Labour warns of potential Scottish job losses under single police force

Labour today warned that 3,200 jobs could be lost when Scotland moves to a single national police force.

A worst-case scenario was outlined in which police staff reject the changes to their working conditions to make the required £1.7 billion savings over 15 years, and the Scottish Government fails to secure a VAT exemption for the new force enjoyed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said the cuts were necessary but contrasted this with predictions that 16,200 frontline officers could go in England and Wales.

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The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill is expected to merge Scotland’s eight police forces and eight fire and rescue services into single units by April next year.

Labour justice spokesman Lewis Macdonald said civilian police staff numbers have already dropped below 7,000, down from a peak of 7,862 in 2010.

He said the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (Acpos) believes “at least 2,054 will need to go by the next Scottish Parliament election, with reduced terms and conditions for the rest”.

Mr Macdonald said: “If staff were to resist reductions in terms and conditions, Acpos believes some 2,400 jobs would be lost. With no progress by ministers on the VAT issue, they estimate that some 3,200 jobs would have to go.”

The staff cuts will lead to constables being taken off the beat to do formerly civilian tasks, Labour believes.

SNP MSP Christine Grahame, convener of the Justice Committee, quoted Central Scotland Chief Constable Kevin Smith who said they have “reduced support staff by around 1,000 and that has not been followed by cops simply migrating in”.

Acpos, the Scottish Police Services Authority and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities have all warned that “cops will have to take up the slack” and asked the Government to “think again”, Ms Macdonald said.

Labour wants a full audit of cuts and for councils to be given details of current police expenditure in their areas to track changes in resources and funding.

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Mr MacAskill hailed the SNP’s success in maintaining 1,000 extra officers since 2007 and the lowest crime figures in 35 years.

But Labour MSP Graeme Pearson, a former policeman, suggested it would be “less than candid” to claim the cut in crime “is entirely down to the additional 1,000 officers”.

He said: “Crime rates across Europe and indeed in America are almost approaching a 50-year low.”

Mr MacAskill said “there is a clear correlation with a visible police presence” and the fall in crime in Scotland.

He said: “Compare that to the situation in England and Wales where latest figures show a decrease of 4.2% of over 6,000 officers in just a year.

“A report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary predicts officer numbers in England and Wales to have decreased by 16,200 by the end of the UK Government’s comprehensive spending review period.”

He said: “Earlier this week (shadow Home Secretary) Yvette Cooper reiterated in her address to the Police Federation annual conference that the Labour party themselves would have implemented 12% cuts to police budgets in England and Wales, cuts that could have resulted in as many as 10,000 officers.

“There is some gross hypocrisy when Labour come here complaining about some redundancies in civilian staff when they’re actually going to the Police Federation in England and Wales and saying that they would make 10,000 officer posts redundant. This Government will not let that happen in Scotland.”