Source · Select Committees · Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Deferred
Paragraph: 29
Mandate Treasury, NIO, and NI Executive to review PSNI's financial framework.
Recommendation
Cuts in police officer numbers due to recent budgetary pressures will impact on the PSNI’s visibility and ability to respond to increased demand. Officer numbers have dropped some way below the 7,500 committed to under the New Decade, New Approach agreement in 2020. More complex crimes, threats to staff and the raised threat level all need to be addressed, too. Given the severe funding situation which the PSNI faces, we urge a rethink by the Treasury, Northern Ireland Office and new Northern Ireland Executive of the PSNI’s financial framework. This would ensure that the PSNI has a greater variety of options in dealing with any financial difficulty in future, which is critical given the importance of the Police Service’s role in Northern Ireland’s post-conflict society.
Government Response Summary
The government recognises the PSNI's difficult financial position but states that policing is a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Justice Minister to determine funding allocation. While detailing significant financial packages to the NI Executive and specific additional security funding, it states the Justice Minister and PSNI can raise concerns regarding funding with HM Treasury during Spending Review discussions, but does not commit to a specific rethink of the PSNI’s financial framework.
Paragraph Reference:
29
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The UK Government fully supports the excellent work that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) undertakes to keep people in Northern Ireland safe, often in exceptionally challenging circumstances. The Government recognises the difficult financial position the PSNI faces. However, policing is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and it is for the Northern Ireland Justice Minister to determine the allocation of funding to the PSNI from the Department of Justice’s budget. The prioritisation of police resourcing is the responsibility of the Department of Justice, working with the wider Executive. However, as noted above, the previous UK Government has provided the NI Executive with a financial package of £3.3 billion to help stabilise and transform public services, as well as address public sector pay. Furthermore the Executive is being provided with a £18.2bn settlement for 2025/26. The Government trusts the Executive will give consideration to how this funding can be used to support the work of the PSNI. The Executive will also be able to raise their concerns regarding PSNI funding with HM Treasury as part of Spending Review discussions. In addition to this, since 2011, recognising the unique security situation in Northern Ireland, the UK Government has made additional funding contributions to the PSNI. From 2015–16 to 2024–25 the UK Government has provided over £288m to the PSNI through Additional Security Funding (ASF) to enable the PSNI to tackle the threat posed by Northern Ireland related terrorism (NIRT). In her Autumn Budget, the Chancellor confirmed that the Government has increased funding to £37.8 million for the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Additional Security Fund and confirmed £8 million for the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime to ensure that people and communities are kept safe from violence and harm. This Government will continue to work closely with the PSNI and other partners to ensure adequate resourcing to tackle the SUBSTANTIAL threat from NIRT.