§ 32. Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make increased funding available to the Avon and Somerset police authority. [5173]
§ Mr. DenhamUnder the funding settlement for 2001–02 Avon and Somerset police authority set a budget of £189.7 million. This was an increase of 4.7 per cent. over 2000–01.
The police authority received an increase in grant supported funding of £7.7 million (4.4 per cent) in 2001–02. The force will also benefit this year from an allocation of £O.993 million from the rural policing fund. Provision in 2001–02 for 67 officers recruited last year under the Crime Fighting Fund (CFF) will be about £1.69 million. In addition, if the force's forecast of recruitment for this year holds, it will receive about £0.99 million for 51 CFF recruits agreed for 2001–02.