Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Morgan of Cotes Excerpts
Monday 24th January 2011

(13 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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James Brokenshire Portrait James Brokenshire
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We are still considering this issue, but the Home Secretary has said that her preferred option would be for CEOP to be part of the national crime agency, because of the strong links and the need for enforcement capability. However, we recognise the other functions that CEOP performs, which is why we are considering the matter carefully. It is also why I set out clearly the relevant factors and characteristics that we recognise in CEOP, and why we will ensure that it is protected.

Baroness Morgan of Cotes Portrait Nicky Morgan (Loughborough) (Con)
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12. What steps she plans to take to reduce the burden of regulation on police forces.

Sajid Javid Portrait Sajid Javid (Bromsgrove) (Con)
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18. What steps she plans to take to reduce the burden of regulation on police forces.

Theresa May Portrait The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mrs Theresa May)
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We have removed central targets by scrapping the policing pledge and the public confidence target, and we will be abolishing the assessment of policing and community safety. We are also working with Her Majesty’s inspectorate of constabulary to develop new, light-touch monitoring arrangements for police forces that will allow us to focus on performance, at the same time as reducing the inspection burden.

Baroness Morgan of Cotes Portrait Nicky Morgan
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I thank the Secretary of State for her answer. Police community support officers and police officers are a valuable resource in the communities that they serve in Loughborough and surrounding villages. Does my right hon. Friend agree that where savings need to be made, Leicestershire police force and others should be looking at the back office for those savings, not the front line?

Theresa May Portrait Mrs May
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I entirely agree with my hon. Friend. It is possible for police forces to make significant savings in the back office, and that is where they should look first. We are helping them by scrapping the stop form and reducing what needs to be recorded on the stop-and-search form. We will save 800,000 hours of police time a year.