HC Deb 30 November 1998 vol 321 cc524-5
4. Mr. Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam)

If he will estimate the costs of the investigation by South Yorkshire police into allegations of wrong-doing by Doncaster councillors up to 1 November. [61091]

The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Paul Boateng)

I understand from South Yorkshire police that the estimated cost of the investigation up to 1 November is £200,955, including £49,729 in accommodation and miscellaneous service costs.

Mr. Allan

I am mindful, Madam Speaker, of your proper rulings on sub judice matters, so I shall refer not to individual cases but to issues of general principle.

I assure the Minister that I wish to see allegations of corruption by councillors of any colour investigated with all possible vigour. Does he intend to apply to those convicted of council corruption his recently announced proposals to make criminals pay from the proceeds of crime? If so, the council tax payers of South Yorkshire, including those living in my constituency of Sheffield, Hallam, could be sure that whatever funds can be recovered are recovered to help to pay for our hard-pressed local police forces.

Mr. Boateng

That would be entirely a matter for the courts, as and when the occasion arose, but, of course, all hon. Members would be concerned to ensure that corruption is treated as seriously as it deserves, from whatever source it comes.

Mr. John Greenway (Ryedale)

I welcome the hon. Gentleman to the Dispatch Box and look forward to working with him in the months ahead. Does he not realise that people in Yorkshire have more confidence in the police to clear up the mess than they have in the Labour party? They want to know how an already overstretched police service can be expected to cope with the four inquiries that it is undertaking and at the same time deal effectively with crime and disorder. Will he give the public a cast-iron reassurance that other policing priorities are not being neglected? Is not the real scandal that the police have been put in an impossible position for no other reason than the events in the Labour party in Yorkshire?

Mr. Boateng

Although I thank the hon. Gentleman for kindly welcoming me to the Dispatch Box, I am sorry that he should choose so early on to descend into party politics on this matter. He knows that the investigations in Doncaster have extended across the party political divide. He and his colleagues are the last people to be able to point a finger at us about corruption. The allocation of resources to that investigation is entirely a matter for the chief constable. We have every confidence in his ability to ascertain what resources ought to be applied and to ensure that that is not done at the expense of the other law and order priorities in Yorkshire.

Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)

Does my hon. Friend agree that we all deplore corruption in local government or anywhere that we find it, but that it ill becomes Tory Members to talk about Doncaster or anywhere else when they will not call on their old friend Lady Porter to pay back the £20-odd million that went missing in Westminster? Why do they not do so? Because she is a Tory and a friend of Lady Thatcher.

Mr. Boateng

We have grown used to double standards from Conservative Members. The day that their spokesperson condemns Lady Porter from the Dispatch Box will be the day that they can give us lessons about corruption and abuse of power.