§ Maria EagleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the costs to the South Yorkshire Police Authority of funding the defence of David Godfrey Duckenfield and Bernard Dean Murray in the cases of Adlington v Murray and Adlington v Duckenfield in the Leeds Magistrates Court. [68223]
§ Mr. BoatengMy right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has made no assessment. It is a matter for the South Yorkshire Police Authority to consider how to fund the defence of Mr. Duckenfield and Mr. Dean Murray and for the Chief Constable to allocate resources to the policing of the force area.
I understand from the Clerk to the South Yorkshire Police Authority, that the Authority has set aside £500,000 for legal costs work in connection with Hillsborough. This sum has been taken from the authority's reserves. There has, therefore, been no immediate impact on the resources available for day to day policing.
§ Maria EagleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from(a) South Yorkshire Police Authority and (b) South Yorkshire Police about the adequacy of their grant settlement for 1999–2000. [68829]
§ Mr. BoatengWe have received one letter from the Clerk to the South Yorkshire Police Authority raising a number of issues about the proposed funding settlement for the South Yorkshire Police in 1999–2000.