§ Captain Kerbyasked the Secretary of State for Home Department (1) what was the cost to public Exchequer funds and to London ratepayers, respectively, of the build-up of police strength, including overtime rates, to control demonstrators objecting to the recent State visit of the King and Queen of the Hellenes; and what sum was recovered from police court fines to compensate Exchequer expenditure of public money;
(2) how many Metropolitan policemen were employed upon special duties at overtime rates, and not upon their normal duties, during the recent State visit of the King and Queen of the Hellenes.
§ Mr. BrookeVarying numbers of Metropolitan Police, from 69 to 4,851 at any one time, were employed on duties connected with the visit, and 34,450 additional hours of duty were worked. Some men may be compensated by time off in lieu of overtime payment. Disregarding this, the maximum cost would be about £21,500, of which half would be borne 137W by the Exchequer, by way of police grant, and half by ratepayers in the Metropolitan Police District.
Arising out of the demonstrations, 138 cases have so far been dealt with by the courts, and fines and costs totalling £310 have been imposed. 49 cases have still to be dealt with. It is of course not the purpose of fines to compensate the Exchequer.