§ Mrs. ShephardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the special funding needs of rural police forces; and if he will make a statement. [95257]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe needs of rural police forces are already recognised in the current funding formula. We are considering the findings of an independent research report on the costs of policing in rural areas.
Rural police forces will be able to bid for a share of the new Crime Fighting Fund which the Government have set up to provide for 5,000 extra recruits over the next three years.