Home Office minister Hazel Blears might have thought she was seeing double this week when taking questions about crime.

An MP by the name of Michael Foster got up to ask her about community support officers and express his concern that they are being demeaned by Tory MPs.

But it wasn't the same Michael Foster who represents Worcester and led a debate for fairer funding for West Mercia police last week - it was the other Michael Foster, who represents a Sussex constituency.

Both are Labour, both even have the same middle initial: J.

The similarities must have been subconsciously processed by Ms Blears, who responded by referring to Worcester Mike's Tory rival Peter Luff - another participant in last week's debate on West Mercia funding.

"In a debate in Westminster Hall last Tuesday, the Honourable Member for Mid-Worcestershire unfortunately described CSOs as 'two-thirds police officers'," she said.

Her comments were safely made in Mr Luff's absence, however, and he seized the opportunity to hit back yesterday.

He said: "Community Support Officers are good men and women doing a good and useful job - but they could do a much better job if they had better training."