Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Police Funding

Wednesday 23 March 2022 · 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 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Office for National Statistics data show that crime levels per capita in Wales are below the national average.
  • The Conservative Government is increasing police funding to Wales by 40 million next year, bringing the total to 820 million.
  • Welsh Government is set to receive a record increase of 2.5 billion in spending over the next couple of financial years.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett
Policing & Resources Wales
Context

Crime levels per capita in Wales are below the national average, as reported by the Office for National Statistics. The Conservative Government is increasing police funding to £820 million next year.

Question

What recent discussions have been had with Cabinet colleagues on the impact of the level of police funding for Wales on crime?

Answer from David Davies

Office for National Statistics data show that crime levels per capita in Wales are below the national average. The Conservative Government is increasing police funding to £820 million next year, an increase of £40 million.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not address recent discussions about how police funding levels affect crime in Wales and instead provides general information on crime rates and funding increases.

How: Provides General Statistics

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Q2 Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett
Policing & Resources Wales Local Government
Context

Since the Conservative Government has been in power, there has been a reduction of 25,000 police staff across the UK. In Wales, there are fewer PCSOs than in 2010.

Question

In nearly 13 years under Tory rule, police staffing has fallen by 25,000 and there are fewer PCSOs now than in 2010. The Welsh Labour Government funded additional PCSOs despite their lack of jurisdiction over policing. Does this not show that Tories are happy with rising crime and victims?

Answer from David Davies

Welsh Government will have a record increase in spend of £2.5 billion over the next couple of financial years. Six hundred and three additional police officers are being allocated for Wales, with 479 taking this opportunity; there are still 100 vacancies.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not address whether Tories are happy with rising crime or victims but instead provides funding figures and officer allocations.

How: Provides Funding Figures, Mentions Officer Allocations

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Q3 Gerald Jones Lab Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare
Policing & Resources Local Government
Context

English police forces are fully reimbursed by the Government for training costs, whereas Welsh police forces receive only half of this cost, resulting in a £2 million shortfall.

Question

English police forces get full reimbursement from the Home Office for training costs, while Welsh forces receive only half and suffer a £2 million shortfall. Will the Minister persuade Cabinet colleagues to meet historical funding shortfalls so that Welsh police forces are treated equally?

Answer from David Davies

This is a complex issue. The real problem lies in the Welsh Government's failure to discuss with the Home Office how the apprenticeship scheme works. I urge the hon. Gentleman to talk to his colleagues and ensure that police officers are properly trained.

Not addressed: The answer does not address working with Cabinet or meeting historical funding shortfalls but deflects by discussing communication issues between Welsh Government and Home Office.

How: Discusses Complex Issue, Redirects To Discuss Apprenticeship Scheme

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