§ Mr. RoweTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account is taken in the allocation of police grant to Kent of its proximity to mainland Europe and of the Channel Tunnel. [46924]
§ Mr. MichaelNone directly. However, police grant is allocated by means of a formula which predicts police authorities' relative need to spend. Formula components are weighted to take account of both resident and daytime population in a force's area. Any increase in Kent's population as a result of its geographical situation would in time be reflected in its police grant allocation.
Kent Police Authority received an increase of 4.4 per cent. in its spending power in 1998–99, significantly above the national average of 3.7 per cent. for police authorities.