Spiking
Home Affairs Committee
Closed
Inquiry
As part of the Committee’s overarching work into violence against women and girls , the Committee wishes to explore the incidence of spiking at nightclubs and pubs, festivals and private house parties. Read the terms of reference for more detail about this work. As part of this inquiry, the Committee …
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11
Recommendations
11
Conclusions
1
Report
3
Oral sessions
6
Letters
3
Events
Activity timeline 14 events
1 Feb
2023
2023
11 Jan
2023
2023
30 Nov
2022
2022
4 Nov
2022
2022
7 Sep
2022
2022
7 Sep
2022
2022
4 Jul
2022
2022
26 Apr
2022
2022
Report published
26 Jan
2022
2022
Oral evidence
26 Jan
2022
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
19 Jan
2022
2022
Oral evidence
19 Jan
2022
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
26 Jan 2022
View on parliament.uk
Dean Ames · Metropolitan Police Service
Deputy Chief Constable Jason Harwin · National Police Chiefs' Council
Joy Allen
19 Jan 2022
View on parliament.uk
Councillor Jeanie Bell
Dr Adrian Boyle · Royal College of Emergency Medicine
Jade Quittenton · St John Ambulance
Michael Kill · Night Time Industries Association
Paul Fullwood · Security Industry Authority
12 Jan 2022
View on parliament.uk
Alexi Skitinis
Dawn Dines · Stamp Out Spiking
Hannah Stratton
Helena Conibear · The Alcohol Education Trust
Julie Spencer · The University of Lincoln
Zara Owen
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ninth Report - Spiking | HC 967 | 26 Apr 2022 | 22 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
8 results
2
Conclusion
Deferred
Ninth Report - Spiking
Outdoor music festivals require higher safeguarding standards for their younger, more vulnerable attendees.
We believe that a more formal and higher standard is required for outdoor music festivals owing to the comparatively younger age of festival-goers and the additional vulnerability that arises from their camping over at such festivals.
Government Response
The government's response focused on improving data collection and victim support for spiking incidents, including establishing a new NPCC reporting mechanism, deflecting from the recommendation for a more formal and higher standard of safeguarding at outdoor music festivals.
Home Office
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3
Conclusion
Deferred
Ninth Report - Spiking
Absence of accurate data on spiking hinders effective policy and intervention development.
No-one knows how prevalent spiking is, whether by drink, drug or needle, and no-one knows what causes perpetrators to do it. Anecdotal evidence suggests the practice is widespread and dangerous, and that many people, particularly young, particularly women, are affected …
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Government Response
The government committed to bringing forward its deadline to 26 October for updating Parliament on whether it intends to introduce a specific criminal offence for spiking, but did not directly commit to gathering more accurate data on the prevalence and causes of spiking.
Home Office
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9
Conclusion
Deferred
Ninth Report - Spiking
Strong support for increased venue security despite critical staff shortages
There is strong support for increased security measures in night-time venues, but critical shortages in door security staff.
Government Response
The government did not address the recommendation about increasing security measures or addressing door staff shortages, instead detailing the existing rapid urine testing service established by law enforcement and Eurofins.
Home Office
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10
Recommendation
Deferred
Ninth Report - Spiking
Consider support package for night-time industry to boost security and staff recruitment
As part of its wider VAWG strategy, the Government should consider a support package for night-time industries to boost security measures including the recruitment and training of additional door security staff, particularly female staff.
Government Response
The government did not address the recommendation for a support package for night-time industries to boost security and recruit staff, instead focusing on concerns about the efficacy of non-lab-based spiking test kits and existing forensic testing capabilities.
Home Office
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11
Recommendation
Deferred
Ninth Report - Spiking
Strengthen licensing authority powers and guidance to prevent spiking and gender-based violence
We are concerned that the Government is not doing enough to monitor licensing authorities’ use of powers to regulate the night-time economy, both with specific regard to spiking incidents and more generally in relation to violence against women and girls. …
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Government Response
The government did not address the recommendation to monitor licensing authorities' use of powers or to review section 182 guidance, instead stating it will consider research into the motivations of spiking offenders.
Home Office
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12
Conclusion
Deferred
Ninth Report - Spiking
Patchwork of anti-spiking initiatives lacks national strategy and consistency
We are pleased to learn there are many initiatives across the country to tackle spiking but are concerned that without a national strategy to ensure a consistent, wholesale approach, the current patchwork of initiatives may make those in parts of …
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Government Response
The government did not commit to a national strategy for a consistent approach to anti-spiking initiatives, but instead outlined preliminary discussions with police and legal bodies regarding factors inhibiting prosecutions, with outcomes to be included in a statutory report by April 2023.
Home Office
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21
Conclusion
Deferred
Ninth Report - Spiking
Disappointment over exceptionally low number of successful spiking prosecutions
Successful prosecution has a deterrent value for both actual and would-be spikers and sends a clear message that spiking is a crime. We are therefore disappointed by the very low number of successful prosecutions for spiking offences.
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need for more successful prosecutions and will include the outcomes of discussions with police forces, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Attorney General’s office on factors inhibiting prosecutions in the statutory report on spiking, due to be published no later than 28 April 2023.
Home Office
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22
Recommendation
Deferred
Ninth Report - Spiking
Need for government strategy to address factors inhibiting spiking prosecutions
To increase the deterrent effect of increased prosecutions, Government should devise a strategy to address each of the factors that inhibit prosecution from lack of reporting through to failure to collect forensic evidence. (Paragraph 103) 42 Spiking
Government Response
The government recognises factors inhibiting spiking prosecutions and has begun discussions with police, CPS, and the Attorney General's office, with outcomes to be included in a statutory report by April 2023.
Home Office
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Correspondence 6 letters
1 Feb 2023
To committee
Letter from the Minister for Safeguarding on the Government's work to tackle spiking, dated 30 January 2023
Parliament page
11 Jan 2023
To committee
Letter from Minister for Safeguarding on the Government's update to the Home Affairs Committee on the creation of a specific criminal offence for Spiking and the Committee's other recommendations, dated 20 December 2022
Parliament page
30 Nov 2022
To committee
Letter from Home Secretary on introducing a criminal offence for spiking, dated 22 November 2022
Parliament page
4 Nov 2022
From committee
Letter to the Home Secretary on introducing a criminal offence for spiking, dated 4 November 2022
Parliament page
7 Sep 2022
To committee
Letter from the Home Secretary on the Government’s response to the Home Affairs Select Committee’s Report on Spiking, dated 15 August 2022
Parliament page
7 Sep 2022
From committee
Letter to the Home Secretary on the Government’s response to the Home Affairs Select Committee’s Report on Spiking, dated 20 July 2022
Parliament page