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Neighbourhood Policing

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The inter-agency work and collaboration with other organisations through the neighbourhood action groups, to which I referred earlier, lies at the heart of that activity. On the impact on crime throughout Oxford, if we compare the summer of 2007 with the summer of 2006, domestic burglary is down 34 per cent., personal robbery is down 11 per cent. and criminal damage is down 4.5 per cent. Our police—all of them—and all the community support officers and neighbourhood action groups deserve praise and thanks for that achievement. There is still, of course, far too much crime and too many nasty incidents—one crime is one too many—but let us celebrate the progress that is being made. Let us build on what so clearly works to achieve still more for the future. Let us do all that we can, so that people can enjoy the community safety that is a hallmark of any civilised society.