Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of the Social Market Foundation and Police Federation joint report Pay and Morale Survey 2023, published in February, what assessment they have made of current morale within the police service in England and Wales.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government values the vital contribution of police officers across the country who work tirelessly to keep us safe every single day. This Government will work collaboratively with policing to address challenges and ensure officers have the right support, resources and recognition they need to tackle crimes and to keep the public safe, as well as improving standards across the board to restore public confidence.

This Government is also committed to supporting the mental and physical wellbeing of all our police and is working closely with police leaders and staff associations, including the Police Federation, to support this.

On 29 July, the Government announced that it had accepted the Police Remuneration Review Body’s recommendation to award officers in the federated and superintending ranks a consolidated pay award of 4.75%, with effect from 1 September 2024.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support forces to minimise the number of police officers posted in back office or business support functions where their warranted powers are not required.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to strengthening neighbourhood policing as part of our Safer Streets Mission. This is a vital part of restoring confidence in policing, and getting thousands of officers back on the beat in our communities.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the police have the resources they need. While we expect that police officers will be used in tackling crime and protecting the public, 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, including how best to allocate resources.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government to what extent they are prioritising work to connect civil and family courts' databases and IT systems with police databases and IT systems to inform policing vetting procedures.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Work is ongoing between the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to ensure a system is in place for the information transfer of protective orders from the courts to policing.

The government is also working with the NPCC to develop a Continuous Integrity System to enable relevant information on officers and staff to be captured and assessed in quick time as part of a wider integrity programme to enhance the vetting regime.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need to amend police regulations in relation to allegations of police-perpetrated domestic abuse or violence against women and girls.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government and our manifesto included the mission to halve VAWG over the next decade.

In her statement to Parliament on 23 October on police accountability, the Home Secretary reiterated the Government’s commitment to strengthen police misconduct and vetting systems. Those who commit heinous acts such as VAWG have no place in policing and our measures will ensure that there is a statutory underpinning for national vetting standards and strengthen requirements relating to the suspension of officers under investigation for domestic abuse or sexual offences.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps the Home Office is taking in response to the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s briefing Shifting the Scales of Justice, published in September, particularly in relation to the call for the immediate institution of a data-sharing firewall between the police and immigration enforcement.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

We look forward to seeing the final ‘Shifting the Scales of Justice’ report when it is laid in Parliament. The Government will respond in full to the report’s recommendations within 56 days, as per the Domestic Abuse Act of 2021.

With regards to data-sharing between police and immigration enforcement, we are committed to finding a solution that will encourage migrant victims and give them confidence to come forward.