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| 'Extra £450m funding' for police in England and Wales | 'Extra £450m funding' for police in England and Wales |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A potential £450m in extra funding for police in England and Wales in the next financial year has been announced by the Home Office. | A potential £450m in extra funding for police in England and Wales in the next financial year has been announced by the Home Office. |
| Police and crime commissioners are to be given the power to raise the portion of council tax which goes towards policing by £12 per household annually. | Police and crime commissioners are to be given the power to raise the portion of council tax which goes towards policing by £12 per household annually. |
| That would raise £270m, while £130m for national priorities, such as firearms, would come from central government. | |
| An extra £50m for counter terrorism has already been pledged. | An extra £50m for counter terrorism has already been pledged. |
| Although funding for police was protected in the 2015 spending review, police and crime commissioners have been expressing concern about increased demands on officers. | |
| In a statement, the Home Office said the settlement for 2018-19 came after Policing Minister Nick Hurd spoke to all 43 forces about the issues they face. | |
| "It is clear that with more victims of serious, hidden crimes such as domestic abuse, modern slavery and child sexual exploitation coming forward, this has placed greater demand on policing," it said. | "It is clear that with more victims of serious, hidden crimes such as domestic abuse, modern slavery and child sexual exploitation coming forward, this has placed greater demand on policing," it said. |
| Speaking in the Commons, Mr Hurd said the extra money was a "comprehensive settlement that makes sure police have the resources they need". | |
| He said the government had responded positively to requests from the police and crime commissioners for "more flexibility" around the level of the police precept included in council tax. | |
| But Mr Hurd acknowledged that the £270m increase in funding would depend on every commissioner applying to raise their precept. | |
| Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott questioned whether the settlement would "really enable police forces to meet the challenge and the reality of modern policing". | |
| Police reforms | |
| In its statement, the Home Office added it had identified a further £100m of potential savings to be made through "smarter procurement of everything from cars to uniform". | |
| It also said improving levels of productivity could see officers spend an extra hour a day on the frontline. | |
| Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: "Taxpayers will invest more money in forces because the work our officers do to protect us is absolutely vital and we recognise demand is changing. | Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: "Taxpayers will invest more money in forces because the work our officers do to protect us is absolutely vital and we recognise demand is changing. |
| "However, my message to police forces is that this increased investment must mean we raise the pace of reform. | "However, my message to police forces is that this increased investment must mean we raise the pace of reform. |
| "For too long embracing digital and increasing productivity have been tomorrow's policing problems - now they are today's necessities. The government is committed to meeting this challenge and we want policing to do the same." | "For too long embracing digital and increasing productivity have been tomorrow's policing problems - now they are today's necessities. The government is committed to meeting this challenge and we want policing to do the same." |