Extract from Wales
Questions
(Vale of Clwyd) (Lab):
As police numbers have plummeted, drug-related crime has
rocketed, especially on county lines. Drug lords enforce their
vile trade with knives and guns. Knife crime is half the level in
Wales that it is in England; nevertheless, in the past year
alone, there has been a 30% increase in knife crime in Wales. Do
the Minister, the Secretary of State for Wales and his Cabinet
colleagues share any responsibility for that, and what will they
do about it?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales
(Nigel Adams): It is incredibly important that we work
together closely in this area. The hon. Gentleman makes some
valid points about the types of crime, and that is why we must
also work collaboratively with our Police and Crime
Commissioners. I know that he has a good relationship with the
North Wales police and crime commissioner. Although this is a
reserved matter, we are determined to work closely with Wales and
ensure that the right resources are available, particularly in
the case of county lines problems, which do not respect borders.
Petition
Funding of the Avon and Somerset Police Force
The petition has been supported, online and on paper, by
more than 1,000 of my constituents. It calls for more
funding for Avon and Somerset police force. In the past
four years, recorded crime in the Avon and Somerset
police area has risen by 40%, with violent crime rising
by a shocking 75%, but the number of charges being
brought has fallen. The petition states:
The petition of constituents of Bristol East
constituency,
Declares that Avon and Somerset Police have already had
to make £65 million of cuts since 2010, with the loss of
nearly 700 front line police officers; and further that
The Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable
have now warned in their report “The Tipping Point” that
the force cannot sustain any further cuts- as proposed by
the Government—without extremely serious consequences.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of
Commons urges the Government to give Avon and Somerset
Police the resources they need to police our streets,
prevent crime and protect the public.
And the petitioners remain etc.
