§ 23. Mr. John Fraserasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent he considered recent crime statistics for London when fixing the cash limit on the expenditure of the Metropolitan police.
§ Mr. Giles ShawMy right hon. and learned Friend naturally has regard to statistical trends in recorded crime when determining what resources should be made available to the Metropolitan police, but there is no precise or automatic correlation between the two. The first priority in tackling crime is to ensure taht the considerable resources already made available to the police service by this Government are used to best advantage and that methods of prevention and detection are as effective as they can be made. A solution does not simply or necessarily lie in the provision of further resources.