PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Stop and Search (18 May 2022)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the context of the Equality Impact Assessment of the relaxation of section 60 Best Use of Stop and Search Safeguards pilot not having yet been published, for what reason the introduction of new suspicion-less stop and search powers are proposed in the Public Order Bill.

Asked by:
Marsha De Cordova (Labour)

The Government has conducted an Equalities Impact Assessment on the measures in the Public Order Bill, which can be accessed at: Public Order Bill: Equality Impact Assessment - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The section 60 Equalities Impact Assessment will be published in due course.

The new stop and search powers in the Public Order Bill will enable the police to proactively tackle highly disruptive protest offences by searching for and seizing items which are made, adapted or intended to be used in connection with protest-related offences. In their 2021 report on the policing of protests, Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services agreed that such powers would have an operational benefit to police.

Answered by:
Kit Malthouse (Conservative)
23 May 2022