Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Police Stations

10 July 2023 · 1 other contributor

Opened by Theresa Villiers Con Chipping Barnet

Policing & Resources

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Theresa Villiers raised concerns about police stations in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • MP raised concerns about the closure of Barnet police station in London.
  • Mrs Villiers argued that physical police presence is important beyond front counter services.
  • The Minister highlighted that the Metropolitan Police have record numbers of officers.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Theresa Villiers Con Chipping Barnet

The MP raised concerns about the closure of Barnet police station in London, which was announced by Mayor Sadiq Khan in November 2017. The decision to close the front counter services at Barnet police station has been justified based on a decline in crimes reported face-to-face, but Mrs Villiers argued that reporting crimes can still be done through other means like phone or online. She highlighted the importance of physical police presence in local communities beyond just front counter services, including evidence storage and facilities for officers. Despite the closure announcement, the building remains operational for other police functions. The MP emphasised the value of having a visible police station that reassures residents and allows quicker responses to crimes.

Other contributors (1)
  • Chris Philp Con Croydon South

    The MP congratulated Theresa Villiers for securing this debate and agreed with her on the importance of police stations in local communities. He called for Mayor Sadiq Khan to reconsider his 2017 closure plan, noting that the Metropolitan Police has the highest funding per capita in the country, amounting to £3.3 billion a year.

Government Response

Lindsay Hoyle

The Minister responded by thanking Theresa Villiers for her debate on police stations and congratulating Shaun Bailey for saving his local Tipton police station from planned cuts. He highlighted that the Metropolitan Police have record numbers of officers, but Mayor Sadiq Khan failed to utilise all available funds, resulting in fewer than expected officers. The Minister also mentioned an initiative in Croydon South where neighbourhood officers patrol from a fire station, though he noted this is not as ideal as having a dedicated police station. He concluded by urging the Mayor to use his funding more wisely and reverse his closure plans.

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