Chris Heaton-Harris 'uncaring' about police financial problems

Chris Heaton-Harris set Northern Ireland departmental budgets in the continued absence of an Executive

The Police Federation has accused the Northern Ireland secretary of being uncaring about the PSNI's financial problems.

He declined an invite to its annual conference and two requests for meetings.

It said his failure to meet was testament to an "out-of-touch UK government and secretary of state who seemingly couldn't care less".

The federation is holding its conference in Limavady.

It also criticised "stop-start" government at Stormont and said collapsing the executive is like "throwing the toys out of the pram".

The event has been taking place at a time when the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) voiced grave concerns about budget pressures which have resulted in fewer officers.

Last month, the Policing Board was told that a £140m black hole meant more savings would have to be found, including a further reduction in officer numbers.

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It currently represents 6,700 officers, the lowest number since the PSNI was formed in 2001.

Northern Ireland has been without a functioning government since February 2022, when the DUP walked out of the first minister's role in protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Sinn Féin won the largest number of seats in last year's assembly election, but no new power-sharing executive could be formed due to the DUP's ongoing boycott.

In a speech at the conference, the chair of the federation, Liam Kelly, was strongly critical of Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris, the man who set Northern Ireland departmental budgets in the continued absence of an Executive.

Liam Kelly said that two requests for meetings to discuss police finances with the Secretary of State were also declined

Policing is a devolved matter and the PSNI receives the vast majority of its £750m funding from the Department of Justice.

Mr Kelly said the federation had received a "thanks-but-no-thanks" reply to his invitation.

'Frustrations and anger'

He added that two requests for meetings to discuss police finances with Mr Heaton-Harris had also been declined.

"It is a real pity he is not here because I would have liked him to hear at first hand of disappointments, frustrations and anger," Mr Kelly told the conference.

He said the PSNI was being treated "shoddily" compared to forces in England and Wales where officer numbers have risen.

He went on to claim that the track record of Northern Ireland politicians "is every bit as disappointing" and that policing is "way down" the list of priorities.

Mr Kelly said Stormont "is not working".

Pointing to the collapse of devolution, he added: "There has to be a better way of sorting out difficulties over the Northern Ireland Protocol, and before that crises such as RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive scheme), without throwing the toys out of the pram.

"Selective withdrawals from the Executive can no longer be tolerated.

"If it means going back to the drawing board to remove vetoes then so be it."

In response a Northern Ireland Office spokesperson said: "Policing in NI, and police funding, are primarily devolved matters. It is for the devolved administration to determine the allocation of funding to the PSNI from the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) block grant. The prioritisation of police resourcing is the responsibility of the Department of Justice, working with the wider NIE."