LABOUR TAKES OVER £5 MILLION FROM DERBYSHIRE POLICE

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 5th Dec 2006

Following a meeting with representatives of Derbyshire Constabulary in the House of Commons today, Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP for Chesterfield said:

"The Labour Government's new police funding formula introduced last year showed that Derbyshire police have been one of the worst funded police forces in the country. Derbyshire need the fourth highest funding increase to make their resources fit their needs.

"However, the Government have held back £5.2 million of Derbyshire Police's grant to fund other better resourced forces and next year this will increase to £5.7 million. Why should Derbyshire's under-funded police pay for richer forces elsewhere?

"On 14th November I wrote to Tony McNulty, the Minister with responsibility for police funding. His answer to my letter entirely failed to address any of the issues I raised regarding the ongoing under-funding of the police in Derbyshire.

"I have written again to the Minister to demand an answer to why Derbyshire's police should continue to be under-funded by over £5 million a year."