§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet representatives of the West Mercia Constabulary to offer them more funding to offset increases in fuel costs; and if he will make a statement. [131529]
§ Mr. Charles Clarke[holding answer 20 July 2000]Rising costs, including those of fuel, have to be handled as part of normal budget management. In the case of price increases for any commodity, a force may have to reconsider internal budgets and re-allocate resources away from one area towards another.
I have no plans to meet with representatives of the West Mercia Constabulary to discuss this particular subject.