§ Mr. NormanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 21 March862W 2003, Official Report, column 966W, on traffic wardens, what the total pay costs for traffic wardens were in each year since 1997. [113436]
§ Mr. Bob AinsworthDetailed information on total pay costs is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
It is however estimated that there are currently about 2,000 traffic wardens employed by police authorities in England and Wales, over a third of this total being employed in the Metropolitan Police District. While average salary costs nationwide are not available, I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the cost of one Metropolitan Police traffic warden is at present approximately £18,500 a year. Since costs in the Metropolitan Police District are likely to be substantially higher than elsewhere, the total national pay cost should not exceed £37 million.