Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she is taking steps to (a) increase the number of family liaison officers in the police force and (b) provide additional (i) training on communicating with families during policing operations and (ii) resources for family liaison officers.

Decisions about the allocation and deployment of resources to meet local need, including family liaison officers (FLOs) and their training, are operational matters for Chief Constables. They are best placed to make decisions about how best to meet those needs based on their local knowledge and expertise.

The FLO training programme is delivered by police forces. The College of Policing publishes guidance on the deployment of FLOs to inform strategy and direction, which is reflected in the FLO curriculum.

In recent years, this Government has committed substantial funding to invest in policing and reduce crime. As of December 2022, police forces have across England and Wales, recruited 16,753 additional officers as part of the Police Uplift, making up 84% of the target of 20,000 additional officers. The Government has confirmed a total police funding settlement of up to £17.2 billion in 2023/24, an increase of up to £313.8 million when compared to 2022/23.