NI must ‘catch-up’ with anti-social behaviour legislation: Trimble

Ulster Unionist Leader David Trimble has called on the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to "catch-up" with the rest of the UK in legislation dealing with anti-social behaviour.

Mr Trimble was speaking during Home Office Questions in the House of Commons yesterday and ahead of today’s Committee debate on the new Anti-Social Behaviour (Northern Ireland) Order 2004.

Addressing Home Office Minister, Fiona McTaggart, Mr Trimble said: “I am sure you will agree that the initial legislation, introduced half a dozen years ago, was merely a first step, and that all the subsequent actions that the government have taken through recent legislation and the Home Office's broad antisocial behaviour strategy have been very important additions to that first step.”

The Upper Bann MP asked: “Will you point out to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland that it really is time he caught up with all that?”

Responding, Ms Taggart said that the Minister for Crime Reduction, Policing and Community Safety would continue to have conversations with her colleagues in Northern Ireland to ensure that "best practice is spread throughout the country”.

(GB)