HC Deb 15 November 1990 vol 180 cc701-2
11. Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from Cumbria on the question of policing.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

My right hon. and learned Friend has received no representations from the Cumbria 'police authority since March 1989. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State visited Cumbria police in May 1990.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

In the light of the high incidence of petty crime and burglary in the county, may I make a special plea on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Cumbrians that the Government look most sympathetically on any request for additional policing resources for the county? Things really are quite bad.

Mr. Lloyd

Of course, the hon. Gentleman can be sure that we will look carefully at any such request. As he knows, extra police officers will be announced towards the end of the year. I commend the Cumbrian police authority for the way in which it has used the civilianisation programme. It has used the programme sensibly and better than many other authorities in the country. The increase in the crime rate in Cumbria, particularly for the crimes mentioned by the hon. Gentleman is lower than the national increase.

Mr. Jopling

Is my hon. Friend aware that if he is looking for examples throughout the country of good relations between the police and the public, he could do no better than offer Cumbria as such an example?

Mr. Lloyd

Cumbria is a very good example and I have already mentioned some of its successes in my reply to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours).

Mr. Martlew

Will the Minister have urgent talks with the Secretary of State for the Environment, who is under the impression that Cumbria is spending too much on its police? He said that under the standard spending assessment, £1.6 million too much is being spent. It is obvious to the people of Cumbria that that is not the case.

Is not it a fact that, unless the county council cuts its police budget, we are likely to be capped this year by the Government?

Mr. Lloyd

The council must make its own judgment in terms of its obligations under the law and the arrangements for the community charge that it receives.

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