Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jim Cunningham and Nick Hurd

Monday 25th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hurd]

Of course, the statistic the hon. Gentleman omits is that the other key thing about 2010 was that this country was then dealing with the largest deficit in our public finances in peacetime history. Over the years we have taken action to tackle that and get the public finances under control—opposed by Labour—and we are now creating the conditions for increased public investment in policing, again opposed by Labour.

[Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)]

rose—

Stop and Search

Debate between Jim Cunningham and Nick Hurd

Monday 12th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hurd]

My hon. Friend makes and important point, one that has been echoed by people such as Trevor Phillips. It is clear to us—I speak as a London MP—that the tragic faces staring at us out of the pages of London’s Evening Standard are almost overwhelmingly those of young black boys.

[Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)]

Surely the Minister must recognise that the only way we are going to deal adequately with violent crime, particularly in the west midlands, is by having an adequate number of police. We have lost 3,000 policemen over the past two or three years, and surely they have to be restored. More importantly, the police rely on intelligence, which is why we need more community policemen, as that is the best way to deal with crime.

[Mr Hurd]

Last year’s funding settlement did put more money into west midlands policing, and it was a settlement the hon. Gentleman voted against. I will be coming to the House in early December with our plans for 2019-20. He is right about the need for a robust law enforcement response to this scourge of serious violence on our streets, but it also needs to be balanced, as I am sure he knows, with excellent work on prevention and early intervention. This Government have committed almost a quarter of a billion pounds of taxpayers’ money to that prevention and intervention work in communities up and down the country. It is that balance that will give us the success we all want.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jim Cunningham and Nick Hurd

Monday 8th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Policing and the Fire Service (Mr Nick Hurd)]

The answer to an invitation to visit sunny Clacton-on-Sea is, of course, yes.

[Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)]

T3. Given cuts to police numbers and resources, how many police forces have notified the Home Office that they will not be pursuing certain types of crime?

[Mr Hurd]

I know the hon. Gentleman knows this, but the proposed funding settlement will lead not to cuts, but to increased investment of £450 million in our policing system, which will help police forces across the country to cope with the changing face of crime.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jim Cunningham and Nick Hurd

Monday 20th November 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hurd]

I have spoken with or visited every single police force in England and Wales, including Kent, so I am well aware of the concerns felt by colleagues from rural areas about pressures on the police and the support that rural communities get. That all feeds into the process of evidence-based decision making by the Government on the right funding settlement for 2018-19.

[Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)]

T9. Will the Home Secretary take steps to ensure that police forces are better resourced to roll out domestic violence protection orders more widely?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jim Cunningham and Nick Hurd

Wednesday 11th December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hurd]

I have heard that from other sources, not least in my own local authority, so I am happy to take that matter up with my hon. Friend directly.

[Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)]

5. What steps he is taking to increase the number of people involved with charity.

[The Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Mr Nick Hurd)]

Our recent report encouraging social action set out what we have done to make it easier for people to give time and money, and I hope that the hon. Gentleman will join me in welcoming the news that volunteering has risen sharply since 2012 after years of decline.

[Mr Cunningham]

I hope the Minister will elaborate further. Only 9% of people are responsible for giving two-thirds of donations to charity. Will he elaborate on his previous answer?

[Mr Hurd]

The hon. Gentleman makes an important point and he is right to say that we rely on an extremely generous minority who do most of the giving. Britain has risen in the league table and is now the sixth most generous country in the world. Millions of our fellow citizens and constituents give time on a regular basis, and volunteering has risen since 2012 after years of decline. We think we have made a contribution to that.