MPs question wisdom of police move

Two police forces have entered talks about the possibility of outsourcing some of their work to private companies without fully understanding what they are getting into, an influential committee of MPs is warning.

The House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC) raised concerns about the £5mn “business partnering” project launched by forces in West Midlands and Surrey, which could see security firms carrying out some duties currently performed by police.

In a report published today, the cross-party panel of MPs said that – even after questioning the chief constables of the two forces involved – they were still not clear about the scope of the exercise, which is being paid for with £2m from the West Midlands force, £1m from Surrey and £2m from the Home Office.

Trade unions said it backed their claims the programme was a “dangerous experiment” in privatisating police functions, which they warned could be extended to all 43 forces in England and Wales. The Home Office said it was important for forces to ensure they got the best value for money, in order to cut costs while protecting frontline services.