HC Deb 30 November 1999 vol 340 c103W
Mrs. Brinton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what objectives he will be determining for policing in 2000–01. [101121]

Mr. Straw

The Police Act 1996 allows me to set objectives, or ministerial priorities, for policing. The objectives for 2000–01 areto reduce local problems of crime and disorder in partnership with local authorities, other local agencies and the public; and to increase trust and confidence in policing among minority ethnic communities. I have reduced the number of priorities from four to two as I believe this helps focus attention on two key areas of policing—reducing crime and rising to the challenges of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report.