Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill

It seems that the Government are tying themselves more and more into knots. One reason for that is the uni-dimensional nature of the model. If everything has to go through commissioners, you will get more and more problem areas, as we have already identified, and we are not going to get a very rational model. I was pleased to hear that the Minister was able at least to attend his allotment. I have to tell him that my garden has recently been very neglected. One reason for that is because I find it inconceivable that this present coalition wants to turn the clock back 15 or 20 years where policing is concerned and is not prepared to build on policing best practice, which is actually there, up and down the country, as we speak. The Government are apparently not prepared to learn the lessons of the past two or three decades either, so I have felt it necessary to neglect my garden and to try to do everything that I can to improve this Bill. If that means tabling detailed amendments, so be it. I feel that I have to try and I know that others feel the same about trying to make this model work. It can work only if we all collaborate on tweaking it in different ways to make it work. A lot of really sensible suggestions have been made that would improve this Bill enormously, and I am sad, but not surprised, that the Government have so far shown no real interest in listening to anything that any of us have had to say. I heard the Minister say that he was going to take this away, and I appreciate that. I am sure he will do that, but I would like a little more give in this. There are people in this Chamber who have spent decades in policing and really understand how policing works, not just at force level but at local level. I get the sense that all that knowledge is actually being treated with contempt. People do not really want to hear about it or to know what works. They say: ““There is this model and we are going to stick to it, come what may””. Those of us who have experience and want to say, ““Look, this or that may not work. Have you considered the alternative?””, might as well save our voices. I feel that we cannot do that because we owe it to people out in the country to say, ““This has worked; this won't work””. We have to continue to do that although, as I say, I have the sense that we are not really getting very far and are not being listened to. While I am therefore willing to withdraw my amendment at this point, I think that many of us will return to a lot of these matters on Report. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 101A withdrawn. Amendments 101B, 101C and 101 not moved. Clause 18 agreed. Clause 19 : Delegation of functions by Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime Clause 19 : Delegation of functions by Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime Amendments 102 to 116 not moved. Clause 19 agreed. Clauses 20 to 26 agreed. Amendment 116ZA not moved. Schedule 5: Issuing precepts Schedule 5: Issuing precepts Amendments 116A to 122AA not moved. Schedule 5 agreed. Clause 27 agreed. Clause 28: Police and crime panels outside London Amendment 122AB Clause 28: Police and crime panels outside London Amendment 122AB Moved by