To ask the Minister of Justice, pursuant to AQW 27819/17-22, (i) for her assessment of how staff shortages in the PSNI are impacting on the functioning of the justice system; (ii) to detail the efforts she is making to ensure adequate funds are in place to address any staffing shortages within the PSNI; and (iii) to outline what steps she will take to ensure funds, that could help fill staff vacancies across the justice system, are not left unspent and returned to the Department of Finance.

The Member will be aware that recruitment and retention of police officers and civilian staff within the PSNI is an operational matter for the Chief Constable, who is accountable to the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

I continue to work closely with Executive Colleagues, including the Minister of Finance, and the Chief Constable to ensure that the PSNI is properly resourced in all aspects, for the challenges it faces. My Officials also work closely with the PSNI and the Department of Finance on budgets through the in-year monitoring rounds and the budget setting process for future years.

The Chief Constable has decided on a precautionary basis to defer the March 2022 PSNI recruitment intake. This decision is based on the assessment made of the impact of the draft 2022-25 budget for PSNI. This is one of many steps, which will need to be taken to live within the draft Department of Justice budget settlement, of which PSNI is the largest part.

The proposed draft budget allocation is likely to have a significant long term impact on front line services to the public and to victims of crime which in turn severely impacts public confidence in policing and justice.

I have made it very clear to the Finance Minister and the Executive that the draft budget would be incredibly damaging and create major challenges not just for the PSNI but for the entire justice system.

As I outlined in my answer to AQW 27819/17-22 the ability to recruit to fill current and future vacancies will be affected by the outcome of the budget. The draft budget would require significant reductions in workforce across the justice system and would impact on the services that can be delivered.

My answer to AQW 27819/17-22 also details the steps being taken to address any shortages. The Department always seeks to minimise underspends at year end, and works closely with the Department of Finance during monitoring rounds. The Department has successfully delivered underspends for non ring-fenced resource and capital budgets to within acceptable levels due to an effective budget management process. This is achieved largely by a continual process of keeping budgets under review.