Christopher Fraser, MP for South West Norfolk, today met Home Office Minister, Vernon Coaker MP, to question him on progress made by the Government to clamp down on raves, and to seek Government support on his campaign to tighten up the law.
Christopher Fraser’s meeting comes after his Adjournment Debate on illegal raves last July, and a Ten Minute Rule Bill that he presented to Parliament in February which seeks to change the law on raves. If successful, the Bill would expand the definition of a rave and create two new offences of organising a rave and transporting sound equipment for use at a rave.
Mr Fraser said: “The meeting led to positive and productive dialogue about our next steps on this issue. The Minister has undertaken to ask the Association of Chief Police Officers, which has set up a sub-group on raves, what progress has been made over the last year, if the group will submit a concrete assessment of the scale of the problem of illegal raves and what legislative changes would be operationally beneficial.
“There is a clear gap in the law that needs to be addressed urgently. Farmers and residents have to endure revellers on their private property somewhere in my constituency almost every weekend. As summer approaches, this problem is only going to get worse. I am not willing to let this issue go; we must find an effective solution for law-abiding people who only want protection under the law.
“I want the law to allow the Police to take preventative action by clamping down on organisers, so a rave can be prevented before it gets into full swing. The Minister made it clear that he was concerned about the problems stemming from illegal raves and I look forward to receiving ACPO’s response before my Bill’s Second Reading in June.”
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