To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance his Department provides to Police and Crime Commissioners on the proportion of their budget that should be used for the running of their offices.

The Government does not issue guidance to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) on the proportion of their budget that should be used for administration costs. Under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, it is the responsibility of PCCs to determine how each police area’s funding settlement is allocated, including setting the police force budget and the running of the PCC’s office.

The 2011 Act specifies that PCCs must publish key information as prescribed by the Secretary of State. The Elected Local Policing Bodies (Specified Information) order 2011 (and amended in 2012) sets out what information must be published: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/3050/contents/made

The publication of this information enables the local electorate to judge whether the PCC is making the best use of public money at the ballot box.

Police and Crime Panels (PCPs) have the power to scrutinise the actions and decisions of PCCs and enable the public to hold them to account. They have oversight of the commissioner’s key documents, decisions and reports, and conduct the majority of their business in public, ensuring information is available to the electorate.