§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to inform police authorities of the amounts that they will receive from specific grants for the financial year 2004–05. [150632]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 26 January 2004]: Police Authorities are notified of specific grant allocations as soon as they are decided.
Details of the largest Fund (£277 million), The Crime Fighting Fund, as well as the £30 million Rural Policing Fund, were announced on 19 November. We are shortly to announce allocations for the Street Crime Initiative (£24 million)
Allocations of Basic Command Unit funding (£50 million) will be announced shortly, as will those for Special Priority Payments which are based on force budgeted paybill returns.
Police authorities are aware that in 2004–05 they will receive continuation funding (75 per cent.) for Community Support Officers recruited in 2002–03 and 50 per cent. funding for officers who are in some cases still being recruited in 2003–04. Final figures will be announced when the full costs are clear.
Payments of grant for the London Pay Lead and South East Allowances are based on force returns throughout the year.