§ Mrs. Currieasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to additional costs incurred in Derbyshire by the policing of the miners' strike; to what other police authorities money is owed; by what mechanism these funds may be paid; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BrittanI understand that up to 31 March the Derbyshire police authority had incurred estimated additional expenditure of some £9.85 million resulting from the policing of the dispute in its area by the Derbyshire constabulary. I do not have information on the total sum which the authority owes to the 31 police authorities whose forces assisted the Derbyshire constabulary. Thirteen of those authorities have asked me to determine in accordance with section 14(4) of the Police Act 1964, the contribution to be paid to them by the Derbyshire police authority. The authority has already been notified of the determination of £428,661.37 made in relation to certain additional costs incurred by Cambridgeshire police authority. Other determinations will follow shortly.
The Derbyshire police authority is responsible for paying those authorities whose forces supplied mutual aid. The Government have, however, made available a special payment of 40 per cent., in addition to normal police grant, of approved additional expenditure, including the cost of mutual aid, incurred as a result of the dispute. Advances of grant are made when requested. No authority will be required to find from its own resources more than the product of three-quarters of a penny rate. Derbyshire has already passed this threshold.