Gavin Shuker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Shuker on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on whether the National Police Chiefs’ Council consulted academics in producing its revised prostitution strategy.

Karen Bradley

Within the structure of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), chief officers are elected by their peers and take the lead on specific issues from a national operational perspective. It is for the national leads to establish working groups to support them in their role. The Home Office is in regular dialogue with on the NPCC Lead for Prostitution’s office, and as such discussed and commented on the current revision of the strategy.

Prostitution is a complex issue, which can impact on individuals and communities in many different ways, and we are therefore clear that local areas and police forces are in the best position to identify and respond to issues around prostitution in their area. Police forces are assisted in doing so by the National Policing Lead’s refreshed Policing Sex Work Strategy, which stresses the priority of the public protection duty that the police services have in relation to the safety of those involved in prostitution.