Member of Parliament for the Cities of London and Westminster, Nickie Aiken, has campaigned to support the most vulnerable in our society for more than a decade. She was delighted to secure the repeal of the antiquated 1824 Vagrancy Act earlier this year meaning rough sleeping was no longer a criminal offence.
In Parliament, Nickie made the case with Andrew Stephenson MP, Minister for Housing and Communities, that we already have powers under the 2014 Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, to tackle aggressive begging, and called on the Minister to scrap Clause 187 in the Levelling Up Bill immediately.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Nickie said,
"I appreciate that some elements in Government may insist that we need more powers to deal with aggressive beggars, but I gently suggest that we have such legislation, including the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Does the new Secretary of State, therefore, agree that we do not need clause 187, a placeholder clause, in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, and will he scrap it immediately?"
Minister for Housing and Communities, Andrew Stephenson MP, replied,
"I pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s tireless efforts to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in Westminster, and to her successful campaign to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824. Toggle showing location of My ministerial colleague, the Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Dehenna Davison), and I are keen to continue to work with her to ensure that we get the balance right." Find out more about Nickie's campaign at https://www.nickie.news/VagrancyAct
