Mr. Gareth ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the extra costs to police forces in England and Wales of policing millennium celebrations; and what plans he has to provide additional resources to meet those costs. [65883]
§ Mr. BoatengThe police service have estimated that the costs of policing millennium celebrations across England and Wales on 31 December 1999 could be around £12 million out of total available expenditure of over £7 billion.
The Government's spending plans for the police announced last July, and re-stated in a reply my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Salford (Ms Blears) on 2 December 1998, Official Report, columns 194–97, will allow Total Standard Spending on the police in England and Wales to increase by £186 million next year, a 2.7 per cent. increase over 1998–99. Police authorities will be able to increase their spending power by achieving the 2 per cent. efficiency target which has been set and re-investing the savings in front-line policing. There is also some scope for increased 417W spending from council tax. However, the Government expect police authorities to set budgets that are responsible, prudent and reasonable and which do not impose an excessive increase in council tax.