The hon. Gentleman should be aware that policing special events is not exclusively the remit of the British Transport police and that there is considerable engagement with county forces in dealing with any exceptional events.

Community support officers work for the county forces. Although the British Transport police are currently excluded from the relevant legislation, there is considerable interchange and co-operation between the BTP and the community support officers in particular locations. However, the chief constable of the British Transport police is able to set up schemes to accredit suitably skilled and trained non-police employees with powers to support the BTP in combating crime and disorder, public nuisance and antisocial behaviour on the railways. That is where the station wardens come into the picture. Powers may be made available to an accredited person. Those powers would include the power to issue fixed penalty notices, which were much derided by Opposition Members when they were proposed, but are now an extremely successful weapon for police forces in dealing with antisocial behaviour. They may be issued in relation to trespassing, antisocial behaviour, the confiscation of alcohol or the removal of abandoned vehicles.

In addition, BTP and South West Trains have launched a scheme to introduce travel safe officers, whose main role will be to enforce railway byelaws, provide support and assistance to the BTP and ensure that travelling with South West Trains is as safe as possible. That shows the range of options that are available as a result of train operators co-operating with BTP to provide the necessary training for personnel. Those personnel will have a range of powers, from issuing fixed penalty notices and enforcing byelaws to the powers of special constables. That will allow forces to react to the range of difficulties that they experience, from nuisance and antisocial behaviour to criminal offences.

All those factors indicate that the issue is being taken seriously by the British Transport police and that effective measures are being taken. The powers of those various groups are defined in the Police Reform Act 2002. I hope that I have clarified the legislation for the hon. Member for Vale of York and shown that the BTP and the train operators are very much on the case.

Question put and agreed to.

Clause 24, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.