That is absolutely and entirely right, and it is to the Conservatives' shame that they have played around with the statistics. It is not enough for the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell to say, as he did on the "Today" programme this morning:""There are certainly changes in the reporting...

That is absolutely and entirely right, and it is to the Conservatives' shame that they have played around with the statistics. It is not enough for the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell to say, as he did on the "Today" programme this morning:""There are certainly changes in the reporting...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving way. I am not clear about this point. Have the Liberal Democrats said in terms whether they would commit to the neighbourhood police fund—the fund that supports the 14,000 PCSOs—or whether they would un-ring-fence it? I meant to try to ask the hon....

I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving way. I am not clear about this point. Have the Liberal Democrats said in terms whether they would commit to the neighbourhood police fund—the fund that supports the 14,000 PCSOs—or whether they would un-ring-fence it? I meant to try to ask the hon....

I take those points in part, but does the hon. Gentleman recognise that the five east midlands police authorities and forces have collaborated significantly since the denouement of the merger debate? The efficiency savings that they are making are real, and that money is being transferred to the front line.

I take those points in part, but does the hon. Gentleman recognise that the five east midlands police authorities and forces have collaborated significantly since the denouement of the merger debate? The efficiency savings that they are making are real, and that money is being transferred to the front line.

Right hon.

Right hon.

Of course the hon. Gentleman may say what he said about what I was like as a Minister. I am talking about where we need to go, rather than about the existing circumstances. To be fair to myself—if that is possible—I think that I said much of this from the...

Of course the hon. Gentleman may say what he said about what I was like as a Minister. I am talking about where we need to go, rather than about the existing circumstances. To be fair to myself—if that is possible—I think that I said much of this from the...

I am sorry that I did not make myself clear to my hon. Friend. As I may have said more gently when I was Police Minister but will say more vocally now, I do not consider that capping figures at all, or should figure, in my little purview or compass....

I am sorry that I did not make myself clear to my hon. Friend. As I may have said more gently when I was Police Minister but will say more vocally now, I do not consider that capping figures at all, or should figure, in my little purview or compass....

It is important for us to take the police, and police finance, extremely seriously. I do not think that that has happened of late, certainly on the Opposition Benches. I said two years ago—the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Ruffley) quoted me without mentioning me—that I believed that...

It is important for us to take the police, and police finance, extremely seriously. I do not think that that has happened of late, certainly on the Opposition Benches. I said two years ago—the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Ruffley) quoted me without mentioning me—that I believed that...

I accept that, and the hon. Gentleman is, in a different way, putting the point about floors and ceilings again. However, considerable progress has been made over the past 10 to 13 years in the allocation of resources and in trying to reflect the needs of local areas. I think...

I accept that, and the hon. Gentleman is, in a different way, putting the point about floors and ceilings again. However, considerable progress has been made over the past 10 to 13 years in the allocation of resources and in trying to reflect the needs of local areas. I think...

Because Boris Johnson is not; because crucially, Ken clearly said to the electorate during his four years, "I am increasing the police precept for London by x and here is what you are going to get for it in terms of safer neighbourhood teams." Boris has said to people—again this...

Because Boris Johnson is not; because crucially, Ken clearly said to the electorate during his four years, "I am increasing the police precept for London by x and here is what you are going to get for it in terms of safer neighbourhood teams." Boris has said to people—again this...

We could look and shed as much light as we want, but we would find that the answer is nothing, even if we throw in the Mayor's fund and all sorts of things. The crucial thing given London's unique structures—the unique structures that the police authority introduced in London and...

We could look and shed as much light as we want, but we would find that the answer is nothing, even if we throw in the Mayor's fund and all sorts of things. The crucial thing given London's unique structures—the unique structures that the police authority introduced in London and...

On the first part of that intervention, the hon. Gentleman misses the point entirely. I am not trying to be partisan. As I have said, the criteria for the figures were determined by a cross-party panel, and we deliberately changed the entire definition of violent crime. Given that there was...

On the first part of that intervention, the hon. Gentleman misses the point entirely. I am not trying to be partisan. As I have said, the criteria for the figures were determined by a cross-party panel, and we deliberately changed the entire definition of violent crime. Given that there was...

(2) how much was made available for each activity funded by the Adviser Discretion Fund in 2008-09.

(2) how much was made available for each activity funded by the Adviser Discretion Fund in 2008-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) whether the Adviser Discretion Fund provides funding to train an individual jobseeker in the preparation of a curriculum vitae;

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) whether the Adviser Discretion Fund provides funding to train an individual jobseeker in the preparation of a curriculum vitae;

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much additional funding he plans to provide for Jobcentre Plus to meet demand for its services in 2009-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much additional funding he plans to provide for Jobcentre Plus to meet demand for its services in 2009-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to page 92 of the Pre-Budget Report 2008, to what areas the £1.3 billion funding to deliver support for the unemployed has been allocated; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to page 92 of the Pre-Budget Report 2008, to what areas the £1.3 billion funding to deliver support for the unemployed has been allocated; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much of the deprived areas funds (a) allocated by his Department in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08 and (b) carried forward to 2008-09 have been spent, broken down by district; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much of the deprived areas funds (a) allocated by his Department in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08 and (b) carried forward to 2008-09 have been spent, broken down by district; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the budget for the Flexible New Deal in (a) phase 1 and (b) phase 2 is; and whether he plans to revise the budget following the revised estimates of the numbers of people flowing through each phase provided to...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the budget for the Flexible New Deal in (a) phase 1 and (b) phase 2 is; and whether he plans to revise the budget following the revised estimates of the numbers of people flowing through each phase provided to...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the additional £3 million funding for the Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response Service will be available; how many additional staff will be employed by the Rapid Response Service as a result of the additional funding; and how the additional £3...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the additional £3 million funding for the Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response Service will be available; how many additional staff will be employed by the Rapid Response Service as a result of the additional funding; and how the additional £3...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding was allocated by his Department under the deprived areas fund to each local authority in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding was allocated by his Department under the deprived areas fund to each local authority in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much had been spent on his Department's Employ ability programme at the latest date for which figures are available; and how much of the expenditure had been used for the purposes of advertising the programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much had been spent on his Department's Employ ability programme at the latest date for which figures are available; and how much of the expenditure had been used for the purposes of advertising the programme.