Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Herbert of South Downs and Gloria De Piero

Monday 12th September 2011 Commons Chamber

[Nick Herbert]

I understand my hon. Friend’s concerns about this issue and I also appreciate the particular geography in that part of her constituency. These matters of deployment are for the chief constable to decide and it is better that Ministers do not try to second-guess those, but I am happy to draw her concerns to the chief constable’s attention.

[Gloria De Piero (Ashfield) (Lab)]

Do Ministers believe that a local police station is a front-line service?

[Nick Herbert]

I think that what is important is the visibility and availability of police officers, which is variable between police forces. In many cases, it can be significantly improved. I have said to the House before that if police forces can find innovative ways to increase their presence in communities—for instance, by being in supermarkets—that can often be very much better than maintaining empty or underused offices that are rarely visited.