Police Funding: Havering

Andrew Rosindell, the Conservative MP for Romford, asked the Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, if she will increase funding for policing in the London borough of Havering. In her response, Dame Diana Johnson stated that the government is committed to ensuring the police have the resources they need to tackle crime effectively. She explained that funding beyond the current year, including for the Metropolitan Police Service, will be confirmed following the upcoming multi-year spending review. Mr. Rosindell followed up by expressing concerns about officer morale, retention, recruitment, and the ability to solve crimes, noting that police officers are overworked, underpaid, and subjected to unprecedented rises in bureaucratic processes, often dealing with matters outside their traditional remit, such as mental health care and social work. He asked the Minister to explain how the government plans to address these critical issues, particularly in terms of improving officer retention, recruitment, crime-solving capacity, and reducing bureaucracy, so that constituents in Romford can feel safe in their own town again. Dame Diana Johnson acknowledged Mr. Rosindell's experience as a long-serving Member of Parliament, but stated that the current difficulties in the criminal justice system, including policing, are the result of 14 years of Conservative government. She said the government's aim now is to recruit more police officers and increase neighbourhood policing as the bedrock of policing in the country. Dame Meg Hillier, the Labour/Co-op MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch, intervened to suggest that a reduction in crime would also help the police in Havering and Hackney, and across London. She asked what conversations the Ministers are having with mobile phone manufacturers to try to drive down phone snatches by people on bikes and reduce such street crime, which is growing in London. Dame Diana Johnson responded that these conversations are ongoing, and that later this month, further discussions will take place on what more can be done to ensure that manufacturers take their responsibility seriously and do everything they can to stop the trade in parts, which is a particular issue with mobile phones.