§ Mr. MossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the impact of the level of central Government funding of the Metropolitan Police Authority in(a) 2001 and (b) 2002 on the expected increase in the MPA element of the GLA precept on council tax in London in 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [19595]
§ Mr. DenhamIt is not Government policy to make such predictions. Decisions on the level at which the police precept for 2002–03 is set are a matter for the Greater London Authority after consultation with its local electorate and taxpayers.
The level at which the precept is set will be influenced not only by levels of revenue support grant, re-distributed non-domestic rates and police grant for 2002–03 but also by the use of any financial reserves the Metropolitan Police Authority puts towards its budget. Details of the provisional police funding settlement for 2002–03 will be announced shortly.