate in
keeping us safe and this needs to be reflected in the law.
The
Bill would create a statutory aggravating factor. This means that when a person
is convicted of a specific offence, the judge would have to consider the fact
it was committed against an emergency worker as an aggravating factor in
determining the sentence within the maximum allowed for the particular offence.
It will also create a new aggravated version of the offences of common
assault and battery when committed against an emergency worker, for which the
maximum allowed for common assault will be increased from six months to twelve
months.
The
Government has made clear that it supports the amendment which will see sexual
assault added to the list of offences to which the Bill’s statutory aggravating
factor will apply.
The Bill covers all emergency workers, including police, prison officers,
custody officers, fire service personnel, search and rescue services and
certain healthcare workers including ambulance personnel and it sends a very
clear message that our society will not tolerate assault on the emergency
services. Sometimes, despite the nature of politics at the moment,
parliament is capable of coming together in unity to deliver changes that
matter.
Portreath
School
Congratulations
to pupils from Portreath School were in parliament last week to address a
parliamentary committee on the work they have done to tackle the scourge of
plastic waste. They have persuaded suppliers to change from plastic to
cardboard packaging, their milk now arrives in glass bottles, and they help
with beach cleans at Portreath. It is great to see a Cornish school teaming up
with Surfers Against Sewage to take part in this campaign.
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