Oral Answers to Questions

Bob Blackman Excerpts

Tuesday 18th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Vara]

That is absolutely the case. Some local authorities are trying to help the economy through projects, only for them to be frustrated by unmeritorious claims. The taxpayer loses out because of the extra costs, the efforts of those who wish the projects to make progress or to have employment in them are stifled and, ultimately, the economy does not recover in the way that it ought to. That is what we are trying to achieve, to put right the consequences of the Opposition’s time in government.

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

8. What recent representations he has received on the role played by the London mayoralty in the delivery of justice in London.

[The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Chris Grayling)]

I have had a number of conversations with the London Mayor regarding the provision of services, particularly those for victims, which I regard as extremely important. We have now been able to release an extra £12 million of victim funding for areas most affected by crime and, subject to the proposals that are made, that will potentially include the capital.

[Bob Blackman]

As we devolve more power to the Mayor of London, is it not important to devolve the Prison Service and the probation service so that Londoners can hold the Mayor of London to account for the entirety of keeping London safe?

[Chris Grayling]

We continue to involve the Mayor and the Mayor’s office specialising in justice matters closely in our plans for prisons and probation, but I urge my hon. Friend to be careful about what he wishes for. There are others who are keen to take over MOPAC—the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime—and I have more concerns about their ability to do so. To pick an example purely at random, the right hon. Member for Tooting (Sadiq Khan) was asked recently about his ambitions to be Mayor of London, and he replied that

“if I was at the edge of the box and the ball came my way and I thought I had the best chance of scoring then I might go for it”.

That might explain why he has written a manifesto for London that has no justice policies at all.