Neighbourhood Policing 2025-01-13
2025-01-13
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
Referencing concerns raised by the Leicestershire police panel about underfunding and manpower shortages, and highlighting specific incidents of burglary in Clarendon Park area.
I refer the House to my registered interests. Last year, the Leicestershire police panel raised serious concerns about being underfunded with a real-terms cut of 20% over the past 13 years, leading to insufficient manpower for night-time patrols. There has been a wave of burglaries in local businesses including Christopher James Deli, Loros and Spice Bazzar among eight that have been smashed and grabbed over the past two months. At the local crime summit I arranged to discuss this situation, one owner Jaskaran Dutta said: 'We do everything we can to survive in this incredibly difficult economic time. All we ask is that the government supports us by improving policing and security'. What is the Secretary of State doing to address these concerns?
Under the previous Conservative Government, neighbourhood policing was decimated. The proportion of people who said that they never saw the police on the beat doubled. They took police off the beat and did not put them back, which is why we are setting out a neighbourhood policing guarantee. We have increased funding for police forces by £1 billion next year, including £100 million specifically to kickstart recruitment for neighbourhood policing.
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Q2
Direct Answer
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Context
Describing a case of car theft in Carshalton where the police only provided a crime reference number, and highlighting issues with organised shoplifting on Wallington high street.
A Carshalton resident had her car stolen from her driveway. There is video footage of it but the police just gave her a crime reference number and closed the case. Local businesses on Wallington high street tell me that organised shoplifters are acting with impunity. The Home Secretary touched on recruitment being part of the solution, but what else can the Government do now to help my constituents feel safe?
The hon. Member is right to talk about the deep frustration felt in communities, including local businesses and town centres, about not just the absence of neighbourhood policing, which we need to turn around, but the weakening of powers over the past 14 years on things such as shoplifting. That is why we are introducing new respect orders and strengthening powers on shoplifting and assaults on shop workers.
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Q3
Direct Answer
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Context
Highlighting recent suspensions and resignations within the leadership of Devon and Cornwall Police.
In 2022, the chief constable of Devon and Cornwall Police was suspended for misconduct. Last November, the interim chief constable was also suspended. Now, the deputy police and crime commissioner has resigned. Does the Home Secretary share my concerns about the leadership of Devon and Cornwall Police and the impact on neighbourhood policing morale, as well as the fact that the taxpayer is paying for three chief constables, two of whom have been suspended?
I am aware of the points that my hon. Friend raises, and I do have concerns. It is really important that all police forces can strengthen their neighbourhood policing and have strong leadership right through the police force. We will set out a new police reform White Paper to ensure that measures are in place to strengthen leadership and standards across policing.
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Q4
Partial Answer
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The question follows criticism of the Conservative government's record on police numbers and funding. The MP mentions a specific issue with national insurance tax impacting police budgets.
The Home Secretary proudly quotes the funding settlement while failing to mention that £230 million of it will be snatched straight back as a result of her Government’s national insurance tax raid on our police forces. What can be invested in frontline policing is largely determined by how she manages the Home Office budget. Does he agree that it was wrong to spend £10,000 on a swanky dinner for civil servants, and how will she ensure that never happens again?
I am afraid I have to say to the hon. Gentleman that his party not only let policing and communities down by taking neighbourhood police off the streets, but let police down on the funding. This Government are providing an increase in police funding of up to £1 billion next year, on top of the additional funding we had to provide for policing this financial year because his party left a huge black hole in not just Home Office or police officer funding, but overall funding for public services across the board—a shameful legacy that we have had to turn around.
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Assessment & feedback
The government's expenditure on a dinner for civil servants and the specifics of managing the budget were avoided.
Changed Subject
Criticised Opposition
Response accuracy