Clause 1 — Police and crime commissioners
Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill
5:45 pm

Stephen McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak, Labour)
If we give the Government the benefit of the doubt and accept that the delay is to allow more time for candidates to campaign and make themselves known to the public and for the untried and untested arrangements to be developed to the point where they might actually be implemented, would it not make sense to delay the elections until at least May 2013? That would enable the Government to increase the turnout and save on cost, whereas what they are doing is reducing the chances of a high turnout and increasing the cost, which seems completely nonsensical?
