HC Deb 06 May 1987 vol 115 c434W
Mr. David Atkinson

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those measures taken by his Department since 1979 which have specifically benefited the borough of Bournemouth.

Mr. Hurd

Since 1979, the Home Office has taken a number of measures which will have been of specific benefit to the borough of Bournemouth and its inhabitants, or of more general benefit to the citizens of Dorset as a whole.

Approval was given by the Home Office for Dorset probation service to incur capital expenditure up to £46,000 in the 1982ߝ83 financial year to provide day centre facilities at Hyde road, Bournemouth. The centre, called the Don Low Centre, has been open since 4 July 1983 and is aimed primarily at adult long-term unemployed clients of the probation service with four or five previous convictions and, probably a previous custodial sentence. In addition, approval was given last November to the building of probation offices in 1989ߝ90, in Madeira road, at a cost of about £300,000. Both projects attract specific Home Office grant at the rate of 80 per cent. Meta House, a drug rehabilitation project for young women, which is based in Bournemouth also receives financial support through the Home Office after-care grant scheme towards the cost of places reserved for offenders. In 1985ߝ86, the grant amounted to £11,214.

The Home Office has also authorised the payment of specific grant at the rate of 75 per cent. on £75,000 incurred by Bournemouth district council in providing a civil defence emergency centre.

As for Dorset more generally, total police manpower has increased by 212 (62 police officers and 150 civilians) since May 1979. In the same period, the authorised establishment of police officer posts has now risen to 1,235.