Pay Police in full, says MP

12.00.00am GMT Fri 29th Feb 2008

Bob Russell MP on patrol

The Government's refusal to honour in full a pay award to the Police has been strongly criticised in the House of Commons by Colchester MP Bob Russell,

He challenged Home Secretary Mrs Jackie Smith during Home Office Questions, the second time he has done so having previously criticised her directly two weeks' ago when she appeared before the Home Affairs Select Committee on which Liberal Democrat Mr Russell serves.

And his Question asking the Home Secretary what recent discussions she has had on Police pay prompted the longest exchange of the day, with The Speaker allowing several other MPs to follow up Mr Russell's original question. None of the other MPs who spoke during the ten minutes of questions on Police pay supported the Government's decision.

Mr Russell told MPs: "The Home Secretary must accept that the Government's refusal to honour in full the independently recommended pay award has caused considerable damage to Police morale."

Observing that the total sum of money docked from Police Officers across England and Wales was around £40 million, he added: "Surely the Government can afford to pay that, particularly bearing in mind that it is roughly the sum paid to West Ham footballers."

Responding, the Home Secretary sought to defend the decision to stage the Police pay award and not to backdate it, meaning that across a full year it would work out less than that recommended by the independent police arbitration tribunal.

She said: "I have a responsibility to make a decision that was right for policing, for the affordability of policing and for the taxpayer. It was also right that that decision should be in line with the publicly stated pay policy and the Government's commitment to keep inflation under control."

Afterwards Mr Russell said: "It was interesting that no MPs, not even from the Government's own supporters, spoke in support of the Government line. It was also very interesting to note that the Conservative Front Bench remained silent throughout when I thought they would have wanted to speak in support of the Police."