NEWS
NO TIME TO IGNORE #SIMPLIFYDG6
Support for PFEW’s red tape cutting campaign vital to success of new public sector productivity plan
The Government must urgently adopt the Police Federation of England and Wales’ (PFEW) proposed amendment to the Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill if it is to achieve the maximum efficiency savings set out in its launch of a new public sector productivity plan. In this year’s Spring Budget presented
to Parliament on 6 March, the Chancellor announced a landmark public sector productivity plan in a bid to secure cash-releasing savings by investing in technology to cut administrative burden. However, the plan has the potential to become even more successful if the Government supports PFEW’s #SimplifyDG6 campaign. On average, since 1
disappointing the Government simply refuses to acknowledge the acute resource crunch our forces are facing and continues to handout short-term funding arrangements.” The Government’s claim of forces
getting up to £922 million extra funding for 2024/25 falls flat when considered against the payroll commitment for 233,832 full- time equivalent workforce as of 31 March
saving technology outlined today, though, in order to accrue maximum efficiency savings to reinvest into the service, take the burden off taxpayers and give the public the very best service they deserve.” Ben Hudson, Chair of the Police
“Adopting this approach enables the Government to demonstrate they are supporting policing, freeing up thousands of policing hours nationally for our members to dedicate their services to front line policing.”
January 2021, 365,000 policing hours are consumed annually in redacting case files at the pre-charge stage. At a PC’s pay point 4, this costs taxpayers £5.64 million each year. PFEW has a feasible, legally approved,
drafted clause ready to be adopted into the Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill, with the support of Jane Hunt MP, who sits on the Bill’s committee. This would simplify the redaction obligations placed on police officers, freeing up thousands of hours. PFEW National Chair Steve Hartshorn
said: “We were sighted on the Police Funding Settlement in December, which was ratified in January. “Our stance remains it is extremely
2023 (officers, staff, police community support officers and designated officers). This will reduce the funding by more than
half for chief officers to cover the day-to- day cost of ongoing policing projects. Mr Hartshorn continued: “The one per cent increase in public spending is a small step in the right direction, but there must be sustainable and long-term funding from the central Government. “PFEW is keen to work with the Government to find solutions that could save public funds and drive overall efficiencies of our forces; therefore, we welcome the new public sector productivity plan. “This must go further beyond the money
Federation National Detectives’ Forum, stated: “I urge the Government to adopt our amendment to the Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill. “The proposed clause would have no obvious disadvantages. Security of personal data would not be compromised. The redactions, which are needed to protect our personal data would still be undertaken, however this would be done at the appropriate stage.
“Most importantly unnecessary redaction would be avoided; which is everything we have been looking to achieve. “Adopting this approach enables
the Government to demonstrate they are supporting policing and freeing up thousands of policing hours nationally for our members to dedicate their services to front line policing. “For chief constables this would mean their officers are back within their communities rather than being stuck at computers, and our members would be able to do what they joined up for; serve the public, keep them safe and prevent and detect crime.”
05 | POLICE | APRIL | 2024
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
