§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the revised allocation of recruits under the Crime Fighting Fund; what discussions and meetings he has had with police authorities and chief constables about the revised allocation; what representations he has received on this issue; when he first informed police authorities and chief constables that the allocation would be revised to allow the recruitment of 5,000 extra recruits over two years rather than three; and if he will make a statement. [121988]
§ Mr. StrawI refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 6 April 2000,Official Report, columns 595-96W.
My officials have consulted police service and police authority representatives on how the recruitment scheme can be accelerated. I have received some representations from hon. Members, chief constables and police authorities about their allocations under the Crime Fighting Fund recruitment scheme. I announced details of the accelerated scheme in a reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) on 27 March 2000, Official Report, columns 1–3W, and I hope to make the promised further announcement shortly.