§ Sir Peter EmeryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to deal with the impact of population sparsity on the provision of police services. [96593]
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§ Mr. StrawThe needs of police forces with sparsely populated areas are already taken into account in the current police funding formula. The findings of a research study on policing areas of rural sparsity were considered by a Home Office chaired working group, which included representatives of police forces and police authorities. There was no single view within the working group on the conclusions of the research report. There was general agreement that a sparsity factor had been detected, but less agreement about how to include it appropriately in the police funding formula.
I understand the wishes of rural police forces to see the research findings implemented. Before doing so the Government will need to be satisfied that the research has provided a final answer to this question, which is beyond dispute or challenge.
For 2000–01, we propose to set considerable store by stability in the grant system to help police authorities plan ahead. In the July 1998 White Paper, "Modern Local Government—In Touch with the People", my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister said we would not expect to make fresh changes to the method of calculation of Standard Spending Assessments (SSAs). This includes police SSAs, as a common formula is used for distribution of police grant and SSA.
Our present intention is that, subject to consultation and to approval by the House, we shall not make any changes to the method of police grant distribution, or revenue support grant distribution, generally for 2000–01. There will, therefore, be no substantive changes to the operation of the police funding formula for next year.
We shall need to make some limited adjustments to accommodate changes arising from the alterations to the boundary of the Metropolitan Police area and the Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey Police areas.