Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what resources she could make available to the (a) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (b) Police Service of Northern Ireland and (c) Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service in the event of a major wildfire outbreak in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I pay tribute to all those who work to tackle and support recovery from major wildfire outbreaks like those seen recently in the Mourne area.
This Government has provided the Northern Ireland Executive with a record £18.2 billion settlement for 2025-26. That translates into over £1.5 billion more in 2025-26 and the largest settlement in the history of devolution.
It is for the Executive to allocate the funding in line with its priorities and to address emerging challenges.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the (a) pay and (b) benefits of (i) UK and (ii) Saint Helenian police officers of the same rank serving in Saint Helena are comparable.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In St Helena, a locally recruited Police Constable's starting salary is £12,049 per year, which is above the national average salary (£9,970). The St Helena Government has responsibility for setting pay and benefits levels for members of The Royal St Helena Police Service, including those appointed as technical cooperation officers.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to prevent the Child Maintenance Service being used in coercive and controlling behaviour by abusive ex-partners (a) by malicious reporting to the (i) police and (ii) social services and (b) in general.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service is committed to ensuring that it delivers a safe service that is sensitive to the needs of all the parents that use its service. We recognise that some parents may face difficult circumstances, particularly at a time of separation.
All caseworkers receive extensive training and follow a well-managed process with clear steps to support vulnerable clients, including those facing domestic abuse. However, the department has no jurisdiction relating to Police or Social Services investigations.
The CMS has access to a list of resources which helps caseworkers provide signposting to supporting organisations, which is regularly reviewed and strengthened on the basis of customer insight.
A consultation on proposed reforms to the CMS was published by the previous Government on 8 May 2024. This included removing Direct Pay and managing all CMS cases in one service to allow the CMS to tackle non-compliance faster and explore how victims and survivors of domestic abuse can be better supported. This goes further than the proposal in the Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Act which received royal assent in July 2023.
This proposal would also reduce the ability for perpetrators of domestic abuse to inflict economic control and coercion through withholding child maintenance payments. The consultation closed on 30 September 2024, and the Government will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2025 to Question 46185 on Police: Recruitment, and with reference to the document entitled Transparency data: Cambridgeshire Constabulary, published on 9 April 2025, whether the projected growth for Cambridgeshire Constabulary is the only police recruitment budgeted for in Cambridgeshire in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to ensuring police forces are supported to tackle crime effectively and protect the communities they serve. We have been clear with all forces that they are required to deliver sufficient recruitment to maintain officer numbers through funding provided in the 2025-26 police funding settlement in parallel with neighbourhood policing commitments.
Total funding to police forces will be up to £17.6 billion, an increase of up to £1.2 billion compared to the 2024-25 police funding settlement – a significant increase, and more than the increase last year. This equates to a 7.1% cash increase, and 4.6% real terms increase in funding. This includes funding to support the costs of the 2024-25 pay award, the increase in the employer national insurance contributions, funding for officer maintenance and an additional £200 million to kickstart the first phase of 13,000 additional police personnel into neighbourhood policing roles.
A total of up to £376.8 million has been allocated to support the maintenance of police officer numbers in England and Wales in 2025-26. It is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions to put in place robust workforce plans that will ensure forces can continue to manage budgets whilst delivering sufficient recruitment to maintain officer numbers and their neighbourhood policing commitments.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that fire and rescue services have the expertise required to meet the regulatory requirements on that sector.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is the role of Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRA) to hold Fire and Rescue Services to account. There are a number of different FRA governance models (for example mayoral authorities, Police Fire and Crime Commissioners and standalone FRAs). However, all areas are required to comply and pay due regard to relevant legislation and guidance.
All FRAs, are required to comply with including the Fire and Rescue National Framework for England and they are required annually to provide assurance to the government that they are meeting the requirements set out in the National Framework.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the starting figure was upon which the planned 13,000 additional neighbourhood police officers will be in addition to.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to ensuring police forces are supported to tackle crime effectively and protect the communities they serve. We are clear that visible policing is essential to restoring public confidence in the police.
As such, total funding of the £17.6 billion allocated to police forces win 2025/26, an increase of up to £1.2 billion compared to the 2024-25 police funding settlement – a significant increase, and more than the increase last year. This equates to a 7.1% cash increase, and 4.6% real terms increase in funding. This includes funding to support the costs of the 24-25 pay award, the increase in the employer national insurance contributions, funding for officer maintenance and an additional £200 million to kickstart the first phase of 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles. A total of up to £376.8 million has been allocated to support of police officer numbers in England and Wales in 2025-26.
