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Police and Justice Bill

My right honourable friend the Home Secretary made it clear that on the basis of the information that we have, especially the HMIC advice, that road of travel is inevitable and the destination is absolutely secure. The question is how quickly can we go along that road and what do we need to do to ensure that that delivery eventually takes place? We have no evidence to indicate that that road of travel—set out so clearly by HMIC and so cogently argued by the current Inspector of Constabulary—is not the right road. The noble Baroness will know that all Governments have to behave responsibly. I know that she would criticise us greatly if we had cogent advice from the best source of information available to any government but we failed and/or refused to listen to it without there being good reasons for departing from that advice. I therefore make it clear that my right honourable friend has accepted the advice from HMIC and accepted the road of travel. What is in issue is probably how quickly we can get there bearing in mind the need to take a number of people with us. That is a different thing.