HOLMES CHALLENGES GORDON BROWN OVER CHRONIC UNDERFUNDING OF DERBYSHIRE POLICE

At PMQ's (Prime Ministers Questions) today Paul Holmes MP for Chesterfield told Gordon Brown:

"Yesterday, along with other Derbyshire MP's, I met with the Chief Constable of Derbyshire and the Police Authority."

"The Government itself admits that it underfunds Derbyshire Police by £5Million per year and that it will take ten years to close that gap."

"As a result Derbyshire has the fourth worst funded Police Force in the country and the fourteenth lowest number of police officers per head of population in England and Wales."

"Will the Prime Minister order an inquiry into this travesty and ensure that the people of Derbyshire get the funding and the police numbers that his own Government says they need in order to ensure public safety?"

Speaking afterwards Paul said "I was appalled at Gordon Browns answer which completely ignored the reality of Derbyshire's underfunding and simply droned on about increases in police numbers elsewhere."

"The point is that Derbyshire is being deliberately underfunded and the Government admits that it should have £5Million more per year but refuses to provide it. Derbyshire police are well managed and efficient -the Audit Commission this year has given them the highest possible rating for use of resources and value for money. But Government Inspectors compare Derbyshire to 7 other similar authorities including Durham. If Derbyshire had the same funding from the Government as Durham does then we would have a massive 800 extra police officers on patrol!"

"Local residents should know who to blame everytime the police are so overstretched that they cannot respond quickly to calls for help. Gordon not only callously underfunds our police but he refused today to even answer a straightforward question on the subject. Labour's words on being tough on crime are just so much hot air without the police on the ground to put them into action"