Policing and Crime Bill

My Lords, I can be equally brief. This is a sensible amendment. As the noble Baroness opposite said, the police cannot single-handedly deliver safer communities, so they need to work effectively with partners to achieve success in improving public safety and driving down crime. I, too, am struck at the large number of local authorities that have not signed up to the confidence target. It does not accord with what the Minister said previously, which was that the amendment would duplicate the current integration of strategic policing priorities with public service agreements and existing processes for setting local priorities. If that were the case, I do not think such a large number of local authorities would not have signed up to the target. It would be helpful for the House to hear the Minister explain the discrepancy and why this amendment to encourage the process is not necessary.