Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2021 to Question 70254 on Emergency Services: County Durham and with reference to data published in response to a Freedom of Information request to Durham Constabulary, reference DC/FOI 666/18, what (a) operational and (b) policy steps she plans to take in response to the increase in police response times since 2010.

Law enforcement, including response times, is an operational matter for the police. It is for local policing bodies, Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners to decide how best to manage their communications and response to the public based on their knowledge and experience of the communities they serve.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of the Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services regularly carry out independent inspections of police forces who are required to act on their recommendations if they were to identify any failings.