HC Deb 23 December 1976 vol 923 cc266-8W
Mr. Eldon Griffiths

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he first gave his approval to the purchase by the Suffolk police of a patrol launch; what estimate was made at that time of its capital and operating costs, respectively; and what was the total cost to public funds at the time of the launch being handed over to the police authority.

Dr. Summerskill

Police authorities are not required to seek prior approval for expenditure of this kind, though in response to an inquiry from the Suffolk County Council in December 1975 the Home Office indicated that this expenditure would rank for grant. The project was then estimated to cost £50,000 with operating costs of about £10,000 a year. The launch at present under construction is a development of the original proposal. It has not yet been handed over to the police authority. Its capital cost is estimated at £87,900 and likely operating costs at £14,300 a year plus the cost of purchasing and hiring ancillary equipment which has yet to be installed.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers will be assigned to duties in connection with the Suffolk police launch; and if these officers are new recruits or, in the event that they are being seconded to this maritime assignment from other duties in the force, whether he proposes to increase the overall establishment of the Suffolk force by a corresponding number of officers so that police cover on land is not reduced.

Dr. Summerskill

Three sergeants and nine constables are being assigned to this work. The current authorised establishment makes no special provision for this, but the Chief Constable has discretion to deploy his officers in the way he considers most suitable to meet the problems of the police area as a whole.

The strength of the force has been about 1,030 so far this year, with some 56 vacancies. The Chief Constable expects to fill a number of these vacancies in the next two or three months, so that the allocation of officers to the crew of the launch will not reduce the level of ground cover currently maintained.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what level of capital expenditure incurred by the Suffolk police authority he has approved for the purpose of Exchequer grant in respect of the purchase of a coastal launch; and how much he has approved as relevant expenditure for rate support grant in respect of its manning and maintenance in 1976 and 1977–78.

Dr. Summerskill

None. Relevant police expenditure for rate support grant purposes is estimated on a service-wide basis. The total police authority capital expenditure is expected to be contained within the levels provided in the White Paper on Public Expenditure (Cmnd. 6393). Manning and maintenance costs are expected to be contained within the limits of the rate support grant settlement.

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