10. 9. Debate: The Police Settlement 2017-18

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:49 pm on 14 February 2017.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 6:49, 14 February 2017

What I was going to go on to say is that it was also a recommendation of the Silk commission, which included the Welsh Conservatives as well as all the other parties. But I think it’s important that we do see this from a practical perspective in terms of collaboration. Devolution, of course, of policing would also enable further future legislation affecting police and community safety to be properly tailored to Welsh circumstances, which is the point that Steffan Lewis was making.

I recognise that both Steffan Lewis and Mark Isherwood referred to the funding formula review, and it’s vitally important that the Welsh Government is engaged in this. The Home Office is responsible for the police core grant distribution formula and the implication for distribution that that formula might have and what might arise from that. So, Welsh Government is now represented in the process. In fact, the Cabinet Secretary wrote to the Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service to underline the importance, because of the restarting or review of that formula, and so we’re liaising closely on this.

Mark Isherwood also drew attention to the existing funding arrangements in terms of the flexibility that police and crime commissioners have had and that is given in terms of their role and function. But if you look at the situation in Dyfed-Powys, which you drew attention to, the proposed increase in Dyfed-Powys for 2017 follows a reduction and a freeze in the previous two years. So, the new Police and Crime Commissioner for Dyfed-Powys, who was elected last May, is now able to deliver the services for which he is responsible.

I think I would like to thank Gareth Bennett for welcoming the fact that we continue to deploy successfully—and I think, probably, this must be agreed across this Chamber—500 community support officers in Wales, as a result of us, again, as a Welsh Labour Government, deciding that this is a priority, listening to the people on the ground who work with those community support officers, and recognising the part that they play. Back to partnership, again—working together at a local level. And on that basis, and in terms of the role and the power that we have got, limited though it may be, I am glad to commend this settlement to the Assembly.