MP's Promise over Rising Levels of Crime

8.06.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 25th Oct 2004

The Lib Dems are calling for more bobbies on the beat.

Parmjit Gill MP will demand a meeting with the county's Chief Constable over levels of violent crime.

Parmjit Singh Gill, the Liberal Democrat MP for Leicester South, spoke to the Mercury after he was given violent crime figures by Home Office minister Hazel Blears in Parliament.

Ms Blears was answering a written parliamentary question put to her by Mr Singh Gill, demanding to know the levels of violent crime in Leicester in the last five years.

The Home Office minister revealed that the number of offences in the city had risen from 6,851 in 1999-2000 to 6,889 in 2000-01, rising to 7,544 in 2001-02, then to 10,347 in 2002-03, ending up at 11,430 in 2004-05.

Mr Singh Gill said he was "appalled" by the rise. "It shows the failure by the Government to address this most serious category of crime," he said.

"I will be asking the Chief Constable for a meeting to see what extra resources he would welcome to solve this problem.

"I will also work closely with council colleagues to ensure that the council is taking the necessary action."