HL Deb 15 October 2003 vol 653 cc940-1

3.1 p.m.

Lord Dholakia

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they intend to review the performance targets of the police in the light of comments made by the Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner on 10th October.

The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)

My Lords, we welcome last week's constructive speech by the deputy commissioner. On performance our clear position is that there are certain standards of policing, which should be delivered to all communities, the framework for which is set out in the National Policing Plan. We have no immediate plans to revise the PSA targets, but we shall shortly publish the National Policing Plan for 2004–07, which will encourage forces to engage with their communities about local priorities within the framework for delivering key national standards.

Lord Dholakia

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply, but there still seems to be a gap between police expectation, Home Office requirements and police performance. Does the Minister agree with the Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner, who stated:

We have to insist that the interest in police numbers is diminished, that the concentration in crime numbers and judicial disposals is not removed but balanced with a measurement of locally agreed targets of police visibility and … public satisfaction"? Would not outcomes based on locally agreed priorities rather than performance targets imposed centrally by the Home Office be a better way of organising our future police force?

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

My Lords, as I indicated, we welcome much that was said in that speech. It was constructive and very much in tune with what the Government seek to do. The relationship between local and national targets is clear. We have said—ACPO members have supported this—that it is important to have a national standard for minimum standards to be delivered across the country. It is also important to ensure that the needs of local people are met.

Lord Condon

My Lords, does the Minister accept that the speeches made at the Future of Policing Conference last week by a number of police chiefs show that the police service has willingly embraced an agenda for reform and civil renewal? However, in order to play its full part in that programme it seeks some relief from the rather tight straitjacket of centrally imposed performance criteria so that it can respond more effectively to the compelling policing priorities set by local communities.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

My Lords, first, it gives me great pleasure to acknowledge the support and assistance that we have had right across the country from our most senior police officers who have engaged in this new agenda. Secondly, the PSA targets are not a straitjacket. Noble Lords will know that we have negotiated a new policing plan. We have honed the targets and limited them. We have listened carefully to what the police have said in this regard. We believe that the new plan meets with general acclamation. That gives us a great deal of pleasure.

Lord Roberts of Conwy

My Lords, do the Government accept that one of the major drawbacks of centrally imposed targets is that, as the noble Lord has just said, they distract from the attainment of local objectives and local priorities, which are all important to local communities to whom the police should be and, indeed, would wish to be, accountable? How will the new national plan, to be announced, cope with the defective situation that exists at present?

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

My Lords, first, I do not accept that the current system is defective. Neither do I accept that the national criteria which have been set detract from local delivery. I acknowledge the debate about national targets. However, as I have tried to say, our bottom line is that there are certain standards of policing which all communities should expect to enjoy. We are very committed to raising the performance of all our forces. We have made clear in the National Policing Plan that we are responsive to the needs of local people and local forces.

So far the focus on performance management in forces has been successful and shows results. Merseyside, West Midlands and Staffordshire, for example, are forces with a clear focus on performance management. They are performing well in tackling the targets on crimes of burglary, vehicle crime and robbery. Crucially, we are seeing increased public satisfaction with those forces. We believe we are on the right track and applaud those police officers who are working hard to deliver high quality policing to the people they serve.

Viscount Simon

My Lords, is there any possibility that the officers who are trying to achieve such performance targets might be hindered by those monitoring their performance targets?

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

My Lords, no.