Ministers pledge to compensate Brussels if Britain pulls out as part of decisions over Europe-wide policing measures

David Cameron has been involved in talks which could increase cooperation over policing in Europe, documents show.

Ministers have told EU leaders that they will make a decision on whether to take part in a Europe-wide DNA database by 1 December next year and have promised to compensate Brussels if Britain decides to pull out.

Britain insisted on the right to opt out of 133 EU-wide policing measures when it signed the Lisbon treaty in 2007. It has until December this year to decide which exactly it wants to implement.

A document leaked to the Times states: "The UK government has also indicated that in a number of other cases it will set in motion a process towards the subsequent opting in to certain other instruments of particular importance."

The development will add to the discontent among some Eurosceptic Conservative backbenchers who remain mistrustful of Cameron and concerned by the rise of Ukip. It follows a grandstanding performance by Cameron last week as he criticised the planned appointment of Jean-Claude Juncker as commission president.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, a leading Eurosceptic, told the Times that Cameron faced a serious battle: "As the prime minister has made it clear that he wishes to bring back powers in relation to justice and home affairs, it is surprising that the foreign office is paving the way for a further surrender of power to Brussels.

"It is troubling that more information is coming from leaked commission documents and press releases than from statements to the House of Commons. This lessens the ability of the British people to scrutinise the activities of the government and is characteristic of the back-room deals that led to Mr Juncker's appointment."