Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he has given to Police and Crime Commissioners on the use of (a) reserves and (b) deficit budgets for the purposes of providing for pension costs.

The Home Office has established a working group with representatives of Police and Crime Commissioners and forces to determine the best way to manage the potential impact of increased pensions costs

The Budget made clear that part of these costs will be met from the Treasury Reserve in 2019/20. As the Chancellor set out in his speech, the Home Secretary will review police spending power ahead of the 2019/20 provisional police funding settlement which is expected to be published next month