Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what provisions they have made to retain skilled and experienced police officers following the recommendation of the Police Remuneration Review Body in its Tenth Report for 2024 published in July (CP 1124) that each force should have discretion to set the starting salary for new constables at either pay point 1 or pay point 2.

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

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.

The Government also announced it had accepted the recommendation that the chief officer of police in each force should be given the discretion to set the starting salary for new constables at either pay point 1 or pay point 2 on the constables’ pay scale. Implementation of the recommendation is subject to detailed proposals from the National Police Chiefs’ Council and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners on the circumstances in which this discretion should be used, along with transition arrangements for those constables on pay point 1, to inform amendments to the Police Regulations 2003. These proposals will be submitted to the Government in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services report, State of Policing: The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales 2023, published on 19 July, and in particular its findings in relation to efforts to address rape and sexual violence.

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 we will treat it as a national emergency. Our mission is to halve levels of VAWG within a decade, using every lever available to us. This means reforming the police response to these crimes, strengthening the criminal justice system, and empowering victims by providing access to specialist support when they need it.

We are grateful to His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services’, for their yearly State of Policing Report, which provides an invaluable evaluation of the most pertinent issues facing policing across England and Wales, including their response to violence against women and girls.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans are in place to protect rail customers and staff following reports that dozens of British Transport Police stations are facing possible closure.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The safety of passengers and rail staff on the network is a priority for the Department and the rail industry, including the British Transport Police (BTP).

We will continue to work with BTP and the rail industry to consider how best to deploy their available budget in the coming financial year to ensure the safety of those on the rail network. It is important to stress that no final decisions have yet been made.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by the Home Secretary on 19 November 2024 (HCWS232), whether there are plans in place to assess the progress of the bodies created as part of the announced policing reforms.

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

In her Written Ministerial statement of 19 November (Statement UIN HCW232) the Home Secretary set out her intention to work with policing on a package of reforms to ensure it can operate efficiently and effectively to deliver the Safer Streets Mission.

In particular she announced that a new performance unit would be set up within the Home Office to drive-up standards, performance, and consistency, as well as a new National Centre of Policing to bring together crucial support services that local police forces can draw upon.

We are working with policing to deliver these important reforms and have established a Joint Reform Team, co-located within the Home Office, that brings established representatives from National Police Chief's Council, Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and wider policing bodies together, to work directly with the Home Office to co-design and deliver the reforms.

We will publish a Police Reform White Paper later this year and undertake a consultation to seek further views on these proposals to inform next steps.