Policing, Prisons and Learning of the Problems with Heathrow Expansion

Report back from Andy Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick

Andy Slaughter MP

March 14, 2025

This week in Parliament was the second reading of the Crime and Policing Bill. I spoke in the debate about the impact the Bill will have on the justice system. I made brief comments on knife crime and spoke about pilot schemes to ensure knives aren’t so readily accessible to people who want to cause harm. I also mentioned the discrimination of Gypsy and Traveller communities due to increased police powers, and how we can rectify that discrimination in this Bill.

I asked two questions to the Lord Chancellor at Justice Questions this week, both relating to Justice Select Committee inquiries. The first on rehabilitation of ex-offenders, and the second on drugs within the prison estate.

The Justice Committee had another public session this week where we heard evidence from officials relating to prison education. This will form part of the wider inquiry into rehabilitation and resettlement of those leaving prison to reduce reoffending. It was a very useful session and will no doubt feed into the resulting recommendations to improve education within the prison system.

On Wednesday afternoon I attended a drop-in event in Parliament to discuss why a proposed Heathrow expansion does not deliver for local people in west London. On Thursday evening there was an important event held in Parliament to discuss how we ensure equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians in the future.

Next week the Justice Committee will be visiting Northampton to see the work of a County Court in action. I look forward to the visit with my fellow Committee members; we learn a lot from seeing the justice system in action, helping to inform our two major inquiries.

Best wishes,

Andy

andy@andyslaughter.com

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