(Blyth Valley) (Con): The Leader
of the House may be aware that Cramlington, which is in my
constituency and is one of the largest towns in Northumberland,
lacks a police station. Its stand-alone police station was closed
in 2014. More recently, Northumbria police opened an office in
Manor Walks shopping centre, but it is not an adequate
replacement for a full station. Despite the critical need,
successive Labour Police and Crime
Commissioners in Northumbria have not taken action
to reverse the closure. Given Cramlington's population of more
than 30,000 and its history of serious crimes including multiple
murders, its residents are in desperate need of a dedicated
police station to provide reassurance and support for
neighbourhood officers. Will the Leader of the House please
schedule a debate in Government time so we can consider what can
be done to ensure that constituencies nationwide receive the
necessary resources to combat crime?
: My hon. Friend will know
that the Government have confirmed a total police funding
settlement of up to £18.5 billion for the coming financial year,
an increase of £886 million on the previous year's settlement,
and overall the police funding available to Police
and Crime Commissioners is up by 6.3% in cash
terms. The resource is there, and we know that with that resource
our incredible police forces are halving crime. Except in a few
areas notably controlled by Labour, we are making good progress,
but of course these community facilities are extremely important
to the communities that they serve. I will ensure that the Home
Secretary has heard my hon. Friend's specific point, and I will
write to him this afternoon.
