Urgent debate on police shake up is a must - German

10.45.30am GMT Fri 11th Nov 2005

Welsh Liberal Democrats have today tabled a motion calling for the Assembly to reject the rush to a single National police force in Wales.

Assembly leader Mike German said he hoped the debate would take place at the earliest opportunity, to ensure that the Home Office could not ignore the widespread public anger at the announcement from Home Secretary Charles Clarke that rolling Wales' four police forces in to one was the only 'suitable' option. His announcement came before the completion of work being done by Police chiefs on their needs, and the review by the National Assembly for Wales.

Mr German said: "The Home Office's rush to change the way we are policed is getting in the way of good decision making. First they announced a consultation period which was remarkably brief - then before it was even finished they declared there would be just one Welsh force.

"The Home Office is riding roughshod over the views of all of us in Wales. It has shown contempt for the Assembly, police authorities, local government and every other body which works with the police in Wales.

"The majority of people in Wales believe that the four forces we have work well together. While Charles Clarke, aided and abetted by Welsh Secretary Peter Hain, has been racing to stitch this up, there has been no formal view from the Assembly, or its First Minister. That is why we need to debate this matter urgently in the Assembly, and ensure the democratic voice of Wales is heard in this debate."

Welsh Liberal Democrats hope to gain the support of all parties, including Labour, when the motion is debated.

The no named day motion, tabled this morning, reads:

The National Assembly for Wales

1. believes that the Home Office's consultation period on the future structure of police forces should have been sufficient to allow the Assembly and other stakeholders time to submit fully considered views and

2. believes that the Home Secretary's announcement of a clear preference for one Wales-wide force has undermined that consultation process.