Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which police forces in the UK are currently under special measures.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Service (HMICFRS) independently and continuously assesses the efficiency and effectiveness of every police force in England and Wales. Forces are escalated into an enhanced monitoring phase, 'Engage' on the basis of HMI concerns over their ability to address areas of significant and/or longstanding underperformance.

Forces in the engage phase of monitoring attend the Policing Performance Oversight Group (PPOG), comprising senior stakeholders from the College of Policing, Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, National Police Chief’s Council and the Home Office, to provide the constructive support and challenge needed to address those areas of underperformance which are a cause for concern.

Chief Constables of ‘engaged’ forces are expected to present a comprehensive improvement plan to PPOG, which meets regularly to consider the progress being made and to support the force to address the failings identified. Forces are moved back into the ‘Scan’ phase of monitoring only when HMICFRS is satisfied that sufficient and sustained improvement has been made.

Out of 43 forces in England and Wales, there are currently six forces in ‘engage’: Cleveland, Gloucestershire, Greater Manchester, the Metropolitan Police Service, Staffordshire and Wiltshire.