New clause 9 - Amalgamation of police districts
Police (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]
4:45 pm
Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne, Conservative)
I am most grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for giving me the answer that I should have given to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart. He is absolutely right. It would not necessarily be sensible to tell the police that they must structure along the existing lines if the politicians in Northern Ireland decided to have, let us say, only four districts outside Belfast. The Chief Constable could then say that he
wanted more than four districts for his practical, efficient and effective policing. I would have to turn the argument back on itself and say that the Chief Constable ought to have the powers to subdivide a district. I am tempted to table another amendment on Report that the Chief Constable should be able to subdivide districts, knowing full well that the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart will be in the same Lobby as me.