Trespass: Housing
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with police forces on trends in reported incidents involving trespassers attempting to enter residential properties.
Answered by Sarah Jones
It is important that the police have the power to tackle trespassing where there is intent to commit an offence.
On 10th June, the Government announced its intention to repeal the outdated Vagrancy Act 1824.
We have introduced targeted replacement measures in the Crime and Policing Bill to ensure police have the powers they need to keep communities safe, including a criminal offence of trespassing with intent to commit a criminal offence, an offence which was previously provided for under the 1824 Act, and for which the police have told us is useful to retain.
As is currently the case in the 1824 Act, it will be an offence for a person to trespass on any premises, meaning any building, part of a building or enclosed area, with the intention to commit an offence.
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