I am privileged to present a separate petition that, like my early-day motion 1010, seeks to resist the Government's drive to replace our local police force with a merged, more remote body that, if the excellent survey by the Evening Echo is anything to go by, is very much against the wishes of the people of Essex.

The petition states:

The Petition of residents of Essex,

Declares that they wish to support option four of a stand alone strategic police force for Essex and they object to Government plans to merge police forces which would lead to unacceptable centralisation with the possibility of political control and higher costs, and with less local control and accountability of the police; and they welcome the cross-Party actions of Essex MPs to save Essex Police Force.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons call upon the Government to withdraw its dangerous and politically motivated policy of merging police forces and retain Essex Police Force in its current format.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.

To lie upon the Table.