§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community support officers will be funded by his Department in North Yorkshire; how long the community support grant will last; and what funding will be available after the community support grant ends. [112866]
§ Mr. Bob AinsworthOn 2 May my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary allocated Home Office funding for 30 community support officers in North Yorkshire. This funding provides 50 per cent of the salary and direct on costs for these officers until the end of financial year 2005–06.
North Yorkshire, as with all other forces in this round of funding, has secured commitments for the remainder of the cost of its community support officers from local partners. Extending as it does for the next two years, the funding structure allows forces to develop local arrangements to cover the full costs by 2006.