§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to re-assess regularly the baseline figure of planned police recruits during the life of the Crime Fighting Fund; and if he will make a statement. [103333]
§ Mr. BoatengIn order to establish baseline figures for projected recruitment over the next three years, we have asked forces for details of their recruitment plans for each of those years.
To continue to receive funding for further additional officers for years two and three, police forces will need to demonstrate that the first year's funding has been used to recruit and deploy the additional numbers agreed for front line policing and that they have met the other continuation criteria set out in the Bidding Guidelines, a copy of which was placed in the Library on 2 December. Forces will be asked in October 2000 and again in October 2001, to provide the information requested to demonstrate that they have met the continuation criteria.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimate he has made of the funds which will need to be available through the376W Crime Fighting Fund in year two and year three in order for police forces to be able to recruit a total of 5,000 officers; and if he will make a statement; [103328]
(2) what additional funding will be made available for the Crime Fighting Fund in year two and year three; and if he will make a statement. [103329]
§ Mr. Boateng£35 million of new money has been allocated to kick-start the scheme in year one and further sums will be made available in years two and three. It is impossible to say at this stage how much funding will be needed in years two and three as we do not yet know how forces will spread their bids over the three year period of the scheme.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to make funding available for the retention of police officers recruited through the Crime Fighting Fund; and if he will make a statement. [103331]
§ Mr. BoatengThe Crime Fighting Fund will provide for the recruitment and retention of officers over the three year period from April 2000. Funding per recruit will be based on the aggregate annual cost of a new police constable up to a maximum of £32,500 for a Police Officer recruited to a force other than the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS): £35,130 for a Metropolitan Police Service recruit. Those sums include the following: £17,900 (pay); £1,300 Earning Related National Insurance Contributions (ERNIC); £5,300 (pension); a contribution to training and £1,000 for recruitment.
The salary, ERNIC and pension costs of police officers who are recruited under the Crime Fighting Fund will continue to be paid for the three year period of the scheme. In the longer term all pressures on police funds, including these new officers, will be reflected in bids my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will make during the 2000 Spending Review.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces are not recruiting new police recruits; and if he will make a statement. [103332]
§ Mr. BoatengTiming of recruitment is a matter for the individual forces concerned. The information we have is that 28 forces in England and Wales are recruiting new police recruits at the current time.