Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether she plans to increase police numbers in Northern Ireland in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Policing is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and operational capability is a matter for the Chief Constable. The PSNI’s main budget is allocated by the Department of Justice from the Northern Ireland block grant.

The UK Government has provided the PSNI with the additional security funding it has asked for and needs to ensure that they have the resource (including officers) to tackle the SEVERE threat from Northern Ireland related terrorism. This additional security funding boosts PSNI’s ability to tackle the terrorist threat while ensuring day-to-day policing isn’t compromised.

PSNI received £230m additional security funding in the last parliament and £160m in this one. In addition, the UK Government has provided PSNI with £16.5m to help prepare for EU exit. This funding will help the PSNI manage pressures and contingencies arising from EU exit preparations which fall in the 2019/20 financial year. It will enable PSNI to recruit 206 additional officers this financial year.