§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on(a) the refusal of the North Wales police to accept the TETRA communications system and (b) the concerns expressed about the system by the Lancashire force. [133733]
§ Ms BlearsAll police forces in England, Wales and Scotland are committed to Airwave, the new radio communications system based on TETRA technology. The Airwave service will become available in North Wales in December 2004. Airwave is already available to 26 forces and has over 29,000 police users. The rollout is due to complete by mid-2005.
Lancashire Constabulary, the pilot force for Airwave, is satisfied with the service, which has been fully operational since September 2001.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the annual(a) capital and (b) revenue costs are in 2003–04 of the police TETRA communications system. [133734]
§ Ms BlearsAirwave is the new radio communications system for the police service in England, Wales and Scotland.
The estimated total capital cost to the Home Office for Airwave in 2003–04 is £78 million. The estimated total revenue cost in 2003–04 is £98 million.