Fighting Crime (Public Engagement)

If I could find the figures in my folder quickly enough, I would be able to demonstrate to the hon. Gentleman the significant increase in funding to Derbyshire police and the historic policing levels in Derbyshire and across the country in terms of police officers, PCSOs—which did not exist a few years ago—and police staff. The hon. Gentleman claims that a lack of vehicles has affected the operational capacity of specials; no doubt, he will take the matter up with the chief constable. Let me just say that I agree very much with him about the important role played by specials. Having 11 specials in Chesterfield is an excellent tribute to the specials in his area. The fact that many Members of Parliament have been out with specials as part of national specials week shows the importance that MPs on both sides of the House attach to specials' work in communities up and down the country. At local level, the pledge declares that the police will be with the public within an hour in response to calls about agreed neighbourhood priorities for which police attendance is required. The pledge gives people the right to meet their local team and others in the community at least once a month to agree priorities and action to tackle them. It also says that neighbourhood policing teams will spend at least 80 per cent. of their time visibly working on behalf of the public in their neighbourhood. Essex police force is the first in the country to meet fully the national standards and commitments in the policing pledge, but by the end of the year all 43 police forces will be delivering the policing pledge for their communities.