Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to help retain police officers.

We are recruiting an additional 20,000 police officers in England and Wales by March 2023. The increase over three years is unprecedented and reflects the biggest recruitment drive in decades.

As at 31 March 2022, 13,576 additional officers have been recruited as part of the Police Uplift Programme in England and Wales, 68% of the 20,000 officer target.

We are working hard with policing partners during this unparalleled recruitment drive to ensure that the right support is in place across forces. This includes ensuring new officers get the training and support they need to thrive and supporting the retention of valuable skills and experience.

The retention of experienced police officers is a priority for the Home Office and the National Police Chiefs’ Council. Voluntary resignation rates, at two percent, are low compared to other sectors. We have also invested £1.1m for the College of Policing to create a National Leadership Centre to develop standards and a leadership development framework at all ranks and support better talent management across policing.

We have also enshrined in law the Police Covenant, which will focus on improving the protection, health and wellbeing of officers, staff and their families.