§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what payments(a) are available and (b) have been made to police authorities in respect of demands on the police during the floods in 2000. [145559]
§ Mr. Charles Clarke[holding answer 15 January 2001]: There are no specific payments available from the Home Office to police authorities in respect of demands on the police during the floods in 2000 and no payments have been made.
The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions administers the Bellwin scheme that provides assistance to meet an undue financial burden of the immediate costs of tackling exceptional natural disasters or similar events. I am informed by that Department that no applications have been received, and no payments have been made, to police authorities for costs incurred from the floods.