Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Priti Patel and Maria Caulfield

Monday 28th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Maria Caulfield (Lewes) (Con)]

13. What steps she is taking to increase the number of police officers in Sussex.

[The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Priti Patel)]

The Government are committed to recruiting 20,000 new police officers over the next three years, with energy and pace. This reflects the biggest recruitment drive in decades, and I know my hon. Friend will welcome the recent announcement that Sussex police have been allocated another 129 officers in the first year of the programme.

[Maria Caulfield]

I thank the Home Secretary for her answer. Will she join me in welcoming the announcement from Sussex police that they intend to use their extra funding to reintroduce PCSOs across towns and villages in Lewes?

[Priti Patel]

My hon. Friend is right—and yes, the Government are more than supportive of police plans to increase the number of PCSOs and their presence across towns and villages, in her constituency in Sussex and across the country. This is all about how, through our new police recruitment drive, we can do more to keep the public safe and increase police visibility.