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Antisocial Behaviour

I am extremely impressed that my hon. Friend managed to remember that number. I am tempted to challenge the Minister about whether he can remember the non-emergency number in his constituency. I bet that he cannot. I am happy to admit that I could not remember the non-emergency number in my area when I needed to ring it, and members of the public have the same problem. However, everyone would be able to remember 101. The Respect action plan—this vital document—also promises 24,000 police community support officers by next year, calling them"““absolutely vital to the modern police force””." The plan says:"““Numbers on this scale will revolutionise policing in our communities.””" When I asked the Home Secretary in October whether the rumours were true that the numbers of PCSOs would be reduced, he flatly denied it. Later on in the year, that manifesto pledge was dropped. That decision was disguised as ““flexibility””, but at the same time, the money that would have been available to chief officers for PCSOs was taken away. Ken Jones, the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said:"““Being given the flexibility to manage decline is not a position we have sought””." Durham police have already announced that 100 police officers will be cut. The Government have not condescended to announce the relaxations in the crime fighting fund properly to the House, but the head of the Police Superintendents Association has warned:"““At a time of impending police funding crisis, we are worried that some chief officers will see””" those relaxations"““as a green light to start shedding police officer posts to save money””." The head of finance at ACPO has warned:"““Most forces will lose some officers or police staff. There will be fewer people working in police forces in the future.””" So much for the promises of the Respect action plan. It is a plan to deal with antisocial behaviour without the police, and without people being able to get hold of the police.