I welcome news of a substantial £450 million increase in police funding across England and Wales.

This includes up to an additional £270 million in police force budgets, so individual forces have the resources they need to respond to changes in demand. Police funding in Greater Manchester could increase by up to £10.4 million in 2018/19 as a result of these changes.

The counter terrorism policing budget will rise by 7 per cent, with a £50 million increase taking it to at least £757 million, and £130 million extra for national policing priorities. This is particularly welcome in light of the recent terror attacks in Manchester and London, and it means the Government is now spending more on counter terrorism policing than ever before. 

The first responsibility of Government is to keep our country and its citizens safe, and to protect our way of life and our values. Over the past seven years crime has fallen by more than a third across the country, but we know there is more to do. That’s why we are putting in this additional investment to help Greater Manchester Police (GMP) keep people safe in our community.

I am committed to working with GMP to reassure residents, particularly in Bramhall and Cheadle Hulme, that their concerns regarding local crime are being addressed. I recently held a meeting with GMP and local residents to discuss how we can work together to tackle crime, particularly using new digital methods and mobile technologies, and I hope that the extra support announced by the Government will strengthen this kind of community co-operation.