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• Reference: 2015/1564
• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 03 June 2015

With the Metropolitan Police Service needing to make £800m in savings, it will become increasingly vital that it can deliver more with less. What role does technology have to play in providing London with a police force fit for the 21st century?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 03 June 2015

Mr Mayor, I do not like to kick a man when he is down, but I am always willing to make an exception in the case of the Liberal Democrats. You have mentioned Nick de Bois’ attempts to introduce mandatory prison sentences for second offences of possession of a knife. Do you recall that it was in fact the Liberal Democrats who opposed that amendment?

• Question by: Richard Tracey
• Meeting date: 03 June 2015

Thank you, Madam Chair. Probably the point has been raised by Deputy Chairman Arbour, but I was quite bemused, I have to say, that the Liberal Democrats had asked this question when they seem to have tried to delay the mandatory sentencing of second offenders with knives in the last Parliament.

• Question by: Richard Tracey
• Meeting date: 03 June 2015

Thank you, Deputy Chairman. Commissioner, you have been quoted in places in the press recently about the possibility of a further need of police station closures. Could you be a bit more specific about that? Are you thinking about them? The other thing is that there has been some discussion recently about co-ordinating the control of the major services. Of course, I do not imagine I need to remind you that there is a very large fire control centre in Morden, which has a lot of spare space. Would it be something that the police service would consider to make...

• Question by: Richard Tracey
• Meeting date: 03 June 2015

Commissioner, I was quite surprised to read in The Times yesterday some comments you had made about not being able to track people on iPhones. It was particularly relating to Uber, where they can track somebody who calls up for a cab. It is rather strange given what we see on American television and police that you in the MPS do not seem to be able to track anybody who has called in on a phone where it might be very, very helpful if they are in some danger.

• Question by: Richard Tracey
• Meeting date: 09 December 2014

Commissioner, on the question of the costs of policing London, I think MOPAC has said, and I think probably the Inspector of Constabulary has pointed out also that the cost per head of policing London is probably about twice as much as the average for the rest of the country, and that is even taking out the cost of the national responsibilities which you have. I believe that there has been a drive on between yourself and MOPAC to try to bring down that comparison to get nearer to the national average. How are you getting on with that?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 05 March 2014

It was widely said by your political opponents that in times of cuts and recession crime was likely to increase in London. We have heard from you and we have heard from the Commissioner, very encouragingly, that crime figures are improving, crime rates are going down. Can you assure me, and indeed London, that crime truly is decreasing, or is it related to the fact that crime is being screened out?