§ Mr. Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much additional finance will be allocated to the Essex Police Authority when it becomes responsible for areas of the county currently served by the Metropolitan Police. [56151]
§ Mr. MichaelThe change to the boundaries of the Metropolitan Police District will result in a re-allocation of grant between Essex Police and the Metropolitan Police from 2000–01, but it is too early to give an estimate of the amounts involved. I discussed this point with the outer London Metropolitan Police Group last week. There are complex issues of detail arising from the transfer and my officials will be discussing these issues carefully with both the Metropolitan Police and the relevant county forces during the coming months.
Police grant is allocated according to a formula which reflects the relative policing needs of different areas. The formula is built up from a number of components. We are considering the implications of the changes to the boundaries for the distribution of police grant under the formula.