§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the cost of the Public Safety Radio Communications System, and provide a breakdown of the way in which the costs of the system will be divided between his Department and the police; and if he will make a statement. [133287]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe overall cost of the Public Safety Radio Communication Service (PSRCS) is approximately £1.3 billion over the lifetime of the project. This is based on the Net Present Cost (ie today's value of a series of future payments) and is for the Private Finance Initiative element of the service. This is the equivalent of £2.3 billion in cash terms. In addition to the service tariffs, forces will pay for costs outside of the scope of the PSRCS contract to cover the purchase of control room terminals and their integration; and the purchase and replacement of radio terminals during the life of the PSRCS. An estimate of these costs is about £300 million over the whole PSRCS contract life.
My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced on 19 July 2000, Official Report, columns 376–79, that the Government were making provision to meet the costs of PSRCS. This will amount to around £500 million over the three years of the Spending Review Settlement: the "Core" costs will be paid centrally by the Home Office, and the total provision should also be sufficient to cover expenditure by police forces on local service requirements ("menu costs") and installation and equipment costs.
This settlement will ensure that the police service has the latest and best technology without having to reduce manpower to fund it. It should meet all the concerns some forces have expressed about the system's affordability.