The Government expects forces to use the resources available to them effectively, to tackle crime and protect the public. Forces are operationally independent; therefore, it is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions to make operational decisions based on their local knowledge and experience. Robust workforce plans will ensure forces can continue to manage budgets whilst maintaining officer numbers and effectively deploying resources to serve and support communities.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) police officer, (b) Police Community Support Officer and (c) Special Constable roles are due to be reduced in 2025-26 by police forces.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to ensuring police forces are supported to tackle crime effectively and protect the communities they serve. We are clear that visible policing is essential to restoring public confidence in the police.
As such, total funding of the £17.6 billion allocated to police forces win 2025/26, an increase of up to £1.2 billion compared to the 2024-25 police funding settlement – a significant increase, and more than the increase last year. This equates to a 7.1% cash increase, and 4.6% real terms increase in funding. This includes funding to support the costs of the 24-25 pay award, the increase in the employer national insurance contributions, funding for officer maintenance and an additional £200 million to kickstart the first phase of 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles. A total of up to £376.8 million has been allocated to support of police officer numbers in England and Wales in 2025-26.
The Government expects forces to use the resources available to them effectively, to tackle crime and protect the public. Forces are operationally independent; therefore, it is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions to make operational decisions based on their local knowledge and experience. Robust workforce plans will ensure forces can continue to manage budgets whilst maintaining officer numbers and effectively deploying resources to serve and support communities.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the projected recruitment figure is for neighbourhood policing roles in each year between 2025-26 and 2028-29.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to ensuring police forces are supported to tackle crime effectively and protect the communities they serve. We are clear that visible policing is essential to restoring public confidence in the police.
As such, total funding of the £17.6 billion allocated to police forces win 2025/26, an increase of up to £1.2 billion compared to the 2024-25 police funding settlement – a significant increase, and more than the increase last year. This equates to a 7.1% cash increase, and 4.6% real terms increase in funding. This includes funding to support the costs of the 24-25 pay award, the increase in the employer national insurance contributions, funding for officer maintenance and an additional £200 million to kickstart the first phase of 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles. A total of up to £376.8 million has been allocated to support of police officer numbers in England and Wales in 2025-26.
The Government expects forces to use the resources available to them effectively, to tackle crime and protect the public. Forces are operationally independent; therefore, it is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions to make operational decisions based on their local knowledge and experience. Robust workforce plans will ensure forces can continue to manage budgets whilst maintaining officer numbers and effectively deploying resources to serve and support communities.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the baseline figure is that the recruitment of additional neighbourhood police officers will be benchmarked against.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to ensuring police forces are supported to tackle crime effectively and protect the communities they serve. We are clear that visible policing is essential to restoring public confidence in the police.
As such, total funding of the £17.6 billion allocated to police forces win 2025/26, an increase of up to £1.2 billion compared to the 2024-25 police funding settlement – a significant increase, and more than the increase last year. This equates to a 7.1% cash increase, and 4.6% real terms increase in funding. This includes funding to support the costs of the 24-25 pay award, the increase in the employer national insurance contributions, funding for officer maintenance and an additional £200 million to kickstart the first phase of 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles. A total of up to £376.8 million has been allocated to support of police officer numbers in England and Wales in 2025-26.
The Government expects forces to use the resources available to them effectively, to tackle crime and protect the public. Forces are operationally independent; therefore, it is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions to make operational decisions based on their local knowledge and experience. Robust workforce plans will ensure forces can continue to manage budgets whilst maintaining officer numbers and effectively deploying resources to serve and support communities.
Asked by: Mike Tapp (Labour - Dover and Deal)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to prevent the police from charging victims of theft whose cars have been stolen for the cost of holding or releasing those vehicles.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (RTRA) empowers the police to remove vehicles that are dangerously, illegally, or obstructively parked, or broken down or abandoned, which includes vehicles abandoned after theft.
Removals and storage entail a cost, which would have to be paid for out of police budgets if not met by the vehicle owner. As a result, the police are empowered to charge the owner prescribed sums, which are set by Statutory Instrument and vary according to the size of the vehicle and other factors.
In 2021, the previous government conducted a consultation on the charges for the removal, storage and disposal of vehicles, and published a response to the findings of that consultation exercise in March 2023.
This response stated that: “When a vehicle owner has their vehicle stolen and restored to them, they can either decide to pay the recovery fee themselves, pass the recovery fee onto their insurance provider, or choose not to have their vehicle returned.” It did not propose any change to these arrangements.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that – in addition to the options above – the police are also empowered to waive the recovery fee at their discretion, taking into account any special circumstances, including the ability of the owner to pay, but this remains an operational matter for their judgement.
We will keep this matter under review, but at present, it remains the case that the charging of recovery fees is the most sustainable means of funding the costs incurred by the police in removing and storing abandoned vehicles.