We owe emergency service workers a huge debt of gratitude for the courage, commitment and dedication they demonstrate in carrying out their duties. I find violent attacks on our emergency services incredibly cowardly and abhorrent, particularly when the emergency service personnel are simply trying to do their jobs to help people.
In addition, workers like nurses or paramedics, who should not expect any sort of violent confrontation as part of their roles, deserve to be properly protected with the full weight of the law behind them.
The Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Bill would create a statutory aggravating factor. This means that when a person is convicted of a specific offence, the judge would have to consider the fact it was committed against an emergency worker as an aggravating factor in determining the sentence within the maximum allowed for the particular offence.
This will cover assault causing actual bodily harm, wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm and manslaughter. Separately, the Bill will create a new aggravated version of the offences of common assault and battery when committed against an emergency worker, for which the maximum custodial sentence allowed for common assault will be increased from six months to 12 months.
The Bill's definition of emergency workers will encompass police, prison officers, custody officers, fire service personnel, search and rescue services and certain NHS workers such as ambulance personnel. Today I met with a group of North West paramedics who recounted some of attacks they have experienced. I am passionately of the view that no-one, least of all an emergency worker, should have to endure being spat at and bitten for simply doing their job.
It is important to send a clear message that we will not tolerate attacks on our emergency services personnel. Therefore, I am happy to work with MPs from all parties to ensure that people guilty of violence face the full force of the law and so I have written to Dominic Raab MP, the Minister of State for Courts and Justice to express my support for the measures proposed in the Bill.
The vote on Friday will not in itself change the law but it is an important first step to ensure that the Bill becomes law. It is my understanding that the Government will be supporting the Bill and its measures to protect those emergency workers who serve and protect us and our communities. I support the Bill and trust that it will be successful in its passage into law.
