A Westminster committee has called for dedicated funding to cover legacy costs and an independent review of staffing levels at the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee report found that the PSNI has faced real-terms budget reductions since 2011 and that legacy investigations cost policing £24 million annually.

The committee recommended that the UK Government create a ring-fenced fund for legacy work and justify why Northern Ireland is excluded from counter-terrorism funding streams available to forces in England and Wales.

The report also found that the proportion of Catholic officers has plateaued at around 30 percent since the 50:50 recruitment policy ended in 2011 and warned that this figure is projected to fall.

MPs urged the PSNI to research barriers to applications and consider a cadet-style scheme to increase recruitment from Catholic, ethnic minority, and working-class backgrounds.

Chief Constable Jon Boutcher welcomed the report and stated that projected budget shortfalls stand at roughly £57 million, £92 million, and £149 million over the next three years.

The report was published following written and oral evidence from the Chief Constable and Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck, and after committee members observed neighbourhood policing teams.