Report Summary
The Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland made a joint written submission to the Scottish Parliament's Criminal Justice Committee ahead of its 2024/25 pre budget scrutiny. The evidence session was held in Parliament on 13 September 2023.
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Conclusion
Policing in Scotland represents major and successful public sector reform. Funding allocations have resulted in £200m being removed from the annual cost base compared to legacy arrangements while improving service to the public. This has been achieved through meeting the criteria demanded by the Scottish Government’s Resource Spending Review.
Responsive, effective, operationally competent policing is a pre-requisite for safety and security; for social cohesion; and for a vibrant and sustainable country.
Policing will continue to drive efficiencies and improvements, including through
collaboration with local councils and blue light partners. The pace and scale of further reform depends on funding.
However, with pay accounting for 85% of police spending, further significant savings can only be realised through reducing the size of our workforce, which in turn will result in further reductions in our operational service delivery to Scotland’s communities
