BASW Cymru's Briefing for Senedd Members on Part 4 of the Police Bill

BASW Cymru has prepared a BRIEFING on Part 4 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill - the criminalisation of trespass and new police powers to tackle unauthorised encampments for the Senedd Plenary Session debate on 18th January 2022. Item 9: Legislative Consent Motion on the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill: Motion 2

Click the here to download the briefing in full (in Welsh and English)

The Key Points:
1. We urge the Senedd to withhold legislative consent to Part 4 of the Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill because of its impact on devolved matters.
2. If enacted, this legislation will discriminate against Gypsies, Roma, and Travellers, (groups protected by the Equalities Act 2010), leading to criminalisation, risk of poverty, homelessness and placing increased pressure on families and social services.
3. We believe this will undermine existing Welsh legislation and policy, is not supported by the majority of the police or international evidence, and fails to deal with the primary issue, lack of appropriate residential transit and residential sites in Wales.
4. We urge the Senedd to ensure local authorities meet their statutory duty to provide sufficient residential site provision and quality transit sites and stopping places or to impose penalties on local authorities where statutory duties are not met.

#WalesDoesNotConsent #NidYwCymru'nCydsynio