British Transport Police Integration Cost

– in the Scottish Parliament at on 15 November 2017.

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Photo of Anas Sarwar Anas Sarwar Labour

1. To ask the Scottish Government how much the integration of British Transport Police in Scotland into Police Scotland will cost. (S5O-01463)

Photo of Michael Matheson Michael Matheson Scottish National Party

The Scottish Government set out the projected costs of railway policing in the financial memorandum to the Railway Policing (Scotland) Bill. Under current arrangements, the costs are around £20 million per annum, and the financial memorandum assumes an envelope that is the same in real terms following integration. The costs of railway policing in Scotland following integration will continue to be funded through contributions from the railway industry.

Photo of Anas Sarwar Anas Sarwar Labour

The cabinet secretary will be aware that Police Scotland submitted evidence to the Justice Sub-Committee on Policing that stated that it did not know the costs of the merger. He will also be aware that not a single trade union or staff association representing the workforce supports the merger: not the British Transport Police Federation, not the Transport Salaried Staffs Association and not the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers—and, indeed, not the Scottish Trades Union Congress. Surely the cabinet secretary must now accept that the merger is one that the workers do not want and that passengers do not need. Is it not time that we ended this politically motivated merger right now—

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

Mr Sarwar, this is a supplementary question, not a long ramble before another question. I call the cabinet secretary.

Photo of Michael Matheson Michael Matheson Scottish National Party

P arliament, including the Justice Sub-Committee on Policing, considered those matters and voted on the bill. The bill was supported by the majority of MSPs and the Government is now progressing the policy.

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

A brief supplementary question from Liam Kerr.

Photo of Liam Kerr Liam Kerr Conservative

No details have been provided about which staff body will represent the employment interests of BTP officers north of the border after the force is abolished here. Will the cabinet secretary end that uncertainty now?

Photo of Michael Matheson Michael Matheson Scottish National Party

As the member will be aware, the Justice Sub-Committee on Policing has written to me, looking for further details on that matter. I will respond to the committee in due course.