§ Mr. Nabarroasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present annual cost to the public funds of police forces in the United Kingdom, including the extra cost to public funds of the recent police pay awards; how much of this total annual cost he estimates will be defrayed, percentum and in cash, by the yield this year of motorists' fines; and what increase he now anticipates in the yield of motorists' fines resulting from bringing the police force to full strength.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. David Renton)It is estimated that the cost of the police in Great Britain this year will be £130 million; and that fines for road traffic offences—which are credited to the Ministry of Transport—will yield some £2.6 million, and the fixed penalty system some £35,000 My right hon. Friend feels unable to speculate on the issues raised in the last part of the Question.
§ Mr. NabarroWill my hon. and learned Friend have some regard to the prospective additional revenue, which could be used to pay additional policemen in London and elsewhere, to be derived from the traffic warden system, which is now proving so efficacious in congested and built-up areas? Can my hon. and learned Friend give some indication of what revenue may be expected in the next few years from an extension of the traffic warden system to other congested areas in the Provinces, because this is surely a magnificent method of financing additional policemen?
§ Mr. RentonAs a keen statistician my hon. Friend will agree with me that better enforcement may lead to fewer offences and, therefore, less money collected by fines.