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Crime (London)

To square the circle, the hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Johnson) was hardly here the last time we debated policing in London—nor was he here for the housing debate that we had immediately before this one. I want to put to my right hon. Friend the point that I wanted to put to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Ruffley). My right hon. Friend talked about the safer neighbourhood teams; does he also welcome the safer transport teams? In Barnet, we have a team of 22 officers and police community support officers. My borough commander has praised it as being effective in combating crime, providing reassurance and collecting intelligence. Will my right hon. Friend condemn Brian Coleman, the Greater London assembly member for Barnet and Camden, who described the new team as a gimmick when it was introduced? How does that square with what the Conservative party says about safer transport teams? It now says that they are a good thing.