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Police Grant Report
07 February 2024
Lead MP
Chris Philp
Debate Type
General Debate
Tags
Policing & Resources
Other Contributors: 19
At a Glance
Chris Philp raised concerns about police grant report in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
The funding settlement for policing is being increased by £843 million compared to last year, bringing the total funding envelope to £18.4 billion. This includes an extra £922 million available to police and crime commissioners next year, representing a cash increase of 6% compared with the previous year.
Andrew Selous
Con
unknown constituency
Asked if Bedfordshire Police will see an end to top-up grants in favour of core funding that accounts for their specific needs.
John Hayes
Con
South Holland and The Deepings
Noted that Lincolnshire, despite the extra money announced, remains the worst-funded authority with the lowest staffing levels due to its sparseness. He called on the Minister to look closely at what more can be done until changes are made to the funding formula.
Imran Hussain
Lab
Bradford East
Challenged the accuracy of the funding picture presented by the Minister, noting that West Yorkshire police faced a £25 million direct funding cut between 2015-16 and 2019-20, with over £100 million in cumulative Government cuts since 2015.
Jonathan Edwards
Lab
unknown constituency
Pointed out that the proportion of total funding coming from the police precept has increased significantly; for instance, Dyfed-Powys police's reliance on the precept rose from 37% in 2010-11 to 54.4% this year.
Desmond Swayne
Con
New Forest West
Asked about the precept and expressed that constituents would be willing to pay more for policing if they attached importance to it, based on feedback from correspondence.
Justin Madders
Lab
Ellesmere Port and Bromborough
Called upon the Minister to distance himself from comments made by Cheshire's PCC regarding schoolgirls' attire and urged him to join in calling for the PCC's resignation over such statements.
Jane Hunt
Con
unknown constituency
Commended Leicestershire police for their work, particularly in Loughborough against county lines issues. Asked if efficiency measures could be taken beyond increasing precept values, like reducing unnecessary redactions in evidence.
Matt Rodda
Lab
Reading Central
Inquired about the extent of ongoing training or support given to new police officers hired since significant cuts were made during austerity measures.
Holly Lynch
Lab
unknown constituency
Critiqued the closure of one police station per week over recent years, resulting in a 40% reduction. Asked about plans to reopen stations in communities affected by antisocial behaviour.
Alex Norris
Lab Co-op
Nottingham North
The current policing budget fails to address critical issues such as neighbourhood policing, which has seen a collapse with 10,000 fewer officers on the beat. The government’s new recruits are not filling frontline roles effectively due to a shortage of civilian staff. This results in half of people never seeing police on the streets and an alarming increase in crime rates that go unsolved.
Imran Hussain
Lab
Bradford East
Neighbourhood policing is essential for community-police relations, increasing confidence in policing and preventing antisocial behaviour. Substantial cuts have led to the loss of 1,000 neighbourhood police officers in West Yorkshire alone.
Chris Philp
Con
Croydon South
The central Government grant is increasing by just over £600 million, while the anticipated increase through the precept is about £300 million. The government grant accounts for two-thirds of the funding increase.
Hitchin
The current unfair funding formula leaves local police under-resourced and let down by inaction on reform, which Ministers owe it to them to deliver within this Parliament.
Steve Double
Con
St Austell and Newquay
Welcomed the uplift in funding for Devon and Cornwall Police, noting an increase of 7.1% which is higher than the national average. Highlighted the recruitment success with a record number of police officers at 3,610. Emphasised concerns about frontline officers dealing with non-policing matters due to other sectors not fulfilling their roles adequately. Called for better cooperation between different parts of the public sector and Government Departments to support frontline policing. Raised issues regarding the unique challenges in Devon and Cornwall due to its geography and tourism impact, urging a review of the funding formula considering factors such as rurality and sparseness.
Sally-Ann Hart
Lab
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
Agreed with Steve Double's points about the challenges faced by Devon and Cornwall Police due to geography and tourism. Emphasised that an influx of people to Camber Sands can make police resourcing difficult, highlighting the need for specific and absolute funding consideration rather than relative need.
Peter Aldous
Con
Waveney
Expressed gratitude towards the Minister's proposals on police funding settlement. Highlighted Suffolk's core funding increase of 6.7% with hotspot response finance of £1 million. Raised concerns about the long-promised funding review and consistency in Government commitments, specifically mentioning budgeting challenges for Police and Crime Commissioners due to changes in funding for the safer streets initiative. Called for a review on the decision affecting Suffolk and other forces across the country. Emphasised the importance of reducing red tape and supporting efforts to amend the Data Protection Act 2018 to mitigate bureaucratic burdens imposed on police officers.
Alex Norris
Lab Co-op
Nottingham North
The shadow minister highlighted instances where the government has failed in addressing retail crime and other issues. He questioned the seriousness of some crimes despite their reduction, suggesting that the Government's approach may not fully address the complexities of current policing challenges.
Steve Double
Con
St Austell and Newquay
The MP acknowledged an increase in police numbers in his constituency but raised concerns about the impact of mental health incidents on police time. He emphasised the need for more efficient handling of such cases to free up police resources.
Peter Aldous
Con
Waveney
The MP noted that Suffolk constabulary received a percentage increase in its budget but was concerned about reductions in funding for specific programmes like the safer streets initiative. He requested further clarification and assurance from the government.
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Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
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