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Crime (London)

The hon. Gentleman asks a very long question, but it has a very simple answer: we will not cut that money. London needs proper leadership from a new Mayor who is dedicated to helping the police, but the second problem has to do with how we can make trains and buses safer. In 2007, Mr. Livingstone stated:"““London's buses are a low-crime environment””." I am afraid that the facts tell a radically different story. Tube crimes are on the increase, public disorder offences increased by 33 per cent. between 2005-06 and 2006-07, criminal damage was up by 36.9 per cent., and sex offences on the tube were up by 14.9 per cent. The source for that, if anyone really wants to trade statistics, is the British Transport police's statistical bulletin 2006-07. I was with members of the British Transport police this very lunchtime, and they confirmed those figures to me personally. If any Labour Member wants to intervene on me, I am happy for them to do so. No? Okay. Tube crime—up. Crime on the buses—up. The London assembly's transport committee found at the beginning of the year that overall crime on buses increased by just over 17 per cent. between 2004-05 and 2005-06. The source for that is the committee's report of January 2008.