AN MP is meeting a chief constable to discuss fears that police uniforms have been "dumbed down".

The meeting between Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh and North Yorkshire chief Della Cannings will take place in the next few days.

It comes in the wake of comments made by Prince Andrew when he visited the region during a trip to engineering company Multidrive, in Thirsk, North Yorkshire.

Prince Andrew met Chief Superintendent David Short, who was wearing a black fleece in the style of the national police uniform.

The royal asked where his jacket was and when Chief Supt Short replied that he was under orders to wear the national uniform, the prince said it was "unacceptable".

A Buckingham Palace spokesman has since said that no offence was intended and he was merely asking a question. But his comments have sparked a debate about the need for ceremonial uniforms.

Miss McIntosh said: "I am aware that the Government appear to be dressing down and dumbing down the uniforms of the public services.

"I am not prepared to comment on specific uniforms other than to say I thought the old police uniform did look very smart.

"I wish to be briefed by the chief constable. I want her to have the opportunity to tell me what the situation is."

Ms Cannings said the new uniform was designed for "practical policing in the modern world". She said she would not be approaching the county's tax payers for extra funding to buy ceremonial uniforms.

The force's cash situation has been in the news several times in recent months, with a proposal to introduce a premium rate phone line for non-emergency calls causing controversy. The plans were later thrown out by the county's police authority.

Last month, the force had to compromise between keeping tax levels down and increasing resources when it set a council tax precept of 9.94 per cent.

However, there was better news yesterday with the announcement that the development of a new database will save £165,000 of staff working time every year.