§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department issues on the provision of information by police constabulary or police authorities on the costs to the public purse of major strategic police operations. [66333]
§ Mr. BoatengNo central guidance has been issued. It is for the police authority and the chief constable to account for the force's expenditure. Chief Constables will generally maintain records of the cost of major police operations and investigations not only for the purposes of sound financial management, but to keep their police authorities and the public informed.
We issued guidance on efficiency planning to Chief Constables and police authorities last November. We are also working with the service to develop a robust and consistent approach to activity costing, which will help the service to identify and manage the pressures it has.