Annex 2
UPDATE SINCE LAST INQUIRY
The Committee's previous report on the BTP,
its 12th report of the 2003-04 parliamentary session, made a number
of recommendations and comments. Here we set out the current position
in response to a number of these points.
RECOMMENDATION 5
The new Police Authority will allow the interests
of all those involved with the railways to be represented, and
should substantially reduce the conflict between the need to have
an effective and efficient police force, and the desire to keep
the costs as low as possible (paragraph 14)
The greater representation of passenger and
public interests on the Authority has enabled a wider ranging
debate about policing priorities for the railways, and not solely
related to the costs. The Authority is developing its role, however
the issue of funding is still dominating the Authority's business.
RECOMMENDATION 6
It is clear that the current funding arrangements
are unwieldy, and disputes take far too long to settle (paragraph
19)
The Authority concurs with this view, and we
see the Secretary of State's review as an excellent opportunity
to address this fundamental issue. The Authority has made suggestions
about alternative funding arrangements, but whilst the arrangements
are within a contractual framework, the potential for dispute
remains.
RECOMMENDATION 7
Although the option of direct funding was
examined and rejected even before the consultation on the future
of the BTP, it has become clear that the entire railway system
needs to be looked at afresh. We believe that the funding of the
BTP should form part of the Secretary of State's review of the
railway. Even if it is decided to keep the "user pays"
principle in some form, the review needs to consider whether there
are some BTP activities which the railway should not be expected
to fund. In addition, if the existing system is continued, we
believe the link between the service provided to individual companies
and the baseline payment they make should be at a level that does
not require high levels of administration and negotiation with
the various rail companies and organisations. Such negotiations
have costs both in management time and in hard cash (paragraph
24)
We believe there is a strong and arguable case
that Government could meet some of all of the costs of the BTP.
The current Review will provide the opportunity to explore this.
One of the options which is being considered—namely individual
TOC agreements with an as yet undefined "refocused BTP"
would result in precisely the high levels of administration and
negotiation which the committee was concerned about. Negotiation,
managing and administering these arrangements would indeed be
very costly in terms of time and possibly cash.
RECOMMENDATION 8
Whatever the outcome of the rail review,
the new police Authority will need to consider the extent to which
extra resources are needed to address the historical structure
of the Force, and deal with the pressures on the pension scheme
(paragraph 30)
The Authority has acted boldly in addressing
the needs of the Force which have derived from its historical
funding status. This has included the pensions issue, which has
resulted in the payment holiday taken by the previous committee
being cut short.
RECOMMENDATION 10
We are dismayed that the result of the recent
budget settlement may lead to a reduction in the officers available
in the London areas. The crime rates in these areas is already
two to three times higher than in their counterparts elsewhere.
We urge the BTP to find ways to protect policing on the London
transport overground network.
The Authority increased the Force's budget with
these sorts of pressures in mind. The number of officers has not
been reduced, and has been complemented by PCSOs.
RECOMMENDATION 11
It is ridiculous to concede the principle
of a professional police force for the railway network, and not
allow it to operate in the same way as other police forces. Unless
it can clearly be shown that a particular policing initiative
should not apply to the BTP, the Force should be given equivalent
support to that given to its Home Office counterparts. It is a
matter for government whether that support comes through the Home
Office or the Department of Transport. Currently new initiatives
appear to lead to lengthy negotiation between the British Transport
Police and the Department for Transport; this is a waste of time
for the top management of both organisations (paragraph 38)
The Authority has embarked upon a significant
programme of investment to ensure that the Force can police the
railways to the required national standard. Without this investment,
which has included substantive capital investment by government,
the Force was in danger of not being able to access data, which
would have severely hampered the Force's ability to work co-operatively
with other Police Forces. We also agree with the Committee's previous
comments about equal access to Government funding. This is still
not the case, particularly, for example in relation to future
pressures arising from the events of 7/7 (the "new normality").
RECOMMENDATION 14
We expect the Department for Transport to
ensure that the arrangements made for financial accountability
take the Chief Constable's accountability to the Police Authority
into account. We wish to see a copy of the final Accounting Officer
memorandum (paragraph 43)
A copy of the final Management Statement and
the Financial Memorandum (Annexes 7 & 8 of the authority's
Corporate Governance statement) are supplied with this submission.
RECOMMENDATION 15
Whatever the source of funding, it is vital
that we have an efficient, effective force to keep our rail system
safe. The British Transport Police is not a Home Office Force,
and nothing we have heard suggests that it should become one.
The railways are a specialised environment, with specialised needs
and need a specialised force. The Force has been rightly expected
to demonstrate the same standards and expertise as a county force,
but it has been left under funded, and without all the tools it
needs to carry out its task. We hope that the new Police Authority
will provide the leadership needed to address this, and secure
the support the Force deserves (paragraph 44)
The Authority believes it has provided the leadership
needed by setting a challenging three year Strategic Plan, setting
challenging targets in the annual Policing Plan and taking the
necessary budget decisions needed to support the Force in its
operations.
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