HC Deb 24 June 1999 vol 333 c427W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 June 1999,Official Report, column 332, on the London River Police, what estimate he has made of the (a) cost of overtime payments and (b) total cost for the service, over the millennium public holiday, at a strength of (i) 89 and (ii) 101. [87405]

Kate Hoey

The Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police tells me that all police officers on duty on the millennium public holiday will be entitled to overtime payment for being on duty. It is likely that every officer will be working a 12-hour duty, at an average cost of £297.69 per officer.

The total cost of the millennium public holiday river policing arrangements, based on a 12-hour duty on 31 December and a 12-hour duty on 1 January, using the same figure will be £595.38 per officer. This gives a total cost of £52,988.82 for 89 officers, and £60,133.38 for 101 officers.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 June 1999,Official Report, column 332, on the London River Police, for what reasons there will be a reduction in the number of river police in the period to 1 January 2000. [87402]

Kate Hoey

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that the reduction of numbers of river police, to 89 from 101, will align resources more closely to known and potential policing demands and so enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the river police.