§ Mr. William Priceasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now make a statement about the amalgamation of Warwickshire and Coventry police forces.
§ Mr. CallaghanI have received a report from Mr. L. K. E. Boreham, Q.C. who held a local inquiry into objections relating to the proposed amalgamation for police purposes of Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull. The report was published as a Command Paper this afternoon.
Mr. Boreham finds that the amalgamation will increase the efficient policing of the area as a whole. I propose to proceed with the proposal and I shall be consulting the police authorities about the terms of a draft scheme which I shall lay before Parliament.
I am grateful to Mr. Boreham for preparing a most comprehensive report following a long and careful inquiry.