Pam Cox

I very much welcome this police settlement, and I shall focus my remarks specifically on Essex. From 2010 onwards, the Conservatives cut 350 PCSOs in Essex. Last week, the Conservative police, fire and crime commissioner announced that he was cutting the remaining 99, despite receiving increased funding from this Government. I am very pleased to say that, today, he has suggested that he will reverse that decision following a public outcry and, indeed, a bail-out from the increased police grant. That is a huge relief not only to those PCSOs and their families, but to our residents whom they so brilliantly support. It is also a huge relief to Unison, which represents many employees in our policing services. When she winds up, will the Minister confirm that she continues to engage with Unison on this and other policing workforce issues? I also need to raise an extremely sad matter in the House today: the loss of six young lives on Essex roads at the weekend, including four in Colchester, my constituency. All four of those were much loved students at the University of Essex. I wish to put on record a tribute to the police and first responders at that terrible scene, and to ask the Minister whether she would meet me to discuss road safety in my area.