Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

David Hanson Excerpts
Monday 28th June 2010

(13 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Herbert of South Downs Portrait Nick Herbert
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If my hon. Friend were to invite me, I would be delighted to attend the pub with him so I may judge the best performance for myself.

David Hanson Portrait Mr David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab)
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I welcome the right hon. Gentleman to his position, but I might just advise him that we did actually stop the stop form in the Crime and Security Act 2010—but I will let that pass. Will the right hon. Gentleman today tell the House how much money he expects to save by tackling police bureaucracy over the next three years? Does he understand that, however much he saves, it will be nowhere near enough to compensate for the 25% cut he is planning in the Home Office budget, which will remove 35,000 police officers and 4,000 PCSOs from the beat? How does he expect that to help to fight, and reduce, crime in Britain?

Lord Herbert of South Downs Portrait Nick Herbert
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Once again, we see absolutely no understanding from the Opposition about the fiscal position we have inherited from them. The fact is that their Government left us with an unspecified cut of £44 billion to find across Government Departments. They would not say where that money was to be found, so we have to make the savings. I believe that police forces can do it, and we are also determined to protect the front line.