§ Colonel DAYasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the fact that the published balance sheet of the Metropolitan Police Force shows a balance of income of £1,250,407 over expenditure, it is the intention of his Department to reduce the amount required by Parliamentary Votes this coming year?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe hon. Member is under a misapprehension. The balance in the Metropolitan Police930W Fund on the 31st March last does not represent a surplus of income over expenditure but is the working balance remaining over from the amount received under the Police Rate precepts issued in January and is required to meet expenditure up to the end of July or the first half of August, when the Fund is again replenished by the receipts in respect of the July Rate. The balance, therefore, does not foreshadow any corresponding reduction in the amount which Parliament will be asked to vote in respect of the current year.