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Policing and Crime Bill

My Lords, having listened to that reply, I do not think that the Government are looking at this issue at all from the point of view of the consumer of the policing services for which they are now going to have to pay, probably handsomely—that is, the smaller airports. No one would argue about the importance of safety but, frankly, it should not be used to do more than is necessary. As I said in my contribution, there is evidence that the police are already expanding their role with the number of personnel at some of the smaller airports, no doubt taking into account the change that will come with the Bill and the transfer of the costs of policing. The objective may be a fairer system for policing but I doubt that the Bill achieves that. The airport operator is being left to bear the brunt without even an acknowledgement in the Bill, which is what my amendment was seeking, that it could seek to pass costs on. I will reflect on what the Minister has said and read the various contributions in Hansard. In the mean time, I beg leave to withdraw Amendment 152AP.