§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will give full details of all contributions and costs incurred by Great Britain in being a member of Interpol, including the costs incurred by local police handling Interpol inquiries; and what control Great Britain has in the administration of Interpol and the spending of these sums of money;
(2) to what extent a 10 per cent. cut in all Government expenditure was applied to Interpol; and whether he will consider this as a means of reducing Government expenditure.
§ Dr. SummerskillThe British contribution to the estimated costs of the General Secretariat of the International Criminal Police Organisation—Interpol—for 1977–78 is £159,825. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that that is a reasonable contribution taking into account all the relevant considerations incuding the use which the police make of the organisation.
The annual cost of maintaining the National Central Bureau of Interpol at New Scotland Yard is estimated by the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis to be £430,000. The other costs 642W falling on individual police forces in this country resulting directly or indirectly from membership of Interpol are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The expenditure is subject to the same controls and economic restraints as apply to police operational expenditure generally.
The administration and financial policy of Interpol are subject to the approval of the General Assembly of the organisation where we have equal voting rights with all other member countries. The British representative is currently a member of the Executive Committee which considers recommendations of member countries and refers them through the General Assembly for ratification. The Executive Committee also monitors the work of the General Secretariat through its General Secretary.