Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Police and Crime Commissioners are held accountable to their respective Police and Crime Panels.

The Home Office provides funding through a dedicated annual grant to host local authorities to support the activity of Police and Crime Panels, who have a wide range of powers and responsibilities to scrutinise the actions and decisions of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). Panels can require PCCs to attend public meetings to answer their questions, investigate complaints against PCCs and make recommendations on the PCC’s Police and Crime Plan.

To further assist Panels to improve the quality and consistency of their scrutiny, the Home Office has also issued a comprehensive package of guidance and training. Whilst Panels scrutinise PCCs, PCCs are ultimately accountable to the public at the ballot box.