The petition of the residents and business owners of Southampton in Hampshire,
Declares that the Police Force is unable to secure sufficient funds from Central Government in order to adequately protect the people of this country from the frightening increase in crime. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to ensure that the Police have the resources they need to adequately protect the people of this country.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Dr Whitehead, Official Report, 5 March 2019; Vol 655, col 929.]
[P002433]
Observations from the Minister for Policing and the Fire Service, the right hon. Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (Mr Hurd):
The Government have reviewed the changing and increasingly complex demands on the police and have responded by providing total funding of around £14 billion for 2019-20 to policing . This represents an increase of over £970 million compared to 2018/19, including council tax precept. This police settlement will enable police forces, including Hampshire constabulary, to meet the financial pressures they face next year, while continuing to recruit and fill capability gaps, such as the shortage of detectives.
The Hampshire police and crime commissioner will be able to increase his budget to £339 million in 2019/20, an increase of £25 million compared to 2018/19. I welcome his announcement that he will use this funding increase to recruit an additional 200 police officers and 65 police staff investigators.