Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Dave Doogan Excerpts
Tuesday 24th May 2022

(1 year, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Victoria Atkins Portrait The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Victoria Atkins)
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Is that not a sign of a community as a whole taking action, not just to reduce crime but to try to ensure that the young men my hon. Friend describes get on the straight and narrow and start to build healthy and happy lives for themselves? I would be delighted to discuss that further with him. I know for a fact that he has a superb police and crime commissioner, who I am sure will be supporting A Band of Brothers helpfully and meaningfully.

Dave Doogan Portrait Dave Doogan (Angus) (SNP)
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The Secretary of State will be aware that police officer numbers play a key role in reducing crime and reoffending, so what plans does he have to increase England’s officer level of 23 officers per 10,000 people to bring it closer to Scotland’s of 32 per 10,000 people?

Kit Malthouse Portrait The Minister for Crime and Policing (Kit Malthouse)
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Mr Speaker, as you know, the Government are in the middle of a huge recruitment drive of police officers. We have, happily, increased the number by 13,500, and I am confident that by the end of the financial year we will have hit our 20,000 target.