§ Mr. Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional grant he will make to Essex Police following the closure of magistrates' courts in the county. [48538]
§ Mr. MichaelNo additional grant will be paid. Police grant is allocated by means of a needs-based formula in which the location of court buildings does not feature. The Essex Police will have a spending power in 1998/99 of £166.2 million. This is an increase of 3.7 per cent. or £6 million over 1997/98. It is for the Chief Constable to determine the allocation of resources to meet the force's obligations, including any necessary adjustments to deployment as a result of changes in requirements for the attendance of officers at court.