Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of a rise in cases of covid-19 on (a) policing and (b) public safety in (i) North Yorkshire and (ii) England.

It is the responsibility of each police force to determine their operational response based on its analysis of risk and local circumstances, and drawing on national operational guidance provided by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC). This remains a priority for forces as they deal with tackling the challenges that have arisen during this pandemic.

The Home Office has worked closely with the NPCC throughout the pandemic to monitor the impact of covid on police forces and to ensure they have the tools and capacity to continue to respond to keep the public safe.