§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional Metropolitan Police officers will be on duty on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day; and if he will make a statement. [103327]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that approximately 11,800 police officers will be on duty on New Year's Eve and approximately 10,300 on New Year's Day. Comparable information for last year was not collected centrally.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated additional cost to police forces for policing duties during the millennium celebrations; what additional funding has been allocated to police forces for the millennium period; and if he will make a statement. [103326]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe police service in England and Wales has estimated that the costs of policing the millennium celebrations could be £33 million out of total annual expenditure of over £7 billion. Police authorities are expected to meet this one-off additional expenditure item from within existing budgets and contingency reserves. Police budgets will increase on average by 3.1 per cent. this year. Police authorities will be able to increase their spending power by achieving the 2 per cent. efficiency target that has been set. In cash terms, this represents efficiency gains of around £140 million.