Witney MP David Cameron has tackled Home Office Minister John Denham over the need to give Thames Valley Chief Constable Peter Neyroud extra cash and flexibility.

The Conservative MP warned the force would continue to be a 'training college' for the Metropolitan Police and other constabularies if more support was not forthcoming.

He raised the issue with the Minister in Home Office Questions at the Commons after speaking to the Chief Constable.

Law and order minister Mr Denham said he had spoken with Mr Neyroud several times.

He said: "We're working with chief constables, police authorities and staff associations in London and the south east, including Thames Valley, to consider all the associated issues."

Mr Cameron said he was pleased the Government was "moving in the right direction".

He said the retention situation was still dire, with more than 60 per cent of front-line officers probationers in some parts of the force.

"We must try to keep some of those officers in the Thames Valley force rather than see them go all over the country," he said.

Mr Denham said the Government was taking the issue very seriously and had considered a number of issues including how to spend the additional special priority posts money in the Thames Valley.

But he pointed out that Thames Valley officers already received an extra allowance of £2,000 a year and 171 cheap starter homes were being made available for Thames Valley police officers.

He added that there would be extra cash as a result of the latest police pay deal.

Mr Cameron, a former adviser to ex-Conservative Home Secretary Michael Howard said: "I'm reasonably pleased with the answer.

"They do seem to take it seriously and to be moving in the right direction.

"Mr Neyroud is currently limited in the number of special priority payments he can make for high performing officers and in the amount of overtime he can pay."