Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will ensure that the UK Government fully funds police pension cost increases in (a) 2020 and (b) after.

In his Budget, the Chancellor committed to providing funding for the police in 2019/20 to cover additional pensions costs above the £165m which was expected at Budget 2016. The provisional police settlement announced specific pensions funding of £153m to cover the additional costs arising from both the police officer scheme and the police staff in the civil service pension scheme.

The Government is enabling an overall increase in funding of up to £970m in police funding including precept and national priorities. This pensions funding, taken together with the additional grant funding and local precept, provides sufficient means for the police to meet cost increases, while continuing to recruit and invest in the capabilities they need.

Cost pressures, including pensions, beyond 2019/20 will be considered as part of the next Spending Review where decisions on longer term police funding will be made in the round.