Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Siobhain McDonagh Excerpts
Monday 24th January 2011

(13 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Siobhain McDonagh Portrait Siobhain McDonagh (Mitcham and Morden) (Lab)
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T6. Year after year, my constituents tell me that their greatest concern is fear of crime. That is why they have fought hard to get 10 safer neighbourhood teams. Because of the cuts, the local police force is now consulting not on merging back offices or services, but on cutting those 10 safer neighbourhood teams down to two or three. Does the Minister believe that those cuts will help my constituents fear crime less, or make them less likely to be victims of crime?

Lord Herbert of South Downs Portrait Nick Herbert
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I have had several discussions with the Mayor, the deputy Mayor for policing and the acting Metropolitan Police Commissioner, all of whom are absolutely committed to protecting neighbourhood policing. We are all convinced that it is possible to drive considerable savings in policing, including the Met, in the back and middle office, so that the visible and available policing that the public value can be protected.