Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential effect of the level of 2017 policing budget on police numbers in Merseyside for (a) 2018-19, (b) 2019-20 and (c) 2020-21.

Every Police & Crime Commissioner who maximised their local precept income in 2016-17 and 2017-18 is receiving at least the same direct resource funding in cash than they received in 2015-16. In Merseyside, the PCC is receiving £0.5m more direct resource funding in 2017-18 than in 2015-16.

Decisions about local policing roles and officer numbers are for Chief Constables and PCCs. This discretion and flexibility has allowed for a range of targeted, more resilient approaches tailored to local needs, that is constantly held to account by the people officers serve.