§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is(a) the average national police precept and (b) the Humberside police precept; and how many additional police officers could be employed if the difference between the Humberside and the national average police precept were employed for that purpose. [122798]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe average council tax precept (band D) for police authorities in England for 2000–01 is calculated at £69.29. The average for police authorities in Wales for 2000–01 is £79.84.
The council tax precept (band D) for Humberside police authority is £60.30.
The effect of increasing Humberside's precept to the average for English forces would be subject to the impact of Council Tax Benefit Subsidy Limitation and cannot, therefore, readily be translated into additional officers.