§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is yet able to announce conclusions reached on recommendations made by the Montgomery report to base the contribution towards the costs of financing joint police and fire services on actual costs incurred, rather than the existing system of standard penny rate product.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonNo. The existing system is based not on a standard penny rate product but on population. I am still awaiting a response to the invitation which my right hon. Friend, the then Secretary of State for Scotland, issued to the Northern joint police committee and the Highlands and Islands joint fire board in 1985 to provide further information so that informed decisions could be taken on this matter.