§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the fact that local councils of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities are unable to meet the 10.3 per cent. increase in the pay of the police, he proposes to take steps to fund these increases.
§ Mr. King:Subject to parliamentary approval, my right hon. Friend proposes to increase relevant expenditure, on which rate support grant is paid, to reflect the net cost to local authorities in 1982–83 of the pay increase awarded to the police in September 1982.