Let me begin by expressing my sadness at the passing of Baroness Newlove, the Victims’ Commissioner. The then Home Secretary announced her intention to bring forward a White Paper on police reform, outlining reforms that will drive quality, consistency, and efficiency in policing. The model was created to increase accountability and build a greater connection between policing and local communities by having a single public official responsible for holding their chief constable to account, setting the local police budget, and agreeing strategic priorities through their local police and crime plan. However, while PCCs have sought to provide strong oversight and drive crime prevention activity locally, the model has failed to live up to expectations. Public understanding of PCCs remains low despite efforts; less than a quarter of voters turned out in 2024 elections, and two in five people are unaware that PCCs exist. The Theresa May model has not worked, leading to the announcement to transfer policing functions to elected mayors in England by default wherever geographies allow. Five mayors now hold policing functions, delivering benefits like greater collaboration, visible leadership, and local innovation. We will abolish police and crime commissioners at the end of their current term in 2028 and establish new policing and crime boards until such time as mayors are in place, which will replicate the benefits of a mayoralty before the formal transfer can be realised, with built-in collaboration, public accountability, and a greater ability to join up budgets and local services. We estimate that at least £100 million will be saved this Parliament by moving to these new arrangements, enough to fund around 320 extra police constables.