Oral Answers to Questions

Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi Excerpts

Monday 8th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Jo Platt (Leigh) (Lab/Co-op)]

13. What the change in the number of frontline police officers is estimated to be between 2018 and 2020.

[Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Slough) (Lab)]

15. What the change in the number of frontline police officers is estimated to be between 2018 and 2020.

[The Minister for Policing and the Fire Service (Mr Nick Hurd)]

Before Christmas, the Government proposed a new police funding settlement for 2018-19 which will increase funding by up to £450 million across the police system. It is for police and crime commissioners and chief constables to determine the number of officers required for their force areas.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Hurd]

I am sure that the hon. Lady will welcome the fact that the number of police officers in Greater Manchester actually rose in 2016, and the fact that the police funding settlement will result in an additional £10 million going into Greater Manchester policing. She may also want to ask the Mayor why reserves for Greater Manchester have gone up by £29 million.

[Mr Dhesi]

In 2014-15, the provisional grant allocation for the police was just over £8 billion. However, the Home Office announced in December last year that it would be just £7.325 billion for 2018-19, despite the fact that inflation is predicted to be 7% over that period, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility. As this is a substantial real cut in police funding, would the Minister like to suggest where savings could be made on a scale that would protect police numbers?

[Mr Hurd]

I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will welcome the fact that, if the police and crime commissioner exercises the flexibility that we are offering, Thames Valley police will benefit from an initial £12.7 million in 2017-18. How that works out to a cut, I do not know.