§ Sir John WheelerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the total cost to public funds of the Metropolitan police in 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeAs police authority for the metropolis, I have approved estimates which provide for net revenue expenditure of £1,597,684 million in 1993–94. There will be a cash limit on current expenditure of £1,555,397 million. This is an increase of 5–2 per cent, on the budget estimate for 1992–93. Capital expenditure is subject to separate control.
I have also approved the issue of a precept of £128.15 per property in band D of the council tax valuation bands for Metropolitan police purposes.
§ Mr. BlairTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what effect the applicability of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 has had on the time taken for the market testing of Strangeways prison.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe original deadline for receiving bids for the operating contract of Her Majesty's prison Manchester was 18 January 1993. This has been extended while we consider the implications of applying the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981. No new deadline has yet been set.