Oral Answers to Questions

Rosie Cooper Excerpts

Monday 13th July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

What steps she is taking to allocate adequate funding to police forces.

[Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire) (Lab)]

What steps she is taking to allocate adequate funding to police forces.

[Margaret Greenwood (Wirral West) (Lab)]

What steps she is taking to allocate adequate funding to police forces.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kit Malthouse]

The hon. Gentleman is obviously a cup-half-empty person rather than a cup-nearly-three-quarters-full person. The biggest settlement for policing in a decade should be welcomed by everybody across this House, as it has been across the whole of the policing family. But that is not to say that policing is not without challenges and that it cannot be more efficient. While we do want to see more police officers and a better response to crime, there is always the challenge in public services to do things better for less.

[Rosie Cooper [V]]

Lancashire has been allocated funding of £4.3 million to deliver an additional 153 police officers by the end of this financial year, but that award reflects a part-year cost, as 153 officers cannot be employed for the whole year because the cost is £9.8 million. So will the Minister commit to providing the full funding for 2021-22, and for future years, to sustain these additional officers?

[Kit Malthouse]

The hon. Lady is perhaps confusing her figures, shall we say? Lancashire police received a £22.6 million increase in funding this year, which will allow it to recruit another 153 police officers over the next 12 months—less than 12 months now—up to March next year. It is making good progress, and has recruited 66 already.