§ Dr. Glynasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, following his making available an additional £1.5 million funds to the Thames valley police in view of increased policing costs arising from operations at Greenham common, what will be the net increase in funds available to the force after account is taken of consequential reductions in specific grant; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BrittanI shall not know the exact amount of police grant payable to Thames valley police authority for 1983–84 until I receive its detailed claim based on expenditure, net of receipts. So far, it has received advances of police grant for 1983–84 totalling £31.2 million from the Home Office, in addition to the £1.5 million paid to it on 3 February 1984. The effect of the payment of £1.5 million in February will be to reduce by £0.75 million the police grant which would otherwise have been payable to it. This is wholly in line with normal practice on police authority receipts by which grant is calculated after receipts are taken into account. If, as the police authority estimated the cost of policing Greenham common in 1983–84 is £2.8 million, the Government will have contributed about £2.1 million through the special payment of £1.5 million and police grant of £0.65 million, in addition to their contribution through the rate support grant.
§ Mr. Dickensasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refuse to admit to the United Kingdom anti-nuclear demonstrators travelling from Spain with coach operators Anos Luz, Madrid, in order to demonstrate at Greenham common between 16 and 22 April; and if he will make it his general policy to refuse admission to any such future group.
§ Mr. WaddingtonA decision on whether or not to admit a person to the United Kingdom is taken in the light of the individual's circumstances at the time when he seeks leave to enter. The immigration rules do not preclude the entry of a person coming to take part in a demonstration, but anyone seeking entry for that or any other purpose must satisfy an immigration officer that he meets the relevant requirements for entry in the immigration rules.