Police reform is working and crime is falling. The independent Crime Survey for England and Wales shows that crime has fallen by more than a quarter since June 2010, with almost 2.5 million fewer crimes a year. Everyone now has a direct say in policing in their area, through their locally elected and accountable Police and Crime Commissioner. Since coming into post, PCCs have brought real local accountability to how Chief Constables and their forces perform. PCCs are also taking a lead role in driving collaboration between forces and with other emergency services to deliver more effective services and better value for money for the taxpayer. Beyond policing, PCCs have brought focus and drive to work with local partners on crime and criminal justice matters. Ultimately, it will be for the public to assess the performance of their Police and Crime Commissioner through the ballot box.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1528", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mike Penning"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemel Hempstead"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mike Penning"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-06-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-06-02T16:07:24.247Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-05-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Police and Crime Commissioners"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the performance of Police and Crime Commissioners.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/545", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Paul Flynn"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newport West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Paul Flynn"} ], "uin" : "91"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/346872", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/346872/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Portuguese approach to drugs was reviewed within \u2018Drugs: International Comparators\u2019 published in October 2014.<\/em> The report is clear that the successes in Portugal cannot be attributed to decriminalisation alone. Whilst drug use went down and health outcomes improved, there was, at the same time, a significant investment in treatment.<\/p> <\/p> This Government has no intention of decriminalising drugs. The UK's approach on drugs remains clear: we must prevent drug use in our communities, help dependent individuals through treatment and wider recovery support, whilst ensuring law enforcement tackles the criminality that is associated with the drugs trade.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effects of the decriminalisation of drug use in Portugal on the prevalence of drug use in that country.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
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