Police and Justice Bill

I apologise to the House for having missed the first part of the debate, but it was for the good reason that I was finishing the details of a letter that all 11 Surrey Members are sending to the new Home Secretary, begging him to review the proposals to merge the constabularies of Surrey and Sussex. I shall focus my remarks on amendment No. 82. The letter that I mentioned is now on its way to the new Home Secretary. I have listened to the passionate arguments of my hon. Friend the Member for North Shropshire (Mr. Paterson), who has led a fantastic campaign to try to save the West Mercia constabulary. He has built up an enormous level of public support, providing an object lesson to the rest of us. I can tell him that opinion in Surrey is equally resolute and determined to sustain the Surrey constabulary. We may not have had quite so many public meetings, but I have to say that, at the moment, we are both having precisely the same effect on the Government—none at all. I was intending to begin by larding the new Minister with praise for his wisdom and intellect. When one is on a hook and an opportunity to get off it presents itself, it seems sensible for one to take it. I heard my hon. Friend the Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) say that the Minister had made it clear in his opening remarks that he was determined to remain firmly on the hook, which was immensely disappointing. Speaking on behalf of all Surrey MPs, I know that many of my right hon. and hon. Friends representing the county believe that the only reason for larding Ministers is to put them on a spit over a large fire, particularly if they are going to continue to ignore all opinion within the county. I beg the Minister—I repeat, I beg him—to re-examine the proposal. He may have noticed one or two other changes in the organisation of public authorities over the last nine years. Those who represent people across the piece as MPs—I am speaking for myself and for hon. Members throughout the House—are left bewildered about exactly who is doing what as a result of the various reorganisations. There is always a price to be paid with any reorganisation. Of course there will always be arguments for improving things by better co-ordination and more effective organisation, but this particular reorganisation of the police is pitched at one particular type of policing—level 2 policing. The former chief constable of Surrey was an outstanding policeman, but I am sorry to say that his report has been taken and extended far beyond the remit that he would have anticipated as inspector of constabulary. I can tell the Minister that the price that will have to be paid for the reorganisation is simply not worth the benefits that it will produce.