Police Funding (Hansard, 29 June 2000)

§ Mr. Charles Clarke

The Government set considerable store by stability in the grant system to help police authorities plan ahead. In July 1998, the Government announced a three-year freeze on changes to Standard Spending Assessment funding formulae pending the wide ranging review of the revenue support grant system across local government. In view of the moratorium, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary decided that it would not be appropriate to make substantive changes to the method of police grant distribution for 2000–01. That position remains unchanged.

The fundings of the Operational Research in Health (ORH) report on policing areas of rural sparsity were considered by a Home Office chaired Working Group, which includes representatives of the police service, police authorities and local authorities. That report was placed in the Library. Implementing the findings of the report would have meant the redistribution of around £30 million of funding almost entirely from the metropolitan forces to shire forces where call response times are longer. There was no agreement in the working group about the best way to proceed.

However, the opportunity has now arisen as a result of additional funds being made available through the budget, for the Government to recognise the special needs of rural policing. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has therefore agreed to make £15 million available for the remainder of this year to enhance the policing service in rural areas at no cost to the metropolitan forces. Funding for future years will be considered as part of the spending review 2000 process.