§ Sir Ivan LawrenceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future policing arrangements for the new unitary district of Caerphilly.
386WInformation available to me shows that 290 speeding prosecutions were brought in England and Wales in 1992 following evidence produced by automatic cameras and 6,390 in 1993. In addition, 25,767 fixed penalties notices were issued in 1993. Figures for 1994 are not yet available.
The following table shows the proportion of fixed penalty notices and prosecutions resulting from evidence from speed cameras.
§ Mr. HowardI have consulted the forces, police authorities and local authorities in the area on the future policing arrangements for the new unitary district of Caerphilly. I also asked Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary to report on this issue.
In the light of the replies received and of the professional views of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary, I have decided that the Gwent constabulary shall be responsible for policing the whole of the new district from 1 April 1996.
An order will be made in due course, under section 21 A of the Police Act 1964—as inserted by section 14 of the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994—to give effect to this decision, following discussions with the police authorities and forces concerned on the details of its content.