Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral statement of 13 December 2018 on Police Funding Settlement, Official Report, column 431, for what reason the resource provided to cover unexpected increases in the contribution to public sector pensions will match the £165m identified by police chiefs as being the liability in 2019-20.

In his Budget, the Chancellor committed to providing funding for the police in 2019/20 to cover additional pensions costs beyond the £165m which was expected at Budget 2016.

The pensions grant announced at the settlement covers the additional pension costs above £165m for the police officer scheme, and the additional pension costs above £11m for police staff. This reflects revised costings following technical changes to how the actuarial estimate of the increase in costs for officers is assessed. Total expected cost pressures arising from the valuations are now £302m for the police officer scheme and £27m for police staff.

The Government is enabling an overall increase in funding of up to £970m in police funding including precept and national priorities. This pensions funding, taken together with the additional grant funding and local precept, provides sufficient means for the police to meet cost increases, while continuing to recruit and invest in the capabilities they need.

Cost pressures, including pensions, beyond 2019/20 will be considered as part of the next Spending Review where decisions on longer term police funding will be made in the round.