§ Mr. BaileyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve the resourcing of the West Midlands police. [143111]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeMy right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has recently announced the provisional police funding settlement for 2001–02. Under the settlement, West Midlands police authority is set to receive central Government supported funding of £409.8 million, an increase of £17.1 million or 4.3 per cent. over 2000–01. West Midlands will also receive in 2001–02 (on present estimates) £6.87 million from the Crime Fighting Fund (CFF) in addition to the £2.67 million expected in 2000–01. Details of funding for 2002–03 is not yet available but will include the annual cost of earlier recruitment under the fund. The CFF is a targeted initiative that will allow forces to recruit additional officers over and above any previously planned recruitment levels. Under this scheme the West Midlands will be able to recruit an additional 523 officers over the years 2000–01 to 2002–03. There is flexibility within the CFF for forces to accelerate or defer part of their allocation between 2000–01 and 2001–02. West Midlands police have bid to accelerate 49 CFF recruits from their 2001–02 allocation into 2000–01. Funding for the CFF is provisional and is dependent on forces meeting the continuation criteria.
West Midlands police authority has also benefited this year from a £3.3 million grant from the £20 million anti-robbery fund, a targeted initiative to tackle robbery in metropolitan areas.