To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure neighbourhood policing teams have sufficient resources to carry out preventative work to deter knife carrying in Surrey.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure neighbourhood policing teams have sufficient resources to carry out preventative work to deter knife carrying in Surrey.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the number of neighbourhood police officers in Surrey.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the number of neighbourhood police officers in Surrey.

I thank the Minister for giving way. He said that police authorities were given notice that they would have to act within a notional precept and that they had been given a firm view of what that precept would be. That is not true. Earlier this year, the then Minister...

I thank the Minister for giving way. He said that police authorities were given notice that they would have to act within a notional precept and that they had been given a firm view of what that precept would be. That is not true. Earlier this year, the then Minister...

It is not for me, nor for anybody in this Chamber, to tell the authority what it should do to live within its cap. However, I note that its papers show that it will have reserves of £9.4 million by the end of 2009-10.

It is not for me, nor for anybody in this Chamber, to tell the authority what it should do to live within its cap. However, I note that its papers show that it will have reserves of £9.4 million by the end of 2009-10.

The Minister still has quite a bit of the time that we left him. Rather than question Surrey, I questioned the billing authority in my area. It said that the cost will be £4.65 per bill. I chose to ask that authority and not Surrey because it is dealing with...

The Minister still has quite a bit of the time that we left him. Rather than question Surrey, I questioned the billing authority in my area. It said that the cost will be £4.65 per bill. I chose to ask that authority and not Surrey because it is dealing with...

This will be the last time, because I need to make progress.

This will be the last time, because I need to make progress.

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

Having been in this job for five minutes, I apologise that that was not at the top of the priority list for my briefing this morning. I am sure that I will be briefed on that in due course. The hon. Gentleman will understand why I have not had such...

Having been in this job for five minutes, I apologise that that was not at the top of the priority list for my briefing this morning. I am sure that I will be briefed on that in due course. The hon. Gentleman will understand why I have not had such...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We have heard today that the Surrey police authority has been evaluated by the Audit Commission and rated by residents. People are happy with its performance. The key question that the Government need to answer is who should make the decision. Why should it...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We have heard today that the Surrey police authority has been evaluated by the Audit Commission and rated by residents. People are happy with its performance. The key question that the Government need to answer is who should make the decision. Why should it...

Let us be quite clear: it is not Surrey police that put a toe out of line; it is the Government who are out of order.

Let us be quite clear: it is not Surrey police that put a toe out of line; it is the Government who are out of order.

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Mole Valley (Sir Paul Beresford) on securing this important debate. The fact that so many Surrey MPs have turned up and that they have so eloquently represented their constituents' concerns about the capping of the Surrey police precept demonstrates to the Minister,...

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Mole Valley (Sir Paul Beresford) on securing this important debate. The fact that so many Surrey MPs have turned up and that they have so eloquently represented their constituents' concerns about the capping of the Surrey police precept demonstrates to the Minister,...

It is certainly vindictive, but I am not sure that I give the Government credit for that much thought. I suspect that the process is much more random than that. I think that they merely pick a couple of random councils to make public scapegoats of so that they can...

It is certainly vindictive, but I am not sure that I give the Government credit for that much thought. I suspect that the process is much more random than that. I think that they merely pick a couple of random councils to make public scapegoats of so that they can...

Thank you, Mr. Fraser. My hon. Friend demonstrates that the problem has affected not only Surrey, but other police authorities. The debate allows us to see the direct impact on local people and local views. The problem affects areas other than Surrey.

Thank you, Mr. Fraser. My hon. Friend demonstrates that the problem has affected not only Surrey, but other police authorities. The debate allows us to see the direct impact on local people and local views. The problem affects areas other than Surrey.

The hon. Lady ought to be aware that although a number of authorities are capped, to the best of my knowledge, mine is the only one that looks as if it will be required to re-bill.

The hon. Lady ought to be aware that although a number of authorities are capped, to the best of my knowledge, mine is the only one that looks as if it will be required to re-bill.

The truth is that there is no logic and no local accountability whatever. The hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond), who is no longer in his place, accused the Government of petty political vindictiveness, but I am not sure that that is actually the cause. I think that...

The truth is that there is no logic and no local accountability whatever. The hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond), who is no longer in his place, accused the Government of petty political vindictiveness, but I am not sure that that is actually the cause. I think that...

Would the hon. Lady not describe it as vindictive or suspicious if the Government want to wave that stick about? I agree that they want to make a case of somebody; they are picking on a county where there is not a single Labour MP to complain.

Would the hon. Lady not describe it as vindictive or suspicious if the Government want to wave that stick about? I agree that they want to make a case of somebody; they are picking on a county where there is not a single Labour MP to complain.

The hon. Gentleman is completely correct. Other authorities have been nominated but have not had to go through the process of re-billing, but as my hon. Friend said, no matter where authorities are on the scale, there is a devastating impact on their ability, and the ability of the police...

The hon. Gentleman is completely correct. Other authorities have been nominated but have not had to go through the process of re-billing, but as my hon. Friend said, no matter where authorities are on the scale, there is a devastating impact on their ability, and the ability of the police...

Many hon. Members from Surrey have commented on the fact that Government inspectors have recognised that the Surrey police authority is very efficient in handling its finances and policing operations. The same is true in Derbyshire. Government inspectors say that Derbyshire is highly efficient and has made £40 million in...

Many hon. Members from Surrey have commented on the fact that Government inspectors have recognised that the Surrey police authority is very efficient in handling its finances and policing operations. The same is true in Derbyshire. Government inspectors say that Derbyshire is highly efficient and has made £40 million in...

I was going to deal with that point later, but I will deal with it specifically now. It is clearly untrue. [Interruption.] I am sure that hon. Members want me to respond. As long ago as October 2008, Surrey was well aware of the implications of its course of action....

I was going to deal with that point later, but I will deal with it specifically now. It is clearly untrue. [Interruption.] I am sure that hon. Members want me to respond. As long ago as October 2008, Surrey was well aware of the implications of its course of action....