• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

That is a very positive comment, but you will be concerned to learn that people are complaining that a year after it was announced, that particular helpline is not yet up and running. Chair, can I enlist the help of the MPA to push for this Government promise to be honoured? Because if the Government cannot keep its promise to the most vulnerable people in society then the rest of us have something to worry about.

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

So you feel that the one-stop shop idea is the best way forward at the moment?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

I realise in that in the short term it is difficult to assess success, but can you tell us which initiatives have shown most success so far?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

Obviously it appears that the one-stop shop approach is working. On 11 September last year the Government announced the launch of a 24-hour helpline with support from Comic Relief, for people to report domestic violence. Have the police or the Police Authority been involved with that initiative?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

Recently there was a statement that any police officer who was found to be an abuser would be sacked. Can you say more about how that would work?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

So these are partnership workings and not just the police. Other agencies are brought in all the time.

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

At the MPA I have acknowledged the work that MPA members and the Met have done on this issue. Sitting as a Magistrate I certainly notice that there is a culture change in the police. Sir John, are you actually bringing the Magistracy on board as a whole? Because I have recently sat on quite a few of these cases and maybe one of my colleagues was not quite in agreement with my judgement. The most important thing you can do while the case is proceeding is to remove the offender from the home and that is the difficulty. Also...

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

Clearly, this is not a London-only issue. One of the things the MPS does is lead the rest of the police service, as it has done, to get that ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) position. Will you be giving your commitment to lead the rest of the service nationally to ensure this matter stays at the top of the policing agenda because they are the first point of call for people in distress?