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Police cuts: Terror response warning to home secretary Police cuts: Terror response warning to home secretary
(34 minutes later)
Police cuts expected to be announced in next week's Spending Review may "reduce very significantly" the UK's ability to respond to a Paris-style attack, Home Secretary Theresa May has been warned.Police cuts expected to be announced in next week's Spending Review may "reduce very significantly" the UK's ability to respond to a Paris-style attack, Home Secretary Theresa May has been warned.
The advisory comes in a restricted document prepared for Mrs May by one of the UK's most senior police officers.The advisory comes in a restricted document prepared for Mrs May by one of the UK's most senior police officers.
It says the ability to mobilise large numbers of officers would "reduce very significantly across the country".It says the ability to mobilise large numbers of officers would "reduce very significantly across the country".
The Home Office said it would not comment on a leaked document.The Home Office said it would not comment on a leaked document.
The BBC has seen key paragraphs of the document, Implications of the Paris Attack for UK Police Preparedness.The BBC has seen key paragraphs of the document, Implications of the Paris Attack for UK Police Preparedness.
It suggests further cuts to police budgets would affect the authorities' ability to respond to multiple attacks.It suggests further cuts to police budgets would affect the authorities' ability to respond to multiple attacks.
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said: "We are left in very little doubt that there are very serious concerns about just how far the axe can fall safely on police numbers without having a significant impact."
It is expected that Chancellor George Osborne could announce cuts to the police budget of more than 20% when he addresses Parliament on Wednesday.It is expected that Chancellor George Osborne could announce cuts to the police budget of more than 20% when he addresses Parliament on Wednesday.
That is more than double what the document suggests is viable to keep numbers at the level required in the event of an attack.That is more than double what the document suggests is viable to keep numbers at the level required in the event of an attack.
The government has committed to protecting the counter-terrorism budget.The government has committed to protecting the counter-terrorism budget.
But the concerns in the document go beyond this specific budget.
They are outlined in a letter to the home secretary dated 15 November and copied to the Treasury, Number 10 and the security services.
It is understood to have been requested at a meeting of the government's emergency committee, Cobra, on the day after the 13 November Paris attacks that killed 129 people.
The letter cites worries over "surge capacity" - the need to mobilise large numbers of officers and resources in the event of a serious attack.
Analysis by BBC political editor Laura KuenssbergAnalysis by BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg
It's not entirely surprising that days before a big statement from the Treasury, concerns about the impact of the spending squeeze are made plain.It's not entirely surprising that days before a big statement from the Treasury, concerns about the impact of the spending squeeze are made plain.
And it's no secret that the Home Office budget is one of the departments in Whitehall that is not protected from the overall cuts.And it's no secret that the Home Office budget is one of the departments in Whitehall that is not protected from the overall cuts.
But in the aftermath of the Paris attacks, political concern over policing numbers has become acute.But in the aftermath of the Paris attacks, political concern over policing numbers has become acute.
Read Laura's blog in fullRead Laura's blog in full
But the concerns in the document go beyond this specific budget.
They are outlined in a letter to the home secretary dated 15 November and copied to the Treasury, Number 10 and the security services.
It is understood to have been requested at a meeting of the government's emergency committee, Cobra, on the day after the 13 November Paris attacks that killed 129 people.
The letter cites worries over "surge capacity" - the need to mobilise large numbers of officers and resources in the event of a serious attack.
'Overarching concerns'
It says: "It would be remiss of me not to highlight the impact further reductions in police force numbers would have on our ability to manage terrorist incidents of this magnitude, particularly if spread simultaneously across a number of geographical locations.It says: "It would be remiss of me not to highlight the impact further reductions in police force numbers would have on our ability to manage terrorist incidents of this magnitude, particularly if spread simultaneously across a number of geographical locations.
"Police forces across England and Wales have already seen a reduction of 40,000 officers and further losses will severely impact our surge capacity, which is heavily geared and will reduce very significantly across the country unless a different funding settlement is found.""Police forces across England and Wales have already seen a reduction of 40,000 officers and further losses will severely impact our surge capacity, which is heavily geared and will reduce very significantly across the country unless a different funding settlement is found."
The letter says the position of different police forces varies, but "the overarching concerns are the same".The letter says the position of different police forces varies, but "the overarching concerns are the same".
It adds: "These considerations are of course in addition to the need to sustain neighbourhood policing to maintain local trust and intelligence flows."It adds: "These considerations are of course in addition to the need to sustain neighbourhood policing to maintain local trust and intelligence flows."
Mr Osborne and Mrs May met on Thursday to try to finalise spending plans for the Home Office.Mr Osborne and Mrs May met on Thursday to try to finalise spending plans for the Home Office.
Labour's shadow home secretary Andy Burnham has written to Mrs May over the concerns raised in the letter.Labour's shadow home secretary Andy Burnham has written to Mrs May over the concerns raised in the letter.
Speaking on the BBC's Question Time, he said cuts of 5% to the police budget over the next five years were "doable" and between 5% and 10% would be "difficult".Speaking on the BBC's Question Time, he said cuts of 5% to the police budget over the next five years were "doable" and between 5% and 10% would be "difficult".
He added: "But go beyond 10%, it's dangerous."He added: "But go beyond 10%, it's dangerous."
'Ability to respond' Steve White, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, which had already raised concerns about the issue, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We can barely cope now. If there are going to be further cuts to the police service, quite frankly, God help us.
The Police Federation of England and Wales has also raised concerns in the light of the Paris attacks, with its chairman Steve White saying planned cuts to budgets would leave forces "unable to continue to offer the necessary protection to the public". "We are not going to be able to respond to something on the scale of Paris.
He said: "Prevention is better than cure - surely the public would rather the police service was able to continue to prevent this kind of terrorist attack rather than attempt to pick up the pieces after the act?" "If the public are concerned about that, and to be honest I think they should be, they need to make their voice heard.
The National Police Chiefs' Council said it had been reviewing its "ability to respond to a well-organised, multi-sited" terrorist attack in the UK following last week's attacks in Paris. "They need to say to the government that enough is enough. The priority now is the security of the country."
The council would not comment on the leaked document, but a spokeswoman said: "As you would expect, we are discussing our capacity to respond to an attack like the one in Paris with the government. 'Impact of cuts'
Damian Green, former Conservative Minister for Policing, said the focus should be on reorganising resources effectively to get "more police out on the streets where they can do most good", adding that the number of community officers had gone up by 3,700 in the past five years.
A National Police Chiefs' Council spokeswoman said: "As you would expect, we are discussing our capacity to respond to an attack like the one in Paris with the government.
"These discussions include assessments of the number of officers we have to counter terrorism and the impact of future funding cuts.""These discussions include assessments of the number of officers we have to counter terrorism and the impact of future funding cuts."
Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner Kevin Hurley, former head of counter-terrorism for the City of London Police, said forces were already less well-equipped than they should be.Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner Kevin Hurley, former head of counter-terrorism for the City of London Police, said forces were already less well-equipped than they should be.
He told the BBC: "Our borders remain completely porous because of the cuts to the border force, we've had to cut our community support officers and neighbourhood officers, who are our key link for intelligence about what's going on.He told the BBC: "Our borders remain completely porous because of the cuts to the border force, we've had to cut our community support officers and neighbourhood officers, who are our key link for intelligence about what's going on.
"And the equipment that we give to our armed response units is below the standard needed to take on people with AK-47s.""And the equipment that we give to our armed response units is below the standard needed to take on people with AK-47s."