Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what account the UK Government Financial Package to Northern Ireland takes of shortfalls in the policing budget.

Policing is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and the PSNI’s main budget is allocated by the Department of Justice. It will be for the Minister of Justice and Executive to consider how to use the financial package and funding for the PSNI budget.

This Government recognises the difficult challenges around policing in Northern Ireland. That is why the Department of Justice budget, which includes the PSNI budget, was the third largest of all departments for 2023-24. Since 2011, we have made additional contributions to the PSNI through Additional Security Funding. The Government’s contribution for the financial year 2023-24 was £32 million and is the same as that provided in 2021-22, and has been provided each year since 2015-16.