§ Lord Brockwayasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have made any reduction in new grants to the Metropolitan Police; whether they will increase their grants in view of the statement by the commissioner that the cash limits will render the police less able adequately to discharge all their commitments; and whether they will take into account concern at the ability of the police to deal adequately with racial harassment.
§ Lord GlenarthurMy right honourable friend the Home Secretary announced in February a cash limit of £763–184 million on Metropolitan Police expenditure in 1985–86, which represents an increase of 5 per cent. on the equivalent figure for 1984–85. There has been no reduction in the cash limit or in the grants payable in support of the expenditure. The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis fully realises that the force must live within its budget and that this sometimes involves adjustments to planned expenditure to accommodate additional commitments which arise after the cash limit has been set. But the commissioner's strategy, which includes reducing the number of racial attacks through improved detection as a force priority, remains unchanged.