Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the press release of 18 June 2019 entitled Home Office allocates £35 million to Police and Crime Commissioners in 18 local areas, whether any areas requesting funding for a violence reduction unit had their bid rejected.

As announced on 18 June, the £35 million VRU funding has been provisionally allocated to Police and Crime Commissioners in 18 local areas experiencing the highest volumes of serious violence. Funding has provisionally been allocated with reference to data on hospital admissions relating to injury with a sharp object.

These areas have been notified of their provisional allocations and have been invited to submit a light-touch application form, setting out their proposals for spend. Once received, the Home Office will review applications to ensure consistency with funding requirements before the final awards are confirmed.