Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current annual cost of dual-running the Police National Computer alongside the Law Enforcement Data Service (LEDS) programme; and what assessment they have made of the impact of delays to the LEDS Person Update contract on those ongoing dual-running costs.

It currently costs £22.40m per annum to continue running the Police National Computer (PNC) (FY26/27 figures). PNC dual-running costs will continue until LEDS is fully switched over. PNC dual-running costs must continue until police forces are only using LEDS. Policing will determine time scales based on operational priorities. The final cost estimates for 26/27 will be determined following Home Office and policing governance.

The original value of the direct award contract for LEDS Person Update was £31. 25m. The total value has increased to £42.25m. The LEDS programme is currently in the process of getting an updated business case signed off through the correct governance channels. We cannot share draft figures at this time. No increase in any police force contributions is currently anticipated as a result of the contract variation. The programme is in the process of signing off an updated business case through the correct governance channels. We will be able to share these figures once the process is completed.