The Coronavirus dominated my latest round of Home Office Questions in Parliament.
First up I was pleased to clarify that shop workers are working flat out to keep this country moving. The delivery drivers, the packers and the on-till staff help make up the backbone of this country alongside the NHS workers, police and fire service and teachers – please treat them with the respect they deserve.
I also confirmed that beyond Coronavirus, the normal crime strategy remains in effect and under review. I was pleased to reassure The House that Rural Crime remains at the top of my agenda and work being done on the Rural Crime Network is on-going.
Unfortunately I had to emphasise that while we take to our homes to defeat this virus, we will naturally socialise online more. This presents an opportunity for criminals in the cyberspace to act, my department is aware of this and we will be monitoring very closely. First and foremost, people should stay vigilant online and only trust advice coming from official government sources and never transfer any personal or financial information to an individual or corporation you do not know.
The Army have been drafted in to help with the Coronavirus and I clarified the role they may play in the fields of construction and logistical planning.
I was asked in Parliament to clarify whether existing processes for arrests will be maintained. While the police are certainly under increased pressure at the moment, normal arrest procedures will continue – nobody will get away with crime.
That’s it for these Ministerial Questions, for more ministerial updates be sure to check my facebook page.