§ Mr. Hunterasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much of the working time of (a) Ministers and officials of his Department and (b) the police was diverted to and spent on matters connected with the disorders before and after and associated with the international football match in Paris; and whether he will give an estimate of the related costs incurred (i) within his Department and (ii) to local police authorities.
§ Mr. BrittanMatters relating to the France versus England football match are primarily for my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment with responsibility for sport. The best estimate I can give of time spent in my Department on this by Ministers and officials is 16 man-hours; staff costs are estimated at about £153. I understand from the chief constable of Kent constabulary that his officers spent approximately 770 hours normal duty time and 190 hours overtime at a cost of about £3,850 and £1,500 respectively. The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that 72 hours of normal duty time were spent by his officers at a cost of about £1,000.