§ Mr. WATTasked the Secretary to the Treasury, whether the grant made to local authorities for payment of the police is in England half of the cost of the police; whether the grant given in Scotland is a less percentage of the cost; if so, what percentage; and will legislation be introduced to equalise the grants?
§ Mr. UREMy hon. Friend's question suggests that there is in the matter of Police Grants an inequality of treatment as between England and Scotland. This is not so, as has been frequently explained and is now generally acknowledged. While England and Scotland are treated with equality in the apportionment of the total sums assigned for local purposes to the two countries respectively, there are differences in the method of allocation of 2563W these sums. In the case of Scotland, the total amount to be distributed in aid of the cost of pay and clothing of police is fixed at £180,000 per annum, and the rate per pound of expenditure which this grant can pay must go down as the aggregate police expenditure rises; the balance available in general relief of rates is not affected. In the case of England, the statutes direct a grant of 10s. per pound to be paid towards police expenditure, but this necessarily involves that, as police expenditure goes up, there is a smaller residue available for other local services. The present percentage in Scotland of Police Grant to expenditure is 7s. 5d. in the pound. The question whether the grant can be increased will be a proper subject for consideration in connection with any readjustment of local and Imperial taxation.