Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions his Department has had with the National Police Chiefs' Council on its decision to tender the work of civilian enforcement officers.

Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) currently uses private contractors known as Approved Enforcement Agencies (AEA) to undertake some of its enforcement functions. The work that HMCTS civilian enforcement officers do is already undertaken by these Agencies in many areas of England and Wales, where there are established links with the police. No discussions have taken place with the National Police Chiefs’ Council regarding the procurement of new AEA contracts. We will engage them and local Police Forces once we know the details of the contracts to be awarded.