Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Metcalfe Excerpts
Monday 9th February 2015

(9 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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The Secretary of State was asked—
Stephen Metcalfe Portrait Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con)
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1. What steps she has taken to reduce administrative burdens on the police.

Baroness May of Maidenhead Portrait The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mrs Theresa May)
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We have cut red tape and freed the police from central Government control to enable them to focus on their clear goal, which is to cut crime. The work we have undertaken to reduce bureaucracy could see up to 4.5 million hours of police time saved across all forces every year—the equivalent of more than 2,100 officers back on the beat.

Stephen Metcalfe Portrait Stephen Metcalfe
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May I put on record my thanks to police officers across Basildon and Thurrock for all their hard work in keeping our community safe? Does this Government’s record show that when it comes to vital services such as the police, with true reform it is possible to do more with less?

Baroness May of Maidenhead Portrait Mrs May
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My hon. Friend makes a good point. The reforms we have put in place are working, and crime is down overall by more than a fifth since the last election. I join him in saying that work to cut crime is being carried out by police officers and staff day in, day out, and I pay tribute to police officers in Basildon and Thurrock and across the country for that work.