Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Police Funding

Monday 28 September 2020 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government announced a police funding settlement increasing funding for the policing system by more than 1 billion this year
  • Rural areas are receiving significant additional numbers of police officers to address issues like rural and wildlife crime
  • Wiltshire police will get more than 100 new police officers and additional community support officers

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Danny Kruger Reform East Wiltshire
Policing & Resources Local Government
Context

The MP is concerned about the adequacy of funding for rural areas, specifically East Wiltshire.

Question

What steps she is taking to increase funding for rural police forces. The extra policing that my hon. Friend mentioned is very good news. In Wiltshire, we are thrilled because we are getting more than 100 new police officers for Wiltshire police and even more police and community support officers to help with all the crime we import from Hampshire. Does my hon. Friend share my concern that, so often, funding formulas designed in London have urban places in mind and sometimes that sadly applies to police funding formulas as well? Will he update the House on any work that is being done to review the police funding formula to ensure that rural areas are properly treated?

Answer from Kit Malthouse

The Government have announced a police funding settlement that sets out the biggest increase in funding for the policing system in a decade. In total, we are increasing the funding available to the policing system by more than £1 billion this year. I am grateful to my constituency neighbour for his question, though not for the aspersions he casts on my fellow county residents. I thought crime flowed in the other direction. Nevertheless, my hon. Friend is right that the formula, while the best available funding formula we have, is quite old now and needs to be reviewed. It contains several indicators that skew funding towards urban areas and in the next couple of years we have to reflect on the fact that crime has changed and that rural areas are experiencing more crime than they have perhaps been used to. Doubtless the Home Secretary and I will work on some form of funding formula review before the next election.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about reviewing the police funding formula was acknowledged but not directly committed to in a concrete manner

How: I Thought Crime Flowed In The Other Direction

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Q2 Neil Hudson Con Epping Forest
Crime & Law Enforcement Agriculture & Rural Affairs Environment
Context

The MP raises concerns about ongoing rural and wildlife crimes in their constituency, including theft of farm machinery, burglary, animal theft, antisocial behaviour, vandalism. The Cumbria Farm Watch scheme is highlighted as a positive model.

Question

Rural and wildlife crime sadly continues to affect our local communities. Theft of farm machinery, burglary, animal theft and cruelty, antisocial behaviour and vandalism are just some of the issues facing our rural areas. Cumbria has the excellent Cumbria Farm Watch scheme, a partnership between people and Cumbria police. What reassurances can my hon. Friend give my constituents in Penrith and The Border that the Government are supporting the police and communities in the fight against rural and wildlife crime?

Answer from Kit Malthouse

As a rural Member, I know exactly the type of concern to which my hon. Friend refers; it is shared by people in my constituency. Obviously, the provision of significant extra numbers of police officers to Cumbria police will help the chief constable in deliberations about where to put those resources. Although that is an operational matter, one would hope that some of it will be devoted to rural crime. I certainly hope that will happen in Hampshire. On wildlife crime, I am pleased to report that we are putting £136,000 into the National Wildlife Crime Unit so that it can continue its valuable work.

Partly answered

Not addressed: While providing some support and funding for rural policing, did not directly address how this would translate into assurances for specific communities facing these issues

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Q3 Danny Kruger Reform East Wiltshire
Policing & Resources Local Government
Context

The MP is concerned about the adequacy of funding for rural areas, specifically East Wiltshire.

Question

What steps she is taking to increase funding for rural police forces. The extra policing that my hon. Friend mentioned is very good news. In Wiltshire, we are thrilled because we are getting more than 100 new police officers for Wiltshire police and even more police and community support officers to help with all the crime we import from Hampshire. Does my hon. Friend share my concern that, so often, funding formulas designed in London have urban places in mind and sometimes that sadly applies to police funding formulas as well? Will he update the House on any work that is being done to review the police funding formula to ensure that rural areas are properly treated?

Answer from Kit Malthouse

The Government have announced a police funding settlement that sets out the biggest increase in funding for the policing system in a decade. In total, we are increasing the funding available to the policing system by more than £1 billion this year. I am grateful to my constituency neighbour for his question, though not for the aspersions he casts on my fellow county residents. I thought crime flowed in the other direction. Nevertheless, my hon. Friend is right that the formula, while the best available funding formula we have, is quite old now and needs to be reviewed. It contains several indicators that skew funding towards urban areas and in the next couple of years we have to reflect on the fact that crime has changed and that rural areas are experiencing more crime than they have perhaps been used to. Doubtless the Home Secretary and I will work on some form of funding formula review before the next election.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about reviewing the police funding formula was acknowledged but not directly committed to in a concrete manner

How: I Thought Crime Flowed In The Other Direction

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