§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the net effect of his Department's recent grant to Merseyside police under the organised crime initiative on police numbers in the county. [144941]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeMerseyside police will receive £1,020,000 under the targeted policing initiative, part of the crime reduction programme, to buy technical equipment to confront and tackle criminal networks across the county. Merseyside police inform me that the money will improve the capability and resilience of existing internal structures and will bring benefits in terms of crime reduction.