§ Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources Her Majesty's Government are making available to the West Yorkshire police authority in 1986–87 compared with 1985–86.
§ Mr. Giles ShawIf the West Yorkshire police authority's expenditure, including police grant, in 1986–87 is £126 million, the level currently implied by the maximum precept contained in the Local Government Act 1985 (Police and Fire and Civil Defence Authorities) Precepts Limitation Order 1986 which was approved by Parliament on 11 February, 51 per cent. of its expenditure will be met by the Home Office through police grant and the authority will also receive some £20 million in block grant. Thus in 1986–87, 67 per cent. of the authority's expenditure will be financed by central Government. 50 per cent. of the expenditure of the present police authority in 1985–86 is being met through police grant. It is not possible to say to what extent the authority's expenditure in 1985–86 is financed by block grant, which is paid in support of the county council's services generally.
§ Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the West Yorkshire police authority on the maintenance of an effective and efficient police force; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles ShawI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Normanton (Mr. O'Brien) on 3 February, at column 2. The House has now approved the order setting a maximum precept for the West Yorkshire police authority. This maximum will allow the authority to spend at a level sufficient to fulfil its statutory duty to maintain an adequate and efficient force for its area. We look to the authority to budget at this level. By virtue of my right hon. Friend's announcement on 11 February of his intention to increase the level of police grant from 50 per cent. to 51518W per cent. in 1986–87, the authority will be able to spend at the appropriate level while making a precept below the maximum he has set.