Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Statement of 6 September on Quadrennial valuations of the public service pension schemes, HCWS945, whether (a) he and (b) the Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service held discussions with (i) the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and (ii) the Chancellor of the Exchequer prior to that Statement's publication on the implications of those valuations on policing.

Home Office and Treasury Ministers have regular discussions covering a number of issues including changes to pension schemes. In his Budget speech, the Chancellor committed to providing funding to support the po-lice with additional pensions costs.

On 13 December we announced our proposed police funding settlement for 2019/20 which provides up to £970 million of additional investment in the policing system. This includes £153 million of additional pensions funding, £161 million in increased general grants and up to £509 million of additional funding from council tax precept, if Police and Crime Commissioners use the full flexibility provided. This provides enough funding for the police to meet their increased costs, while continuing to recruit and fill capability gaps like the shortage of investigators.