HC Deb 24 February 1999 vol 326 c312W
Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when research by his Department on the sparsity factor for policing was initiated. [72732]

Mr. Boateng

External research to examine whether there are any additional costs associated with the policing of sparsely populated rural areas was commissioned in March 1998. The results will be available shortly.