Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost to the public purse (a) was of the Gwent Police Authority in the financial year 2010-11 and (b) has been of the Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner in each year since 2012; and what assessment she has made of the value for money of the Police and Crime Commissioner in Gwent.

The Government does not collate centrally information in respect of the cost of the former Gwent Police Authority or the Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).

Under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, it is the responsibility of PCCs to determine how each police area’s funding settlement is allocated, including setting the police force budget and the running of the PCC’s office.

The 2011 Act specifies that PCCs must publish key information as prescribed by the Secretary of State. The Elected Local Policing Bodies (Specified Information) Order 2011 (and amended in 2012) sets out what information must be published: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/3050/contents/made

The publication of this information enables the local electorate to judge whether the PCC is making the best use of public money at the ballot box.

PCCs perform a completely different role from the old Police Authorities. PCCs are providing accountable, visible leadership, and making a real difference to policing locally. Not only have they brought real local accountability to how Chief Constables and their forces perform, they are working hard to ensure that their local communities have a stronger voice in policing.

The Home Affairs Select Committee recognised in their 2014 report that individual police and crime commissioners are providing greater clarity of leadership for policing in their areas, and are increasingly recognised for the strategic direction they are providing. In contrast, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary found, in 2010, that only four of the 22 police authorities inspected were judged to have performed well in two of their primary functions: setting strategic direction and ensuring value for money.